Welcome to July and Summer!
The heat is inching towards triple digits which has been the normal summer routine for as long as I can remember. It feels a little crazy when you realize that you have lived somewhere long enough to truly be able to see how things morph and change over the years.
The other thing I realize as I contemplate this is that back in those early days (let’s call them my formative years) I handled the heat so much easier than I do now. I realize much of this change has to do with my Long-Term-Lyme’s but that doesn’t make it any easier to handle the heat.
Finding ways to stay cool this month will be always at the front of our thoughts. We employ misters, kiddy pools, shade cloth, and sprinklers and that’s just for the livestock. For the farmers, we tend to do our outside stuff early before the heat of the day is truly beating on us. After that, we also enjoy misters on the breezeway or the better-than-outside temps in the house. We only have an evaporative cooler so we work hard to keep the house as cool as possible.
Shades are drawn early to keep the heat out and cool in. First thing in the early morning while the air is still cool outside, I turn the vent on and get the house down to as low a temperature as possible, usually between 65-69 (I know it’s not really that low but it’s better than 75).
How do you keep cool during these hot months? Do you have tricks that you employ to keep your house cool and comfortable? If you do we would love to hear about it. Maybe you have figured out a great method that might work well for someone else. Please share if you do.
Leave a comment and tell us how you handle the heat in what we lovingly refer to as “the armpit of hell”.
Stay cool and as you read through the July Fun 411 below I encourage you to pick a few of the “Days” throughout the month that make you smile or even just smirk and celebrate the day. Have fun, be fun, and encourage fun.
July Fun 411:
Flower: Larkspur, Water Lily
Birthstone: Ruby (Contentment)
7-1
International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
7-3
Compliment Your Mirror Day
7-4
Independence Day!
7-6
International Kissing Day
7-8
National Blueberry Day
7-10
Pick Blueberries Day
7-13
Oxymoron Day
National French Fries Day
7-15
Cow Appreciation Day
Be A Dork Day (Be your a-dork-able self)
7-16
National Ice Cream Day
7-19
National Hot Dog Day
National Daiquiri Day (Make it Blueberry, yummy)
7-22
Hammock Day
7-23
Vanilla Ice Cream Day
7-24
Tell An Old Joke Day (Dad Jokes & Chicken Jokes are my favorite)
7-25
National Chili Dog Day
7-27
National Love is Kind Day
Walk on Stilts Day
7-30
National Cheesecake Day (Why not make it Blueberry)
7-31
National Watermelon Day
For the Month Nationally:
National Blueberry Month
National Grilling Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Picnic Month
National Watermelon Month
Slàinte Mhath, from the Oasis
La Vita e’ Bella, M.o.M. (Mistress of the Manor)
The Oasis Farm Population +/- 115
Caretakers: 3
Cats: 5
Chickens: +/- 37
Cows Beef: 0
Cows Dairy: 0
Dogs: 3
Goats: 2
Pigs: 0
Rabbits +/- 53
Sheep: 7
Turkeys: 5
Let us know if you have something and are interested in
gifting, bartering/trading, or selling.
Thank you in advance
-If you have any old shoes of sizes and would like to donate them to Mac Diu’c’s (Duke’s) toy stash. He would be so happy.
-Stock Trailer
-Hay &/or Grain Feeders
-Painted Desert Ewe/Ewe Lamb (looking to diversify genetics)
This is Hennessy, hatched in between other clutches. Hennessy is a Bourbon Red x Blue Slate, hatched May 31st and in need of surrogate parentage, so the farmers are on it. This means of course that we take the little ball of cuteness everywhere with us. Not that we go to many places but when we do Hennessy does as well. Right up till he hits the annoying teenage years and then he’s staying home. haha
Incredible Edible Eggs.
Eggs, we’ve got the eggs.
$5.00/dozen $7/18 pack
Message for availability and pick up.
Now’s the time to get your garden started. Check out the farm store for seeds.
Seeds available for purchase at the Farm Store:
Walking Tall
Do you remember when you were young, little in comparison to those around you? Oh to be as tall as the adults or even the older kids, what a dream. Well, if there was a way to feel tall I loved it, and one of my favorite toys for this were my tin-can stilts.
In honor of “Walk on Stilts Day” on July 27th I offer you instructions for make-it-yourself height enhancers, a.k.a. tin-can stilts.
Maybe make a set for you as well and then let the giant play begin.
DIY Tin Can Stilts
Found at: Coffeecupsandcrayons.com
Younger kids will need help from an older child or adult to make these tin can stilts. This is a great craft to introduce how to use simple tools while creating a toy to play with!
Here’s what you’ll need:
empty tin cans (we used 29-ounce tomato cans)
hammer and a nail to make the holes
paracord (yarn would also work)
hot glue gun
foam
assorted crafty decorations (we used washi tape, foam stickers, googly eyes, markers, and pipe cleaners)
How to Make Your Own Tin Can Stilts
Prep the tin cans by cleaning and drying them thoroughly. We used a smooth edge can opener to open the cans we were going to use so it would be safe for the kids to play with. If you don’t have one you may want to cover the edges in duct tape before the kids start crafting.
Use the hammer and nail to poke a hole through the side of each can near the top. This job is better for an adult or older child. Once the holes are in it’s time to decorate! Kids can covered the cans in washi tape or stickers or create a face–there is no wrong way to decorate tin can stilts!
To make the cans more comfortable to walk on we added a layer of foam to the top. Just trace the top of the can on the foam and cut out. Then have an adult hot glue the circles to the top. Finally add the paracord for the handles. We cut all of ours to be 48 inches each and tied them inside the can. Hold it up to your child and adjust up or down as needed.
Then it’s time to learn how to walk on the stilts!
Ice Cream and Blueberries what’s not to Love?
Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream
July as you might have noticed in the “Fun 411” is all about ice cream and blueberries. Not a bad combination if I do say so myself. Homemade ice cream is just about the best treat I can think of and even thinking about it now brings back wonderful childhood memories.
Vanilla ice cream is always a perfect go-to as it lends itself beautifully to add-ins and/or toppings and its “ala Mode” skills are unprecedented but fresh seasonal fruit can create an ice cream that just screams summer in its simplicity.
Below I thought I would share recipes for both regular and no-churn blueberry ice cream and for those who prefer vanilla ice cream (recipe featured in June’s report) with their fruit on top, I’m adding a Blueberry Compote recipe along with the links to the sites these were found on.
Enjoy July and make it even more memorable by adding a few frozen summer treats to your menu.
Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream
From: Barefeetinthekitchen.com
Ingredients
1½ cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
⅔ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
Place all ingredients in the blender, in the order listed above, and blend for a minute or two, until the berries have completely broken down into the cream.
Pour into the ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.
Notes
Fresh berries will result in the lighter-colored ice cream pictured here. Frozen berries will result in the more deeply colored ice cream. Both versions are delicious, however, the frozen berries will produce a stronger blueberry flavor.
Blueberry Ice cream No-Churn
From: Veena Azmanov.com
Description
With just 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep, this no-churn blueberry ice cream is always a winner. Rich and creamy, made with fresh or frozen blueberries.
Ingredients
1 cup (250 ml) Whipping cream (83% plus)
½ cup (120 ml) Condensed milk
7 oz (200 g) Blueberries (up to 12 oz)
1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream until almost stiff peaks.
Pro tip – The more you whip the cream the fluffier the ice cream. But, do not overwhip or you will churn the whipping cream into butter.
Next, add the condensed milk and vanilla extract. Mix a minute more to combine.
Pro tip – This is your basic no-churn vanilla ice cream.
Pulse the blueberries in a blender then pass thru a sieve – discard the skins and set the juice aside
Pro tip – Removing the skin makes a smooth creamy velvety texture ice cream.
Then, add the blueberry puree to the whipped cream mixture and combine.
Pro tip – I like to stir well to blend it into a smooth blueberry color. Alternatively, you can add the puree in two batches and give it a gentle swirl just enough to get a marbled color and texture.
Pour into an ice cream storage container and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Pro tip – For the creamiest ice cream, thaw the container for at least 10 minutes before you attempt to scoop the ice cream. This will soften any ice crystals.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Tips
Whip the cream separately, then fold the rest of the mixture into the whipped cream. This makes the end result more soft and creamy in texture.
Crushed fruits will make a marbled effect, and pureed will give a perfect blend. Adding a combination of all crushed, pureed, and whole gives a wonderful experience.
If you use less fat the possibility of ice crystals forming can be high. A great way to reduce that is to just stir the ice cream once or twice in between.
You can store ice cream in a metal loaf pan wrapped in aluminum foil. The foil helps prevent the formation of ice crystals. I like to use these silicon ice cream tubs with firm lids.
Let the ice cream thaw for a few minutes before you attempt to scoop it. This will give the ice crystals a moment to soften.
I like to dip my ice cream scoop in water. This helps scoop the ice cream better.
BLUEBERRY COMPOTE
From: icecreamfromscratch.com
INGREDIENTS
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed)
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small sauce pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the compote starts to bubble.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the compote from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Store in a container in the refrigerator. The compote will be runny but it will thicken when it chills.
Buckle Up Buttercup
Don’t Crumble or Grunt or even Slump unless you want to.
Most of you have heard of and experienced cobblers and crisps but in the world of desserts, there are so many more scrumptious options to try. I had heard of a couple of other fruit dessert options but had truly no idea what each one was or how to make it. This of course meant a bit of rabbit holing which is always a fun distraction.
Fresh fruit, while absolutely fabulous on its own, can be taken to a whole new level of goodness that will be begging for “ala mode” status with that amazing homemade ice cream you have in the freezer.
There were many great websites that gave wonderful explanations about fruit desserts. I chose to use Seriouseats.com as they gave the most information on more desserts.
Plus the title of their article is definitely an attention grabber.
“Can You Tell Your Buckle From Your Boy Bait? A Guide to Baked Fruit Desserts”.
I hope as you read through these you are inspired to make a new yummy treat for you and your family. It’ll be worth it, I promise.
Cobblers
Breaking it down to the basics, cobblers are deep-dish dessert casseroles made of a sweetened fruit that forms a thick syrup when cooked. They can be topped with a sheet of "cobbles" biscuit or dumpling dough…
Crisps
…Similar to a cobbler, a crisp is a deep-dish fruit dessert that's topped with a streusel made of butter, sugar, flour, nuts, oats, and/or crumbs or a combination of the three. The topping has a finer texture than a crumble….
Crumble
…Like a cobbler, a crumble consists of cooked fruit, however, instead of a biscuit topping, it has a crumb topping. The crumbs are typically made of butter or shortening, flour, sugar, oats, and a pinch of salt, and can include nuts. While crisp and crumble toppings are both rather crumbly, unlike a crisp, crumble topping always uses oats….
Crunch
…The Joy of Cooking calls a crunch "fruit sandwiched between two layers of sweetened, buttered crumbs; it is served cut into squares like bar cookies but is a bit more fragile."…
Betty
Popular in colonial times, this baked dessert is typically made up of layers of sliced apples and buttered bread crumbs….
Bird’s Nest Pudding
…Despite its name, some iterations of Bird's Nest Puddings actually share much in common with cobblers. To prepare this old-timey dish, you peel and core several tart apples, add them to a casserole dish (or what they used to call a "pudding dish") then cover them with a batter of milk, eggs, and flour then bake it until it's nicely browned….
Buckle
…A buckle is a funny name for an old-fashioned fruit-studded coffee cake. Like many other desserts in the extended cobbler family buckles take their name from their appearance—grunts grunt as they cook, slumps slump when served, buckles—you guessed it—buckle. The Boston Examiner defines it as a "single-layer cake with a streusel topping" saying " as the cake bakes, the dense batter sinks to the bottom of the pan, which makes the streusel buckle on top."…
Short Cake
…are traditionally made up of lightly sweetened biscuits topped with lightly sweetened fresh fruit and cream. If you think about it, shortcakes are sort of a tidied-up individual portion of a cobbler. Shortcakes and cobbler exist on opposite ends of the fruit freshness spectrum. Shortcakes are for showcasing fruit, like strawberries at their peak while cobbler allows you to use fruit that's not quite in its prime.
Long Cake
…are a quick and easy one-pan coffee cake that would easily feel at home amongst a cobbler crew. The buttery and tender cake batter is spread with macerated strawberries and finished with a clumpy butter/sugar/flour topping (not unlike a buckle)….
Boy Bait
Boy Bait is a fruited coffee cake that's similar to a buckle and hails from the archives of the Pillsbury Bake-Off. According to Yankee Magazine, a "15-year-old Chicago teen named Renny Powell submitted a blueberry coffee cake recipe to the Pillsbury...[and] took second place in the youth division for her creation, named in honor of its powers with the opposite sex." Unlike a buckle, boy bait doesn't have streusel topping.
Grunt
Grunts are biscuit or dumpling-topped stewed fruit desserts that are cooked on the stovetop in a covered Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. The dessert is native to New England. They are very close to cobblers in construction but the topping is steamed cooked on the stovetop rather than baked. They take their funny name from the bubbling sound they make as they cook.
Slump
Slumps are essentially a regional variation of a cobbler—a baked biscuit or dumpling-topped stewed fruit dish. Thrifty (and decidedly unfancy) New Englanders named them for their "slumpy" appearance.
Pandowdy
…another deep dish stewed fruit dessert similar to a cobbler but made with a different technique. Here the biscuit dough (or pie dough) is rolled out and spread over the top of the fruit and set to bake. Partially through cooking the pandowdy is removed from the oven and the topping is broken up and pushes into the filling with a spoon which allows the filling to bubble up. The origins of the unusual name aren't clear but is suspected that it comes from the dessert's rather humble appearance. Apple pandowdies are the most common, though you can make it with other fruit.
Sonker
…an Appalachian cobbler variation native to Surry County, North Carolina. They are also the hardest variety to pin down. Though sonkers are native to a small area, the recipes that have been passed from generation to generation vary widely to create a diverse cobbler subset. In Pamela Goyan Kittler and Kathryn P. Sucher's book Food and Culture, they describe sonkers as "a deep-dish fruit or sweet potato pie made with breadcrumbs or biscuit dough or pie crust—there is no agreement on how to prepare it."…
There are many more that we could examine such as Clafoutis and Galette but we will save those for another time. Don’t some of these dessert names just make you want to smile? They sure do for me and now I want to try each variation.
I might just find a new favorite that I can make my own. Now though it’s time for a Blueberry Buckle in honor of Blueberry Month. This recipe comes from my collection. I pulled it from a Family Circle magazine dated 8/4/98.
Blueberry Buckle
Makes: 8 servings Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 350° for 55-60 minutes
Ingredients:
Topping:
1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
Cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 cups blueberries
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan with a removable bottom (think angel food cake pan)
Topping: Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly.
Cake: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl
Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with milk to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Cover with berries. Drop in remaining batter by tablespoons. Cover with topping.
Bake in 350° oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until deep golden brown. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Remove pan sides and sprinkle the buckle with confectioners sugar.
Enjoy with coffee or ala mode with your amazing homemade ice cream.
Community Partners
Still an obsession. Quail eggs! Aren’t they gorgeous?
We received these from our wonderful community partner,
Cooper’s Homestead, and Crafts.
Yes, they sell them for eating at $4/dozen or hatching at $5/dozen, or over 8 dozen at $3/dozen.
If interested contact: Rachelle Cooper text: 530-782-8545
A huge THANK YOU to Salina at Artistic Wonders for the wonderful Graphic Art.
If you require art of any sort give her a shout at:
artisticwonderscreates@gmail.com
Thank you to pngtree.com for the fantastic July clipart
<a href='https://pngtree.com/so/St'>St png from pngtree.com/</a>
Yes, it is an awesome memory! Glad I could remind you of fun times.
OMG! I totally forgot about tin can stilts! Awesome memory!!