Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Enjoying the Ordinary



This summer is a bit crazy. Between trips and house guests, all very good things, the "lazy and hazy" days of summer are few and far between. 

An evening stroll in the garden revealed the purple coneflower blooming its little heart out. 
 

We picked a few plums from the tree hanging its fruit over our son and daughter-in-law's fence. I made three jars of jam. Love the light shining through revealing the chunks of fruit.
 

I used a recipe from this book. The concept of small batch preserving is good when there's just the two of us and we don't eat as much jam as we used to. I plan on using some of the plum jam to make an oriental plum dipping sauce for meatballs.
 

This week is quieter. I took our Australian friend to the airport on Monday morning. I'm doing a little sewing, a little preserving, a little gardening, and lots of quiet thinking. 

How's your week? Busy or calm?

21 comments:

  1. You would think it would be calm here but we are always busy and on the run! And it's HOT and humid today but I went to the library and got a stack of books. I love having lots of choices. Enjoy your afternoon! Hugs, Diane

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  2. Our summer has been crazy-busy, but filled with good things! A summer cold has changed a few plans this week, so I am accepting it as a gift for slowing us down a bit.

    Love your jars of jam with the fruit showing through! Enjoy your calm(er) week, Lorrie!

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  3. Gorgeous photos and yummy jam...sounds like great things to fill your week! Heading north tonight to Ohio for a long overdue family reunion. Have a great weekend :)

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  4. It has been a calm beginning and will end with a bang.

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  5. The jam is such a gorgeous colour - plum jam is the best!

    Week starting quiet, but getting busier. Enjoy your relaxing domestic days, it is therapy for abusy teacher!
    X

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  6. Doesn't that jam look lovely! I'm gearing up for the sudden influx of ripe tomatoes...soon I think! then I'll be very busy.

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  7. Our summer has been both busy and calm, but mostly busy!

    I love the idea of small batches of jam, or any kind of preserving. Sometimes I think it's not worth it if there isn't a lot to do, but I think I've been wrong.

    Love your coneflowers!

    Deanna

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  8. Your ordinary scenes are lovely. It has been a quieter week around here for which I am thankful. Blessings!

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  9. Jams and jellies are always so pretty in glass jars. Love your pretty flowers, too.

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  10. Anonymous8:52 PM

    oh, what colours, when the light goes through the jam!
    Herzlich Pippa

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  11. Beautiful post Lorrie! Really love those flowers! This should be a busy week, but I haven't felt the best so I am taking it kind of easy.
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  12. Glad to hear you are having a wonderful summer, Lorrie. Your chunky plum jam looks delicious.

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  13. Making jam, reading & stitching are all wonderful ways to relax and enjoy some quiet time, the plum dipping sauce sounds quite yummy!
    My week has been quite unsettling. We're still waiting for new shower doors to complete the mini renov in our family bathroom & en suite. After weeks of delay the plumber arrived with the wrong size doors on Monday and won't have the correct ones for another 10 days. With visitors expected next week you can imagine my frustration. August is looming!.
    Nous sommes en France!

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  14. I like busy summers, there's more to look back on and remember :) Your coneflowers are beauties!
    Wendy

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  15. Mmmm... gorgeous flowers and mouth watering jars of jam. You do have an eye for capturing beauty, in words and in pictures, Lorrie. Thank you so much!

    My week has been moderately paced, but will be picking up heading into the weekend as I will begin canning season tomorrow. I'm getting set to make dill pickles from 80lbs. of cukes. Crazy, right? ;o)

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  16. I have to admit to having given up any type of canning due to arthritic hands but small batch work might be doable. I don't know why I never thought about that. It wouldn't seem like such an overwhelming task.

    I love seeing yours with the light shining thru them!

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  17. I like the idea of those small batches. Making only 3 jars of jam is so much less daunting an enterprise, and the two of us really can't eat more than that anyway.

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  18. Actually it's been a nice calm week here so far (which I greatly appreciate). I've enjoyed visiting blogs again. You have some nice shots here today. The jam looks yummy. I've never tried canning though.

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  19. I hope that you have had a week that was just the right balance of calm and busy! I love plum jam, it is delicious isn't it! xx

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  20. Oh your plum jam looks beautiful !

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  21. Oh your plum jam looks beautiful !

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