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!

        

~Strawberry Freezer Jam~

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Part II of my Strawberry Season is making Strawberry Freezer Jam! 

Back in the day I would stand over my stove, stirring the pot of crushed fruit & sugar- feeling quite warm on a summer day.  Then, one day I looked at the recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam that was included in the Certo box's directions.  Certo is the liquid pectin that I always stirred (still do) into the fruit/ sugar mixture while making the cooked (now Freezer) jam. 

The 24 hour let it set, then freeze method looked really good, so I made a batch.  From that day on I always have made Freezer Jam! 

Hints to remember while making Freezer Jams:

• Read the directions first & follow exactly!  
• If you are making more than one batch, make only one batch at a time.
• Use clean bowls & utensils.
• Click here for more hints. 

We were missing the taste of this homemade jam.  There were no more containers of any flavor in our large freezer.  Somehow, the commercial jams, preserves, jellies just do not taste as good.

Woohoo!  It's strawberry season & my 3 batches are doing their thing on our dining room table!  Tomorrow they will be placed in our freezer!

We will Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Fresh Local Strawberries

Local Fresh Strawberries

Today was the day!!!  Every year about the middle of June the local strawberries are ripe & ready for us to enjoy.  When visiting roadside stands or Farmer's Markets, quarts of these sweet yummy red berries are available to purchase.   It's been a tradition with me to purchase strawberries to prep for our large freezer & also to make Freezer Jam.  Oh, years ago the tradition was to go to the strawberry patch & pick the berries I needed.  Traditions change!  :)

This morning quarts of strawberries from Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow, MA found their way to my kitchen.  After cutting off the tops, the strawberries were double rinsed in cold water & drained.  Then, 2 and 1/2 cups of this fruit were placed in Ziploc Freezer Bags.  Some of the larger strawberries were sliced first.  I add about 1 Tablespoon of sugar to each bag before closing.  It works well to move the sugar crystals around in the bag, so it dissolves.  Label & date each bag. 

In the winter months a defrosted bag of this yummy fruit is such a treat to top a Belgian Waffle, Yummy Oatmeal Pancakes or ice cream.

Ready for the Freezer!

Strawberries are always a 2 day project with me.  Tomorrow, I'll be making Strawberry Freezer Jam.

Do you enjoy making jams when the local fruit is available in your area?

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   
  

Some Colors of May

Bright Pink Peonies!

Here are some of the beautiful colors of May!  We have been enjoying our flowering bushes this spring.  Now, the perennials are also bursting into color.

Lavender Chives!

These Chives always add a beautiful shade of lavender to our garden.

Bleeding Hearts

Years ago 4 small Bleeding Hearts were planted in our back garden.  Now, they've multiplied & found their spot around a large boulder.

Champagne Rhododendron

The white blossoms on the Champagne Rhododendron are dainty.

We are Enjoying Spring!

 

~Memorial Day~

Today

we remember & honor

the Men & Women 

who made the ultimate sacrifice 

for us!

Thank You!!! 

*Blueberry Torte*

Blueberry Torte
(File Photo)

A Blueberry Torte is baking in my oven!  This dessert rates up there as one of our faves.  It's a treat that can be baked any time of the year.  When you have fresh blueberries or if you've defrosted blueberries.  For me- during the year it's when I've defrosted a bag that's in our large freezer.

It's an easy dessert!  Prepare the batter.  If the batter is too dry, I add 1- 2 Tablespoons more (Soy) Milk & continue mixing.  Place batter in a spring form pan.  Then add the fresh/ defrosted & drained blueberries & press lightly into batter.  Sprinkle on the cinnamon/ sugar mixture & bake.       

Before baking
(File Photo)

Before you know it this delicious dessert will be ready to serve!

Yum!
(File Photo)

 

 

 Click here for the Blueberry Torte Recipe.  It's so good with or without a small scoop of vanilla ice cream!  We do have vanilla ice cream!  :)

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Yummy Yogurt

Yummy Yogurt

Today was "time to make the yogurt"!  That seems to be every 10 days, give or take.  It's a habit I've had for... well... decades.  Today, the 2 Donvier Yogurt Makers were sitting on my kitchen counter making the next batch.  These electric yogurt makers did the work for 7 hours & 30 minutes.  Then, the individual 6 oz. containers were placed in the fridge.

Yogurt is very easy to prep!  I like the individual 6 oz. container yogurt makers.  Years ago I purchased two.  2 batches were just as easy as making a single batch. 

The process is easy!  The needed milk is boiled & then placed in a large bowl to cool to a required temperature.  My "temperature spoon" comes in handy here.  It came with the Donvier Yogurt Maker.  Then, a culture is added to the cooled milk & stirred.  Place milk in containers, snap on the lid & set the timer.

Complete directions here.
  
Yogurt is always enjoyed at lunch time here.  I like to add a little Freezer Jam & Crunchy Oats to this very tasty source of calcium!

Enjoy!
Yummy!