Veggie Days...

I received this beautiful box of goodness from Dawn and Pete yesterday and will be processing them into stewed tomatoes (with the addition of onions and fresh basil. The gorgeous green peppers are from Shelly. Why the delay?

Because I received nearly forty ears of fresh-off-the plants sweet corn from our neighbor Earl on Saturday. Handsome helped me shuck most of it, while I stripped the golden goodness off the cobs.

By late afternoon, we had fifteen pints cooling (with lids popping) on the counter. Of course, we had fresh corn on the cob with dinner both Saturday and Sunday nights, too. There's really nothing better.

Of course, no money changes hands.  I'll be taking fresh-baked pecan rolls to both of them during the week. That's how it's done between neighbors in farming country.

Happy Monday, friends!

 

Sharing A Skill...

It was so lovely spending part of my day with these ladies. My eldest niece (and goddaughter) and her youngest were visiting from out of state, and came to help me can thirteen pounds of pickles.

When my niece was little her mama (my sister who has passed)) canned pickles nearly every year. My niece and her sister were always tasked with scrubbing the cucumbers to prepare them.

Yesterday, my plan was to teach my now-adult niece and her daughter how to do one thing her mom loved to do. 

My great-niece did the scrubbing, but then I taught her to safely use my Cuisinart food processor to slice the veggies. It was so much easier than her mama and me hand slicing! Then I taught them how to fill the jars, clean the rims and seal them.

In the end, we had eight quarts of bread and butter pickles, and two quarts, plus two half pints of dill pickles. Of course, I sent them home with some. AND, I finished everything in time for me to sit down for an hour before I had to shower and be at work for my shift.

I will say I didn't stay up late last night. I crawled into bed early and was soon out like a light.

I'll wash and put away my jars this morning, and will put in a little time with my needlework this afternoon. It started raining last night, and continues today. It's just what we need, so it's a perfect day for hanging out indoors.

Welcome August!