It’s almost June…

Posted on May 31, 2021 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Which means it’s getting closer to berry season in Maine…which means it’s time to make fruit crisp for those summer get-togethers…

Actually, it’s always ‘crisp’ season if you ask me. (:

This is the best crisp recipe. You can make it with apples, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or a berry mix.

It’s delicious with traditional flour/ butter and it’s equally (if not more), amazing with GF flour and dairy free butter or coconut oil…

It’s from a cookbook my grandmother gave to me, twenty years ago! Savoring Care Cod.

In her unmistakable handwriting, the inscription simply says, ‘To Jenny, with love Gram’, Christmas 2000.

Each recipe included in the cookbook was contributed by a volunteer, friend, and/or staff of the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary; It’s a cookbook put together by the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

The year of the gift (2000), was also the year my grandmother needed to sell her home in NJ and move to the Cape, to live with my aunt. Her daughter…

My grandmother was (then) diagnosed with alzheimers.

She didn’t want to leave NJ. She was a ‘Jersey girl’ – so the fact that this cookbook is from the Cape, is a reminder of the beginning of that chapter for her…and that chapter for all of us…

It is also a reminder of her and the interests we shared – good food, entertaining, nature, the beach… time spent together, cocktails at 4, and oh so much more…

This same grandmother passed away two weeks ago. She was 98.

I love you gram.

Thank you for everything. I see you in everything…

If you’re in need of an easy and delicious dessert – give this one a go.

Gram says so. (:

Enjoy.

Fruit Crisp Recipe + Printable version below.

Enjoy (:

This recipe can be made with apples, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or a mixture of berries.

This recipe can be made exactly as is here with either traditional flour + butter.

GF flour + coconut oil/dairy free butter.

Just switch out ingredients – measurements stay the same.

Ingredients

5-8 apples (any good pie apples), peeled and sliced OR 3.5 cups berries (frozen works too) – raspberries, blueberries or mixed berries

1 Cup Gluten Free flour (bob’s red mill 1 to 1 baking flour works well) – or regular flour.

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup coconut oil, (or butter) melted.

coconut oil/butter for greasing pan.

What to do

Grease a 9 X 13 – inch baking pan. Or a pie dish. Spread fruit in pan. You want enough to cover the bottom of the pan as well as have enough ‘height’ of the fruit itself …

*Blend dry ingredients. Add egg and melted butter. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened.

*If you are making it with GF/DF substitutions, blend the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and add the melted butter/oil. Then add the dry ingredients to the ‘wet’ (egg + oil), until moistened.

Pat mixture over fruit. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until topping is browned. Enjoy!

Fruit Crisp Recipe – Ripe Red Berries Download

January

Posted on January 29, 2021 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Hi everyone! How are you holding up? Things around here are chugging along, day by day, moving forward – or at least that’s the goal…(:

January is nearing it’s end, February is just around the corner, the days are getting longer …and thankfully – summer is inevitable…

But in the meantime, a few pics from my little slice of the world…

Just wanted to say hi and wish everyone a lovely weekend. Stay well. Be well.

And may you enjoy a few of your favorite things this weekend…despite COVID. ):

Life is what it is…might as well be kind to one another…

Zinnias

Posted on August 24, 2020 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I love Zinnias.

They are easy to start from seed. They grow slow and steady, and they make great cut flowers – what’s not to love?

One plant yields quite a few flowers over the course of the summer – cut them and they keep coming back until colder nights settle in…

Start them in mid spring and transplant out once warm enough…around here it’s usually June to mid-June.

They start to flower in early August and are perfect for bringing indoors.

I hope you are able to bring a little of the outdoors, in.

Stay well. Be well.

I hope you plant some next spring.

Enjoy.

2020

Posted on August 10, 2020 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Wow. 2020.

There is a lot going on right now.

Actually, I think that’s an understatement.

So much to consider, to think about, to question, to worry over…the future feels very uncertain. On. So. Many. Levels…

Granted, life is never certain.

Well, except for death. That is certain. The timing of your death and your whole life preceding it, is of course – uncertain.

Though right now, we are at an unprecedented level of ‘uncertainty.’

Well, at least that’s how I’m feeling.

How about you?

For the past three years I had been focused on working, saving money, raising my son, working on my business, working on myself, paying bills, organizing my family, etc…life stuff.

Things were going along. I had plans.

2020 was going to be ‘the year’.

‘The year’ I turned fifty. The year I did so many of the things I had been wanting to do. Trying to do…

I planned on visiting friends (across the country), having friends come and stay with me, treat myself to a luxurious day at the spa (it’s been over a decade since I’ve had a ‘proper spa day’), buy something pretty for myself and plan a fabulous 50th. birthday party…

I booked tickets to visit a dear friend in Arizona. I was going by myself. I was envisioning being on the plane, by myself, enjoying a cocktail – mid flight – then landing, stepping off the plane and seeing my friend.

Giving her a big squeeze, then off we go. Just two grown women.

Able to talk, uninterrupted. Able to go wherever we want – without question or coercion, able to just ‘be’ without parenting…

The joy this brought me was immeasurable.

This was going to be my first trip – ALONE – since becoming a parent, (I became a parent over ten years ago), needless to say, I was r-e-a-d-y.

I had plans.

I’d been saving money for the past few years – specifically for my (month’s long) ’50th’ celebration!

If you’ve followed me in the past, then you know I love to save money.

(That was and is the whole point of this blog – to share ideas about saving money and living well…anyway – it’s been awhile since I’ve posted (years) but recently I’ve needed to get ‘back here’).

My months long celebration was going to start in April.

As I mentioned earlier – I was going to Arizona.

I had the plane tickets (free from my credit card points), spending money (from my diligent saving), time off work (from my planning), my friend had taken time off, we already had a few restaurants in mind (research) …I was going to a new place. To spend time with a friend.

By m-y-s-e-l-f.

BEYOND excited to say the least…it was happening!!

You see, before I became a parent, I loved traveling.

Traveling by myself. Traveling with my partner…

My partner and I had traveled and lived abroad for years before starting our business and having our son, but I hadn’t traveled on my own, since having our son…

Well, our son is ten years old now.

Needless to say,

I was ready.

I was ready for a lot.

I was ready for change.

I was ready to be kinder to myself.

I was ready to make the next fifty years better than the past fifty…

I was envisioning my trip to Arizona to be a reminder of what it feels like to wake up without immediately having to take care of someone else’s needs, answer questions, make a plan for the day, not think about what’s for dinner…not be responsible for someone else’s needs…except my own.

Two free days.

To remember myself…

Pure bliss.

It felt like a dream. I had the money to make it happen. And I was going to make it happen…I deserved it. I was turning 50 and had worked my ass off saving money to do all these lovely things for myself…

Turns out the dream never happened.

In December (while online scrolling), I noticed an article about a ‘new virus’ surfacing in China.

My stomach did that ’churny thing’ – that thing that makes you wake up and listen your instinct.

A new virus? Oh dear. What if it spreads?

It’s only in China (right now).

Don’t panic.

Just keep an eye out for information regarding it’s spread…

Well, we all know what happened next.

It spread.

It spread before anyone knew it was spreading…

Anyway – I had to cancel my flight. I lost my job. My child has been out of school since March 15 and my business is teetering on extinction…

So, ‘my year’ isn’t quite as I had planned.

Granted – it’s like that for the entire human race right now…

Better for some. Worse for others.

Luckily I’m very resourceful…

I did take my trip, but it wasn’t as I originally envisioned…instead of flying across the country, I drove across my state – for nine hours – along nearly the entire coast…

I saw parts of Maine I had never seen and it was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

I didn’t have to answer one question or be badgered with ‘how much longer??

I could just drive…and drive and drive…

So that’s what I did.

It was divine (despite the covid restrictions)…

Just me, myself and I – in my home state…

Happy Birthday to me.

I kept my promise to myself.

I traveled to a new place. Stayed in a new space, looked at things with new eyes and was grateful for where I was…

I turned 50. How did that happen?

Now onto the next ‘big plan’; learning how to homeschool while updating my resume…

How are you adjusting to this ‘new world?’

Be well.

Stay safe.

Until next time…

ReplyForward

the last two weeks…

Posted on July 12, 2015 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

These last two weeks have been busy – and that’s a good thing – summertime in Maine is the busy season…

S-u-m-m-e-r-t-i-m-e….and the livin’s e-a-s-y…fish are j-u-m-p-i-n’…and the c-o-t-t-o-n is high…(click on the link and listen while viewing)…

Time for being outdoors…and taking things a little more s-l-o-w-l-y…

Gardening, playing, swimming, enjoying windows being open, going to the beach, being barefoot, balmy breezes, fresh strawberries, kale, peas, corn…boating without jackets (warmth jackets – not life jackets), blue skies, picnics, fans blowing humid air, fresh cut grass, seaweed in the air…lobsters, fresh Maine crab meat, time on the dock, feeling hot, being sun-kissed, sleeping with just a light cotton sheet…enjoying long light filled days with starry warm nights…

summertime…

fresh food. warm nights. open windows.

bliss…

Love it. Summer.

enjoy!

weekly photo challenge: windows

Posted on January 17, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

This weeks photo challenge is (was) about windows. One of my favorite travel photos is of a window…an open window.

A small window propped open with a stick. The shutter overhead hangs crookedly…coconut milk filled plastic soda bottles line the lower sash…the last bottle on the left is the only one with a red cap…

A small handmade wooden table sits off center, beneath the shopkeepers only window. A white, floral cotton swath of fabric covers all but one corner of the table… green and yellow bananas sit beside fresh whole coconuts…but my eyes were on the window.

The row of bottled coconut milk, the fruit for sale beneath, the soft white paint covering the concrete walls, the crooked shutter…the island on which this little shop was situated… it was all so beautiful…I had to take a photo…

The island was Rarotonga.

It was a two month stop along our ’round the world trip we took years ago…it was magic…

We rented a small flat from a local woman and rode our rented bicycles everyday, everywhere…we savored cooking on an actual stove and loved the weekly farmers market. This is where I first spotted this lovely open window – at the market.

I also appreciated the many beaches, the simplicity of our daily lives, the balmy breezes, the lush mountain hikes and all the photo opportunities…this one in particular…

Windows.

They all have a view – good or bad – and they all show something perhaps not so easily seen from the other side…of the window…

enjoy.

nature

Gallery

Posted on January 14, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

This gallery contains 35 photos.

I love it. Without it, where would we be? Enjoy the day!

s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g money ideas

Posted on November 26, 2013 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I’m all about saving money, not spending money or simply utilizing what I have.

Though, of course, money is a necessity for a lot of useful things, like new eyeglasses, and even sometimes those not so ‘needed’ things…like chocolate or match box cars…but today I’d like to share five ways I saved money this week…in some cases, even made money;

1. Brought my coffee from home instead of buying take-out.

2. Packed my lunch (and Finns) at home, including beverages (water in re-usable glass jars), and snacks.

3. Purchased a down winter jacket (Adidas) from a local consignment shop (a steal at $15!).

4. Collected $25 from the children’s consignment shop I consign with (this is where I made money).

5. Borrowed books and movies from our local library.

The only money I spent was $15 for the down jacket. I have to post a photo of it – I love it!

Now I know most of you probably already do a lot of these things, so this is really a friendly reminder…

There has been much talk about preparing food at home, packing lunches, investing in travel coffee mugs, etc…but with the holiday season upon us and time always moving faster and faster, why not be reminded of these little ways to save money and hassle.

Why not shop at a consignment shop? Why not check out books from your local library? Why wouldn’t you consign your good unwanted items? Making lunch at home requires a bit of fore thought, but not that much…really.

Saving money means doing more of what you want to do…whatever that may be.

What little things do you do to save money?

Enjoy!

so cliche, yet so true

Posted on November 18, 2013 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Time is something which can pass s-l-o-w-l-y, like when your waiting in line at the DMV (department of motor vehicles) or fast, like when your on holiday and suddenly (or so it seems) it’s time to get back on the plane…and return to ‘reality’…

Though the past few months (or should I say years?), lightening speed, is a more accurate descriptive for how I feel time passing…how can it be November 18th, 2013 – already? What?

It seems the (now) routine of school, work, play, cooking, dishes, running errands, grocery shopping, paying bills, preparing for winter (or whatever season is upon us), returning phone calls and emails, keeping up with the business, planning for holidays, birthdays, writing, making time for fun…creates the feeling that time is always winning – that there is never ‘enough’… time.

They (who are they anyway?) say when you get ‘older’ time ‘speeds up’ and when you have children you see time passing before your eyes. Children are the physical form of time passing. They are newborns, then babies, then toddlers, then pre-schoolers…there is no denying the passage of time once one has a child – the months fly by as do the years and your child is the daily reminder of this.

Granted one does not need to have a child to realize life is short.

The question for me now is how to juggle doing what I want to do (without feeling guilty) with what I need to do…

I enjoy doing so many things, though time doesn’t always allow…

I need to do so many things, though time doesn’t always allow…

I want to do so many things, yet time doesn’t always allow…

I hope to do so many more things, will time allow?

I recently came across this quote from Marty Rubin,

“Time does not pass, it continues”

So, I’ve decided to try and see life as always continuing and growing (despite feeling like I’m always trying to ‘catch-up’) versus never having enough time…trusting there is (and will be) enough time…simply trying to stay in the present (not always easy)…

Enjoying the moments when time seems to ‘stand still…’

How do you make time for the things you love and the things you must do?

When does time stand still for you?

Share your thoughts in the comments please…

Enjoy.

missing this space

Posted on September 20, 2013 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I have been missing this place.

This space of food, fun and thriftiness…this world of blogging…

To be clear, it has not been a choice of mine.

Rather, it’s been more of a consequence of a martini meeting my muse, my laptop…or should I say, our laptop. Our one and only laptop. Our only ‘mobile’ device. Our only computer.

Michael (my partner) and I share a laptop and neither of us have i-phones or any phone of that sort…hence why you won’t find me on twitter or Facebook (at least regularly) – it’s impossible to ‘keep-up’ with our home dial-up service. Seriously i-m-p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e.

We still only have access to dial-up internet service from our home. No cell service. No satellite service. No cable service. We rely on our phone line to connect us to the world wide web.

Shocking. I know…so when our computer was not working properly our life (online) came to a sudden halt.

Yikes how dependent we are upon this little (yet very vital) piece of plastic, wires and buttons…

I digress, our laptop keeps our business running smoothly and this blog a chuggin’… it allows me access the world wide web I cannot always access at home, so when a martini was mixed up with our beloved keyboard, well, it was a definite, ‘oh no’ moment.

I’m not naming names, but it wasn’t me.

A trip to the Mac store validated the fact that it needed a new keyboard. I was relived. That’s it? YEAH!! I wanted to scream with joy!

‘You mean it’s fixable?’, I said to the tech. He said, ‘yes’ and it will be ready tomorrow. WOW! I was so relieved…

I didn’t lose all those photos and all those documents and everything else which lives on this portable device…note to self, back-up info. more than once every few months…

So, here I am again.

Ready to share more fabulous recipes and silly stories about my freebie barn finds and my life…plus, I’m looking forward to catching up with all the blogs I follow – I’ve missed them!

Enjoy the weekend!