Midi's Blog

Fruit Overload!

Midi — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:23:58 +0000

Went up to Townsend yesterday to pick blueberries. It’s funny because I always thought that blueberries were over by this time in the season… but apparently not! This little blueberry ‘farm’ is located just up from the Darien outlet mall at Exit 49 as you head west then north along Rte 251. This blueberry ‘farm’ – more of a large patch really – had the largest blueberry bushes I’d ever seen with some really great looking fruit. The place was clean, well kept and the lady who owns it, Peggy, was as nice as she could be! She and her husband have owned the place for about 25 years and the blueberries were already there!

Overkill?

There were so many berries on these bushes, I could have stood at one bush and picked my fill… You could just reach in and grab clusters of large berries hanging almost like bunches of grapes. I ended up picking two gallons while my husband picked two gallons for my mother-in-law.

Just like I picked two large baskets of peaches the other day near Reidsville – I think the two gallons of blueberries might have been far more than I needed. Out there, it seems like a reasonable amount of fruit to pick… however, inside your kitchen, you realize you went a little overboard.

I’ve spent the last couple of days making jam… lots and lots of jam. Anyone who makes jam knows it’s not something you can simply whip up. There are processes involved with sterilization and all that. A pot of boiling water going along with the pot of boiling fruit… and it’s not like you can leave the fruit alone and take a long break. Add to all this my peach allergy… yup, I’m allergic to the flesh. I can pick them with no problem, but once I get in contact with the juice, I break out into hives. So I have to use latex gloves when peeling and chopping, which makes the process even more difficult. I still broke out into itchy hives, with the gloves on and spent the last two days medicated on benedryl.

So I made three batches of peach & ginger jam ( I throw in chopped candied ginger which goes nicely with the peach)… and as you can see, have plenty of peaches left over. This is after we gave some away and there’s still more in the fridge!

And I made two batches of the blueberry jam… which between the jam, the cobbler I made for dessert last night and a quart ziptop bag frozen – still leaves me with an entire gallon.

The peaches I picked were white peaches, which makes for a beautiful jam – pale and jewel like. The funny thing is that I also canned a batch of peach salsa. My husband pointed out last night that while the white peach made beautiful jam, in salsa form, the pale fruit did little to make the salsa look appetizing. In fact, it sort of looks like vomit – his words, not mine, although I can see what he means.

White peaches on the left, yellow peaches on right (from last years batch) - can't tell if you can see here, but the white peaches have that pink translucent tinge that makes them look so pretty!

White peach salsa on left, yellow on right (once again, from last year's batch). The yellow peaches look like salsa... while the white peaches kinda makes the whole thing look yucky. It still tastes good!

Boy this was a long post…

Pickin’ fresh Georgia Peaches!

Midi — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:35:10 +0000

One of the advantages of living on the Georgia coast is our proximity to Tattnall county – Georgia’s self-proclaimed u-pick capital. Home to the trademarked and well-known Vidalia Onions, Tattnall County is more than sweet onions!

Had the chance to stop in today at Oliver Farm near Reidsville and picked white peaches fresh off the trees. They had two long rows ripe for picking of the white variety with the darker orange fleshed peaches to be ready between the 20th and 25th of July they said. Managed to fill two large baskets and paid only 50 cents a pound for them! (a far cry from 99 cents/lb on sale in the stores! – and a whole lot fresher!)

So now that they’re home… my kitchen is overflowing with peaches. They’re covering all my counterspace…

Saturday, I’m planning on picking some blueberries. Ordinarily, I think blueberries are done by July – but our winter lasted so long this year, everything seems to be pushed out til later in the season. There’s a great u-pick blueberry farm in Townsend, just across the county in McIntosh and the lady there said there would be plenty of berries for another week! So I suppose Sunday, I’ll be making peach & ginger jam, peach salsa and blueberry jam – not to mention a blueberry peach cobbler at some point.

Too bad I have to wear latex gloves to handle the peaches… while I can handle their skin, I can’t handle their flesh and juices raw… I break out in strange hives. Dunno… developed this odd allergy to peaches in college- nothing deadly like some allergies, just a mildly irritating one. Still, love peaches enough that I’ll gladly take a Benedryl in order to go a little crazy with peaches each summer!

Pretty Cool: Microsoft reveals Kinekt at E3

Midi — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:34:55 +0000

Move over Nintendo Wii… Microsoft Kinekt is coming! So not surprisingly, since Nintendo was onto something big with the Wii… where there is money to be made… others will follow. E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is underway this week in Los Angeles, the videogaming world’s big show where company’s show off their latest products, games and what not. The geek factor is really high, I know… but statistically, the gaming demographics is changing. That’s obvious from the demo for the Microsoft Kinekt for the xBox – check it out!

Off Season with Television

Midi — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:18:13 +0000

Just realized the other day that the two shows on television I actually try to watch – as opposed to surfing and stopping to watch just because it’s the only tolerable thing to watch – are both shows that run off the main network season. So while most people’s favorite shows are all winding down with season finales this time of year, I find myself wondering… when are my shows starting back up?

Apparently, July. My two ‘favorite’ shows are probably the widest apart in genre and feel… but for some reason, they’ve both got me hooked. One, just because it’s funny with some fairly clever writing and the other,… well, I still haven’t figured out what draws me to the other. The first is Eureka which comes on SyFy (I know… it’s a terrible channel – made even more terrible since it’s acquisition by NBC who now uses it as a toilet where they dump reruns of bad shows from their own vaults). This show is silliness at it’s best done with some pretty hilarious writing. It’s just a fun show to watch… that’s all I’m saying. Well, Eureka starts it’s 4th season on July 9.

The other show is MadMen – of which I’ve already waxed poetic on after I so gleefully madmen’d myself several months back. (I still use the pic generated as my Facebook profile pic!) Still can’t figure out why I like the show… cool styling certainly… and I have to admit, they ended the last season with quite the cliffhanger. Well, not so much a cliffhanger – that wouldn’t be in the spirit of the show… a cliffhanger would indicate something really big happened leaving you on the edge of your seat wondering how you are going to wait until the next season to find out what will happen next. Mad Men is simply too slow and subtle for that. It just quietly opened up new avenues in two of the main story lines… Betty leaving on a plane to get a divorce and the ‘boys’ starting a new ad agency. No cliff… rather a 90º turn in the road.

They’re season starts in late July. By the way, have you seen the new line of MadMen ‘Barbie’ dolls by Mattel? I kid you not! Take a look! They made four of the characters and apparently, they do not come with cigarettes or booze as part of their accessories… too bad.

So now these two shows starting their new season in July begs the question: What’s up with July? The dead of summer? Perhaps they figure that it’s too hot to go out so people will sit home and watch TV? So while most people are on vacation… or simply watching re-runs… if you’re like me, you’ll be enjoying new programming in the middle of summer… hmmm. Don’t think that’s such a great thing. In fact, I think I’m going to be out of town when Eureka premiers. And I DON’T have DVR or Tivo! I guess I’ll be streaming a lot of TV on my laptop this summer.

To Send or Not to Send…

Midi — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:32:27 +0000

Do people even like receiving Christmas cards? At 44 cents a pop for a stamp, are they even worth sending in this digital age when I can wish one and all a Merry Christmas or a Happy Hannukah with one status update on Facebook?

At the same time, I have to ask myself how I feel about the Christmas cards I receive. I mean, do we even like getting them? Each year, we dutifully line our fireplace mantle and shelves with them… and every year, we collect them all and pitch them in the garbage once the holidays have passed. Then, we started receiving the photo cards, you know the ones… line up the kiddies in matching sweaters and take a picture and send them to everyone you know.

Now, I used to like these as they were the only time in the year I would see pictures of my friends’ progeny. Once again, social media has made that obsolete. I now routinely see pictures of my friend’s kids in real time. No longer the kids lined up against a phoney baloney Olin Mills backdrop with a forced smile. These photos on Facebook are varied and ‘real’ – like Camille at an annual corn maze/fall festival, Alex playing Xbox in the basement, Grant playing soccer, etc.

Yet, each year, after Christmas, Hubby and I ride up to Target and pick up wrapping paper, bows and Christmas cards for next year at 50% off. Well, last year, I couldn’t find the cards I’d stashed away the year before… so we didn’t send any out… now this year, we’ve found them and the ones we bought last year so I’m up to my eyeballs in two season’s worth of Christmas cards. Therefore, it seems only fitting I write some greeting inside, sign them, stamp them and send them out.

But it still begs the question: why?

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: Free.
US Postal Service: 44 cents a pop.
Saving money to put towards a new pair of boots: Priceless.

Perhaps the fiscal soundness of the digital thing will make the decision for me.

p.s. Since I began this post a few days ago, I’ve noticed something. By this point in the season, I would normally have received a lot Christmas cards by now… to date, I’ve received 2. So perhaps I am not alone in my contemplation of withholding business from the US Postal Service… and relying solely on social media to pass on my Christmas Greetings. Perhaps I’ll send them all more ‘gifts’ in Farmville.

Not Your Typical Inspirational Video…

Midi — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:35:31 +0000

Now, I’m not a fan of ‘inspirational’ or motivational videos. I find them preachy and annoying, often phoney and to coin a phrase I recently heard, ‘too QVC’… like their selling me something. This video is just cool to watch… but you feel good afterward. Now that’s inspiring and motivating to me!

Checking out the Hampton Spur

Midi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:48:29 +0000

A little tired of apples. Note to self: never buy a bushel of apples no matter how fun it is to pick them off the trees.

Took our bikes out on the Hampton Spur this past weekend. The Hampton Spur is a bike path project that runs from the circle at Frederica and Lawrence Roads to Hampton Point on the north end of the Island – something like 6.5 miles. It’s really quite nice… with benches along the way for little pitstops, markers to show you how far you’ve gone and what elevation you are at. The St Simons Land Trust is currently trying to raise money for the final leg of the project, the first half being donated by some Sea Island resident as a gift.

The Hampton Spur runs along the Sea Island Stables (moved from the old location at the corner of Frederica & Sea Island Rd) and passes Frederica, Sea Island’s most recent development on the north end. Both are apparently in foreclosure and due to be sold soon to a buyer waiting in the wings… so it will be interesting to see what happens there. The path also will take you to the new Frederica Park. 20 acres of land was donated by the Sea Island Company, planned in conjunction with the Land Trust and scheduled to open soon. It’s going to feature playing fields and nature trails along with parking and facilities… so you won’t have to pee behind the bushes, I guess.

Back to our bike ride… we ended up driving up to Oglethorpe Elementary and taking our bikes out from there… rode up about 3 miles before turning around and heading back. I’ve been told there was a guy riding his bike on the path and saw someone he knew driving down Lawrence Rd… so he waved. Apparently his timing was bad – he waved just as the path approached a street crossing where poles that been place to prevent larger vehicles from driving onto the path. He hit the pole and crashed and was seriously injured. So even something as simple as our little back path, with no hills, no curves… and nothing that would merit it as being dangerous, can be a hazard if you feel compelled to wave at everyone you know… there’s something to be said about not being neighborly…

Anyway, I plan on taking advantage of the Hampton Spur… and looking forward to the new park!

Apples Anyone?

Midi — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:17:28 +0000

Wrapped up another trip to Black Mountain… I think this is the most time I’ve spent at the cabin. From Atlanta it’s only a 3.5 hour trip as opposed to 6 hours from St. Simons Island… and since I’ve been coming up to Atlanta a lot for meetings, it’s just awfully convenient to head on up there afterwards.

Well, it’s apple season so we went apple picking. Jonagold, Mutsu, Golden Delicious and Fujis were the bulk of the apples we picked. I also picked up some Arkansas Blacks at a farmer’s market, which I’d never heard of before, but was told they were good cooking apples. I bought them more because we had seen them on the trees at the u-pick place but they were roped off for a school group to come pick… and they looked so bizarre… all these black apples hanging off a tree. We though they were rotten at first. Of course, the ones I got at the market are simply dark red… not even close to looking like black.

I’m always amazed by the food up in Black Mountain. Local, fresh and delicious. We asked around at a morning tailgate market for breakfast suggestions and were referred to a few places. We chose Sprout, a little place that used to be a garden center. The food was all locally grown, the coffee was locally roasted, and all of it was great. While sitting down to breakfast, we began talking about what we should do that day. A couple of ladies heard us and started to run down a list of things we could do. So by the end of our meal, what looked to be a quiet Saturday in Black Mountain, turned into a busy day all over the area.

So now, I have a fridge full of apples. So I guess tomorrow, I start making pies… and cakes… and perhaps a tart or two. Will post photos if they come out pretty enough.

Sunday Night Addiction

Midi — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:43:47 +0000

I just MadMen’d Myself! Pretty funny. It’s like creating your Mii on the Wii… only to the accompaniment of cool, 60′s era-type lounge music. You can pick out your face shape, eyes with or without glasses, clothes, what you hold, even down to the jewelry you wear.

I wanted to hold a drink and a cigarette since that seems to be all they do on the show, but alas, it was one or the other. I could have had a cigarette in my mouth while holding a martini glass, but it reeked a bit of trailer trash so I passed.

As if you couldn’t tell… AMC’s MadMen is my Sunday Night Addiction… one of the few shows my husband and I both watch. And every week, after some quiet scene comes to an inconclusive end, I invariably ask: “Now, WHY do we watch this?”

We started watching it for the styling. They do such an incredible job with the details… and on a more personal note, my first job out of college was with Lintas: NY, at the time, the 9th largest ad agency in the world… so even though it was 1990, not the early 60′s… the same companies in play in their world were in play then. Even in 1990, they smoked all over the office and lunch was quite often in liquid form… It’s interesting to hear them talk about accounts and competitors. But, just like the soaps, they’ve hooked us into the story… I mean, what will happen at Sterling Cooper now that the Brits’ management restructuring has gone awry with the loss of a man’s foot? And when will Betty Draper get a personality? Stay tuned!

But I get this strange urge to chain smoke (I’ve heard they actually smoke some herbal stuff – no not the ‘herbage’ sort!- that the actors all hate) and drink scotch… but I can pass on those armor like undergarments… Thank God for women’s lib – and Spanx, don’t forget Spanx!

NY NY

Midi — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:28:04 +0000

Just home from NYC where my best friend from college got married in Central Park at the Conservatory Gardens. It was a simple ceremony with glorious weather. When I was in school, after spending the summer in the grueling Atlanta heat, it was always such a joy to return to the northeast and a dry, cool September.

The View from Metrazur at Grand Central

After the ceremony and the obligatory pics, they arranged for a double decker bus to take us all to Grand Central. It’s funny – we were all as excited as the tourists who usually do these things. When you live in a place, you tend not to do the basic touristy things that are around… and even now, when I return to the city, I visit friends, eat all the stuff I can’t get back home, perhaps visit the Met… but having lived here once, actually twice, what sort of stuff am I really going to do? But with the perfect weather, sitting up top and seeing the familiar buildings go by, it was really cool. So everyone really enjoyed the ride… then the reception was a Metrazur, it sits on the mezzanine overlooking the grand hall of Grand Central – which is just gorgeous! It’s great place for drinks after work… watching all the commuters head home in this ballroom of a space. Everything was really nice.

That night, we all met up again and took the Circle Line from the 42nd Pier. It took us as far as the UN on the East River, then over to the Statue of Liberty – then back up the Hudson. It was a lot of fun doing things we don’t and wouldn’t normally do like the double-decker bus and the Circle Line.

We stayed with friends out in Brooklyn, Prospect Park. Sunday was spent hanging out there and getting the Brooklyn experience. Since I lived, worked & played in Manhattan, Brooklyn is still a mystery to me… it’s all fairly new. So we got the mini-tour… and now I’m completely sold. I started urging friends in Manhattan who told me at the wedding they were looking to upsize, so I am now convinced Prospect Park and the other areas nearby would be perfect!

So it was nice to see old friends, hang out in the City, experience new areas and do a few new things… My friends kept asking me ‘Don’t you miss the City’ and the answer is yes. I think my husband was a bit put out by my response since I left New York to get married to him and live in St Simons Island. But what’s wrong with missing a place that’s been such a major part of your life?