I finally took the plunge and bought the water canning equipment I needed to try my hand at canning. I started with dill pickles - they seemed like one of the easiest things to do. And they were! I'm hoping they turn out tasty -- the recipe said to wait a couple of weeks before trying them.I want to try bread and butter pickles, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and perhaps some gifts to give away at Christmas time. Next year I should be able to make cooked jam instead of freezer jam and free up some room in my freezer for other stuff (Charlie said he might take up hunting again if we get deer on our new -hopefully- property).
Here are a couple of photos from an art fair that took place in Frankenmuth a couple weeks ago. I surprised myself and found the artist below to be my favorite. Something must be wrong with me to like these fish so much -- my tastes are changing. They are pretty cool though - don't you think?
This guy was making fire pokers out of iron. I just like the photo.
And here is a photo from the garden. I have harvested all of the onions and am putting them by. I've heard that they can be put into panty hose for storage. Just put one in, tie a knot, add another one, another knot, etc. I'm gonna have to try it to see if it really works.
We are busy trying to buy the home that I wrote about on my last blog. After our offer, their counter offer, our counter to their counter, and finally their counter on that counter offer - we seem to agree on a price for the home. An additional acre is being added to the deal - so we will have 2.91 acres (that back acre is wooded). We have to get an inspection now. Well, actually, the seller has to sign our offer, then we sign and have 10 days for the inspection. We are hoping everything goes smoothly from here (with the bank, etc). It will still be a while before we can move in, but if things go smoothly, we are looking at the end of October or November (hopefully before snow flies).
This guy was making fire pokers out of iron. I just like the photo.
And here is a photo from the garden. I have harvested all of the onions and am putting them by. I've heard that they can be put into panty hose for storage. Just put one in, tie a knot, add another one, another knot, etc. I'm gonna have to try it to see if it really works. 
We are busy trying to buy the home that I wrote about on my last blog. After our offer, their counter offer, our counter to their counter, and finally their counter on that counter offer - we seem to agree on a price for the home. An additional acre is being added to the deal - so we will have 2.91 acres (that back acre is wooded). We have to get an inspection now. Well, actually, the seller has to sign our offer, then we sign and have 10 days for the inspection. We are hoping everything goes smoothly from here (with the bank, etc). It will still be a while before we can move in, but if things go smoothly, we are looking at the end of October or November (hopefully before snow flies). I have to get going today. We have to do laundry (oh, it will be SO nice to not have to go to the laundromat any more) and go to my sister-in-laws 40th Birthday celebration at their favorite pizza joint. I am also trying to get together with a friend to see a movie tonight at the old movie theatre in Vassar, MI.
2 comments:
Canning is fun - you have such a sense of accomplishment when it is done (along with a sticky kitchen). I canned 8 pints of applesauce and 16 half pints of apple butter this week. Hannah, Jeff and the kids were were last night (Sat) and Naomi was here too for supper. They both took a good share of the things I canned. I may try some zucchini relish I found a recipe for.
It was nice for all of us to be together, even for a few hours. Hannahs stayed all night and left to go home this morning early. Caitlynn's first day of 3rd grade is tomorrow and Nicholas starts kindergarten the 8th (his fifth b'day).
Like the updates on your house hunt. Sounds like some progress. Naomi got her butler's pantry sheet rocked and painted, and then on the two hottest days in SF (all the way to 90 degrees) put down sod in her little back yard. It looks pretty nice, hopefully she'll post the picture.
Shari, great pics. Good luck with the canning. We are toying with the idea of investing in the equipment, but right now Jan freezes our veggies, which works out well because we have extra freezer space. I'm concerned about not canning it right and having bacteria form..I have read it can be deadly..yikes!
Good news on the house, if you're countering that is promising! Good idea for the extra acreage, you definitely won't regret it!
Keep us posted and good luck coming to an equitable deal on it!
R Dean..
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