Letters from the Coast
Letters from the Coast
The latest news about life on the Sunshine Coast
With this
amazing weather, we have been swimming almost daily. Our neighbours have a swim
raft anchored far enough off shore to give us a good workout swimming to it
when the tide is fully in. Sometimes we take the kayak out to help our 7 year
old back after the energy sapping jumping, diving and falling off as well as playing with a
dog that has swum out to chase balls thrown from the raft. The sea is not too
cold and so much more refreshing than the pool.
Lately we have had the haziness in the air from all of the forest fires,
with the locked in heat of the day, so it is great when the tide is in later in
the afternoon or early evening. Kids sometimes swim with life-jackets on so
they can paddle themselves out to the raft. A wet-suit helps the skinny ones to
keep warmer for longer, I just haul myself onto the raft (with difficulty, I
can assure you) and warm up the old fashioned way by lying in the sun: I do use
a waterproof sunscreen, but love to dry off on the beach after it has worn off
and keep that slightly salty-soft skin for as long as possible!
The weather has brought with it a bumper crop of raspberries. This cordial is a simple recipe if you have an abundance of the fresh fruit after making enough jam and freezing some for the vodka recipe! I barely cover the berries (any amount) with good apple-cider vinegar and leave for 24 hours. Then I strain them. I add one pound of sugar for every pint (in this case, a North American pint which is 16 ounces, or two cups!) of juice. Boil for 20 minutes and bottle. That’s it. It is great with sparkling water or soda water or 7-up type pop. Just a couple of tablespoons in a glass, or to taste. I haven’t made my alcoholic recipe yet, but I will let you know when it is tried and tested (if I can still see straight!)
The garden has needed lots of watering and weeding lately. I am freezing beans and carrots (things the children will eat) and I have salad mix and greens, herbs and sugar-snap peas on my vegetable stand as well as home-made jam (raspberry of course!) and some driftwood crafts. We always like to make different things for gifts and for sale during the summer. This year, it is lovely pieces of driftwood from our lake with metal ivy-leafed T-light holders which were purchased and “doctored” to suit the wood pieces. Some we decorate with beach finds such as pieces of pottery and sea-glass or with sparkles to catch the candlelight. Summer is a good time to be creative with the children and if they have a chance to sell something, it is even better! Our grandchildren can walk to the local convenience store to buy a candy bag or freezie or to rent a movie with their earnings. That makes the pocket money chores or craft sales worth the effort!
Today, as I read over this, it is raining which is a fantastic thing for the garden, but a shock to the system!! Maybe it is a day to make my vodka raspberry cordial. If it is good I will include that recipe next time. For now, remember to freeze some raspberries!