Tuesday's Questions for the Wednesday Medley...

Before I start this week's questions, I want to let you know that our blogging friend, Diane, at Lavender Dreams, had her blog ripped from her last week without notice.  She is trying to get "them" to reinstate it or at least communicate with her.  If you know Diane, you know there was nothing bad in her posts, ever!!  She has created a new blog and asked her connections to let everyone know to back up your blogs so you don't lose everything someday and to direct you to her new blog:   https://lavenderdreamsnew.blogspot.com

Note:  It appears that (perhaps) the original Lavender Dreams has been restored to Diana. She is hopeful that is the case... (I still backed up my blog!).

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Here is a medley of questions you may choose to answer on your Wednesday blog.  I always start with the National Day and base questions from there. No rules and there is no obligation. Link up if you want to.  I'm doing this to fill my Wednesday and if you are interested, then I invite you to join in!!  It might be fun!!

NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY – February 27

NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY

We continue with February’s heart-shaped and red theme by observing National Strawberry Day on February 27. These juicy, sweet berries can brighten up any dish and are delicious all on their own.

There are a few different stories behind the origin of the name. The more widely accepted version is that the berries would drop off the leaves and become “strewn” about the plant. Overtime “strewn-berries” became “strawberries”. There was a time (and some gardeners still do this today) when strawberry beds were mulched with straw, insulating the plants over the winter, keeping weeds at bay during the growing season and making them easier to harvest. Another sweet story tells of English children stringing the berries on grass straws and selling the “straw berries” in their neighborhoods.

Not only are they delicious, but they are also fragrant. One of the more aromatic fruits, they belong to the rose family.

Strawberries are grown in nearly every corner of the Earth (if the Earth had corners) except for her most frozen southern and northern reaches. Along with all these possible locations, there are over 600 varieties of strawberries as well.

An excellent source of Vitamin C, strawberries are also a good source of folic acid, potassium and fiber. At 55 calories and zero fat in 1 cup, these sweet things hit the spot when a snack time is calling!

HOW TO OBSERVE

While the best season for strawberries is from late April to August, now might be a good time to scout out strawberry festivals and pick-your-own farms or plan to plant your own strawberry patch. Imagine sitting in your very own patch eating sun-warmed, sweet berries you picked or even grew yourself under clear blue skies.

BERRY PICKING TIPS:

• Pick fully ripe berries. Strawberries don’t continue to ripen if picked too early like bananas or pears.
• Don’t overfill your container. Berries are tender and can bruise easily.
• Don’t wash the fruit until you are ready to eat. Strawberries are susceptible to mold and washing will speed up spoilage.
• The best time to pick strawberries is on cool, cloudy days, but if they will be eaten right away, any time is perfect!
• If you pick more than you can eat before they spoil, strawberries freeze very well. Pluck off the green caps and toss into a freezer bag. Use for smoothies, ice cream or cake toppings.

You may want to have a fresh bowl of strawberries now, or maybe give one of the following recipes a try:

Strawberry Pretzel SaladStrawberry Spinach SaladEasy Strawberry Banana SmoothiesEasy Fresh Strawberry PieStrawberries and Cream Bread Pudding

Use #NationalStrawberryDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of National Strawberry Day.  It is listed as an American Food Holiday.

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1.  Given all that information on this 🍓National Strawberry Day🍓, do you have a favorite recipe for strawberries?  Would you share it with us?

2.  Some people think the smaller, northern varieties are sweeter than the larger berries that grow in the south and in California.  What are your thoughts on that?

3.  There is a Strawberry Festival right here in Plant City, Florida (next town over from Lakeland) and it is a huge event that lasts 11 days with headliner acts each day.  Have you ever been to a Strawberry Festival?

4.  Strawberries are grown in every US state.  Have you ever grown them in your garden?

5.  Strawberry is the only fruit that has seeds on the outside, and technically it is not a berry but rather a fruit, and would you be surprised to learn that strawberries belong to the rose family?  Do you have any strawberry trivia to share with us?

6.  Tell us something random about your week!!

Thanks for your visit!!  Visit me tomorrow and link up with others who are answering the questions on their blogs!  The linky can be found at the bottom of my blog tomorrow.

Peace & hugs!!  God bless!!