Spring and summer’s bounty includes so many delicious fruits and vegetables. Florida is one of the nation’s top strawberry producers, and our markets are full of many varieties of fresh local strawberries. I love to eat them right from the carton, but I also enjoy making and eating strawberry jam.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 boxes of pectin
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 7 cups white sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

I’ve tried this recipe with less sugar, but the consistency is just not right.

Wash berries, slice off tops and cut them in half. Mash them in a bowl with a fork or potato masher. Place them in a heavy duty pot with the lemon juice, butter, pectin and split vanilla bean. Bring to a rolling boil. This may take a while. The mixture will be watery. Once it boils, add the sugar all at once and bring back to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute. Take the pot off the heat, add the vanilla extract and mix by hand for a couple of minutes. The butter helps to prevent foaming, but if you do get some foam on your jam, you can skim it off.

I can my jam, but if you are not into canning, then you can share your large batch of delicious Strawberry Vanilla Jam with friends and family. If you don’t can the jam, keep it refrigerated. Read about keep jam safely here.

South Florida provides glorious beach weather year-round

Summer is fast approaching, and if you live near a beach or are planning to visit one, you’ll want to keep your family safe:

1. Don’t Get Burned – Apply sunscreen liberally to all exposed skin.  If you plan to go in and out of the water a lot, reapply your sunscreen regularly. But no matter how much you apply, it may not be enough to keep you from getting a sunburn. Wear protective clothing, such as a lightweight long sleeved shirt, a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses. Know your limits, and get out of the sun before it’s too late. Also, know that you can get a severe sunburn even on a cloudy day.
2. See the Signs – Don’t ignore rip current and jelly fish warnings. If signs are posted recommending you do not go in the water, take them seriously.
3. Don’t Get Caught in a Current – If you or your children are not strong swimmers, stay close to the shore, and make sure you are in sight of a lifeguard. If you do get caught in a rip current, don’t fight it; swim parallel to shore.  If a lifeguard is on duty, he or she may throw you a rescue buoy or rope and instruct you how to safely get to shore. The vast majority of drownings on beaches are due to rip currents, and many of the victims drown in shallow water.
4. Alcohol and Water Don’t Mix – Don’t swim if you’ve been drinking. Alcohol reduces the temperature in your body, is dehydrating and impairs your ability to stay in control and make sound judgements.
5. Never Swim Alone – This is true for ocean, lake and pool swimming – no matter your age or level of expertise. If an emergency arises, you are much more likely to survive a swimming disaster if someone else is there to help you.
6. Use Your Feet, Not Your Head – Don’t even think about diving into the ocean or a lake head first. You cannot always tell how deep the water is and you do not want to sustain a potentially crippling or deadly disaster.
7. Shark! – Shark attacks are not all that common, though when they do happen, they are well publicized. Attacks that do occur usually happen when a shark mistakes people for fish. Avoid swimming in areas near piers where people are fishing. Also, since sharks are attracted to shiny lures, remove your shiny jewelry before getting in the water.
8. Stay Hydrated – Outdoor activities such as sunning and swimming can be dehydrating. Sunburns can also lead to severe dehydration. So drink plenty of water while you’re at the beach and after you leave.
9. Keep Your Food Safe – Foods that need refrigeration should stay in a closed, well-iced cooler protected from the sun. To avoid food-borne illnesses, don’t keep perishable food out for a long period of time.
10. Know Your Stuff – If you bring valuables to the beach, such as a wallet, cash, camera, expensive shoes or even car keys, don’t leave them on or near your beach towel unattended. Thieves love to peruse beaches and wait for the opportune moment to rip off unassuming beachgoers. You won’t even know they’re there until you realize your possessions have been stolen.

© 2012 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

© 2012 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

If your summer plans include flying with your children without another adult, careful planning is the key to making your flights as pleasant an experience as possible. Here are some tips:

1. Book direct flights to your destination. Avoid connecting flights whenever possible.
2. If you can fly on JetBlue, your child will have his own TV to watch! (No I do not work for JetBlue. I just love that airline!)
3. Book your tickets online and choose your seats way in advance Let your children ages 2 and up sit near a window so they can look out. Don’t reserve seats in an Emergency Exit row!
4. Check your airline’s website for baggage and carry on rules.
5. Check your luggage and make your carry on is as light as possible.
6. Bring toys that hold your child’s attention depending on age (crayons or colored pencils and a new coloring book, blank paper, book, Magna Doodle, small electronic game) Pack at least one new item  to surprise your child while in the air.
7. Don’t forget a security blanky, favorite stuffed animal or doll.
8. Avoid toys that will make a lot of noise and disturb other passengers.
9. Pack small bags of snacks. Avoid food that will make them hyper like mega sugar and chocolate. Baby formula, breast milk and baby food are allowed on board in “reasonable quantities” but must be displayed at security for inspection.
10. Give yourself plenty of extra time at the airport. Arrive at least 1 and 1/2 hours before flight time so you do not have to rush.
11. If possible have another adult help you in the terminal with checking your luggage and watching the children.
12. Insist that young children stay in the stroller until you get to the security line.
13. Have your ID and boarding passes ready in hand while approaching the security line so you do not have to dig through your luggage to find them.
14. Buy drinks and more snacks in the terminal if need be for your children to bring on board. Once your flight takes off, it may be a while before the beverage cart comes down the aisle.
15. Tell the airline representative at the gate if you’ll need assistance boarding.
16. Check your stroller at the end of the gangplank just before entering the plane. Don’t forget it on your way out!
17. Don’t let your children run down the aisle of the plane. Get them seated as soon as possible.
18. Don’t give them every toy you’ve packed at once. Spread them out along with snacks over the duration of the flight.
19. When the flight has landed, wait for other passengers to get off first. It will be less stressful for you.
20. Keep young children in the stroller on the way to and at the baggage claim.
21. Ask someone for help getting your luggage off the belt. Surely other passengers will be happy to assist you, since they will see you have your hands full with your children.
22. If family members or friends are meeting you at the airport, arrange for someone to run in and help you with the kids or take them to the car while you bring the luggage out.

The way air travel is these days, be prepared for the unexpected – bad weather, delays, cancellations, overbooked flights and more. Leave home with the mindset that you will go with the flow and the “inconvenience” of getting there and back is well worth the journey.

We’re finishing the end of the harvest with a bang. I think I’m turning into a tomato!

The worlds smallest ripe tomato? Not even 1/2 inch across.

Failure is inevitably the result of losing steam. I like to think of it like this – If I do a project well 90% of the way, and then slack off during the last leg, I somewhat wasted my 90% effort. The best example I have that comes to mind involves a woman who used to work with me at a bank. She felt trapped in her administrative assistant position, and after talking to her about it, I learned something very interesting. She went to college at night for 6 years and got burnt out, so she took a semester off before finishing the very last class she needed to earn a BS degree in Business. One semester turned into 2, then 3 and 4, so two years passed since her last class and she still had not finished her degree. After contacting the university to re-enroll, she discovered that the program’s requirements had significantly changed, and she would have to go back to school for 2 more years at night to meet those requirements and earn that degree. She couldn’t bear to do it. Ah, if only she had stayed on course . . .

She never finished.

How would it look if she put on her resume that she almost had that degree? It’s better if she never mentions that she attended the university. Would you hire someone who completed 98% of her degree and never went back? I wouldn’t.

Every time I feel sluggish about reaching a goal, I recall her decision to not finish what she started. I like to look at projects as time well spent or time wasted. Being a successful finisher means refusing to settle for incomplete, unfinished or mediocre. Refusing to waste time doing a project part way is the best motivator.

It’s fine to take a break, regroup, stretch a bit. But finish what you started as well as you can. And save the celebrating for after the job is done well.

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

- Vince Lombardi

• Saute one chopped onion and one chopped stalk of celery for about 5 minutes until softened
• Lower heat and add 4-5 cloves chopped garlic, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes
• Add 4 cups organic chicken stock
• Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Add your leftovers (about 1 cup rice, 1/4 cup lentils, cup and half of veggies)
• Add some fresh chopped kale
• Add about 8 smoked sun-dried tomatoes
• Add one large chopped tomato
• Cook for about 10 minutes just enough for leftovers to soften
• Put chunky soup in blender to puree in batches and then return to heat until bubbling hot
• Taste and add more salt if needed
• If you like thinner soup, you can add more chicken stock