wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

This feels like it could be a Friday Feed post, but I already have something else planned for then.

It's fresh strawberry season, and since last Wednesday we've gone through five quarts of strawberries! That wasn't hard to do with a strawberry-loving family visiting for four days. The berries were incredibly red, sweet, and juicy. Besides enjoying them straight from the bowl, we also made strawberry shortcake.

What a delicious way to kick off the fresh produce season.

The strawberry tops still had plenty of fruit and juice clinging to them, so into a quart jar they went, covered with water to infuse that fresh strawberry flavor. The infusion takes about two to three days, but the resulting strawberry water is refreshing on its own or added to lemonade or iced tea. Plus, it's a great way to minimize food waste.

It's also garden-fresh tomato season, and I've been waiting for this day for seven months! I refuse to buy tomatoes shipped to stores during the winter. They have no flavor, aren't juicy, and simply aren't worth the money. What better way to celebrate fresh tomato season than with a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich? Hello, summertime!

During the Chicago family's visit, Grandpa introduced AJ to wheelbarrow rides. Needless to say, they were a huge hit with both the little guy and Grandpa.

Now that the family has returned to Chicago, it's time to wash towels and bed linens and get ready for the next guests. Instead of using dryer sheets, I use wool dryer balls. Here's my plug for dryer balls: They're reusable, eco-friendly, cost-effective, and unscented. They naturally soften fabrics and reduce drying time by improving airflow. Traditional dryer sheets, on the other hand, are single-use, leave a waxy residue that can reduce fabric absorbency, and often contain artificial fragrances that may irritate sensitive skin.

A few months ago, the pink dryer ball disappeared. Occasionally one gets stuck in a pant leg or shirt sleeve, but it usually turns up during laundry folding. I searched high and low and never found it, until yesterday. There it was, mixed in with the towels. How it ended up there remains a mystery, but at least the missing dryer ball has finally come home.