1 Driving home today, I was stopped at the lights and just managed to get this photo of the hanging basket at the junction. The town is full of these baskets this year and they are really beautiful.
Hanging basket
2 We went to a local farm today and picked strawberries and raspberries and I spent the afternoon making Strawberry Freezer Jam (no cooking required) and prepared Strawberry jam which will need boiling tomorrow. The freezer jam is the best ever! Because it isn’t cooked, it tastes really fresh and keeps for ages in the freezer. It’s good on scones with cream, on ice-cream or swirled into ice-cream and is perfect in a Victoria sponge! I would make only that kind of jam but there isn’t room in the freezer!
Strawberry freezer jam
3 I also made a delicious Strawberry shortcake to take to a barbecue this evening using my Mum’s failsafe recipe. It pleases me enormously to make things in the way my Mum did.
Strawberry shortcake
babyjill7...Marilyn Griffin
August 2, 2013 at 11:13 pm
just read this post today…I made my first freezer jam today…so easy!
dhphotosite
July 22, 2013 at 7:52 pm
Now that’s a flower planter…and freezer jam? Never heard of it but will have to try it!
mybeautfulthings
July 29, 2013 at 2:53 pm
It’s the best! No cooking so it always tastes as if you have just picked the strawberries! 🙂
WordsFallFromMyEyes
July 21, 2013 at 3:30 am
I haven’t heard of strawberry freezer jam – curious.
Looks luscious, the cake. Ah sigh.
utesmile
July 20, 2013 at 6:05 pm
Wow , that looks so delicious! I would love to pick those berries and eat half of them.. 🙂
We have a similar hanging basket in front of our house, I love it, I always say that is my own little front garden and a token that I pay my taxes, as it is provided by the council!
Have a lovely weekend!
Heidi @ lightlycrunchy
July 20, 2013 at 2:22 pm
We’ve been eating lots of our strawberry freezer jam too – it’s our favourite with Devon cream on scones (me mom gives me a few bags of her homemade scones for the freezer on occasion).
Your shortcake looks interesting – is it a scone or a cookie on the bottom?
mybeautfulthings
July 20, 2013 at 2:43 pm
It’s Mum’s shortbread recipe, really crisp and a lovely contrast with the goo and the strawberries! 🙂
paulineshearerPauline Shearer
July 20, 2013 at 11:02 am
Mmm that sounds very good, like the sound of freezer jam and definitely need to infiltrate your circle of friends if that strawberry shortcake is anything to go by!!!
Sorry there’s been no eggs last couple of weeks, the heat seems to have hens on a go slow!!
mybeautfulthings
July 20, 2013 at 11:20 am
Lovely to hear from you! Had to buy a few supermarket eggs to bake with! Love to share some strawberry shortcake with you! 🙂
Promenade Claire
July 20, 2013 at 10:15 am
Oooo freezer jam sounds good, do you have a recipe or link you would recommend?
mybeautfulthings
July 20, 2013 at 11:21 am
I’ll put the recipe up asap. It’s remarkably easy and delicious! 🙂
mybeautfulthings
July 21, 2013 at 2:31 pm
This is the link
http://www.certo.co.uk/Recipes/Freezer/Strawberry%20Freezer%20Jam.htm
I couldn’t find liquid Certo this year so have used the powdered stuff and am not sure how well it has worked. It seems runnier than usual but tastes fabulous nevertheless. 🙂
El Guapo
July 20, 2013 at 1:35 am
A feast for the eyes!
Colline
July 19, 2013 at 10:41 pm
That shortcake looks absolutely delicious.
Jim in IA
July 19, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Mmmmm…I just got a very noticeable hunger pang. The berry jam and shortcake look great. Today, my dear Melanie went to the grocery store and brought home 2 quarts of fresh strawberries. I cored and cut them, eating one now and then in the process. Some are ready for immediate use. Some are frozen for a little later. Last year, I made a big batch of strawberry-rhubarb jam. Maybe I will do that again.