I Like Thursday # 100 ~ Summer's Gifts

 

It is Summer in the Scrapatch!

Mr. Scrapatch is feeling somewhat better and his doctor says he is okay to return to work next week.  He will be continuing with physical therapy for some time.  The good news is no surgery is needed. 

Thanks to all who have sent good wishes.

I am back to sewing and blogging!

Yesterday I  sewed and posted this block for the 

Summer in the Garden QAL @ Moda Bake Shop

I have the fabrics laid out for the bonus Zinnia Block 

and hope to make this later today.

After antibiotics, sick kitty is also feeling more like her regular happy self.

This is Maestro looking out the front porch door.

Since last week she was hiding under the bed, this is a happy sight.

Katniss, who had stitches last month, is also well and her lion cut is growing out.

Here she is in the window basket in my quilting room.

I have not been quilting, but I have been cleaning my sewing areas.

Mr. Scrapatch and I have been enjoying our garden.

This little dessert is from his tiny strawberry patch.

The berries are sweet and so delicious, we are contemplating plowing up our driveway to plant a bigger berry patch.  Just kidding. There is really not enough sun in our little yard or driveway to grow more than a few of these tasty treats.

Our neighbor gave us this jar of homemade pickled Watermelon rind.

We enjoyed it as a side dish to the grilled salmon and corn on the cob that the boys  made for their Dad last Sunday. Sorry, no photos. We were too busy enjoying the delicious food and good conversation. 

It reminded me of this poem ...

It has always been a favorite.

Neither my neighbor or my guys have ever heard of this poem.

I thought is was well known.  

Have you read it before?

Mr. Scrapatch spied a pair of these young blackbirds on our feeder.

We are debating what they are.

I think they are young Grackles as their black feathers are very shiny, but they do not have the iridescent head coloring yet.  Grackles are common in our yard, but I have never seen them this small.  They were very aggressive as young Grackles might be.

Mr.  Scrapatch thinks they look more like Cowbirds, but we have not seen any mature Cowbirds lately.  We get occasional migrating flocks of them, but usually later in the summer. Their tail feathers seem too long for Cowbirds.

They are not starlings as their feathers are too sleek and the beak colors are wrong and tail feathers too long. We often see baby starlings. 

Do you know what they might be? 

Here is another dessert of the week, Grapenut Pudding,

 warm from the oven with a dollop of cream. 

My recipe is an old handwritten one from the '50s my files,

but it is the same as the

Grapenut Pudding Recipe @ Farmer's Almanac

This is a traditional recipe in New England.

I have never made it any other way. 

I like it best cold from the fridge for breakfast, sans the cream.

Have you tried it?

I am happy to be I linking up today with my blogging friends, 

I Like Thursday Bloggers @ Not Afraid of Color

to share the small joys of life. 

May your day be filled with blessings and thanks!