TRÈS ASHLEY

Bonjour et bienvenue

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We’re back in school and if you try REALLY hard you can find the sweetness…my own kids are so happy to be back. My first grade students come to school with BIG smiles excited to learn in-person. Teachers are happy to teach at school and not virtually. It’s true that the soul is healed by being with children.

My friend Ginger’s children start school tomorrow in NYC. She’s so nervous. We’re all nervous!

We all know that seeing something through rose-colored glasses means you see it as better than it really is. Find your roses!

Here’s how I find my rose-colored glasses:

  • Get creative in the kitchen…try making jelly! It’s so much fun!
  • Allow yourself to disconnect. Be like the French…don’t take calls or read emails related to work during your time away from work.
  • Do some kind of movement. Maybe you walk with a friend or take a class. I’ve been taking a Luigi jazz class with my daughter and I find that I look forward to it all week.
  • Take the time to meditate. It sets you right for the day.
  • Simply smile! This is what my Dad said all the time…“SMILE. You’ll feel better! Just let the corner of your mouth move upward ever so slightly and you have a start on it that won’t stop!”

There’s something so special about roses! The smell will calm you and the taste will make your senses come alive. Summer is ending but there is still much sweetness to be found in this new season if you can find your rose-colored glasses.

Ashley’s Rose Jelly

  • 5 cups strawberries or cherries
  • 5 cups granulated sugar
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 T rose water
  • 2 T rose petals
  • 2 pouches (6oz) Certo
  • optional vanilla bean
  1. Blend the strawberries or cherries with the lemon juice and rose water. Add them to a large pot.
  2. Pour sugar to the pot and start whisking till they dissolve in the mixture.
  3. Boil the mixture while constantly stirring with a metal spoon. It needs to come to a rapid boil…so high that you think it’s going to overflow.
  4. Turn off the heat and skim off the appearing foam with a metal spoon.
  5. Add the rose petals and stir.
  6. Start filling the freshly cleaned mason jars with jelly one at a time with a wide-mouth funnel. Clean the residue from the jar’s exterior with another metal spoon.
  7. Check the lids for seal…listen for the pop. When they are sealed, store the jars in a pantry or kitchen cabinet until you’re ready to gift them. Enjoy!

Wishing you a rosy school year!

P.S. Peach jelly is what I did last year. It’s still one of my favorites. I’m thinking of lavender jelly for my next batch.