Good Quote

Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation.

For it is better to be alone than in bad company.

George Washington

Beach Trip! ...for a "postponed" Mother's Day

God has blessed me with a wonderful family.

For example, because I wouldn't be home to celebrate Mother's Day (being in Nevada...), my mother decided to postpone her day to later Sunday.
Here are a few photos of the good ol' Oregon coast. Even though it was cloudy and gray, it was wonderful to put my toes in the west coast sand and water. Along with Mt. Hood, ridges with evergreens, and rain without humidity and thunder storms, I've missed the coast.

Hay Stack!!!

Yup. My family is wonderful!

Berries and quick breads

So, since being home I have done quite a bit of berry picking and bread baking!
Together, Steph, Mom, and I have picked:

• Just under 15 lbs of Strawberries
• Just over 21 lbs of Blueberries
• 19 lbs combined Raspberries, Blackberries (or were they Boysenberries?), and Tayberries

Steph and I made a batch of Tayberry freezer jam yesterday. It was delightful! We used the recipe that came in the Pomona's Universal Pectin box. It was super easy and we had fun making it!

Although we didn't take photos of the process, it was the same as when I made a batch of Raspberry freezer jam (my first!) a week or so ago.

You have to have something to put the berries on you know, and since dad has been lowering his intake of calories, I experimented with a lower calorie scone.

In this scone I substituted apple sauce for the cold butter and water for the milk. No one could tell the difference! My sister thought it tasted a bit sweeter though. In order to substitute apple sauce for butter, you must double the amount given for butter directed in the recipe.

Another quick bread I have baked several times already this summer is pita bread. I don't have a photo right now, but the recipe is so simple I can type it right here from memory! :-)

Quick Pita

• 1 Tb. yeast
• 1-2 ts. honey
• 1 C. warm water
• 1/2 ts. salt
• 1-2 C. flour

1. Blend the yeast, honey, and water. Let sit until it bubbles.
2. Mix in salt.
3. Add the flour until you have a soft, sticky dough.
4. Divide into 8 equal parts, rolling each into a small ball.
5. Flatten in circles using your palms or lightly using a rolling pin.
6. Place on a cookie sheet on the middle rack of your oven on broil setting.
7. Turn once pitas start to brown, and broil the other side until lightly brown.

Enjoy!

At the Edward's Urban Farm

So I have finally gotten back here to post a few photos from our visit to the Edward's Urban Farm way back in May. Sadly, no photos of the chickens - but! I'll let you enjoy these photos.

:-)