• Berries - Faith - Gardening - Recipes

    Fruit of the Garden

    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…

  • Berries - Faith - Flowers

    Rhythm of Life

    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…

  • Berries - Family - Finland

    Traditions and Heritage

    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…

  • Gardening

    Berries, Cherries and a Beetle Infestation

    It is a good year for berries and cherries. I have been harvesting cherries, raspberries, currants and gooseberries. My cherry tree and berry bushes have been delightfully full of fruit. It is also a good year for the Japanese beetles. I have had some every year.   It has been…

  • Health - Recipes

    Canning Elderberry Juice

    A number of recipes for elderberry syrup are posted on the internet. I have collected ideas for making the best use of my elderberries. I want to preserve the health benefits for this fall and winter. UPDATE 3/13/2020: Please use caution when taking elderberry syrup during a viral infection. It…

  • Berries - Gardening - Health

    Elderberries in the Garden

    I look upon the pleasure which we take in a garden, as one of the most innocent delights in human life. Joseph Addison (1672-1719) This year the branches on my elderberry bushes are laden with abundant berries. The dainty flowers came first, adding a lovely lace among the green.  …