Strawberry (and Rhubarb) Fields Forever

Good day everyone! This post is long over due. I'm finally getting around to posting our pictures from the strawberry picking we did well over a month ago. Strawberries are by far, my favorite fruit but unfortunately, here in Pennsylvania, we have a very short strawberry season. Nothing beats the taste of fresh picked berries. These did not disappoint.

There's one of the tractors to take people out to the fields, we got a plain old hay wagon with our tractor but it was still fun...

See... my handsome guys

and me...

heading out to the fields...


Picking and posing in the fields...




A boy and his rhubarb...



Look at those sweet little beauties! YUMMY!


OK, that was fun but tiring...

Look what we got!

Thanks for coming strawberry picking with us. The Husband and I enjoyed these berries for days. The Son, goofy kid, won't even try them. More for me, I say!

I'm working at the Y a lot this week doing a "Creative Arts" camp. Should be lots of fun. I have some cool projects planned for my little campers. Have a great Monday everyone!

The Amish are coming, the Amish are coming...

We live less than an hour from "Amish Country" and we have lots of Amish folks living in nearby towns. We have Amish at our farmer's markets and Amish Corn in the summer. (Amish corn isn't really any different from regular corn, it's just fresher than you would buy at the grocery store, and therefore, seems to be tastier.) Some of you may remember my "Dear Amish Man" posts from last summer. I don't know how to tell him this year that I won't be able to eat as much corn as I did last year because of my new Healthy Living lifestyle.

Anyway, I digress... last Sunday I learned that the Amish go out on dates, or "go visiting" and then ride up and down main roads in their buggies pulled by horses. I witnessed this up close and personal recently as I was driving home from some outlet shopping. I have never seen so many Amish at one time. Honestly, I passed about 50 or so buggies. Most of them were teens out together for some evening fun. They looked as awkward as any average teens you would see out on dates but riding along in a buggy instead of a car. Some were in groups and some were just on boy/girl dates. I saw a few older married couples out enjoying a lovely evening as well. It was a little irritating at first since I had difficulty passing some of them safely with so many on the road but then I realized, I was actually pretty lucky to have witnessed (get it, "Witness?" I crack myself up!) such a cool thing and I started to enjoy it.

I took a couple pictures of the beautiful countryside as well as a picture of something I found very amusing when I first moved here. I didn't take any pictures of the Amish people because I felt like that would be kind of rude as I was driving and taking pictures of them like they were some kind of tourist attraction...I didn't want to be like some crazy Amish paparazzi after all.


This is a parking spot at our grocery store. A big, normal, every day grocery store. I will admit that I have NEVER seen an Amish buggy parked at our grocery store but they could park here or in one of the three spaces reserved for them if they wanted to. Interesting, huh?

So, I continue to look forward to that first ear of delicious, nutritious, corn on the cob this summer, should just be a few more weeks. The corn stalks are as high as a baby elephant's eye... keep growing little corn, I love you!

Today was my last day of morning care at the elementary school. I am so happy and can hardly believe I made it through the entire school year. It was not a fun thing to get up that early each morning. I'm glad it's over... for now.

Have a great Wednesday everyone.

More country adventures...

We had a little mishap with the time last weekend when we were supposed to be taking The Son to karate and we never actually made it there. oops. We ended up exploring the area a bit and found a couple yard sales, The Son got a few books and a new Monster Truck, I found a decorator table for $3 that I'll be using when I finally refinish The Chair I mentioned previously. 

We also found a charming little Amish farm with excellent produce, homemade lemonade and best of all, a cut your own flower garden. I realize I was cheating on "MY" Amish Man but this Amish couple and their kids with their cute little farm were so nice to me that Amish Man is going to have to understand that I need to see other Amish people. I DID buy corn from these people too and I DID go home and cook it up for lunch it was delish!

Here are some pictures of our day. 

MOOooooo! 
The greenhouse, I didn't buy any flowers from them this year since we've done our planting but will definitely check it out next summer, they had some nice stuff. 

The Son enjoys his fresh lemonade. He was DYING of thirst so he had to drink it right then because he was SO HOT and he was DYING! (me = rolling eyes) At least he was happy after he tasted that yummy lemonade. 

The Husband enjoyed it too! 

The Son looks out over the cutting garden, if you look closely, you can see me cutting in the background. I was loving it! 

The Husband took this shot of a sunflower, I don't think he realized he chopped off the top petals but since we'll be going back again, we can get another shot since this one has potential to be great! Good job Honey!

The Husband in the cutting garden, yes, he's on his cellphone...on a Saturday...with someone at work...he's a very important, busy, busy man you know. Just kidding, honestly, that was the only time he dealt with work all day and I just thought it was funny that he was in the middle of an Amish garden talking to colleagues. 

The Son with his idea of  "smile pretty for Momma to take a picture" Little Stinker. 

Ok, that one's better!

And last but not least, the gorgeous bunch of flowers we got for $5! They still look just this beautiful today, FIVE days later! I will be going back again this weekend for sure! I should add that the white daisies are from MY garden at home. I thought the bunch needed a "pop" of white so I added them. 

Have a great day everyone! 

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye...

and it looks like it's climbing way up to the sky...

After my corn infidelity yesterday, I thought it might be time for my Official Corn Blog Entry. I took some pictures recently of the area in which I live and the town in which I buy my beloved corn. 

Here's some corn fields that I pass on the way. I could have taken twenty pictures of corn fields and still wouldn't have photographed them all and we're talking in a 15-20 mile distance from my house to The Amish Man. Yes, I did stop my car on a "main" road to take these shots too. Quite a difference from The City, huh?

This is the "town" of Oxford where I buy the corn. It's also where The Son takes karate. It's a very small town but evidently it has twice the population of the town we actually live in. I don't know why I find this all so amusing, I guess it's because we lived in one of the largest cities in the country for eleven years and this is all so novel to me.  Small town life is fun so far though. 

Here is my Amish Man. I didn't ask him if I could take his picture, I've often heard that The Amish don't like having their pictures taken. (more on that tomorrow) I figured a quick picture from behind would be good enough for you and not offensive to him. If you look closely, you can see his horse in the background. As far as I know, horses have no aversion to being photographed. 

Here's the corn, I didn't manage to get a picture before it was shucked because my dad was too quick for me but you get the idea. That little ear on the top isn't winning any beauty contests but trust me, I ate it and it was delish. 

Oh yeah...it's good.

And now it's gone! 

Happy summer, now go get yourselves some corn! 

Dear Amish Man, 3rd letter

Please forgive me. I had no choice. You aren't there on Sundays, what with your strict religious beliefs and all that. I had to purchase corn at the grocery store today. If it makes you feel any better, The Husband is the one who really bought it. I had nothing to do with it. I will admit that I ate two ears and it was good (really good. shhhhh.)  but I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoy your corn. I swear I didn't. The grocery store corn means nothing to me. I hope you understand that the corn tempted me, I didn't intend to go after it. These things just happen you know. It is really no reflection on my relationship with you. I promise I'll be back to buy your sweet, sweet, corn again, that is if you'll have me. Please understand, I had no other option. I'll try not to let it happen again but I cannot make any promises. I know you sell your corn to other women so I think it's only fair that should I need corn (on a Sunday only of course) I can seek it out at other retailers. We can't let this come between us, our relationship should be strong enough to overcome any such obstacle. I'll see you soon...

Very truly yours, 

CityMommaCountryMomma 

Dear Amish Man, 2nd letter

Dear Amish Man, 

If eating seven ears of your corn for dinner is wrong. I don't want to be right. 

Very truly yours, 

CityMommaCountryMomma 

Dear Amish Man,

I am pretty sure you will never read this considering I parked my car next to your horse and buggy this morning. I'm guessing that means you don't have a computer at home. Or electricity. I just want to thank you for officially starting my summer. The corn I bought from you this morning, although a little more pricey than the grocery store was out of this world delicious! I am kicking myself for only buying eight ears, and not a full dozen. You told me that it was fresh picked this morning and I really believe it was because it was fantastic! Best. Corn. Ever. Little did I know that The Son would devour two ears. He is not one to eat any sort of vegetable, even if it is a starchy one. He even asked for more but I had already eaten four and The Husband had two so there were none left for my poor child. I guess that won't win me any "mother of the year" awards, huh? 

I will be back next week after The Son's karate class and I will definitely be buying at least a dozen. I hope you'll be there with your yummy fresh ears of corn just piled up on the ground waiting for me. I liked how you joked that you'd sell me the whole pile if I wanted it when I asked if I could just buy eight ears, your friendliness and Amish sense of humor (have you thought of trying a career in stand-up comedy?)  added to the enjoyment of my corn.  The Husband has not yet tried the tomatoes but I'll let you know how he likes them next week. Tell your wife that I will also pick up a package of her lovely home made peanut butter cookies, I meant to buy some today and they looked delicious but somehow I got distracted. If they're half as good as the corn, the whole CityFamilyCountryFamily will be very happy. 

It was a pleasure doing business with you, hope to see you again next week. 

Sincerely,

CityMommaCountryMomma... emphasis on the "country" in this case.