According to Wikipedia, there are many kinds of liatris. These purple flowers grow by the Raritan River at the edge of Donaldson Park, a large county park situated in Highland Park, New Jersey.
Three weeks ago, when my daughter was in camp and I had a little more time, I went to Donaldson Park and took some photos. I took several of the Raritan River, such as this one with the tall, bare tree at the river bend. I really enjoyed the Raritan River liatris, the purple spikes bursting out of the sandy banks by the river.
It was raining that day, but not enough to get me soaked, despite the fact that I had not brought a raincoat.
In this photo, you can see a little of New Brunswick, New Jersey – that’s where some of Rutgers University resides. New Brunswick is more urban than Highland Park, but it is still small, especially compared to Philadelphia or New York City. Or Newark or Trenton. Actually, all you see is a bit of the bridge of the route 18 highway.
In other nature news, I started filling my bird feeder again (it got neglected as I paid more attention to my garden, but as I explained to my kids, only in the winter am I really concerned that the birds in our area need food to eat). I’ve seen blue jays, a cardinal and mostly lots of sparrows. Maybe soon I’ll have more bird photos.
This old white house of wood was next to the visitor center on our hike in the Shawangunk Mountains. It looks like it might have once been a farmhouse. One hundred years ago this area was known for its berry pickers – hard to believe berry picking was once someone’s job. But I suppose in other parts of the world it still is.
If you visit Asbury Park, a prominent building is the Paramount Theatre. It is right on the beach, and a promenade boardwalk leads you from the theater to the old casino building. Lots of shops and restaurants have newly opened along the boardwalk. The theater (you can read its history here) was built back in 1927. Two years ago I posted Asbury Park: Pictorial History in Brief).
Finally, here’s a beach house with historical windows in Ocean Grove, New Jersey (I’m guessing that the original windows were replaced – these looks simpler than how I imagine windows once used to be). Ocean Grove is next to Asbury Park. It has a rather different history. It started out as a Methodist town – here is some history. My husband remembers when you were not allowed to ride your car in Ocean Grove on a Sunday. He would ride his bike to work at his job, and when he got to Ocean Grove he would get off his bike and walk it.
I’m linking to I Wish I Were a Photographer on Toby’s blog. As she says, I wish Israel were no longer at war – I read via Facebook of my cousins and my friends too often needing to go to their shelters to protect themselves from the missiles. Last week, a four-year-old boy was killed.
Want to participate? See Whimsical Windows and Delirious Doors.
Raritan River near Donaldson Park, photo 2014 by Leora Wenger Thursday Challenge theme is WATER (Swimming, Boating, Fishing, Lake, Ocean, River,…)
The Raritan River surrounds Highland Park. The river winds around our little borough. In one area we have Johnson Park bordering the river. To the south of us we have Donaldson Park. Both are big county parks with ball fields, geese and playgrounds. Donaldson Park, which is next to where I took this photo, also has a dog park and a boat launch area.
Just for the fun of it, I added this wet photo of Donaldson Park:
Today I worked on some bushes. Not bushes outside my house (although those can certainly use trimming). No, I added two illustrated bushes to the front of the blue illustrated house I started last week.
Next step will probably be working on clouds. My plan is to add text to the inside of the clouds, so the illustration will “talk to you.”
I only found one tutorial on how to make the illustrated bushes. Maybe I will write my own? Unfortunately, I found the technique I used rather cumbersome, so I can’t say I would recommend it. So, no, probably no post on how to create illustrated bushes. But I would happy to read one written by someone else.
If you want to know what a daikon, a long white radish, looks like, see the bottom of this post.
Earlier this summer the organic stand at the local farmers market was selling daikon radishes. I bought one and made fermented daikons. They are easy to make – you just need salt, water, a jar with a wide opening and a baby food jar. Some people buy special fermenting jars. I’ve been pickling for about three years, and I haven’t had the need to buy one.
Don’t have a daikon? If you have local produce, I bet there is something there you could pickle!
Ingredients and Equipment
1 daikon
1 tbsp. sea salt
enough water to cover the daikon
1 wide-mouthed jar (I use canning jars)
1 baby food jar
1 thin, clean cloth
1 rubber band
How to make fermented daikons (daikon pickles)
Cut daikon into slices. Place in jar along with sea salt. Cover with water. Put baby food jar into the canning jar. You need to make sure the daikon slices are floating under the water. You don’t want to expose them to the air. Cover the jar with a cloth and a rubber band to hold the cloth in place.
Put the daikon in brine (sea salt water) in a corner of your kitchen where you won’t forget it. You don’t want it in the refrigerator, or else it won’t ferment. In my kitchen in the summer it usually takes a week for it to taste like a pickle. If you have never fermented before, check it every day after the first three days to see if you think it is ready (you can take a taste of the water or a slice to taste test).
When you do think it is ready, put it in the refrigerator. Serve the pickles at room temperature. Enjoy!
