strawberry picking. . .

so, around this time of year, i get excited about strawberry picking. . .about the jam potential. i tried to talk any number of different people into going (any weekend in june) . . . my recollections of berry picking in the pittsburgh area are fantastic. but, this year, the berries were small and mostly pinkish with lots of white and no give when you tugged on the stem. THE BERRIES WERE NOT RIPE. now, this is annoying when the 'pick your own' farm websites declare, "This is the BEST weekend for strawberry picking", and then you drive an hour and there is nothing there. i mean, the internet gets updated minutely. . . can't we be accurate about which time is actually the best for berry picking. why lie to me, the consumer???

i feel a little guilty about having such hard "farmer feelings", knowing that 2 of my sisters have lived and breathed this difficult way of life for years now. . . but still???? i would like to make jam. . .but, due to the berry shortage, i am going to try and make a pie instead. :)

the good news is: my private garden is PRODUCING. :)

i have lettuce and cilantro and i ate 2 snap peas off of the vine yesterday. and the tomato plant that my dad gave me thinks that it is august already. . . the plant is huge. :) we already have yellow blossoms!

today, i read the new york times in a sunshine spot out front and went grocery shopping and visited the "Three Rivers Arts Festival" and have done some laundry and cooking. it's been a good day.

here is my side-kick (frequently, a little on the mischievous side of things) . . .