The poet, Henry James, summed up life nicely. He said: "Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind."
The grapes look ready...but are they? You are supposed to base their readiness on the sugar content and the ph level. Using a little tool called a refractometer will measure the Brix level, which is the sugar content of the grapes. The other little tool you need is a ph meter. So, we know what our levels are and we are ready for some to be harvested!
This is the man that taught me everything I know about grapes, growing, harvesting, being a good friend and neighbor, life, and living and being kind. I can just look at his face and see the kindness stamped on it. I learned so much from him. His wife and he are my neighbors at the Shore House. When I want to get away from the rat race of Washington, DC, I come out here to hide for a while.Did I mention hs is Norweigan? He is. He was also in the Foreign Legion. So many other things. But, most of all, he is kind. So very kind.
He is actually a retired teacher, but never really stopped teaching. He fills in at school and fills up his life helping those in need. He is the first person I see when I go to the shore, he wanders through my yard on the way to the post office. Yes! It is a little town and we all go to the post office to get out mail. You can put up a mailbox and the next town over will deliver it, but, we like the social life at the post office. Seriously. We have one widow who dresses up like she is going to a fancy lunch, and drives her old Lincoln two doors down to the post office. No judging, she is 96 and her heels would hurt to walk that far. Okay, maybe we smile a little, but, she is well loved and we would miss her if she didn't do the daily diligence.
If you look closely, you can see that the grapes are not all being harvested. We will get a few bottles of wine and perhaps a batch of jam. If not enough for the jam, we will mix it with something else. We have picked all the fruit, save the pears, which should be ripe and ready the next time I go there.
We already have a variety of jams made and some fruit frozen and ready to be made. Summer had been extremely busy and I haven't had time to finish it up. Fall will be a little kind with time. One can hope, right? So tell me, what is your favorite kind of jam or jelly? They are all my favorites, but isn't that cheating? So tell me, do! What does it for you?
Little miss Muffet she sat on her tuffet, eating her curds eating and whey
Along came a spider who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away
~English Nursery Rhyme
To be fair, I not only screamed like a little girl, but I also ran away. Across the lasn anyway...I don't like spiders. Truth be told, or snakes. I almost want to break out in song.
All I have are my words, armed in my mind, written in pen, stand by stand. Oh, yes. Still by hand. It has a different feel. Altered not by keys, backspace, and delete, I write, erase, tear it to pieces and start all over again. And again.
It’s my way. I walk out to the deep end of the page and dive right in.
Flowers. Always. To color my world. #alwaysaflower. As always, keep on singing that song!! And just like that, this post is done. Thank you for stopping by and saying hello, leaving your words behind... and just so you know, although much sun and shine were used up today, I can guarantee that there is still a little left in my heart. Have a fabulous day! And keep on Hiving! That never gets old!
Thank you for visiting my post 💖 Because of you, I come back to post, again and again. Keep it classy, people. Kindness counts. Wherever you go, whatever you do.
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
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That smile > I can literally see the kindness on his face like you said. I love wholesome people, every corner of the universe needs one.
For my favorite jam; I don't think I have eaten any jam I didn't like but cranberry and strawberry are on the top for me.
I agree! Wouldnt the world bexa better place? Hands down - yes!
Yummy!! Strawberry and cranberry are delicious!!i do love them!
Having such wonderful people around who teach us so many things effortlessly is surely a blessing. I've had plenty of such friends and we should cherish their presence around us❤️ Also, the pictures are amazing just like your art of playing with words 😍
We should cherish those around us. I agree. Thank you so much for your words. Have a great rest of your week.
You too 💖
Yikes that is a man eater! Not a fan of snakes either. One of the downsides of moving South is the need to keep an eye out for nasty critters.
I wonder if they can grow good eating red grapes in VA? I spend way too much money buying grapes every time at the store.
Actually, it is a harmless garden spider. Even I am not afraid of him.
Much.
The downside? Really? Noooo. We don't have very many maneaters, I don't think. I Live here and I am so not into maneaters! They grow grapes here! Winer grapes at over 300 vineyards here.
Most of the eating grapes come from California or South America. Notice the label in the winter? Product of Chili. Usually. But, they are delicious! I want to say that Chili is the largest producer in the world, but, I would have to look that one up.
You can grow grapes in Virginia, although 95% of the grapes grown are destined for the bottle. :) Most are grown on the east, over closer to the shore. I think that you should be able to grow grapes where you are. They grow great at the shore.
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting.
Here: Take a tour. There are some nice ones down near you:
https://www.virginia.org/things-to-do/food-and-drink/wineries/wine-trails/
It's so nice to come across really nice people. They just make you want to be nicer. I think I am nice most times, but then I meet others who seem like their niceness is just pouring from their core and I think, hmmmmm.... maybe I'm not as nice as I thought. I need to do better !
I know some bugs are here for good reasons, but to be honest, I haven't got any affection for any of them. Bees on the other hand are different :)
Daisies are the friendliest flowers.... aren't they ?
How about passing over a handful of that candy corn ! I would get a pretty jar and put some in it, but I'd have to fill it up again every day if it was just sitting out like that. LOL
Oh !.... and blackberry.... blackberry jelly.... or homemade pear perserves. One of my mother in laws made some one time that was devine. Never had any that good since.
It really is. I knew it the minute I met him. It does make you want to be nicer. I know that I am not as nice as I thought, for sure. I know I need to do better.
I am not into entomology. Bugs and I parted ways a long time ago. Some were pretty cool as a kid, but, they are no longer, just as me being a kid passed. many moons ago. Oh, to be kids and know what I know... just saying.
There isn't anything friendlier than a plain ole daisy! Such a happy little piece of Mother Natures' finest.
Do you want some of that candy corn? Put it in a jar that your hand is too small to get into. That is what I did. :)
Blackberry!!! Good choice! I tossed mine in the freezer and still have to make it later this autumn. Too bad you didn't ask for the recipe. Darn. What was so special about it compared to others? Perhaps the ripens of the berries? I wish I could help you with that one!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your words!
There are general recipes everywhere and I know some would be fine, but I'm sure she didn't have one, just put in this and that and some other stuff just like old times. Well... there probably wasn't much "other" stuff in it, just pure and simple.
You think I don't know how to pour???? Hand don't fit? NO problemo. LOL
There is (or was) a place in Boone, NC that served their restaurant food like homestyle. Big bowls and plates of whatever they were serving and you passed it around and got what you wanted. They had the best blackberry jam. It's been so long since I went there that I'm not sure, but I think it was the Daniel Boone Inn. That old Daniel sure makes good jam !
Boone! It rings a bell. It was in the Daniel Boone Forest, now that you dropped that hint. Near the Biltmore? I know I have been there. Either way, isn't that just such a fun way to serve? Bet that went out with COVID! That sure did change the way life was lived.
I can pour! No, my hand goes in easy, but, doesn't slide out quite as easily.
I get the recipe thing. Most of mine from my relatives are like that. But, they are tried and true, so you won't get any argument out of me. Almost Friday! But, tonight it #MakingtheMarketFridaypostnight.
Le sigh.
What a blessing!
This man is a true blessing to this world. He is the very best of humankind. Kind, thoughtful, warm, industrious, helpful, knowledgable, and above it all, humble.
Hi, Fiona! @fionasfavourites ❤️
There are two exceptionally kind people written about in this post, and their two kind smiles shown. I love envisioning you at your shore house, jammin' at the post office, jammin' in your home away from home.
My favorite jam switches up with the jar I have open in the fridge. Today that is wild blueberry.
You and that golden tongue. You leave the nicest messages - always. Oh, girl! You should see the production line! It is always fun and I make enough to put together baskets of joy and homemade goodness for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, I made ten cases of it. This year, only eight. I still have more fruit in the freezer to do though. Even though the kitchen isn't laid out as nice, I can imagine them making jam in this old kitchen. circa 1869... But then they probably had an outside kitchen way back then.
Wild blueberry! Oh, that is so delightful! I love it on pancakes and waffles! I only have raspberry open now, but, that doesn't hurt my feelings one bit!
How is your house coming along? I am so jealous that you moved back to your hometown. Is it still as good as you had hoped? Don't answer that, I will just read your blogs over the weekend! ❤️.
After the marketfriday rush! xo
Snakes and spiders I am not really a fan off, especially in warm countries! They bite!
Cracking pics though Denise, and your village folk sound well cool!
Home-made raspberry jam made from rasps that you have picked yourself is by a country like my favourite jam..
And then of course we differ on what we call jams and jelly compared to you🤣
I know!! What do they feel those things in the tropics? Hello, no! They bite and sometimes even put a grown man down.
I love my people out there on the Shore. So different than the city, but, I love the differences. Yes!!!! That is my favorite too. Perhaps because they are the least available and make me yearn for more, or perhaps because they just taste so good!
I never saw the notification to the Engagement League, so I just pain my Lucky #9 last night, so very late!! I have no idea how life got so busy these last few weeks! I'm not even posting regularly!
Somebody fire me!!!!
Hi, Ed! @tengolotodo Hope your autumn isn't kicking butt yet. :)
If I am at a place and they have it for my toast I usually go for mixed berry. I'd have to say my favorite is probably the homemade strawberry that my mom used to make. Super high sugar content, but so excellent on a piece of toasted homemade bread!
I am trying to think what I get if I am out, but, honestly breakfast is probably one of the meals I almost never eat out.
But...
If I did, it would probably be raspberry. Good grief! Homemade raspberry is so darned amazing. That one I discovered up in the UP after going to a UPick and then making the jam with the kids. I was never a fan of it until then. I discovered there was no comparison to the homemade. My mom made jam, but, we didn't have raspberries around so we didn't make it. Plus the fact they have always been expensive!
Oh, super high in sugar, but you know what? YOLO!(of course, in moderation!)
Yeah, breakfast is one of the rare meals we eat out as well. Which is odd because I do love a big breakfast. Omelettes are some of my favorite and I really want to try eggs benedict some day. Those UPick places are the best. I keep telling my wife I am going to take her blueberry picking sometime.
No UPick for those. We usually go in the woods where there was a recent burn and it is liaded with them The general storesvusually knowvthe spots! Lol of course. That was in the UP.
Nice. We have some farms around us. I have been wanting to go morel hunting for a while now, but I just never find the time to do it.
I can only identify two and after that, I get a little iffy. No way I am going to guess on that. :)
Nice quote. Definitely words to live by.
I didn't know that was how they determined when the grapes were ready. That's interesting. Makes sense.
Homemade wine and homemade jam - tis the season!
My godfather (from Italy) used to use his own taste test. I am not that good. Different grapes than what he grew, so it would taste different. This way is more tried and true. :)
Truly the season! The jam is done all summer as the fruit comes into season. I freeze the fruit when there is so much that I don't have time to do it. So I have a few autumn batches to do and the wine. It will all get done in time. I just turn up the heat under me. Light a fire, so to speak.
Your favorite Jam/jelly? I am going to have to guess.
I say blueberry or strawberry.
I don't eat a lot of jam except on occasion. My wife does though.
Strawberry is up there for sure. I actually really like marmalade though and more recently apricot, though it's not as common.
I do apricot! This year will be my first year making marmalade. Growing up, that was my favorite. Probably because it was my mom's favorite on toast, with her coffee, or sometimes tea.
Apricot is so underappreciated!
Haha so true
Good luck with the marmalade
Strawberry jam please...but grape will be fine too 😊
Haha! Isn't strawberry the best? Sweet and yummy! I made double the anount as it goes the quickest in my house!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hehe...here's some..rice cakes with strawberry jam
Oh, yes! Just how I like it! Delicious! :)
Then we are both cheating. I love every kind of jam/jelly on bread.
Haha! That is one of the exceptions for cheating, yes? I cannot agree more! I love them all, then I love the different mixtures I do.
Strawberry Peach, Raspberry Peach, Raspberry Blueberry, Blueberry Peach ... all the berries!
Hello @xplosive ! I hope life is treating you well and things are good at your brothers house!
If this spider bites me, I will become SpiderMan-4?
I don't think I want to take the chance, just in case, it doesn't work! :)
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Love those 3 human traits, and and unik pictures
I think it is wine oclock now.
Thank you!
Thank you for the repost @pixresteemer! Much appreciated!
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