I'm Done; or Am I ?

I honestly 'thought'

that I was done canning

for the year

But ... that was before

making 8 half pints of apple butter

21 pints of plums

& 14 quarts of apple pie filling

 But what would you do 

if someone gave you some plums

 and a neighbor offered some apples

 We cooked them up, sauced them

and made some crock pot apple butter

 then we found some more apples

and a friend had just shared

a recipe with me for

Apple-Pie-in-a-Jar

So tell me what would you do?



Seasonal Transitions

I absolutlely love living in an area where the 'four seasons' are so vividly displayed.  We are now entering another season of transition.  Summer has pulled down it's shade and what seems like an instant fall is upon us. The trees are beginning to change color and the air has a bite to it; especially in the early morning.

We spent the day pulling the last of the corn stalks, beans and peas out of the ground. We also got another picking of Swiss Chard blanched and frozen.  Ten quarts this time around  ~ it sure brings back summer in the middle of winter. 

And tommorow ~ CARROTS are on the agenda.

Grapes Moved Home

Today we transplanted our grape vines.  Our neighbor gave us the vines a couple of years ago. At that time; we planted them along our split rail fence. Then last year we decided to build an arbor. Yes, we did it ourselves. Teamwork, that's what we're all about. Now that the arbor is done and the grapes are doing so well we decided to transplant them to their permanent home alongside the arbor. 

When that same neighbor moved and we became caretakers for his property, he told us to help ourselves to the grapes.  We picked and canned them into grape juice but if ours take off well enough we may start making wine.

But I love the juice recipe because it's so easy - just pick, clean and pack grapes into canning jars. Add water and sugar to taste. I only added about an even teaspoon per quart jar and it is plenty sweet - almost too sweet for our liking. Hot water bath and abra-ka-dab-ra ~  you have juice.  Strain the fruit and pour yourself a tasty treat. The pint sized jars on the left side of the pic are plum sauce. Very, very good on pancakes, eggrolls etc.  Oh boy, I'm making myself hungry ~ later all.