SpruceHill

Sweet bread and butter pickles

It's that time of the year again, the garden is bursting with fresh veggies. I posted this pickle recipe last year but though I would post it again because it's just so good!

3 nice sized cucumbers sliced thin

1 small onion sliced thin

1 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of water

1/2 cup sugar

dill and salt to taste

With all of the fresh veggies available during the summer this is an inexpensive and yummy addition to any meal. If you do not have your own fresh cucumbers in your own garden go out and buy local!

Slice your cucumbers and onions into a bowl using a mandolin slicer if you have one. They make life so much easier. I like my pickles thin but slice them the way you like them, it's all about you.

While you are slicing, in a pan on the stove mix vinegar, water and sugar. Heat until the mixture reaches a slow boil making sure that the sugar is dissolved.

Add salt and dill to  the bowl of sliced cucumbers and onions to taste, I use fresh dill when I can but, dried dill works too. Pour liquid mixture over the sliced cucumber, onions, salt and dill. Chill in the fridge in a covered bowl. They will keep  in the fridge for a good amount of time.

I love eating these right out of the bowl but recently we've been eating them like this. Use the cracker of your choice, everyone has a favorite. Then schmear a little cream cheese on the cracker and pile some of the pickles and onions on top. It's such a good combination of flavors. I could just eat a whole plate of these! Perfect for the holiday weekend!

Water, Sharks and Other Sea Life

We had a great week on vacation. I enjoyed every bit of it. I perked up after Sunday and was able to enjoy my time away.

We had some interesting sea life encounters, in all my life I have never seen so much aquatic life at our favorite beach, Bethany Beach Delaware.

We always see porpoises every year sometimes close to shore and sometimes a bit farther out. I love seeing them. I have seen them jump out of the water on several occasions. 
 
But this year we had several encounters with other sea life. In one afternoon we saw 3 sharks, fins sticking up out of the water just like in Jaws. I could hear the music playing in my head. At one point there was a fin approaching a woman floating in the water and it came with in a foot of her. Everyone was yelling at her but she didn't hear them or see the shark. She was un harmed but a bit shaken up. The lifeguards said they were harmless baby sand sharks, but nothing makes seeing those fins in the water at all comfortable for me. I don't care how little they are.

 
We also saw a lot of skates in the water. They didn't bother me as much. They just flapped around a lot. Several  of our girls got brushed by them in the water.

While we were at the beach a whale was spotted off the shore of Ocean City Maryland, not far away from where we were. That would have been an amazing thing to see! The girls kept us pretty entertained though!  

Sand, Sun and Surf

 
Saturday morning we headed out to our favorite beach. Staying in our favorite house. Slowly but surely I have come out of my chemo haze and am feeling good.

We've got a house full of girls, Hubs is the only boy around, he is very outnumbered. It's not very quiet but it's fun being surrounded by people that I love.

I love my early morning walks on the beach with the girls. looking for little treasures in the sand.

 Enjoying some quiet moments with them, walking talking and snuggling. Sitting on the beach and reading a good book.

 

Coping

With my new cancer diagnosis it has been difficult for me to mentally adjust. It seems when I think I have a grip on things it all slips out of my hands. It almost happens like clock work with each treatment. My treatments are so close together that I don't get much of a break in between. This week in my treatment schedule is my hardest. My hardest treatment, two drugs together along with another drug to keep my bones strong. Then my next treatment the next Friday is just one of the drugs. As soon as I feel better it's time to go back in. With my last cycle I had an overnight stay in the hospital on my week off treatment, it just seemed to build up more this time.

My feelings are raw and right on the surface, and it doesn't take much for it all to come out. So I let it out, and I go on fighting this terrible disease called cancer. I hug my kids and my husband and am happy to have another day. I cope or at least I try to. For them and for me.

From my garden

We finally got our garden in a few weeks ago, It went in a bit late but we are starting to see some veggies sprouting.

I love watching my garden grow, checking it everyday to see it's progress. thinking about how good the produce will taste. There is nothing like eating a tomato right from the vine.

This year I planted a watermelon plant. I just love how fuzzy it is. We are hoping to be in watermelon up to our ears.   

While watering my garden the other day I found this guy perched on my hydrangea plant next to the water valve on the house. He is a tiny little thing, I am hoping he is eating all the bad bugs for me.