Pretending it really is spring
Though that pretending can be somewhat difficult when this is what you see out of your bedroom window.
Yes, that's snow. So, because that is more than a little depressing, let's back up a few days when it really did look like spring out the window, and the lawn was full of violets.
Like with the mulberries last summer, I'm trying to find uses for things that are growing here and not just see them as unwanted plants that need to be eradicated. This is easier to do out here when not on a block where everyone has a pretty nice looking yard and you do not.
But back to the violets. I had found some recipes for making use of violets, and when L. was at loose ends the other day, I suggested she go collect some and then I could show her how to candy them. She was all for it, and ended up with quite a few candied violets, even though it is a fairly fiddly process.
They are so pretty, I kind of want to make a cake just to use them to decorate it.
That activity being a success, I mentioned to her that we could also make violet syrup. We needed four cups of flowers for that, so I helped her pick them. You know, back when the grass was green and the sun was warm.
Have you ever really looked at a violet? They are actually quite lovely.
Eventually we collected and de-stemmed four cups of violets.
I really love how the cup of violets looks. All that pretty color jumbled together.
We followed the instructions and this afternoon ended up with violet syrup.
It is lavender colored, though it's hard to tell that in the jar. L. is very much looking forward to slightly warmer weather where we can make lemonade with added violet syrup and garnish the glass with a candied violet. The syrup stores in the refrigerator for up to a year, so at least it will still be around when spring returns.
Yes, that's snow. So, because that is more than a little depressing, let's back up a few days when it really did look like spring out the window, and the lawn was full of violets.
Like with the mulberries last summer, I'm trying to find uses for things that are growing here and not just see them as unwanted plants that need to be eradicated. This is easier to do out here when not on a block where everyone has a pretty nice looking yard and you do not.
But back to the violets. I had found some recipes for making use of violets, and when L. was at loose ends the other day, I suggested she go collect some and then I could show her how to candy them. She was all for it, and ended up with quite a few candied violets, even though it is a fairly fiddly process.
They are so pretty, I kind of want to make a cake just to use them to decorate it.
That activity being a success, I mentioned to her that we could also make violet syrup. We needed four cups of flowers for that, so I helped her pick them. You know, back when the grass was green and the sun was warm.
Have you ever really looked at a violet? They are actually quite lovely.
Eventually we collected and de-stemmed four cups of violets.
I really love how the cup of violets looks. All that pretty color jumbled together.
We followed the instructions and this afternoon ended up with violet syrup.
It is lavender colored, though it's hard to tell that in the jar. L. is very much looking forward to slightly warmer weather where we can make lemonade with added violet syrup and garnish the glass with a candied violet. The syrup stores in the refrigerator for up to a year, so at least it will still be around when spring returns.
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