Its the little things

We just returned from a fabulous vacation on the gulf coast of Florida.  Every day, I spent hours on the beach, not because I wanted to get a tan, but because for me sitting on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico is a feast to my senses.  I am amazed at the intense blue of the sky and crystal green of the water.   My skin is caressed by the powder soft sand and cleansing sea water.  The sound of the surf, whether pounding or sliding onto the shore is like a lullaby that gently lulls me to relax.  There is nothing like the fragrance of the sea or the subtle taste of salt on my lips as I rest on the shore. 

The wildlife that share their space with us were a constant source of joy.  We were always on the lookout for the bright flash of sun reflecting on the fins of the dolphins or the sun shining through a wave that revealed a school of fish as vividly as if they were swimming in an aquarium.  The ghost crabs peeping out from the safety of their tunnels never ceased to delight us.  We were awestruck at the way the shore birds never were caught by an unexpected wave as they the manically searched for treats or the pelicans as they skimmed inches above the surface of the rolling waves.

But this year, it was the unexpected delight of the tiny fall wildflowers that captured my attention.  I counted five different blooming plants growing in the sand along the boardwalk leading to the beach.  With the exception of the beach morning glory, I have no idea what these flowers are.  They grow in the most hostile of environments, nutrient deprived, salty soil, at risk of trampling feet, brutal sun, and limited water and yet every day they formed a brightly colored border, guiding me to my gulf adventure.

Liquid sunshine

I don't grow grapes.  Although they are native to Alabama, muscadine grapes are just too much work for a laid back gardener like myself.  The vines require a sturdy trellis and careful annual pruning to guarantee a good harvest each year.  After harvesting, these grapes must be processed in some way to preserve them.  Their skins are tough and they have big seeds which make them less than ideal for munching.

All that being said, there is nothing that tastes quite like a muscadine grape, still warm from the sun, in spite of all the work involved.

Some good friends gave me a grocery sack filled with scuppernongs (a variety of muscadine).  Since we are not preserve fans in this house, I decided to make homemade grape juice. 

I mashed the grapes with a potato masher, simmered them in a large pot with a little sugar to help release the flavors, and then ran them through my tomato strainer.  The juice was still a little pulpy for my taste so I squeezed it through some cheese cloth. 

Voila!  I ended up with about three cups of super concentrated grape juice.  After all this work, my sweet husband informed me that he doesn't care for the flavor of muscadines; more for me!!  Two or three tablespoons of concentrate in a glass of iced water tastes just like sunshine to me.

Seek and find

My three year old granddaughter, Olivia, likes to read "seek and find" books; the ones with the elaborate pictures in which you search endlessly for tiny images.

Our back deck has become a three dimensional "seek and find" adventure.  Once again, the purple hyacinth bean vine grew over the top of the deck railings and engulfed the bench, chair, a planter and has started on the table. 

Your task is to "seek and find" the above objects in the photo!

In addition to being just plain fun to watch the vine take over the deck each summer, the flowers lure some of our favorite butterflies and humming birds right onto our deck for us to enjoy out the kitchen window.