~Early June~

Gardening in early June

June brings more color to our yard and it's great to see! The Knockout Rose buds are beginning to open. First, there was one flower and now there are three. So many more buds are visible!

Another great surprise was the Zinnia seeds began to sprout.  That is always a great success, because the seeds planted were harvested from last year's bountiful colorful crop. Every day they will get a bit bigger.

June is a great month!
Enjoy! 

~Salmon Daylilies~

Always welcome!

Some like it hot! Others- not! Our Salmon Daylilies do not mind the heat. This morning 2 buds popped open. This perennial is like clockwork.  Every year the colorful flowers begin making an appearance at this time.  Now, it's during our heat wave!

Enjoy!

    

June Flowers!

It's the last day of June and there is so much color in our yard!  Yellow Stella de Oro Daylilies, red Roses, purple Petunias and light pink Citronella (Mosquito Plant) flowers.  Yes, even the Citronella (lower right corner) is blossoming!  We have 3 plants on our deck.  They sure do help keeping the mosquitoes from visiting us when we are sitting on our deck.   Every year we have 3 pots of these Mosquito Plants on our deck.

We are enjoying this last day of June!

FREE FUN FRIDAYS- 2017

FREE FUN FRIDAYS
Image courtesy of
Highland Street Foundation

Summer is here!  It's the time of year when vacations & staycations will be/ are happening!  It's time for FREE FUN FRIDAYS!!!  Friday is the day of the week when families, neighbors & friends can visit specific very cool venues in my home state of Massachusetts- without paying a General Admission fee!  This takes place through the generosity of the Highland Street Foundation.

This summer the program began last Friday, June 23rd & will continue until Friday August 25.  Every week on Friday there are 8 or 9 specific museums/ cultural events open to anyone living in, visiting, or traveling through Massachusetts.  The places to visit are located throughout the state!  If this sounds interesting to you, check out the list!

List of dates & cool places to visit with Free General Admission!

This Friday, June 30, the Springfield Museums in Springfield, MA is on the list.  There are 5 individual museums on their grounds.  Yes, this is the location of the newly opened The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss!  

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in Boston, MA is another wonderful place to visit this summer!  View & appreciate countless beautiful pieces of art. 

Another great destination that's located in Boston, MA is the Franklin Park Zoo.  There is so much to explore while walking outdoors!  

Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA is another favorite.  Step back into the early 19th century & learn how daily tasks were completed.  There are water powered mills & a working farm in this rural village.

Old Sturbridge Village

Younger children & their families will also enjoy The Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA.  It's located in an old apple orchard.

These are only a few of the great venues to visit this summer with Free General Admission!  FREE FUN FRIDAYS are a great opportunity to learn something new while having FuN! 

Thank you Highland Street Foundation!!!
We will enjoy!

        

~A Special Sunday~

***To All Dads***

Happy Father's Day!!!

Enjoy Your Special Day!!!

Enjoy!

Free Fun Fridays 2016

Soon, we'll hear that schools across the country have finished their school year!  The carefree days of summer will be here.  It's the time when parents like to find an activity that will keep everyone happy!  :)  If you live in, will visit or will travel through my home state of Massachusetts, the Highland Street Foundation has an answer.

FUN FREE FRIDAYS!!!

Every Friday this summer starting on June 24 through August 26, there will be 8 specific places to visit- with Free General Admission!  These interesting places are located throughout Massachusetts.  From the Berkshires to Boston & The Cape (Cape Cod) and from northern MA to the southern border there are cool interesting venues that teach while having FuN!

During the summer months "Learning" does not come to a halt!  Take this opportunity with your children & grandchildren to learn another tidbit about Science, History or about an Artist!  This program is not limited to a certain age group, either.  It's open to everyone.  Jim & I enjoy this program!  If you have a chance to take a Friday vacation day, look at the list of places to visit & visit with a friend(s).

The Complete Schedule List  

Edith Wharton's home, The Mount, is in Lenox, MA.  This estate in the Berkshires is listed as one of next Friday's choices.  It's the opening day for this program.  Take the opportunity to walk in this great American author's gorgeous tranquil gardens after touring inside her beautiful home.

The Mount: Edith Wharton's Home

 

More Beautiful Gardens at The Mount

Go back in time with your family this summer to the 17th century!  Visit Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA.  Walk through the re-created 17th Century English Village and learn from the costumed Interpreters.    Learn about the grist mill for grinding corn that the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony built.  They speak in the dialect of that day.

The Springfield Museums in Springfield, MA is 4 museums in 1 complex.  Art, Science, History Museums & the Dr. Seuss bronze sculptures.  Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield.  Chinese Cloisonne, Monet, Field, Indian Motocycles (Motorcycles), Early Automobiles & more await here. 

Springfield Museums
Dr. Seuss & his friend!

It's always great to stop in to Old Sturbridge Village, a recreated 1830's living history museum located in Sturbridge, MA.  A walk down the road to the village leads to the Center Meetinghouse.  

Old Sturbridge Village
Walking down the road!

A Printer's Office, the Mercantile, the Bank & housewives doing seasonal chores in their homes teaches us about life in another time period in our country.  The Freeman Farm is not far away.

Old Sturbridge Village
The Cooper

A fave of my grandsons is the Franklin Park Zoo located in Boston, MA.  They are always up for a visit there!  

These are only a few of the great places to visit!  There are so many interesting family friendly sites to visit on Fridays this summer with no regular admission charge!  Check out the list clicking here to discover what Friday you have available & what specific places you can visit for free.  

Thank you Highland Street Foundation for sponsoring this program again this year!

We will Enjoy!

    

~A Saturday in June~

~Irises~

The annuals were planted last weekend.  Marigold seeds found their new homes in pots.  They have a history with me.  A beautiful potted Marigold on Mother's Day was gift from my little grandsons 2 years ago.  That sturdy plant provided seeds to save the first year.  They were planted last year & blossomed.  Seeds saved again.  It didn't take long for them & the Zinnia seeds to sprout! 

Today, just enjoying the perennial gardens while doing chores.

Enjoy!

Local Strawberry Season

Local Strawberry Season!

The month of June brings Strawberries!  Oh, I'm not talking about the packaged fruit from grocery stores' produce departments that have been shipped from another location to the northern states.  I'm talking  juicy fresh local Strawberries!  What a great treat!

Freezing the yummy strawberries (after removing the tops & rinsing in cold water/ draining/ packaging is a yearly tradition with me.  It began decades ago by helping my mom freeze our fam's supply for the upcoming months.  In those days it would always be hot & homes did not have any AC.  My sister & I were reminded in order to enjoy Strawberry Shortcake during the snowy cold winter months, we needed to get busy.  We also enjoyed eating them as we worked!     

We made our Jams back in the days, too.  Homemade Strawberry Jam is just the best.  Stirring the Strawberry/ Sugar mixture while working over a stove always made the day a lot warmer, but we knew how delicious it was!  Fast forward:  I totally read all the directions included inside the Certo box the first year that I was married.  There, I found a non cook method of preparing Jam.  I prepared 1 batch, froze it & 2  days later defrosted a container for my DH & I.  Ah, it was so good, so I made another batch of Strawberry Freezer Jam!  A few weeks later when the local Blueberries were ripe I also made 2 batches of Blueberry Freezer Jam.  From that year on my fave method is Freezer Jam.  

It is easy to prepare & it tastes so yummy!  One batch requires 1 quart of the ripe berries.

Strawberry Freezer Jam is the non cook method that requires:

• Following directions exactly
• 8 ounce containers that have been washed/ dried
• 1 Quart ripe Strawberries
• Granulated Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• I use Certo liquid fruit pectin
• Did I mention follow directions exactly?  Prepare 1 batch at a time!
• My Helpful Hints - I also read these before I begin. (Click on link to read, too.)

My family's tradition continued.  When freezing the yummy juicy red strawberries, I always set aside 4 quarts.  1 quart for our "munchies" & 3 quarts for the Freezer Jam that is always prepared the next day.
  
On Monday, the quick trip to Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow, MA was made.  In the afternoon there was a Strawberry process going on in my kitchen.  The bags of fruit are now on the top shelf in our large freezer.  Tuesday right on schedule, 3 batches of Strawberry Freezer Jam was prepared.  After labeling, the containers sat on our Dining Room table undisturbed for 24 hours.  Each batch of the containers of delicious jam was placed in our large freezer at the specified times, 24 hours later.

Do you prepare Freezer Jam?  

Enjoy!
Yummy!