Where have I been—let me bring you up to date.  Other than for the regular duties (some of which I shirked) I spent most of Sunday working on Les’ afghan. Monday it started out the same except for a visit to the grocery store. Tuesday morning I drove the two miles to Blueberry Lane Plantation Farm in Otter Lake and started picking blueberries.  The day was partly cloudy and there was a great breeze to keep you cool as you picked.  Not even an hour into it my left thigh started to burn on the outside.  A condition I have had for years when I stand to long in one position.  So I gave it up and went to check out.  My efforts amounted to a little over four pounds which wasn’t nearly enough.  I talk with the owner about it and he had 15 pounds of just picked setting on the counter.  The u-pick was $1.80 a pound and already picked was $3.60 a pound but I took them anyway.

Just a sample of the 19 pounds of berries I brought home!

That afternoon went as follows.

!5 jars of blueberry/rhubarb jam.

!2 jars of blueberry jam and three pints plus eight ounces of pie filling.

This morning after my doctor appointment (more on that later) Jay and I canned three pints more of pie filling.

You are looking at enough for three pies and topping for mini cheesecake tarts. 

We also managed another 20 jars of Blueberry Jam.

Not too shabby I’d say! 

Well it is late and I have supper to make. 

After mopping the sticky off the floor this morning and washing the sticky off the jars I decided to put the whole shootin’ match on the kitchen table.  I stood looking at over 100 jars that represent a few things to me.
  1. It is over $200. in merchandise were I to buy it at a grocery store.
  2. It is something I was able to accomplish almost by myself.
  3. It is a favorite of mine and daughter-in-law Debra.
  4. Most importantly I don’t have to drive some 240+ miles next year to get the fruit.

Next comes blueberries which are only two miles down the road.  I will probably pick them.  I need enough for some blueberry, bluebarb (blueberry and rhubarb) jam and some pie filling.  I’ll have to figure out how many pounds I’ll need.

For today however I’m through worrying about anything but my crocheting and a little TV.  I have earned this and I am going to take it.  You have a great weekend!
 

See Jay’s Jammin for the results on the apricots.  I’m tired. I’m sticky. So it is off to the shower and bedtime!

….after 270 miles with this to show for it!

Two half bushels of apricots that starting tomorrow morning will be turned into jam and whole fruit in syrup.  Haven’t quite decided on which I’ll do first but I’m leaning towards the jam.  After we got in this afternoon I took a two hour siesta and then started bringing up jars and equipment.  I should be all set in the morning to start washing jars, setting up the counter for pouring fruit, preparing the fruit. and getting the canning kettles heated up. 

I also have to show you the new toy that came in this week. 

A close up of the controls.

We are going to try our hand at dehydrating food this year.  Jay was given an old model from someone but we weren’t sure all the parts were there and the instructions were missing so we opted to buy new when we found one on sale.  Another new thing to learn for me. 

Well it is getting late and I have a big day tomorrow so I think I’ll close for now.

Remember to laugh out loud—-you know why!

People who live together for a long time develop rituals.  Like always kissing before leaving or before going to sleep.  Some of our rituals have since disappeared.  But one is still strong.  When we used to bump into one another in the kitchen, or step on each others foot, or trip over one another we would always say you only hurt the one you love.  A shining example of this was yesterday at the doctor’s office.  Jay was dozing in a chair in the waiting room while I read.  The nurse called his name and he started to get up.  I went to set my glasses and book on his chair so I could use the arms on mine to get up. Well his leg let go and he sat back down on my hand which resulted in some bruising to the top of it.  You see even after 35 years you can still accidentally hurt the one you love.

When Les and Anne were here Sunday they brought us a present.

A bag of assorted breads from Zingerman’s bakery in Ann Arbor.  A real treat for us and greatly appreciated.  We had dinner and conversation for a while and then they left for home. 

On Monday the UPS man brought my anniversary gift from Jay.  A double disc album of the Moody Blues Live at the Greek Theater and a novel, The Hour I first Believed, by Wally Lamb. I’m going to enjoy them. 

I got Jay a CD by Abba, one by Emmy Lou Harris,  the book, The Solar Food Dryer by Eben Fodor, and his OXO Corn Stripper.  Thank goddess for wish list!

Today was Doggy Depot day for Brandy.

I walked in with an EWok and came out with a puppy dog.  I’m sure she will be a little more comfortable now.  Hubby is next because the eyebrows are getting really long not to mention the hair and beard. 

Tomorrow we go to Detroit again to see Dr.Imami and Thursday is tentatively a drive to Grand Rapids for apricots! 

35 years have past since this picture was taken in my parents back yard in Rochester, Michigan.  All three of my children have grown to maturity and are married.  But it couldn’t have happened without the help of the man in blue in this picture.  Together we have weathered some difficult situations but also some very happy ones. 

When a man takes a wife who is 39 years old with three children ages two, six, and twelve years old he has to be a very willing soul.  This man was that and together we have made a fairly comfortable life together.  We have accomplished things I never thought could be had and realized dreams that seemed unobtainable.  We have fought, argued, loved, comforted and sustained each other through all these years.  We didn’t get to do every thing we wanted to do but we did much more than we thought possible together. 

Now may I please introduce the people in this picture although you might know all of them. 

Starting on the left is Pamela Luttenberger my long time friend who was there when my daughter was was born and my first husband died.  Our lives have taken different paths but our friendship lives on. 

Next is my sister-in-law Peggy Waggoner.  I stood up for her and my brother Danny at their wedding 45 years ago.  Again our lives took different paths but the distance was never too far to reach out to one another. 

Of course then there is me.  What can I say.

Then comes Albert J. Axsom known lovingly as Jay.  He is the reason this day is celebrated now.  He was a good friend of two of my brothers, was around to visit when my first son was born (though I don’t remember that) and took over this family two years after my first husband died. 

The next in line is my brother, Daniel W. Waggoner, who we recently lost.  He was my baby brother and the last of the three I had. 

The last person in line is my twelve year old son Wesley Roy Jenkins.  He was the one that said to go on marry him mom even though I didn’t think it was a good idea at the time.  Well I was wrong!

One of these days I’ll locate the picture with Les and Cindy in it also.

Anyway that is a brief walk down memory lane—I hope you enjoyed it. 

To my sweet hubby a big happy anniversary and hopefully a few more!

Sweet Brown Eyed Susan is back by the steps to the deck this year.  But she has brought at least seven of of her sisters with her to visit us. 

I said I would start pulling weeds and I did.  The knees lasted about 10 minutes but I have to remember I haven’t knelt to do anything after the ankle/foot operation in November of 2007.  So I think it is going to take a little getting used to.  I did do a lot of bending over so I managed a goodly amount of weeding until it started to rain.

This is just one of the three spots I worked in but actually none of them are actually cleaned up yet. 

The seven little gardens around the dome look more like this still.

But I’ll just keep plugging away between doctor appointments and rainy days. 
Hope you have a good weekend.  SEB and better half will be up tomorrow so I know we will. 

Well I’m Michigan born and bred so I guess I have strayed from my accent!  A fun quiz to take!

Anyone who checked on Cindyisms recently knows that the Axsoms had company yesterday.  Yep my daughter and son-in-law came up to spend the afternoon with us.  Seeing that Wednesday is Cindy’s only day off I invited her to bring her laundry and use my computer while they were here.  We managed a light lunch and dinner for them before they went home. 

If you read Cindy’s blog you know she collects Apple items for her kitchen theme.  When I spot things on sale I order them for her.  This tray arrived yesterday morning and went home with her last night. 

The tractor is back home and I started mowing Tuesday afternoon.  Wednesday of course was company and besides it rained off and on part of the day.  This morning I started in again. and finished all 2+ acres.  After, I took a little nap so now I’m late figuring out supper.  But hey you get it while you can If you want to keep functioning. 

Take care and enjoy the rest of your evening. 

Eighty sunshiny, breezy, degrees in my fair area of Michigan.  The little date book in my purse, lovingly known as our social calendar, shows nothing pending this week.  This is an unheard of situation.  Next week will be different because on the 20th Jay and I will have been married 35 years.  (And they said it wouldn’t last.)  The 20th and the 22nd are also doctor appointments. 

Our tractor just went into the shop this afternoon with no ETA so there will be no mowing until it is returned.  Jay hasn’t checked for any availability of fruits for canning this week so nothing is pending there.  I think I may try a little hands and knees weed pulling tomorrow in the morning before the sun gets too warm but that will depend on what the knees say when I get down there. 

On Saturday I spent time cooking some dishes ahead so I wouldn’t have the what will I have for dinner syndrome hanging over my head for a couple of days.  For my four hours of labor I ended up with pork loin chops, Swiss steak, pork chop/Bushes bean skillet, and Cheesy Orzo.  The bonus is that there is Swiss steak enough for a second meal and the leftover beans will have sausage added to make another meal.  Five main dishes for the week—love it!

I finished Cell by Stephen King finally.  One of the bloodiest books he has written and a trial to get through.  So now I can start something a little different. 

The latest on Les’ afghan is I’m over half way.

From here on in I’ll have to work on it at home because it is 79 inches on a side and when it is done there should be another inch in border on each side.  I will have enough yarn left over so I’m going to crochet 14 inch squares to sew together for another afghan.  The squares will be manageable enough to carry with me. 

Well it is back to my hook for this evening.  Remember to smile and think good thoughts!