Fleeting Spring

I can hardly believe that two months have passed since spring's arrival back in March!  It seems like just yesterday, I was counting down the days till spring and now summer is just around the corner!

Spring is such a fleeting season.  Every day something exciting is happening in the gardens!  One week, the fruit trees are in full bloom, the next week, all the blossoms have disappeared with the wind.  The perfume of the lilacs is strong and enchanting , but that doesn't last long either.  So much is happening all at once, but much of it does not remain for long.  I have to remind myself to take note of every little detail; each new bud; every single flower; all the delicious new scents.  I make sure to thank for these tiny miracles of spring.  They are fleeting and I know that I will have to wait for next spring to be in their presence again.  

Spring has brought the return of many marvelous things!  The birds are back...robins, house finches, goldfinches, song sparrows, doves, starlings, grackles, and black-capped chickadees; just to name a few! 

One of my favorites, of course, are the robins!  This little guy was splashing around in our bird bath last week!  Isn't he precious?

This is a photo of our crabapple tree in full bloom, over a week ago.  I love how the scent of the blossoms is carried over to me in the breeze.  I drank up their scent while they lasted because...

after several days in bloom, the heavy rain and strong winds caused the delicate petals to fall.  It's funny how even the scattered petals are a pretty sight!



All sorts of things are blooming now...

the bleeding hearts

the irises

these beautiful tulips, planted by the former owner of our home.  Does anyone know the name of these?

And can you guess what this is?

It's rhubarb! I harvested it from my backyard!  Last Friday, I made a strawberry rhubarb pie using several stalks from our plant.

Some of you may remember my post from two years ago. I was given some free rhubarb by the kind ladies from our local Cookstown Antique Market.  I made a strawberry rhubarb pie with the stalks and my husband planted some of the rhubarb in our yard.  Now we have fresh rhubarb to look forward to every spring!

Here is the pie before...

And after!  I just love the black pie bird in the center!   There's just something about a blackbird baked into a pie!  Don't you think so?

Baking this pie makes me feel like I am taking nothing for granted this season.  I love spring and its whirlwind of daily surprises!   I plan on enjoying every single day and making the most of this glorious season because before long it will be summer!


Happy Monday!  Happy Memorial day to my American friends!  Have a wonderful week, dear friends!

Free Rhubarb Makes For Some Yummy Pie!

Today's post is first and foremost, about the making of a lovely strawberry rhubarb pie, but it is also about the kindness of strangers.  Last Friday, my husband and I took a drive to nearby Cookstown,  about 20 minutes from where we live in Barrie.  We were on our way to visit the Cookstown Antique Market where antiques and collectibles are housed in a century old barn.  I first had the pleasure of visiting this charming market last summer, when we drove by and saw a big sign leading to it. 

I didn't have my camera with me that day, so I've used a picture from their website.

I had a great time browsing through all the booths, upstairs and downstairs!  I even found a couple of treasures for myself, like a pink glass pedestal cake stand, and a beautiful cake/pie server (not that I needed another cake stand!).  Now, what I haven't mentioned, is that there was a sign by the entrance that read, "Free Rhubarb" - you can pick it yourself!  As I was paying for my items, I inquired with Debbie Lou about the rhubarb and how we could go about getting some.  Another of the girls, I didn't get her name, asked if either I or my husband had rubber boots (because it had rained and it was muddy by the rhubarb).  We of course, didn't, so the girls were kind enough to give me a large bunch which had been freshly picked. 

And here they are in all their glory!  Look at those crimson stalks!

When I saw the beautiful red color of the stalks, I was inspired to make rhubarb pie - the first rhubarb pie I would ever make.  There is something really special about pie.  Just the word "pie" conjures up thoughts and feelings of comfort, warmth, and happiness.  It reminds me of childhood books and cartoons where you see freshly baked pies cooling on window sills.  It was decided then and there - a pie it would be! 

First, I made the pie dough - an all-butter pate brisee - as I learned from Martha Stewart.

Here are my top and bottom crusts, ready to be refrigerated, for about an hour.

Measuring out the chopped strawberries and rhubarb - equal parts.

Ready to be filled

 

 

 

 

 

Filled with rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, a squeeze of lemon juice, and topped with bits of butter.  And in the center, is my beloved vintage pie bird, which I bought a few months ago.  This is the first pie I baked with him in it.  It reminds me of the old nursery rhyme:

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlor eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!

 

Here, I brushed the top crust with egg wash and sprinkled it with turbinado sugar.

 

Fresh out of the oven, cooling on a rack, smelling delicious.  The only problem, is that we have to let it cool for at least a few hours, so it can set. 

 

Pie has cooled and is ready to cut...

 

 

"A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around"- Edgar Watson Howe

I would like to thank the girls at Cookstown Antique Market for the delicious tasting rhubarb.  Your kindness made my day extra special and I SO enjoyed baking this pie.  As well,  thank you to my followers and any new readers for visiting my kitchen today.  Hope you all have a wonderful day!  As always, I would love to read your comments.  xoxo