Violet Jelly

 

In the past couple of years, I've started making a lot of floral jellies.  I'm not sure what it is about them that I love so much, perhaps that it preserves flowers that I grew, because the colors are usually gorgeous or that they are unique flavors that one can't buy in the store, but they are a definite favorite.  I most often end up using them in my morning yogurt or they are beautiful on a charcuterie board.

Perhaps one of the most special jellies I make is Violet Jelly.  It's a harbinger of the season, the first thing that I preserve, and the timing has to be just right or you miss it.  Grace was the first one in the family to alert me to our wild violets and that first year she candied them and also made violet simple syrup.  It's important to note that we feel comfortable picking our violets out of the lawn because we don't spray chemicals.  

The best part of the entire process is when you add the lemon juice and it instantly turns a beautiful violet/pink color!  Sadly, I took video of that and not a photo!  I use Fare Isle's recipe and have had great luck with it every single time.  

Spring Blooms

I love Spring.  The weather can drive me crazy but some of my favorite things in the world happen in the spring-  peonies bloom, flowering trees erupt in color, the garden starts to come back to life and we can eat from it again, green leaves reappear on the trees, afternoons are spent at baseball games, daffodils and ramps come and go, and Grace comes home from college!  

This year, we had three or four days of exceptionally warm hot weather which forced the daffodils to come on a little too fast!  Actually, due to a very mild winter, everything seems to be ahead of schedule.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed the sunshine of daffodils. 

The tulips have also come on rather quickly but the cooler weather we are having now has helped to slow them down a bit.  

One of my favorite things about Spring are the flowering trees.  When we moved to the farm 7 years ago, there were none that we could find (with the exception of wild Dogwoods in the woodland).  We've gone about correcting that and have planted pink and white Dogwoods, Redbuds, Silver Bells, Cherries and Crabapples.  Plus, we did uncover a stand of Crabapples that were overrun with vines and invasives.  They are in what is now the orchard.

The lilacs are also finally producing!  I bought very small lilac plants because that was the only way to get the varieties that I wanted but they are finally blooming enough to make arrangements with!  They perfume the entire house!

Also, the Hellebores have done absolutely beautifully this year.  It's only their second year and I'm so pleased with them. 

The alliums, bluebells, and peonies are up next in the garden!  

Easter Weekend

We had beautiful weather for Easter weekend!  We woke up to blue skies and warm weather.  Before church we had bunny buns (which I managed to get too brown), chocolate milk in chocolate bunnies and coffee.

After church we went to Delita's house for a large and delicious brunch.  I was in charge of the flowers for the table and for dessert.  I made a naked cake, the base was lemon, and put thyme around floral wire shaped into bunny ear.  Unfortunately, by the time we were done with a very bumpy car ride, the thyme had begun to fall off!

For the flowers, I picked forsythia, spice bush, and daffodils.  I'm not always a huge lover of yellow flowers but in the spring, I can't get enough of this bright and happy color!