Friday 31 August 2012

Saving Vacation Memories....

Vacations and trips are such important family times.
I think it is so vital to get those pictures off of digital cameras and digital storage and  into some type of format that can be enjoyed...be it a mini-scrapbook, picture frame, shadow box or photo album.
After all, if the pictures aren't enjoyed, then why do we take them?
I love having family pictures displayed in various ways around our home...it's important to me and my family.
I made this mini scrapbook  {just 14 pages} to remember our family trip to Florida last year for Spring Break.
 The shared family times on the beach...
 day trips to interesting places...
 family dinners...
theme park adventures...
 beach fun...
 and more beach fun.
I leave this little scrapbook on a side table in the living room. Visitors pick it up to peek through it and the kids pick it up often and talk about the fun we had.
I love that!
I would like to be around in 100 years time to see if families have lost generations of family photos because they were left on digital storage, never printed and never resurrected...left to live their life on obselete technology and then die a quick death...like the floppy disk.

Do you make a point of printing your pictures often for your family to enjoy?
Do tell! Inquiring minds want to know!




This post is linked to these terrific parties:




The Girl CreativeLil\'Luna

The DIY Dreamer
Home Stories A2ZToday's Creative Blog

Chef In TrainingUndertheTableandDreaming 

It's OverflowingPositively SplendidI Heart Nap Time

Thursday 30 August 2012

Blueberry Grunt Dessert...

This is the quintessial Canadian Maritime Dessert.Have you heard of it....Blueberry Grunt?
It is a type of dumpling dessert that has long been popular in Nova Scotia...where I come from.
It's strange name, "grunt, " is said to have come from the noises made by the fruit as it softly stewed in a pot on the wood stove or fire. It's definitely an 'old time'  dish made in just about every household in Nova Scotia at one time or another. In many homes, grunts were often not considered to be desserts, but were served as an easy main course, where a busy rural housewife had spent the day canning or 'putting up' and could make this dinner for her family with little effort after a busy day. Personally, I think 18th century 'fast food' of grunts or stewed fruit & dumpling are far more better for you than today's fast food.

I make this in the later summer, fall & winter for my family as a dessert. It's great served with whipped cream, as shown here, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Grunt

Ingredients
1 quart blueberries
1/2 cup sugar {or more, depending on how sweet you like it}
1/2 cup water
Feel free to add a little cinnamon, nutmeg or lemon zest if you like!

Put berries, sugar and water in a pot, cover and boil gently until there is plenty of juice. {Add 1/4 cup flour if you like a thicker blueberry sauce.}

Dumplings:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon shortening
1/4 cup-1/2 cup milk

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening and add enough milk to make a soft biscuit dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto hot blueberries in pot. Cover closely and do not peek for 15 minutes. No peeking allowed! Serve hot. Store any leftovers in fridge. Reheat to serve again.


My kids love this dessert....especially on a cold winter's night. I love it because it reminds me of home!
It can easily be made with fresh or frozen blueberries, or strawberries, rhubarb, apples, raspberries, or any combination.

Whew! Can you believe August is almost coming to an end? I am so torn between ripping apart closets that badly need to be re-organized or crafting some items for Fall. Decisions!


This post is linked to these terrific parties:

Home Stories A2Z


Today's Creative BlogChef In TrainingUndertheTableandDreaming
It's OverflowingPositively Splendid
I Heart Nap TimeWhipperberryI'm Lovin' It at TidyMom
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