Well the jars are washed, the canner water heated, and the tea kettle ready to use on the lids  but the Momma is running out of steam!

Harlequin Pear Jam.

Yep seven 8 oz. jars of Harlequin Pear Jam made this morning.   Very tasty but very sweet also.  I used four of my many pears so the table is still half covered with pears to can but it is 83 degrees and climbing outside and my only air conditioner is in the living room window.    This does nothing for the kitchen temperature  so seeing the the pears on the table are still on the hard side I may let them sit for another day and try the Cinnamon Pears tomorrow.

I did manage to complete one White Christmas Tree ornament before the pears arrive.

The first of six.

They go really fast but the pears take priority.

I think I’ll lolly gag around for the rest of the day and start canning really early tomorrow morning.  It will be cooler and the energy should be higher.

Oh I manage to put up seven jars of Peach Melba Jam yesterday so that is one thing on the plus side!

Have a good few days and let me know ‘how’s with you’!

Good Evening.  What you will see is the raw materials for Cinnamon Pears, Harlequin Pear Jam, and another batch of Peach Melba Jam.

Raw I Tell You!

Why are they all over my dining room table ?   Because they need a couple of days of ripening up before we can them.  Why you ask ?  Because they can’t be pick ripe because they could spoil before they were sold.  So we have to sit and wait for them.

One of my Peppermint candy ornaments is done.

Good enough to eat?

I’m not happy with the cord representing the paper wrapper  so I may go buy some cellophane to attach to the sides instead.  I have three more of these to do but I pulled the white Christmas tree ornaments out to try first.

Have a great evening I know I’m going to.

Cindy came up today.

Sorry Momma!

She really was sorry that she had taken my camera cord home with her.  She said she had it and couldn’t even use it.  (But then neither could I.)  But it is back on my desk now so all is well that ends well.

The butterfly.

On 8/16/ I wrote about the bush and the butterfly I saw on it.  Since then another visitor has been on the bush every day.  A humming bird has found the nectar to it’s liking.  I haven’t had the camera on  hand to catch a shot yet but I’ll keep trying.  I honestly was beginning to think that the bush was no good until this year.  I guess you just have to wait for the good things to happen.

Jam before the Sugar!

On 8/19/10 it was a post on the berries that we made into yummy jam.  We not finished yet with the flavors we want to can but we are slowly getting there.

The Red Star.

Well the second star is complete leaving four more to go.  Two greens and one each of the red and blue.  I am now working on a Peppermint Candy Ornament and will have that finished soon.  I hope to have several different designs completed for Christmas Gifts.

As usual Cindy’s visit was a welcome change for me and despite the fact it was short because she had to go back home for the camera cord after getting within 15 miles of our house.  Sometimes we forget things!!!!  She did post on her blog while she was here.

As she was leaving she grabbed up a few of my  things as a joke so I got a picture of it.

Some times they just don't change!

Now tell me what would she do with a coffee can of bird seed, my cell phone, an empty plastic bag and my paper towel holder!   I don’t know either but it made a funny picture!!!!

It seems that I keep walking off and leaving my cane behind.  I have collected the trash, recyclables, cleaned bird cages, washed the covers, washed the linens, made the bed, and did a bit of vacuuming.  Each time a task was finished I reached for my cane which unfortunately was in another room.  Each time I remembered  Dr. Hemming saying  partial weight bearing on that leg until you see me and I hope I didn’t mess something up!!!

Jay is resting right now because his sugar dropped and he waiting for lunch to kick in.  Then it is off to Vg’s  for milk, eggs, bread, and some unknowns as of yet.

It has pleasant all day, cool, looking like rain, but just cloudy so far.  It is one of those days temperature wise that you wish would stay with you until Fall!

Tomorrow is Cindy and David’s 14th Anniversary.

From the archives

Time passes, filled laughter and tears.  But still they stand together!

Also A Previous picture

Son Lesley will be 43 on the 25th of this month.  Wishing him many more to come.

All my children are facing some pretty trying times right now, as are many others we know, but hopefully things will get better and the future will hold more good times for them all.

Take care everyone!

A neighborly gesture resulted in more jars for the food room today.   See Jay’s Jammin’ for the whole story!

In between time I’m still working on my Red Star ornament and should soon have it completed.  It has laid on the dining room table for a few days now and it is beginning to bug me.  I want to try something else!

I think that the Cabbage Relish is next on the list to be canned.  I’ll have to confirm that with the boss.  We still need to do pears and apricot jam also.

Yesterday was dear friend Pammie  (Of Pammie’s Place) and hubby Earl 34th anniversary.  I called to wish them many more but didn’t get anything posted.  So here is to you my friends!

My friend Darlene is now home after surgery and her hubby Michael is still a bit under the weather.  Here is hoping you both heal very soon.

Well it is supper time and I think Sh** on a Shingle is my selection for tonight.  Some Southern biscuits from Schwans to go under it should be good.  There is a lettuce salad, some peas, and Grape jello with real grapes in it to round out the meal.  Maybe not real healthy but quick to fix.

Oh on my quest to lose 50 pounds I’m down 8 lbs.  Not a big deal but at least I’m headed in the right direction.

Keep the smiles going.

Wednesday morning I said to Jay, “It is half way through August surely there is something out there that we need to can!”   So he got on the phone and called a couple of farms about berries.  Sure enough Pennells South of Vassar had raspberries.  We hadn’t canned them yet so off we went to pick up four quarts and ended up getting five pints of blackberries also.

On the way home we picked up a peck of green beans, two bunches of dill, and two whole garlic.  We made jam with the berries that evening.  We have 19 1/2 jars (8 oz. size) of Red Raspberry jam and 10 (8 oz.) jars of Blackberry jam.

This morning I drove Jay to Clarkston for his haircut and when we got back home we canned 18 assorted size jars of Dilly Beans.  So much for nothing planned.

Tomorrow morning it is Brandy’s turn for a haircut.  She is having a bad evening because we are having some pretty good thunder storms and she doesn’t do well with that condition.  But she will eventually settle down when the rain stops.

7:30 am came this morning and I pulled the old 15 min. trick.  Sure enough by 7:45 I was sound asleep again.  A little after 9 I came alive and decided that unless I wanted a pillow growing out of the side of my head I had better get up.  So I started the morning routine with feeding and watering Molly.  Next came washing my hands and unloading the dishwasher.  The pile of clean clothes on the dining room table is now folded and waiting to be transported into their respective dresser drawers.  I have let Brandy out for a bit and then sat down to read the blogs and e-mail.

Today is a cereal day so I’m in no hurry to get my breakfast.  The rest of the day is unplanned so far but that could change anytime.  The next two days are shearing days.  I take Jay to Clarkston on Thursday for his haircut and Brandy to Clio on Friday.  The weekend is clear so far so we can continue to rest unless some phone calls to the orchards and berry farms alert us to more things to can.

A call yesterday from friend Michael said he was out of the hospital but his wife Darlene just went in for surgery.  We are waiting to hear how she is doing and send our very best to her.  It seems like doctors and hospitals are doing a thriving business right now and that ain’t good news as far as I am concerned!

I got my Cosmos deadheaded yesterday and two months of accumulated cardboard cut and bundled for pickup next week.  I had not been downstairs to take care of it since before I got hurt.  I still have a bunch of garden tools and extension cords on the porch to put away and that will be accomplished soon.   Things like that took a back seat when I had to recuperate.

It is hard to believe that it will soon be 10 weeks since I fell.  I still have good and not so good days but I’m finding it a little easier every day to return to a more normal condition.  So remember my friends to watch where you step and enjoy your freedom of movement because it can disappear so quickly in a moment of carelessness.

Mommas Corner will be picture less for a while after this post because the redhead below packed my camera cord in her case.

Usually she leaves things!

But she will be up one of these days and she can return it then!

I have a picture of what I think is a Monarch butterfly on my bush in the yard but alas the cord ain’t here so it will have to wait. I’ll just keep clicking and hopefully something good will be on the camera when I can unload it.

Nothing planned for the next week or so but that can change in the blink of an eye.  Today is breezy and 70 right now and hopefully will stay pleasant.  It is suppose to heat up again tomorrow.  The Cosmos need dead heading again so I may do that today.

Yesterday I  cleaned bird cages so I wouldn’t have to do it today when I ready the garbage for pick up tomorrow morning.  The bed is changed and the laundry caught up to this morning.

We are waiting to hear from Rich’s orchard about plums and apricots are due in also.  We still plan to do some Dilly Beans and the Autumn raspberries will be in soon.

Hopefully all is going well at your house and do remember to laugh!

Wednesday went well and we enjoyed our visitors.  Jacki, Jay’s sister, brought enough goulash to feed a platoon of people and two meatloaves.  Leftovers seemed to be the objective of her visit.    Marilyn, another sister, with our daughter, Cindy, busied their selves with serving and cleaning up after.

Thursday I took Jay to Dr. Ross office and waited while he had another laser treatment on the left eye.  After, I had him rest on a bench while I walked Sam’s Club for needed supplies for our pantry.  The expected results on Friday were the stiff legs, a headache that keeps coming back,  and some pain in the back but not as bad as it has been.

Friday was also my oldest granddaughter’s birthday.  Happy Birthday a bit late Courtney (but I did send a card on time).

The last couple of days were endured with the help of the window air conditioner in the bay window.  I am beginning  to think that winter is the better season for ‘old folks’ like me because you can dress to get warm but fighting heat and humidity is difficult.

I do apologize for the delay between visits but it seems I don’t have a lot to say because I’m still not up to speed health wise and I hate to keep saying negative things about it.  But things like putting on my own shoe and sock, on the left foot,  are almost normal now.  As soon as I can get out for more than the ‘have to’ trips (doctors, shopping, etc.) hopefully I’ll have more to say.

A moment to wish Michael a big GET WELL soon and we are hoping the hospital stay will soon end!

Take care and stay comfy!

A Bit Of Thoughtfullness!

On Monday the driveway alarm sounded and Brandy ran to greet our visitor.  It turned out to be the mother of my neighbor who lives in back to our right.  I have been trying to remember her name but it won’t come.  Anyway she brought me this bouquet and to wish me speedy recovery.  Funny how a gesture like that can mean so much!

Today Jay’s sisters Jacki and Marilyn will be here joined by our daughter, Cindy.  More on that later!!!!