We are now picking ...

What a beautiful summer day ! Best of all, the local orchard announced that their cherry trees are ready for picking.

When that announcement is made, you better get there fast since the local bird population also has its eyes on the cherries and will strip a tree in a flash as soon as they are ripe.
I had visions of jam, desserts, rows of gleaming canning jars filled with cherries, cakes...can you tell we love cherries ?

On the way to the orchard, I saw these elderberry blossoms and picked a bag full for an experiment. I'm going to make elderberry blossom syrup; it's supposed to be delicious mixed with mineral water or prosecco. It's a German recipe from a cookbook given to me by the Global Clapotis Knitter .

When I got to the orchard, the trees were absolutely weighed down with fruit and picking was quick and lots of fun. Blue skies, puffy white clouds, pleasantly cool with sunshine and birds singing and the occasional cherry to eat while picking - what's not to like ?

I finally stopped picking when I ran out of bowls. When the cherries were weighed, I had picked 24 pounds .

At home, I made a batch of jam and we had this Clafouti for dessert. What a delicious day !