the life I picked

a bushel of gumption, an ounce of grace

blue thunder moon

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July 2015 opened with a full moon and is closing with one, bookends to a beautiful high summer month.blue thunder moonblue thunder moon rising

But what happens with the native names when there are two full moons in a calendar month? I knew the July full moon to be the buck, and the August is… well, you’ll find out…but what happens when two full moons occur within one Gregorian calendar month cycle?

I turned to the answer source, the Farmer’s Almanac, which told me the full moon of 7/31/15 is the thunder moon. Seems an excellent appellation.

I think there may be a longer-term rhythm/logic at work here based on the number of full moons annually, or something, rather than in calendar months, but it has been a long week so won’t reflect (oh, pun!!!) on it now.

But, once in a blue moon…

fruits rouges

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Red fruits as a term doesn’t exist in English, sadly, as it usefully groups together some if not most of my favorites. The berries and currant family are all there, cranberries too. Back in the distant day when I was buying preserves (yes, shocking!!) my preferred Bonne Maman flavor was 4 (as in, quatre…) Fruits, perfect for pb&j on up: cherry, strawberry, red currant, and raspberry.

The red fruits of les collines exist in their own separate jars– perhaps one day we’ll mix them, but for now they stand alone in all their glory. Stripes of a season’s rainbow, colors and flavors of summer suspended in time xoles collines red fruits: gooseberry jelly, black raspberry preserve, sour cherry preserve and strawberry

July stacks up

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…like this

less collines raspberry, gooseberry and sour cherry jellies and preservesBottoms up, sour cherry preserve-black raspberry preserve-gooseberry jelly.

We have been wildly wild, busybusybusy as all three fruit are happening at once this year, where there is usually a bit of staggering. Cannot pick and cook fast enough.

The flavor of black raspberries is matched only by their staining capacity!les collines summer fruit: black raspberries

The sour cherry crop seems to be having a pretty banner year, making up for last.les collines summer fruit sour cherry and raspberries

But those gooseberry thorns!!! Seeming extra extra sharp, ai yi yi and I have the scars to prove it!! Of course, the tart beauty of the jelly is more than worth it…les collines summer fruit gooseberriesFor a little Christmas in July, and because really, who needs sleep?– we pulled a batch of Sevilles from the freezer one very humid day to get a batch of marmalade going and they were fabulously frosty. And unbelievably fragrant even though frozen solid. Incredible.  les collines summer fruit seville orangesLazy days of summer, uh uh.

simple gifts

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At the end of a long and beautiful summer day, one clafoutis dish to be cleaned, two Spinoni so willing.
Appreciating the small sweet bits that come our way, no more to say xoone simple gift of clafoutis for two appreciate dogs

gratitude & independence

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Last week, a few days before July 4 les collines received a vote of confidence and a hand up from the good folk at the CEDC and the HVADC of Columbia County. We are so grateful. The timing was pretty perfect.

And as a result…we are in business!! Making our sweet version of slow food on this little hill in this beautiful corner of the County. Inspired by everything, everything around us.gratitude for the beauty of Columbia County, NY les collines gratitude for sour cherries IMG_1601 IMG_1633

On the agenda this week, pitting sour cherries, picking black raspberries,  gooseberries. Pulling Sevilles from the freezer for a Christmas in July marmalade, simmering New Zealand Meyers and fresh-from-the-garden rosemary, post downpours, for a summertime Meyer lemon rosemary jelly. les collines gratitude for seville oranges

Summer harvests and les collines, to savor, with gratitude xo

buck moon and sour cherries

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Strawberries hung in there despite the copious rains of June…hard to believe back end of May it was approaching a dust bowl round here. The berry season thus far seems all too much like last year, where they started so very fine and then the rains came and with them, dank mold. Hard pickings. But got us a good crop; the strawberry preserve with Lapsang Suochong will tell you all you need to know.

Sour cherries are just in this week, and they are looking pretty damn good. Already picked and cooked and the first batches of preserve are out. Going for more fruit tomorrow.ingredients for les collines jams, jellies and preserves - sour cherries

July’s full moon is the buck, and it was a beauty when it made it over the cloud bank last evening. Waiting for it to do the same tonight. Too cloudy to catch the Venus-Jupiter pairing. Next time…xo

 

coup de foudre

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Today felt like history in the raw, start to finish. Everyday is history, and for some more than others: but there are moments that resonate for such large groups, an entire country, culture, that you can’t help but stop, pause, catch your breath….

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