Fresh Berry Torte :: Super Easy Summer Dessert

It is summer!  Really and truly summer, the kind where temps soar into the 90's and thunderstorms make their way through in the evening.  And we're loving every minute of it, well not so much the storm destruction, but I do love watching a good thunderstorm move in.  The clouds rolling around the sky, the forceful sound of high winds, the darkening sky at 5 p.m.  It's hard to express just how much I love watching storms, not because I don't have the words for it, but we are cranberry farmers and weather impacts our crop immensely, and we only get one chance each year for a crop.

Hail = Destruction = Devastation

Anyway, I haven't posted a recipe since Black Bean Quesadillas back in May and I want to share this super easy summer dessert right now because it's strawberry season.

From instagram

Another #simplesummerpleasure - picking strawberries right out my back door.  Strawberries are not hard to grow.  My patch is in a raised bed about 3 feet x 16 feet.  I keep it weeded, watered, and throw on summer chicken manure in the fall and call it good.  I started this patch with bare root stock.  I would not recommend that.  Stop by @fleetfarm and pick up some nice lush plants, much easier to get started.  And there's nothing better than a ☀️ #sunwarmedstrawberry. 🍓  #strawberrypatch #homestead #homesteadingfun #homesteadingforbeginners #favoritesummeractivity #foodfromthefarm

A post shared by Jennifer Brockman (@camphomeschool) on Jun 12, 2017 at 6:18am PDT

This dessert is perfect for summer because the oven only needs to be on for 15 minutes and it's served cold so it's super refreshing and light.

Fresh Berry Torte

Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
3/4 c. oatmeal

Place flour, sugar and butter in food processor and pulse until crumbly (or fork by hand).  Add oatmeal and pulse a few more times.  Press into ungreased jelly roll (10x15) pan.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  Mine were in for 12 minutes yesterday.  Cool completely.

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool whip, thawed

Cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread over cooled crust.

Topping:
1 qt. berries, washed and stemmed

The berry choice is the fun part.  This time I only had strawberries (fresh from the front yard) and not many of them because the kids were snitching all day before I made the dessert.

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate.

I sliced my strawberries so they would stretch over the full pan, but halved would work nicely.  I've also mixed up the berries and used strawberries and blueberries.  Raspberries are yummy, too.  Sadly, I've never used cranberries because they are quite tart and, although Warren and I would like that, especially if they were mixed with blueberries and strawberries, the kids wouldn't go for that and would end up picking them off.

Simple Nature Study in the Homeschool

Warren said it best today:

I saw my first Red-winged Blackbird, the melt is in full swing, and the herbicide sales rep called today.  It must be the first day of Spring.

As part of the agricultural world, we are very attune to the changing of seasons.  Each season brings its own type of work.

I enjoy pointing out signs of the changing seasons to the kids.  When they're young every little change outside is so exciting and they're so eager to listen and learn, but as they grow older and develop other interests sometimes they become blinded to all the intricacies if the changing seasons.

I think it's so important that children become and stay aware of the natural world around them.  In our fast paced lives and with nearly unlimited access to screens, it's easy to take our eyes off the slower paced natural world.

One book I've used over and over for nature study is The Beginning Naturalist:  Weekly Encounters with the Natural World.  With 52 very short chapters following the seasons, this book introduces the reader to the seasons, including:  midwinter to mudtime, spring into summer, summer, and fall and winter again.

None of my kids have read this cover to cover in order, however, I assign chapters based on the time of year.  For example, now would be a great time to read "Pussy Willows" and "Redpolls".  After reading, they narrate the chapter to me.  This way I can add any unusual sightings or experiences I've had.

Sam started this book last spring, in 5th grade, and just now finished it.  I typically assign 1-2 chapters per week, aiming at having them read ahead a little so they are ready for whatever nature encounters are to come.

You might like

Super Summer Science:::Butterflies

How to Take a Nature Hike

Birdwatching and Bird Reading For Kids

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It's Back.....(frost season on the cranberry marsh)

It's that time of year again where cranberry growing couples across the country (well, at least, Wisconsin) are begrudgingly plugging in the frost alarm.  For those not familiar with this technology, it's basically an alarm clock that sounds when the temperature falls below a certain number, usually around 34 degrees.  Frost season is somewhat like having a baby, a recurring baby year after year.  A baby that needs constant attention, even in the middle of the night, and if you ignore it for even a minute too long, you just might lose a good percentage of your year's income.

So here we are.  The buds are softening and swelling - a sure sign that the winter dormancy phase is coming to an end.  The sun has been shining - mostly.  The daytime temps have been warm - as high as 80 degrees.  And the night temps have been low.  Put it all together and you get FROST SEASON!!

We still monitor the temperature using the "old" method.  Basically a wire runs underground from a low point on the marsh to our bedroom.  That's where the alarm is.

Frost alarm station.  Setting it up for frost season.

Warren sets out the thermometer houses.

Checking the temperature reading for accuracy.

Our kids don't know it any other way.  When there's work to do, they get involved.  Maria keeps the ATV seat warm and watches daddy put out thermometers.

Placing another thermometer.  The ramp makes it easy to check the thermometers at night.  Falling in the cold ditch is to be avoided.

That's a cranberry bud.  Can you tell it's whitening a little in the center?  That means the growing season is near and so is frost watch!

Pressuring up the sprinklers, making sure everything is in working order BEFORE the first night of frost.

Looking at the chickens, just because.

Happy Spring to you all.  May you have uninterrupted sleep and pleasant dreams.....unless you're also a cranberry grower.  Then go to bed early, sleep fast, keep one eye on the alarm, and remember to put fresh batteries in your flashlight.

April (snow) Showers......Are Wrong

Just popping in for a quick minute to share the April snow showers that are falling right now.  Every time I look up there's more snow on the ground.

Here's what it looked like on Wednesday.  All the snow had melted from our pre-Easter snow dump, the mud had dried up for the most part, and the only depressing weather left was the cold and clouds.  Now we're right back into winter again, with another mud season to follow.  yuck!

Look at that background.  Actually looks like spring could spring.

And this is the patio this morning.

The birds are quite active.  I enjoyed a few minutes watching the feeders this morning.

Juncos and Goldfinches

How's this for an April 2 landscape.

Blogging was nonexistent this week.  Getting back into the swing of school, preparing for Creative Arts Day, and a list of things to accomplish a mile long kept me away from the blog.  I have so many pictures to share from Easter, a sponsored giveaway coming up, and more on homeschooling.  We just have to make it through Creative Arts Day:  2 demonstration speeches, 2 violin solos, 1 club play, and 1 entry into the People's Choice Photo Contest.

If you're getting snow - good luck.  If you're getting sunshine - I'm a bit jealous.  Enjoy your day!

A Look Around the Yard

Hard to believe it's April 16.  It's turkey week for Warren and Nick.  Feels more like deer season than turkey season.  Warren already tagged a bird, but poor Nick his week's been awful.  First extreme winds and now this:  snow.

And to think today starts our spring break.  We're hoping the snow and cold go away as fast as they came.

Kayaking

**I wrote this post on Wednesday morning but for some reason Blogger wouldn't let me post pictures.

Enjoying these beautiful days is easy to do after such a long winter.  We got the kayaks out for the first time yesterday.  Seemed everytime I was ready to do lessons someone had snuck off to the pond.  Our schoolwork schedule gets a little upturned on these warm days.  Even I can't bring myself to stay housebound for too long.  It all gets done in between our Vitamin D treatments.

I don't feel bad one bit enjoying the warmth as much as we can because look what we're in for. Rain and slush are forecasted for later this week.

We Have a Suitcase Packed

No we're not leaving for vacation. Are you kidding, harvest is in less than 3 weeks.  We are  preparing for flood conditions.  6.25 inches of rain in 15 hours doesn't bode well for our home, driveway or cranberry marsh.  The morning began with a.......slide right to the cranberry ditch.  Truck #1 - STUCK!  Warren brought me into the mess to help with the pull out.  However, after a few minutes.....Truck #2 - STUCK!  So we walked back in the pouring rain for the first runners up, a tractor and 4-wheeler.  You know, if the winner can't fulfill its duties, the first runner up will take its place.  The tractor worked wonders and we were back in action.  I headed up to the house and discovered water running across the basement floor.  As fast as I swept it towards the sump pump, more water found its way in.  Anyway, after a couple visits from neighbors, the situation became clear.  Everyone's reservoirs are full.  Everyone has water they need to dump.  The creek is rising and a good portion of the water will be coming our way.  Our back way out is flooded and dangerous.  Our front way (the driveway) is holding back 200 acres of water and the possibility of that dike giving way is foremost on our minds.  And that's why we have a suitcase, sides bulging, packed and ready to go. 

OK, God.  Is it too much to ask for a lull in the precipitation?  Amen.

Spring...

...it was almost here and then gone again.

We started off the day with some basic school lessons: math, spelling, Faith and Life, language and reading. Then we got on to the real fun stuff...sewing. I finished a spring skirt for Lou. Isn't it adorable? When searching out fabric she went straight to the pinks. I pulled out the gray vintage print just to add a little something to the skirt.
It's called a twirl skirt. My inspiration came from Just Tutes. As the name suggests, her website is full of sewing/crafting tutorials. When I layed eyes on this skirt, I knew it was just the thing for my girls. It'd be a nice way to welcome spring. We dug through my stash and found fabrics that each girl liked and began sewing. Just last night I started on Grace's skirt with a more 11 year oldish color pallette. FYI: I think the only thing I'll change is to make the top tier a little shorter so the twirl starts up a little higher. That would make it a little less fitted through the hip as well. I have big plans on making a more A-line skirt for myself with just a small ruffle around the bottom. I'll share pictures whenever that may be.

Then just as we were all getting into the swing of thinking spring, with the twirl skirts and bare legs, I heard a voice from the porch. It was DH and he was saying, "Ah, Jennifer, we have a problem outside." I gasped. What? And as I went running he groaned, "It's snowing." Can you believe it? I can. It happens every year. A true spring snow.

There's his footprint on the step. He was heading out to fuel up the pump. He's pumping the spring flow into the reservoir. We've had some dry years and the water level is extremely low.

And the yard all covered in fluffy white snow. Those are not snowflakes falling, they are snow clumps. Their size was just amazing.
Well, happy spring to you all!

Spring Birds

Just a quick note to say the Robins and Bluebirds are back. Yesterday we officially saw our first robin and now today, while coloring pictures of robins, Lou and I saw the first bluebirds. A pair were flitting around the ash trees in the front yard. I tried to get a picture, but my camera batteries were dead and Grace's camera wouldn't focus on them as they were quite a distance away. The last two days had temps in the low and mid 60's. Wow, did it feel good to get outside without coats. It's just so easy to walk out the door that I found it hard to keep the kids corralled for school. Grace actually did math outside sitting in the sun. Today is promising a high of 50 and tomorrow will be the coldest day of the week, but we'll take it. We've waited a long time for sunshine and warmth and here in central Wisconsin even 45 is warm enough to put a smile on my face. Because it sure beats the alternative of January's -20's.

I've replaced the batteries and am going to wait for the birds to make another appearance. Hopefully a few pictures in the near future.

Have a wonderfully sunshiny spring day!

Illness

The title says it all, yet says nothing because I'm just too tired to even think. Grace and DH have been sick since last week Monday. Well, actually Grace started with a cold a week before that. Last week DH started with influenza and finally by Saturday we thought he was turning a corner. Yes indeed, the corner from flu to pneumonia and bronchitis. Grace lucked out having only pneumonia. Both are now on antibiotics and hopefully on their way to recovery. Both doctors said the recovery time is long and not to expect instant results. A full two weeks more is to be expected. Most likely lethargy, headache, coughing, chills. I'd like to add irritability to that list. Them, not me. I can't blame them though, with all the noise us five healthy people can produce it must get quite annoying at times.

Illness brings its own down in the dumps feelings not to mention the weather. Last week we had a few warmer days, but mainly all cloudy. Now this week we started it out with a dumping of heavy, wet snow yesterday. And today it was cold, windy and sunny. The sun generated just enough heat that the roads were wet and slushy. I guess that's what March is all about. But is it too much to ask for a little warmer weather?

March...Out Like a (tame) Lion

They say trained or tame lions are still lions and will eventually attack. March is like that right now. The weather forecasters say it will rain today with occasional local downpours. North of here are Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories. So, although, the temps will reach 41 F today and the air will have that lovely smell of spring rain, winter is still not convincingly over. I'm guessing snow could still be in our future, just like a lion waiting to attack.