The elderberry bushes in my yard have been harvested. I have canned elderberry juice for the winter, and I have berries in the freezer. Elderberry bushes have a long history of use. The flower heads in early summer are beautiful. The flowers can be used to make a cordial that…
Last week we were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with our married children and the grandchildren. It was a delight to watch the grandkids enjoy being out in nature, spending precious time with their cousins. I watched the older cousins flock around the youngest. We enjoyed picnics along the…
After I retired from clinical nursing, my work has changed. My work revolves around home and church. Gardening is a pleasant task at home. I enjoy planting and nourishing the garden. It is fulfilling to pick the produce and share it with family and friends. It is interesting that the…
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a place of refreshment for me. I have lots of family memories. When I was a child, my family made a trip to the U.P. every summer, to visit my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. During a couple of these vacation trips, my Dad…
The forests and fields in northern Michigan demonstrate the abundant creativity in nature, designed by God. There are trees—pine and deciduous—ferns, wildflowers and berries. My sister and I spent a week in the Upper Peninsula. We hiked. We picked apples and berries. Thimbleberries are abundant in the Keweenaw (the peak…
As I canned cherries and gooseberries this summer, I thought of my mother. She had stimulated my interest in canning. We had made and canned thimbleberry jam together. It was a family project to pick and clean the wild berries. Gooseberries have stems and “pig tales” (the remainder of the…
The warm weather and spring flowers are so welcome. I am enjoying daffodils, tulips, violets and cherry blossoms as I begin gardening. The elderberry bushes in my backyard have produced well, providing berries for elderberry juice. I can the juice, and throughout the past months I have enjoyed adding a…
The mint in my backyard has flowered; tiny white flowers make a wreath around the stem. I pause to wonder at the delicate loveliness. The phlox are a bright spot of color. I can see them from my kitchen window. The elderberries are getting ripe. I will make elderberry juice/syrup…
Blueberries are appearing in the grocery store. They are from the southern states–it will still be a while before the Michigan berries are ripe. Even though they are not from Michigan the blueberries are lovely, and so I made a family favorite pie. Pastry: 1 cup flour 1/8 tsp. salt…
My mother picked strawberries and wild blueberries with her mother, and so did I. My Finnish heritage has given me a an appreciation for berries, wild and cultivated. Berries are abundant in Finland (37 types of edible wild berries) and an important addition to the diet. Enjoyment of berries is…