Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Summers Bounty and a Thank you!



It’s that time of the year again where the sun is busy ripening the bounty Mother Nature grows. I wish I could take credit but all I did was dig a hole and drop a shrub in Mother Nature has done all the real work.


Dylan dog and I have been busy picking berries like crazy in order to beat all the wild life that seems to enjoy our blueberries too. Dylan has this tendency to eat all the berries he picks which is fine by me!


Pretty much two large quarts for a single picking and the berries are the nice large one! I highly recommend to anyone to put in a blueberry hedge because they’re so easy to grow, like acidic soil and they look great spring through fall.


Some berries get made into blueberry cobbler muffins.....

Food must be shown big to torture you best ;)


....that are just oozing with blueberries. Some we eat simply with cream on top and Dylan likes some mixed into his food, they’re healthy for him too.


We also picked some tomatoes, basil and shallots. Shallots are the best fresh from the earth instead of those dried up tasteless things you find in the grocery store.


I used the tomatoes, basil and some fresh made mozzarella to make a caprese salad for dinner. Simply drizzle some balsamic glaze on a plate, layer in the cheese and veggies, drizzle on a little extra virgin olive oil and add fresh ground pepper and sea salt and trust me your taste buds will thank you!


Last but never least, Dylan dog and I would like to thank Loretta over at Apples and Rubies for picking us as one of the winners in her giveaway. Dylan received an Acquabol Pet WaterBowl invented by her brother in-law Ryan. It’s come in handy when we’re in the woods and there’s no water around, now I can carry water for Dylan. THANK YOU LORETTA!


25 comments:

The enchanted home said...

I love this post!!!!!! Is there anything greater than picking fresh produce right off the vine? Appaerntly Dylan knows this already!!
Such beautiful things you harvested....looks like you (and Dylan) are really enjoying it, I would too and cannot wait to have my own garden!! Bon Appetit!

Richard Cottrell said...

I can not imagine a dog liking blue berries and picking them for himself. How amazing. But, when I think about it, My Sissy Dog Girl, likes watermelon, but I have to cut it up. Thanks for sharing, Richard from My Old Historic House.

aurelia b. said...

Omg! Blueberry Cobbler muffins!! I'm going to google me up a recipe now! Gorgeous!

cotedetexas said...

what a precious story! and dog!!!!

thanks for your comment today - and all the ones you leave. you are always so nice. and no, my living room will probably still go unused. i mean - it's a living room. everyone wants to be in the family room!!! thanks again so much.
Joni

under spanish moss said...

The blueberry cobbler muffins look yummy. What a treat that would be with your own fresh berries.
Angela and Renee

Atelier de Campagne said...

I am salivating for that caprese salad followed by a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with blue berries!

Trinidad

Greet Lefèvre said...

Wonderful to have all the fresh fruit and vegetables in your garden! The cake you have made looks delicious!! Oh my, what a cute dog Dylan is and how nice that he helps you with taking in the fruit!!
Gorgeous post!!
xx
Greet

savvycityfarmer said...

this is too hard ... while trying to lose 10#


p.s. I have a blueberry muffin recipe from country living
circa 1979 or some such long ago year. The pages are yellowed and worn

LaPouyette said...

"I found my thrill - on blueberry hill" - Fats Domino

Beautiful images! Reminding me on the time when I was a child and went to the forests to pick berries, good old days!
So - "I found MY thrill" - by reading your great post, Merci Debra et Bon Apetit!
xxxkarin

The French Tangerine said...

This is the best part about summer to me... the delicious fruit and vegetables we get to enjoy... I'm sorry to say it's about the only time of year I eat things that are good for me! You've shared several of my favorites! Yummy!

debra @ 5th and state said...

i was thinking to myself what are those berries that are soooo huge on the bush? then a head smack moment as i thought "dylan is enjoying blueberries!"

having alkaline soil in this whole region, we never see blueberries unless traveling or reading beautiful blogs such as yours. mmmm, can smell those muffins from here
x
debra

lvroftiques said...

That's so cute that Dylan picks his own blueberries! And boy do they look delish! And so does the caprese salad! Yummo!
I just planted a blueberry bush and I'm so excited to actually have fresh blueberries....Very good at lowering cholesterol by the way....so they counter all that lovely flour and sugar in the muffins *winks*...That's my story and I'm stickin' with it! Lol! Vanna

Karena said...

Love to see your garden bounty and the yummy recipes!! Dylan knows what's good!!

xoxo
Karena

Art by Karena

I hope you will also enter my Giveaway from Dr Perricone!

Room Seventeen said...

Blue berries, they are delicious!
I can smell your cake :-)

Bohemian said...

This takes me back to when we lived in Upper Michigan when I was a child & we picked Wild Blueberries, Blackberries and Boysenberries in the Forrest! Some of the local Farmers also raised Strawberries & you could go pick your own... such fun times! Alas, such things don't grow well in the Arizona Desert...

Dawn... The Bohemian

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

Oh my those muffins look absolutely delicious and that caprese salad. Yum! You are quite the cook. Dylan looks happy too! Happy Saturday. Mona

Blooming Rose Musings said...

Oh my goodness, your muffins look so delicious! And the salad is gorgeous!
What a good puppy Dylan is...getting his fill of fruit.
This is a very yummy post!

Acanthus and Acorn said...

Debra,
What I wouldn't give to have special powers right now and grab my golden and head to your house! I love all berries and caprese salad is a a favorite and staple of summer at our house.

Stacey said...

Debra,
Your garden seems to be flourishing-how wonderful to be able to pick your own berries! My tomatoes are taking a while to thrive this year( more than likely due to the heat). However, my cucumbers and basil have flourished. Love everything from your garden-shallots, i might have to plant that next year. Dylan is such a cutie too:-) xx

designchic said...

You can grow the fruit and then cook with it too...your amazing!! Can almost taste that cobbler ~

quintessence said...

I just love all your fresh summer bounty!! Who knew that dogs liked blueberries - I'm going to have to check that out with mine and see if he likes them too - although mine would be a more expensive proposition since I dont have them growing in my yard! Could you please publish the recipe for your cobbler muffins? They look simply delicious!!

Boho Farm and Home said...

Those look so wonderful! Oh to be able to grow a bounty of blueberries like those and then those muffins too! And don't even get me started about that caprese salad! YUM!
xoxo
Caroline

Boxwood Terrace said...

Hi Debra - I love your life in the country! These photos are amazing and everything looks delicious. So cute too, Dylan, eating the blueberries. I've never seen a dog eat berries off the bush. Looks like you're having a great start to the month of August! Can you freeze some of those blueberries for winter?
Deborah

Loretta Fontaine (EcoHappy Blog) said...

Debra- of how happy that winning Dylan dog looks with the water bowl! Can I use his picture on my blog?

Loretta

michele said...

omg, the photo of dylan eating the barries just made my day. i'm serious. that is BEYOND GLORIOUS.

are you sharing the blueberry cobbler muffin recipe? is it just tripling the amount of berries?

i'm a baker ya know. i can't get me enough blueberry muffins.

michele

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