The heart of Summer

There are a few things in life that bring me simple joy. Baby A with sleep in her eyes. The mountain of ironing all done. But one of my most simple joys?

Seeing my countertop filled with home-canned food.

Yes, my friends, canning season has begun. My favorite season in the year.

I bet I'm the only mid-20's woman who LOVES to can her own food. I'm such an odd throwback.

ANYWAY..........

On the farm we have bazillions of raspberry bushes. (it seems to me that farms around here either have raspberries or rhubarb) We need to pick every other day, and we keep track of how much we get. Last year I believe it was over 200 lbs of raspberries.

I personally hate picking raspberries, due to a traumatic event in childhood. My maternal grandpa, who was also a farmer, had, of course, bazillions of raspberries. (he also had two man eating ginormous rhubarb plants....go figure) It would be his 34 grandchildren's job (yes, 34....we are a fertile bunch) to pick said berries each summer. He was a lovable gruff man, and he would take no whining or complaining. He would just tie an ice cream bucket around our waist with an old belt or robe sash, pick us up, and drop us feet first (literally) in the middle of the patch. There were no paths cut in, so we were on our own in patches, depending on how old you were, were just as tall as you. Because it wasn't cleaned out, there were a garden variety (haha....bad pun) of little critters living in the raspberries....mainly toads. I spent many an afternoon sobbing and picking berries, while Grandpa kept barking at us from the porch to keep picking! Therefore, I hate picking raspberries.

But today I had 1/2 an ice cream bucket full of berries, so I decided to start the jam process. I love making jam. It's so easy, but it's so impressive looking! With only an hour of work, I got 7 jars full of bright red raspberry freezer jam. Farmer loves jam on his cereal (I don't get it either) so he goes through alot of jam. last year I made 27 jars of strawberry jam, but I didn't get time to get strawberries this year, so he's getting only raspberry.

I also picked the garden of green beans, and I have enough to can of those as well. So tomorrow morning while Baby A takes her nappy, that's what I"ll be up to. Unless the garden is dry enough to weed. Then I'll be working outside.

But as for tonight....all feels right in the world. I feel productive and content, with 7 beautiful jars of jam sitting on my counter waiting to be put in the freezer tomorrow.

Ahhhh......life is good. :)