How are the berries in B.C.?

I am home in Calgary, waiting to go back to the Shuswap tomorrow.

"How are the berries in B.C.?", Matiram Pun asked me tonight.

I said that the raspberries are bearing enough fruit now that they have to be picked every other day. I tell the children that they have to pick 10 berries and bring them to me in the kitchen. Then I follow the kids up to the raspberry canes and watch how long it takes to get ten berries into their hands, given that for every berry they pick and put in their hands, 4 or 5 of the berries go directly to their mouths and do not pass by their hands.

The strawberries are another thing -- when Askews was selling 10 pounds for $10 Doral couldn't help bringing home a flat from his shopping trip. The berries were at the peak of perfection -- you know, one of those times when you know that the strawberries will be over-ripe in just 3 more hours, so they must be eaten at that moment.

I got the ones that couldn't be eaten cut up and the dishes done, and I was just in time to see Mary walk through the door with a flat of strawberries, saying, "Look, the strawberries were $10 for 10 pounds -- I just couldn't resist getting a flat for us."

Out came the strawberry hullers and sieves -- for if strawberries are that ripe and good once in the day, they are really good, twice in the day.

The next week, the blueberries were the same price: $10 for 10 pounds.

What is this? A loss leader? Who can pick, pack, transport and market berries for that price?

In the NY Times list of 101 Summer Salads Made with 3 Ingredients was one that called for grated carrots, blueberries and toasted sunflower seeds with a mustard vinegrette of olive oil, vinegar and a bit of mustard.

So the blueberries are coming home with the same speed that the strawberries arrived, but not all of them are eaten out of hand. Some go into that salad. We are learning that the carrots should go on the finest shredding blade of the vegetable chopper, and with that, we have a perfect salad.

"How are the berries in B.C.?"

Delicious.

Meat Pies with Guiness

I rarely have someone come to borrow ingredients for a recipe.

This week, I have had two people pass through my kitchen, just needing an ingredint or two. Moiya needed one-half cup of lemon juice. By the time she came to get it, I had forgotten I was lending it and was on my way down to the beach, so I just about bailed on her, even though I told her I would still be in my kitchen when she came. My memory is shorter than I had thought

Glen also came to borrow -- 3 stalks of celery and some mushrooms for his Guiness Meat pie, the filling of which was to simmer all day and the crust of which was already waiting in his fridge to be rolled out.

When I dropped by Moiya's a few days earlier I had tasted some foccatia bread that was hot from her oven.

I also wandered by Janet's house to see if the meat pies were really all that Wyona had reported they were. Good fortune had let her be there when dinner was served and so she got in on what she calls "a moment of time that may never be repeated".

I didn't get a taste, but I am not worrying about it. I think that when the pies are pronounced "better than anything I have ever tasted in London", there will be more of them prepared in the summer and fall days to come.

Arta

Swimming In The Shuswap

Here's a photo of the Camps-Johnson, Carter and Johnson kids swimming in the lake. From left to right, Meighan, David, Alex, Dalton, Duncan and Ceilidh.

Maybe it's just my old age, but the water seemed warmer that is usual for this time of the year. This is, of course, taken before Dalton broke his arm and was thus unable to get all the way into the lake.

Dalton reports that his cast is coming off this weekend. Considering it is the August long-weekend, and the hospital is usually inundated with drunken accident victims, we may wait to have it cast removed until after the weekend passes.

McTroness vacation in Minnesota

This is my third attempt at contributing to the blog. I have yet to be successful. Maybe I'm having problems because I'm using my phone instead if my computer.

I have already texted my blog posting to BLOGGR, but that didn't seem to result in anything. This makes me uneasy because now I feel as if I've written info about my vacation and sent it to Cyberspace. I wonder if the inhabitants of Cyberspace are interested in what I have to say. Or maybe this BLOGGR person, let's assume she's female, but only if my text actually posts successfully, is a Cyber-God kind of individual. Perhaps she all knowingly can connect my virtual thumbprints with the Larch Haven limbs.

Now you have it. My first verbal spew with actually no info about my actual vacation.

Book Garage Sale

I know many people are out and about for the summer season, nonetheless I am having a GARAGE SALE this Saturday, July 10 from 8 am - 4 pm.  It will be at 1 Chisholm Cres NW (the yellow house facing Northmount Drive).

The sale will include children's books, teen books, teacher books and materials, clothing (size 16 - 20), and other assorted household goods.  There will be many,  many books!  Drop by if you are in town and looking for find some good reading.

I believe the weather is supposed to be 27 degrees and there are two 7-11's nearby.  Woot!