It's that wonderful time of year...
When I roll my wagon around the garden...
Visiting dozens of our prickly pear cacti, collecting their fruit in a vat of water.
Late afternoon is when I do this, on a special August day, when the fruits are bright and ripe.
There are so many prickly pear cactus all around the outskirts of our garden.
Some are taller than me and wide as a car, out front.
Others are dainty, like this one under the giant apricot tree.
I use my tongs to collect and pop them into water, just so the thorns don't cling to me too much as I wheel my way around the garden gathering.
Then I get cozy and spend about 3 hours taking the edible (non-thorny) part out of the center.
I work with a sharp little knife and a fork, as you can't touch the outsides with your fingers.
(more details on doing this here)
Cutting off the top and bottom, and swiftly but gingerly, rolling the skin layer off and revealing a nugget of goodness inside.
Each one has about a million little seeds.
Some people make Jam.
Some people make dye for clothes.
I like to make prickly pear Lemonade.
I have a step by step tutorial and recipe right here.
It's soooo goood.
The color always takes my breath away.
What a major treat every August at this time.
I think I will make a second batch, even though it's a labor of love.
It's totally worth it.
Eeeek, lightning and thunder just now, so loud that thunder!
I best type fast, before my service cuts out as it always does when it storms.
I have been a juggling making things mad woman.
Clay creatures are almost ready as layers and layers of paint and stain dry.
(I let each layer dry as I work)
And, I have been staying up way past my bed time playing in jewels.
Garnets and crystal quartz and Swarovski crystals and antique pieces and milagros and and...
Ooo, it's so fun!
I try each one on over and over until it is something I would LOVE to wear myself.
So, there will also be more jewels in my jewelry shop soon too.
Oooo, darkness and bright lightning so close, better skedaddle!!
Much more soooooon!
How are you?
What's going on out there in the world??
Love, V
ps: My sister is having such a fun giveaway on her bloglette right here.
She's so crafty!!
pss:
Pouring rain in the desert right now... YAY!
