• Friday-What'sUP August 8 - 12:05 am

If today's pictures don't make you hungry for fresh produce, I don't know what will. By the looks of things, Patty Rheault has been pretty busy weeding, watering and harvesting the bounty from her garden. And a delicious looking bounty it is... of course you can see here, that I've started with the "dessert." That's because someone once told me "life is short, eat dessert first." So I've been trying to follow that advice. ;-> Not being much of a gardener myself, I'm guessing that Patty's last photo is a pumpkin patch and if the flowers are any indication, I'd say she's going to be carving some jack-o-lanterns, come the middle of October.

I can taste those berries.

I'd love to see a bunch of freshly picked thimbleberries! :)

Pssst...(Mary...those look like peas...not beans?!)
Mary says: Good job, Donna, you're on the ball! They do look like peas...LOL Thanks!

FABULOUS stuff...I had some steamed fresh green beans and green peppers last night...right off the vine from Cindy's in Bootjack. FABULOUS...just has such a taste, and not grocery store taste either!!!

Got me a bunch of blackberries last night too. But wow...MEAN to pick! Lots of scratches today!

"life is short, eat dessert first."

This is a Red Hat tradition. at large dinner/gatherings they start with a dessert.

I have a vision....the red berries piled up on top of a bowl of Breyers vanilla ice cream!

The Thimbleberries remind me so much of the Berry Patch in Copper Harbor! Can taste the Thimbleberry Sundae right now. YUMMMMMM

Anyone have any update on the status of DA Bridge!!

It would be nice to know what's going on with the bridge! It was interesting to watch Tech's Fund Web Cam in motion last night, especially when they opened the bridge for the first time in over 24 hours. The Ranger went through, and is in her proper berth now. And there were a bunch of big-gish sail boats, etc. There was also a dredge being pushed through by a tug boat. I've never seen so much traffic go through there at one time!

I really hope they have figured out what was wrong with it and that they either have it fixed, or will get the right parts to fix it very soon! That is dangerous, to not be able to cross the only bridge to the Keweenaw!

Just so long as it is fixed by late August. That, or build a ramp so that I can jump the canal. Move over Evel Knievel, here I come.

Alex...that gives me another vision. lol!

Those have got to be wild raspberries, yes? I was eating handfuls of them a week ago while picking thimbleberries for jam. Lovely flavor, though I'd settle for the peas, too.

This morning about 0730 these sailors were racing past in the early morning light.

My beans are done for the year, but the tomatoes and acorn squash are looking REAL good.

Everything looks scrumptious! And yep, they sure do look like peas.

Richard, the boat looks like some we saw in Duluth. They were spectacular!

Wow, way to make my mouth water first thing this morning!

I remember helping mom pick Thimbleberies in the patch in Copper Harbor. Then back to The Pines to make pies. We sure missing her cooking.

Ahh yes, was just eating raspberries(picked from the wild out near the tip of the Keweenaw) and some of those very pumpkin flowers at the Plowe's camp across from Patty's last week! Bootjack is surely a special place indeed. Can't wait for my next visit!

The UP is a veritable cornucopia this time of year. Last week we picked wild blueberries for a pie from Gwinn, thimbleberries for jam from Eagle Harbor, and trumpets of death for wild mushroom orzo risotto from Spread Eagle (OK, but that's pretty darn close to the UP).

I was just in Copper Harbor 2 weeks ago and picked a ton of berries for my friend who is going to make me Thimbleberry wine! She needed between 4 and 8 POUNDS of berries... I think I picked everyberry I found near my grandma's house and a about a mile around it and I ended up with just over 2 pounds.

My friend might be able to make a half batch or maybe she will combine it with blueberries or rubarb or something else to make the wine. Any suggestions on what would be good combo with thimbleberries?

AAHHHHH... the North Beach diet in action.

Ok Alex...we need a date for the canal jump/Evil Knievel style! I bet you could sell tickets!

Deb,
The Roseway was in Duluth for the tall ship race and is now downbound for the Soo. It is by far the fastest we've seen passing. The barque Europa was the only one I saw close enough to identify, they all seem to be further out than on their upbound leg although the Freighter Assiniboine was following them and closing in the downbound lane.

I agree, Donna -- peas, not beans. And they surely look good.

The raspberries are gorgeous! Sure wish I had some to combine w/ the fresh GA peaches we've been getting lately.

Donna...you’re right, I should sell tickets. However, I will need to make it more exciting, because people like the boom-boom, bang-bang, blow-em up action. So if someone cares to donate two or three barges, I will blow them up with about 10,000 lbs. of TNT as I pass over the canal (Note: the barges are not returnable). Man, what a show!
(Now I think it’s time to wake up and get back to work.)

I thought the tall ships was Duluth's finest hour. Really a fantastic sight. I can taste those berries also. I will have to settle for some jam at the Jamspot when I visit in September.

Does anyone have a recipe for fresh raspberry pie? I have a recipe but it turns out very runny every time, even though I have used extra cornstarch. Can you help me out?

Aj-WI... I would use a little bit of gelatin for making jam to make it less runny.

http://www.amazon.com/Knox-Unflavored-Gelatin-1-lb/dp/B001UOW7D8

Sure wish we could head over to the Soo to watch these boats go through the Locks.

.

My Grand Mother had a patch of thimble berries or as my grand mother called them Red Caps . I remember eating them as we picked them . She would can them for winter . The vines and grand parents are gone now, I purchased a jar from copper world last week and they were excellent .
A treat for this troll .

AJ-WI,
My wife avoids runny pies by cooking the filling on a pot on the stovetop until it is the right consistency and then adding it (after cooling)to the pie crust and baking until the crust is done. This seems to work for peach, apple, raspberry and my favorite tart cherry/raspberry combo.
Luck,
Dick

Are thimbleberries out yet this year? If so where? Or could we buy some somewhere? My daughter wants to make jam.

Sis Norma, Hate to tell you, but those are raspberries not thimbleberries!

Alex...I bet you could get donated boats, barges, whatever! LOL People wanna get rid of stuff like that all the time....

WOW...Went to Henry's in Rockland for that incredible fish fry smorgasboard tonight...second time in my life...and you would NEVER believe the stuff....$14.95...and all you can eat. Salad bar alone will fill you up..and then ALL the fish you can imagine, they had deep fried portabella mushrooms..to die for...red fish, perch, cod, walleye, poor man's lobster, shrimp, etc...a HUGE ham you could carve what you wanted, mac and cheese, those huge shells stuffed with cheese with a meat sauce that was beyond tasty...and SO much more...and then...the dessert bar...WOW...And EVERYTHING homemade....if you haven't experienced this yet....you have to put that on the list of things to do before the snow flies!!!

Wednesdays are pizza nite, Thursdays are homemade pasties, Fridays are fish fry smorgasboard and Saturdays are Italian Smorgasboard....(I gotta hit that one yet!)

And cruising from Baraga to Rockland...what a gorgeous ride...we do live in SOMEPLACE SPECIAL!!!

John A.: I remember your mom's pies at the old
Pines! She sure did make the best - not over sweet
like so many are that just overpower the berries.
Sure could go for piece now!