Our walk this morning brings re-newed pleasure in living here. It is quiet and so peaceful. It has also been a cooler summer than usual. I know the east coast has taken a beating with the heat and I'm thankful that we are spared. I have to admit though, we live here by choice. We made a conscious plan to leave the smog and heat of Southern California. It was not without sacrifice, but we are glad that we did. People come here for their vacations and we just look out the window and sigh with contentment.
Maggie is always so very happy when she sees us with her leash in our hands. Dogs are really good with sight signals. It makes you wonder just how necessary your voice is with them. This morning when Bob was drawing the sink with water to do the dishes, he called to Maggie to give her a treat. She held back in the dining room. He called her again and then said to me, "What's the matter with her, Honey? She won't come to me for her treat." I started laughing. I said, "She thinks you are going to give her a bath!" Strictly a visual for her and it meant bath and that resistance superseded her desire for the treat. Pretty funny.
A dog trainer on television the other day said the best training tool for a dog, especially to teach them to walk next to you is a wooden spoon with peanut butter mashed into the spoon part so they can lick it but not get all the peanut butter at once. Plus, if you have ever tried to carry pocket or plastic bag full of treats when training, you will soon find that the spoon is much easier to keep track of. I have yet to meet a dog that wouldn't roll over and try to shake hands all at the same time to have a lick of peanut butter. Come to think of it, a tablespoon of the gooey delight smeared on the wooden spoon wouldn't have nearly the calories or cost of doggie treats. Another of life's twofers!
When we got back to the house, Bob said, "We sure have a lot of quail up on the upper meadow and earlier the turkey seemed to be gathered at the same place. I wonder why?" When we looked closer we discovered that the sprinkler up there had a small drip making the perfect puddle of fresh water. I guess we won't be fixing the leak, at least not until after summer. The turkey are so silly and fun to watch. They love to take dry baths in the dirt mounds that the gopher make when they kick soil out of their tunnels.
Trisha and Robby enjoyed watching them in the yard in the early morning before their run. Trisha has always liked to run. It's an activity that has always escaped me, but then you only have to watch me run to understand why. It's like the ground is always 2 inches closer to me than I expect. It has always been that way. It's yet another way I have to bring pleasure to those around me. Bob used to tell the kids to watch that Mommy was going to try to run. Isn't he cute, she says with great sarcasm.
Trisha and Robby enjoyed watching them in the yard in the early morning before their run. Trisha has always liked to run. It's an activity that has always escaped me, but then you only have to watch me run to understand why. It's like the ground is always 2 inches closer to me than I expect. It has always been that way. It's yet another way I have to bring pleasure to those around me. Bob used to tell the kids to watch that Mommy was going to try to run. Isn't he cute, she says with great sarcasm.
Just in case you are interested, here is the fool proof bread and butter pickle recipe.
The Best Bread and Butter Pickles
Jars with lids.
Four quarts of cucumbers (I love those little Persian cucumbers from Trader Joe's)
3 large onions
2 red bell peppers or those little sweet multicolored peppers that are so popular now
3 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup salt
Pickling fluid
5 cups sugar
3cups CIDER vinegar
2 T. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 1/2 tsp. tumeric
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Clean and slice cucumbers and veggies and place them with salt in a large bowl and cover them
with water and cover with lots of ice cubes then place a plate on the ice to force the
veggies not to float. Let them sit for 3 to 4 hours. Then drain, remove garlic and RINSE really well. I rinse them for several minutes. If you don't they are way too salty. This soak is to keep the veggies crisp not to salt them.
Wash your jars and lids and place them in a pan large
enough to cover them with water and then simmer them while you are making the liquid.
If you have a dishwasher, by all means just run them through the cycle and keep the door
closed so they stay hot until you fill them. Bob is my dish washer and he hates dishwashers.
In a large pan, stir the sugar into the vinegar. Add spices and then add all the veggies. Bring to
a boil, stirring occasionally. When the ingredients have reached a boil, turn the heat to low. Place your clean jars on a towel laid on the counter (so the glass isn't on a cold surface). Pack the jars with the veggies saving the fluid til later. When you have the jars all packed with veggies, pour the fluid into the jars leaving an inch of head room. I use a liquid measuring cup so the hot fluid is easier to pour in to the jar. They have a special funnel for wide mouth jars but you don't have to have one. Just be careful because the hot, sweet fluid will burn your fingers. Wipe the rims of the jars to remove any of the sticky liquid and place lids on tight. Allow to cool on the counter top for a while.
You can make half a batch if you like. Refrigerate the amount you want to eat right away because they can be eaten the next day. If you have used regular canning jars, these can be kept in the pantry indefinitely. I usually keep the jars that spaghetti sauce or those nice peaches from Costco come in. They are canning jars and work great. The onions and peppers are just as tasty as the cucumbers.
We are big bread and butter pickle fans and these are really good! Even if you have never canned a thing in your life...these are easy!
What's that??? I think I can hear the kitchen floor calling my name.
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