Mango Preserves at Pilgrim's Cottage

Making fruit preserves was something I've been wanting to learn to do

and since we've been harvesting more mangoes than we can eat...

and selling what we couldn't eat to the market...

and still have plenty left over...

it seemed the right time to hunker down and be brave

because, you see...

I have never canned preserves in my life before

and in fact, I have never canned anything before...

and it seemed such a daunting task

canning is something that has piqued my interest lately and after watching this...

FoodFarmerEarth video...

I just had to figure canning can't be so hard, after all

so, grabbing a lime for the added acidic ingredient for my mango recipe...

since water bath canning can call for it...

I eagerly made my way back up the hill to the cottage with my bucket of fresh picked mangoes 

because this is my first experience at canning...

I won't post the process steps this time

but perhaps, when there is more experience and confidence under my belt...

you can come with me in a later post

I just did 3 pints for my first to get the feel of the task...

and I think it came out all right

as soon as the jars were taken out of the water bath, the lids started to pop shut

I was relieved

heh...at least, that seemed to have gone well enough

and as far as the "daunting" task itself?

it wasn't as nearly so hard as I thought

hopefully, in the next week, as the fun in canning gets into my system...

the shelf in the pantry cupboard will fill up a little more with bona-fide homemade preserves 

Thou hast granted me life and favour,

and Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Job 10:12

May your day or night be sweetly preserved in the grace of the Lord.

Mango Tea

One of my favorite things is tea, especially iced tea on a warm, sunny day

lately, with mango season coming in to full time...

I take a hefty bag on my morning walks with my dogs down the road...

and to the river where there is an old dam of long ago time...

where there are many mango trees growing from the old fruit plantation of years gone by...

 that still produce lots of mangoes for anyone who wants to pick them

children from up the mountain like to come down and shake the mangoes from the trees...

saving me the work of trying to reach the fruit from high branches

these old tall mango trees grow all along the river banks on both sides

I know of at least 5 varieties that have filled my bags each morning...

in the last couple of weeks

 usually, I pick them from off the ground as there are enough to give me more than...
well, enough

it isn't hard to find between 25 to 40 mangoes each day and truly...

they make a bag heavy that I have to carry back up the hill to bring home

I have had to make a second trip for all of them just so my arms don't leave their sockets...

with the weight of too many mangoes in a bag

and if you are wondering what I do with all these mangoes...

some I save for ourselves; the green ones I put aside to ripen for later;

and most go to the cows who really do love them

a few go to the chickens who run in a hurry to get to them before they are gone

and then, there is mango tea

I have seen mango flavored teas in the supermarket but...

it just isn't the same as making it oneself from the real thing

I peel and grate the mango fruit down to the seed

put a heaping teaspoon of black tea in a cup

and stir in hot water to steep for at least 15 minutes...

then, strain into a glass and let cool

when I'm ready to drink the tea...

plenty of ice cubes go into the glass and 2 teaspoons of raw honey to sweeten

truly, this is refreshing and awfully good

May your day or night find refreshment in the grace of the Lord.

Mango Rango...

There is good reason why the mango is called...
the King of Fruits

this diamond of fruits is rich...

rich in amino acids, vitamins, flavanoids, beta carotene, niacin...

calcium - the natural kind not in a pill...

iron, magnesium, potassium

this king of fruits is shown as an anti-cancer medicine...

good for eye health, digestion, skin...

and the leaves are great for diabetes - believe it or not!

lifemojo.com

best-home-remedies

nutrition-and-you

even this little girl loves them...

well, at least, to stare at them while they last

and they were going, going fast

after all, they aren't just medicine...

they are just plain too good!

please do, have a mango, or two...

or three and four...

oh go ahead, do have them all

May your day, or night be full of God's sweet grace.

When Mangoes are in Season...

We go hiking for them...

We farm on what used to be part of an estate

that grew mangoes, cocoa and nutmegs

On this old estate of long ago...

are big mango trees still standing and producing fruit

And, in their high season, we get bag loads...

still, they never last long with us

Juicy, organic ~ how can they?

When we have filled the bag...

we walk back along the river that runs below our farm

Back down the old estate farm road

Passing sheep and goats grazing along the roadside

Foxie, our dog, tenaciously greeting one or two

Meeting a young cow resting as she chews her cud

And, still more mango trees along the road..

throwing down an occasional overripe mango...

even the tiny maribone wasp enjoys the sweet juice that oozes out

May so sweet be your day, or night