Summer 2015/2016

I can't believe we are nearly half way through February, the last month of Summer.  This summer surely has flown by, even the daylight hours are reducing by about 2 minutes a day now.  So I'm really focused on enjoying every moment as if it was my last summer, life doesn't get much better!

So far it's been a hot sticky summer, last summer was very dry, this summer it's been very humid, but don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. This time of year my plants are at their best, I'm really enjoying being outside working in my garden, feeling the warm sunshine on my skin, enjoying a refreshing swim at the beach or just picking a warm cherry tomato straight off the vine and enjoying the taste explosion in my mouth.

Although if I was to complain, it's been perfect grass growing weather, and I'm so over mowing the lawns! It currently requires a weekly mow, and my lawns are far to big for a weekly mow, especially just being down to a push mower at the moment.

If I was asked to pick just three great memories of summer 2015-2016 it would be spending time with my family over Christmas here on the block, swimming with Gary at Te Aria beach and eating my first lot of Cape Gooseberries.

This summer we had my sister Kelly, her partner Ryan, my nephew Justin (8) & niece Katie (6) visit, along with Mum & Rex. It was great to have them up for a week over Christmas, many wonderful memories and it was great to see the kids and how quickly they are growing.  Watching Kelly my little sister be a great Mum to the kids, and seeing how cute the kids are, especially watching them putting cookies and milk out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Adorable! It was a fantastic week for me, it really had been a long time since we had all been together, so a great time.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Cape Gooseberries! I love, really love Cape Gooseberries, they bring back many happy memories as a child on the farm in Ohangai.  They used to only ever grow below some trees down at the bottom of a sheltered valley at the back of the farm. During the summer holidays when dad was moving the sheep, when ever we ventured near to where they were growing we would wonder off to pick/eat some. So with these happy memories in mind, I had raised my plants from seed last year, and was eagerly waiting for the fruit to ripen, carefully tearing the little cases open just to have little peak inside to see how the fruit was coming along.  Then that day finally arrived, I discovered they were ready... I was like the cookie monster... I was devouring them with great enthusiasm! Not one made if out of the berry patch!

Below are some pics of this years summer harvest....

Passion Fruit,

Cape Gooseberries, so Yummy!

I think it's a rock Melon or Honey Dew Melon (I lost the label),

An Apple,

Another Apple... hopefully more next year, 

Gary's Chillies are doing well,

A variety of Tomatoes... more than I can eat... so I made some sauce:

I was also kindly given some peaches... which I stewed...

Below my hard work... 2.5 bottle sauce, and 4 jars peaches...

And finally below... my last two evening meals...

Cherry Tomato, Cape Gooseberry & Passion fruit for Dessert :)

Should I have any Cape Gooseberries left over, I want to turn some into jam. I remember Nana used to make Cape Gooseberry Jam, Nana was big into making conserves, and we were always was given many jars of jam and fruit, but we were only ever given 1 jar of the Cape Gooseberry Jam at a time, so it was treasured, as there was never enough of it to go around. I just need to find a good recipe.  

I will double or triple my production of Cape Gooseberries for the next season as they have really grown so well here.

.. (note to self add more pics of fruit coming along, Cranberry, Blackberry, Nectarines, Feijoa, Citrus)