Wednesday, July 20, 2011

They are for the birds!!!!!



When we moved into this house in the early 80's there was a sprawling raspberry patch and a large currant bush behind the tumbled down brooder house, The brooder house is gone,having spent time as a storage shed, a play house and a greenhouse before it was taken down and replaced with an herb garden. And the raspberries, which always held several birds nest,perfect for watching baby birds grow and fledge, have migrated themselves to another location.
Now there are blueberries, surrounded by mint and sage growing growing rampant in what was once an herb garden, where the brooder house used to be. These free ranging plants release their delicious fragrances when I brush against as I pick berries, refreshing in the very hot weather, and just plain nice any old time.
Over the years I have learned that currants are no ones favorite. Yhough when he was little my son did love to hide inside the currant bushes and eat green currants, he has since come to agree with me that currants are for the birds. The couple who once lived her for about 50 years had a small farm, with chickens and rabbits, they ever grew the corn for the chickens, kept the currant bush covered with old curtains, to keep the birds from picking them before they could.
I can look out of the kitchen window, one of the few windows we didn't replace, and see a bird swooping down for a treat and taking off. A sight that would have upset the former owners.
I wonder what they made from them, I have tried many ways to use this tangy berry: made then into jelly, straight and mixed with other berries and fruit, made wine and brandy from them dried them for use in breads and even made tea from them...but I must say, that the main reason that I still tend this ancient shrub is to provide a food source for the birds.

YUM!, guest blogger on making Naan....something I am new to and still working on

  Naan is tasty!   I wanted to make some, and from there on out, wellllllllllll, it's been a learning experience!   And I don't give...