Friday, August 8, 2008

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

We have some visitors that have been staying with us and have taken over the pool. And yes, that is our filthy little kiddie pool that the husband and I have neglected to wash and keep clean. We're busy and cleaning a pool is low on our list of priorities.


In the meantime, while we have been busy doing other things, a turtle and a family of frogs have moved in!

Here, Mr. Turtle (or is it Miss?) is checking out his new digs.

"Hmmm.. yep! This'll do just fine! What's the rent on a joint like this?"

The frogs have been busy and there are quite a few tadpoles swimming around in the murky water. Too tiny for me to take pictures with my cheap-o camera. We usually find between 3 and 5 frogs in the pool and the girls are having fun trying to catch them.

We have also discovered a family of toads living under a tarp that we have neglected to put away. (detect a theme of neglected items, do you?) I pulled the tarp out to lay it flat and let dry so we could finally put it away, when the girls spotted them. We counted 4 toads, so we put the tarp back and come Fall, we will put it up, because, surely by then, the toads will have moved on to find a more secure home for the coming winter.

What a perfect chance to learn about cold-blooded amphibians and reptiles!

4 comments:

DJ Kirkby said...

Oh Jenny
That turtle is so gorgeous! You are so blessed to live where you do. Did I tell you my mom is over here for a visit? So now that my hols has started it is Blackberry picking next week and then we be jam'min!

DJ Kirkby said...

P.S. Please could I have your recipie for blackberry wine? Tell you what, let's make a deal... You email me your recipies on occasion and I will pay you in kind with a copy of 'Without Alice' next year! I don't think it owuld be fair for you to keep sending me your fabulous recipies for free, after all you should be compiling them into a sort of modern woman's survival guide, a 'Let's get reaquainted with our world' sort of book.

jenny said...

Dj-- Aww sweetie! You don't have to do that! I don't mind sharing my recipes with you. But you also don't need to twist my arm! I'll gladly accept your offer! :o)

Blackberry wine is easy!
1 gallon of distilled water
7 heaping cups of blackberries
7 cups sugar

mash berries and put in large container. Boil water then add to berries. keep in a cool place for one week with a loose cover, but tight enough so the buggies don't get a taste! stir daily.

After 1 week, strain out the berries. Add sugar to the remaining liquid and stir daily for another week.

Pour liquid into wine bottles and loosely cork and then store in a cool dark place for at least 3 months. The longer you store it, the more potent it'll be.

The strawberries are supposed to ferment for a year. This is a slightly different recipe and the ferment period is shorter. You can try one at 3 months and then decide to wait on the other ones or if it's so good, finish them off then! :o)

Enjoy!!

DJ Kirkby said...

Thank you my friend. A signed copy of my book will be making its way to you next year. xo