Why are we sad when we know it is for the best?

Why do we weep, when we know they have completed their time of pain and suffering and have gone on to their reward?

This is where it gets tricky to keep up with a canning log. During the days of Aug and Sept, when the tomatoes, peppers and peaches are coming on faster than I can shove them into jars.  I'm going to start keeping a brief list. I'll add explanations when I have time.

8-29-12

• 7 Quarts Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 pints of Choke Cherry Syrup

8-30-12

• 5 pints Mrs. Wages Chili Base
• 5 pints Mrs. Wages Salsa
• 7 Quarts Crushed Tomatoes
• 6  Quarts Tomato Juice

You know better than that!

This, my friends, is the wreckage from my latest attempt to preserve mint.

I am posting this as a reminder to us all (ok me) when you freeze a liquid always always ALWAYS leave head space!

My Obsession

Last Thursday, we ran away for a much needed weekend of relaxation and family time. It was so nice to spend time in the mountains with the people I like the most on this planet.

The funny, sad, strange, really messed up thing is I spent the whole first night dreaming about putting up green beans.

Pear Preserves

On a whim I picked a case of pears last week. I was able to get a canner load of pear jam (recipe from pectin pack) and 7 delicious quarts of Pear Preserves.

The Preserves are so so so yummy. Delicious on toast, biscuits and oatmeal.

This season's first batch of crushed tomatoes is in the water bath right NOW!

I have always loved visiting The Spiral Jetty. I have drug my fam out several times to spend the day wading the spiral and watching for birds. We always come home sunburned, salt encrusted, wind blown and content. My, far and away favorite trip to the Jetty was my trip out this summer with my boys, Becky, Clair and Liv.

The kids spent a surprising amount of time swimming. They floated in the super super salty water and splashed each other and had races. We had to drag them out of the water. :o)

Becky and I went for a walk, to explore the mysterious ruins to the north. (What the blank is all that stuff doing out there?) And we had a lovely picnic under the shade of the tailgate.

We drove home, in the late afternoon, uncomfortably crusty with salt, but I was happier than ever, that I got to share one of my favorite places in Utah with my "new" sister.

Harvest Time!

The last 2 weeks have been full of corn and tomatoes.

We pressure canned 32 pints of corn and cut the kernels off of scads and scads of ears to freeze.  I found the directions for both in my Ball Blue Book.  The frozen corn looks great and I can't wait to enjoy the taste of corn on the cob this winter.

I haven't tried the bottled corn yet, but it doesn't look very appetizing.  After spending 55 minutes under pressure it looks pretty beat up and, if I'm being honest, a little brown. I don't think I'll be bottling corn again.

Just a side note: This is what happens when you leave your computer unattended while writing a post.     this is connor speaking. bring me hot chocolate.

Tomatoes and peppers are starting to trickle in. I was able to scrap up enough to make a double batch of Chile Salsa. The direction says to combine all the ingredients and "heat to boil, and simmer 10 minutes."  I don't really understand why the extension office recommends this.  All salsa recipes say to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. I followed theses directions the first year I made salsa and ended up with jar after jar of thin, watery salsa. 

I cooked this mixture down all day long and got a nice thick, yummy salsa.  As a matter of fact, Chili Salsa is probably the best salsa I've ever made. My only complaint is it's lack of garlic.

P.S. I'm sorry for all the errors in this post. Connor is relentlessly campaigning for the computer, because he wants to play Webkinz. I can't concentrate any more!

It's zucchini time! 

Fishing at Porcupine Reservoir

 Porcupine is a very beautiful reservoir near Avon

 Connor was having a great time!

But Perrin is ready to go.

 Shane loves fishing

And I can spend time anywhere that I have yarn