Mama's Rolls

Shown here is my grandmother's rolling pin, which became my mother's, which my mother listed that she wanted to become mine. Mama died last Christmas and we used the rolling  pin in her memorial display as she used it to make thousands of rolls and biscuits. She once won a prize for her rolls; and her poem that she wrote about her mother's rolling pin was one of her favorites and has been published.

Here she is at 88-- but she made our Christmas rolls at the age of 93 1/2, a day or so before her stroke. This picture was taken before she got her handy-dandy KitchenAid mixer.

Thanks to her tutelage, I can make yeast rolls with my eyes shut. In fact, with her macular degeneration, she sort of did, too. For this, and much more, I am so thankful.

I took the first photo above when I was home to see my dad and brother just over a week ago. When I go home, I try to always make them a bunch of rolls that I freeze so that they can enjoy rolls (kind of) like Mama used to make for them. She made yeast rolls a few times a week.  I have not yet reached the point where I can do this in her kitchen with her rolling pin --that is probably more than 120 years old---and Calumet baking powder can for a cutter without shedding a few tears.

Yesterday was her birthday. She would have been 94. I baked her lemon pound cake in her honor.

A Thorn in My Side---Rather, My Backside!

When school let out for the summer, I went south to see my dad and brother. We went for a ride through their citrus groves. Each tire collected thorns as we went. All of the tan material you see on this tire is thorns.

I also managed to get one stuck on the back of my pants ---and then sat on it in the truck.  I sure didn't sit for long! These are not the sandspurs I grew up with. I am not sure what they are,  but I know they pack a powerful, poky punch.

Zinnias by the Zillions

The zinnias have continued to flourish---and flower-ish!

We grew lots of zinnias last year and gave away lots of bouquets. When seeds from last year started coming up all over the place in the garden, I knew we were going to have even more this year. So, I decided to count them and keep a record of how many I picked.

To date, since May 4th when I cut the first ones, I have picked 1,200!! I cut them with  long stems, so I sacrifice a few buds in the process. But zinnias thrive on being cut.

The marigolds are going great guns, too.

This large pitcher contains fifty zinnias and uncounted marigolds.

This year I am selling zinnias to friends and making a little gas money for our upcoming trip.

Here are just a few of the ones that really caught my eye.

Mailbox Monday: Shedding Some Light On It

What-a-mater!

These slices came from a tomato that was not  "pretty" on the outside, but it was huge and delicious! It grew in our garden and may have been four that grew together.

Each slice filled the sandwich bread.

At this point, we are rather overwhelmed with tomatoes. 

What a wonderful problem!

--And, yes, we have made salsa and frozen it, as well as freezing some whole tomatoes.  We have given some away and we have sold some. 

Last year's crop was so minimal that we may just have over-planted this year. 

Mailbox Monday: A Milker

However, I think Betsy's expression is, "Are you kidding me?"

What Beauties!

This beautiful pair live in the field across from our garden. Last night they were up near the gate at the road and I snapped their pictures.

They are large, powerful horses. I think they may be Belgians. The first evening they were over there and we were working in the garden, they got a little frisky and were running around in the field. Their hoof beats sounded like distant thunder.

In this pose, they look like the Pushme-pullyou in the Dr. Doolittle stories.