23. Fun Foraging.

It's the season for hops!  Most people think of hops as what beer is made of, but the tips are delicious to eat as well.

Mamma took me to her secret spot today to pick a bunch.  You want them when they have just emerged and there is a satisfying snap when you pluck the tender tips.

Once they have been rinsed, blanch, squeeze excess water and freeze until you are ready to eat them or quickly fry in olive oil with garlic for a fresh and delicious risotto.

22.

Here are some photographs of another tablecloth my mom transformed with some embroidery and needlework.  Friends had changed dining room tables and had no more use for the round cloth.  It was very good quality cotton, only washed a couple of times, and my mother said she could do something with it.  She also said she needed something to do with her hands while she was away on holiday.

That is something I rarely if ever hear someone of my generation or younger say.  We are fine to zonk out in front of the TV with absolutely nothing to occupy our hands.  But to this very day I cannot remember ever seeing my mother just sitting and watching TV.  She has always been either darning something or cooking something or knitting something or crocheting something or....well, you get the idea.  She keeps herself busy.  And what's the result?  Well, a discarded tablecloth was born again.