I made apricot jam this week. I made strawberry too but the apricot was so pretty. I just love when I can pick my own fruit and then make jam. Then stare at it as it sits on the sink. It is one of those things that just gives me a deep satisfaction about my job being at home.
What I like about making jam, is that when it is winter and you are tired of the cold and the dreary days, you can open a jar, and you are reminded of summer. I just loved the color and that is what I thought of as I was making it, I was bottling sunshine.
I only made three batches this time. As I was standing at the stove I was thinking about how in years past my daughter and I would stand and make two batches at a time. When the kids were all at home we could make so much jam so fast with both of us cooking. I always had a goal of filling my pantry with food that I made in the summer. I even had a special pantry made in my other house and every summer I worked so it would be filled with food I made.
Today I needed to put my jars away so I cleaned my pantry. This one isn't like my other one but it is a very nice pantry and I still would like to fill these shelves with my home canned food.
I still need to make lots more things this year. I just thought I would give you a glimpse into my pantry since it is clean.
On another note.
I share with you all the time pictures of what I have in my garden. For some reason the police or sheriff think I must be growing pot out here. I have watched the airplanes doing a grid over the garden taking pictures. Then today my son was mowing the lawn and our big back gate was open so he could drive the lawnmower back and forth. A Sheriff truck came and parked at the end of our driveway and within five minutes the sheriff helicopter was flying over so low taking pictures of every single thing in my garden.
I have never grown pot, I don't even know what it looks like growing. I keep wondering do they think I have pot plants growing between my rows of sunflowers? Or maybe in with my zinnias? This is getting crazy. I kept wondering what would I do if SWAT showed up and kicked my door in or something. Every day when I am out watering or chopping the weeds I have the sheriff helicopter flying around me. I did have the passing thought the other day, what if I just took all of my clothes off and chopped weeds, I wonder what they would do then. You know weird things like that just pop into my mind. I bet my garden has been photographed every day since I put it in and not by me. I thought about calling the sheriff today and asking if they would like a tour so they can quit wasting my tax money.
Okay I will stop with the rant. It just seems crazy to me. My brother next door was robbed twice in a week and they have time to take pictures of my garden in a helicopter I just wish they would do something else.
They don't call it Commie California for nothin'
Have a great Friday!
~Kim~
25 comments:
Kim, your pantry full of jars looks so pretty. Do I see pickled beets in the back? I've never tried apricot jam. Not even sure I've ever eaten an apricot, other than dried.
Naked Gardening......that should attract a few sheriff vans!! lol
Do it! I triple dog dare you to naked garden and see what they do! I would be out there waving at them and I would have gone to the truck and point blank asked him WTH they were doing. It only seems fair that they would inform you, doesn't it? Don't get me started on this girl! I'm ready to kick some sheriff butt! LOL I love your jam! It really does look like bottled sunshine!
i would have definitely gone to talk to the sheriff while he was there. interesting! naked gardening sounds like something i'd do, but i just don't see you doing that. :)
Your apricot jam looks absolutely wonderful...I love apricots! My mom and dad have been canning like crazy this year and we get to reap the benefits :)
Seems like an invasion of privacy on the picture taking think I might have a word with them!
Your pantry looks lovely!
I would not let a day go by without calling the sheriff and ask him to drop by for a personal tour.
Look at all that pretty jam! I guess everybody's working and stuff and can't help you stir jam, huh? I can't wait until my munchkins are old enough to help.
The helicopter story makes me laugh and creeps me out at the same time. You don't have anything illegal out there, so there's nothing they can do. What're they gonna do? Confiscate your tomatoes or maybe the Bonsai?
Also, if the Sheriff does come and ask for eggs or something, don't give it to them! They'll take you to jail like that one lady with the co-op.
Kim...I laughed until I cried! Thank you! I really needed to laugh! You are a special blessing to me!:)
What a wonderful start you have on your summer canning Kim, I am so impressed. I love to can, I feel connected to all the women who have come before me. I so enjoy being a homemaker, it is a noble profession. Now as far as pot goes, you would be the last person on earth I would suspect, I say show them the moon!!!!
Apricots are my favorite! I anticipate their availability here in the summer, but they are expensive - at least $3.99 a pound! I love apricot preserves and always have a jar on hand. It's a fact that it isn't as good as what you have accomplished in your kitchen this week!
How strange about the pictures! There must not be enough to keep them busy this summer.:)
You should totally do that! LOL! That had me laughing so hard. I think I have just enough apricots left after drying for jam - but I realized i'm out of jelly jars. Heh. Back to the store!
Oh that must be so annoying to be spied on like that by the sheriff.
I wouldn't try the naked gardening in this heat though, you might get a real sunburn where the sun doesn't usually shine. hahaha.
Better stick on making more apricot jam, my favourite. Your pantry looks like mine when I was younger. I made tons of jam just because I loved to make it and i used to count the jars... Now I seldom make any as we eat so little of it as we get older. I buy my apricot jam.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs. JB
Your apricot jam looks soooo good! You had me laughing, too, at the naked gardening idea! Really, though, I think I'd talk to the Sheriff and offer a tour!!
How weird that the helicopters have targeted your pretty farm.
Your jam is beeeeeyoooootiful! I have never made jam. I should.
Can you email me and give me a quick and easy lesson?
My Field of Dreams sunflowers are growing in the front garden. Woo hoo!
love good jam in the winter.
Absolutely, give them a personal tour! And then serve them soomething with your homemade jam, the REAL produce from your garden. Maybe it will seem like 'heaping coals of fire on their heads'... :)
This is a fabulous post! Loved every word and love your jam although I've never had, nor made, apricot jam. It does look like bottled sunshine. Kim, I love to line up all my canned goods and luxuriate in the knowledge I've done something good. It's wonderful knowing what's in our food and that it's good for us.
As to the sheriff taking photos, please DO invite them for a tour! Last night, as the dogs and I were sitting on the back porch watching the storm, I looked down and there was a black spider crawling up my robe. I'd just showered and was sitting on the porch in my robe with my hair wrapped in a towel.
I grabbed the book I was reading, whacked the spider onto the floor, stepped on it and then thought, "hmmmm, wonder if there are any more?"
So...yes I DID! stood up, stripped the robe off and shook it like crazy all the while standing there nekkid as the day I was born. Except for the towel, of course -haha-.
Then I thought of satellites and wondered if they were getting an eye full. Then I thought about running around the yard, nekkid, enjoying the rain.
Then, I snapped out of it, put the robe back on and sat down.
WHEW! That was a close one!
BTW, been meaning to tell you...I'm Elinor Dashwood as well -smile-.
Love this post! I'm just giggling about the flyovers. The cheek! I'm headed out Monday to pick strawberries and will make one batch of jam. I love apricot jam. I make a lovely marinade using about a 1/4 cup olive oil, maybe 1/3 cup or so white wine, herbs de provence, a good hefty spoonful of apricot or peach jam, salt and pepper. It's great over a pork tenderloin. Yum. Sorry I have been scarce lately...I'm back in action now!
Hugs!
Courtney
You know ... I'm not a fan of apricots or apricot jam, but you're right, it really looks like bottled sunshine!!
I think if it were me, I'd call the Sheriff's Office at at least ask for the reason behind all the flyovers. And if the answer is anywhere close to what you're suspect, I'd probably have to ask if they want to come tour it so they can save the expense of all those flyovers. With the cost of fuel these days, that would be a huge savings! ;-)
Hi Kim, I have never made apricot jam, and would love to as it is one of my favorite fruits. Your pantry bounty looks so great! i too enjoy looking at food that we have grown and canned.
Your fly over story is way too funny, though i have often wondered the same about some low flying planes around here, and like you they are free to stop by any time, we have nothing to hide!
Enjoyed catching up on some previous post, I am sorry that i haven't been around, we have had so many things going on around here.
Enjoy your weekend.
Hugs,
Sue
haha, omg kim that is soooo funny, you growing pot. i just can't wrap my brain around it!!
your making me look bad, with all your domestic stuff ;))))
just sayin!!
Marvelous shots!
I'd never think to take pictures of jam (but then again, I don't make any). Gorgeous!
How funny about growing pot. My brother and I were just reminiscing the other day about how our mom was growing a marijuana plant when she was in her 70's. Not that she'd even smoke a cigarette :)
Happy weekend to you.
Hugs :)
Lauren
i love apricot jam above ALL others! YOU are
the most excellent of woman. proverbs 31
personified.
If I were you I would call the police and ask them if there something they are not telling the citizens of the immediate area. Say you are quite alarmed as you have your grandchildren on certain days and they become rather frighten with the commotion of the helicopter and your brothers house being burglarized recently. I would put it back on them and make them tell you why they are always about. Juts my opinion, I tend to be a little passive aggressive I guess.. On a nicer note the jams are lovely. I always keep them on my kitchen counter a little longer than I should. Just to admire my handy work!!!.
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