The red currants turned jewel-like, perfect to pick and eat out of hand.

Instead of gorging myself, I gathered (with help!) about 25 cups of fruit. Cleaning red currants is best right after picking them, when they pop off their stems without smushing the berries.

Red currants have large, hard seeds. They make jelly, rather than jam. This means boiling the berries, mashing them, straining through cheesecloth, and pouring off the juice. I strained the juice twice, once through open cheesecloth and the second time through a cotton dish cloth.

I used a little more sugar than juice and a box of pectin. I have friends and family who make low-sugar jellies and jam. They tend to need to be refrigerated after opening to avoid getting moldy. Sugar is one means of preservation. Michael and I tend to forget to use jam left in the fridge, so I the make full-sugar varieties. We don’t eat many sugary foods (except the occasional pie), so I figure we can indulge our lack of memory with full-glory jelly.

We have been grazing on fresh peas. The garlic is almost ready to harvest.

We had berry-picking help this past weekend.

It helped me detox from several days in Minneapolis. I attended a fabulous continuing legal education series presented by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. But I can only take so much time in the city anymore. I need more green around me, more vegetables in my diet, and more physical work.

I like where the turtles feel welcome to wander by.