Canning

Over the last month, I have spent some portion of each weekend canning, freezing and drying. So far that includes:

Canning:
9 Quarts of Salsa
6 Quarts & 1 Pint of Pickles
8 Quarts of Tomato Soup
8 Quarts of Veggie Soup
4 Quarts of Veggie Stock

Freezing:
Pureed Delicata Squash
Pesto
Hot Peppers
Banana Peppers
Kale
Green Beans
Zucchini

Drying:
Basil
Oregano
Sage
Dill
Thyme
Parsley
Lemon Balm

So, today is quite possibly my final day of packing away for the winter. I just finished up 2 Quarts and 12 Pints of Spicy Tomato Soup. I'm also in the process of making a Green Tomato Salsa. We got our fancy heirlooms in the ground a bit later than we should have this year (I'm blaming the uterus) and so we have a ton of green tomatoes. AND, last night we had our first light frost. I think our ripening days are numbered. I have never made green tomato salsa before and I'm a bit nervous about how it will turn out. But, I'm willing to play with it until it's at least edible and maybe we'll just plan on getting the tomatoes in a wee bit earlier next spring.

So, do you can, freeze or dry from your garden (or local farmer's market)? What have you stored away for the winter?

First Fully Finished Quilt

This is not actually my first quilt. That should be done within the next month or so. I need to finish the hand-quilting on it first. However, this quilt is the first I machine quilted, binded and fully finished.

Anniversary

Yesterday marks the three month anniversary of my hysterectomy. I can't believe its been a quarter of a year!
I'm feeling great though and thrilled to have the inevitable behind me.

Baby Ward is a Girl!

Congrats to our old Glenview neighbors, Jonathan, Kaethe and Amalia!

While we're sad that we can't run across the street and see her right away, we're very happy for them all and look forward to meeting Brinnly sometime soon!

A little fun fact is that two years ago this month, we both decided to start "trying." I remember sitting at our neighborhood labor day party and Kaethe and I shared (out the side of our mouths) that, "yup, this was the month." It was a very undercover conversation that makes me laugh when I look back. Now they've got two beautiful girls and we have one on the way too!

Camera. Sunset. Movies.

On Friday, when Nick and I both come home from work, I casually said, "I thought about stopping and renting a movie on my way home." He replied, "Do you want to?" I said, "Drive back into town?" (I have to admit, his seemingly care-free willingness to drive back into town and waste gas without a second reason to go was very suspect.) "Yup!" he replied, and then casually added, "Oh, and I need to stop by the job site because I left the camera there." "Hmm. Which camera?" "The nice one." "Oh, you mean MY camera? Nick, first of all, it is my camera. Second of all, it is NOT a job site camera!"

Last year we retired our first digital camera to the job site and purchased a new digital SLR which I consider to be my own. Nick takes great pictures and so I appreciate his use of the camera at home, on vacation, and during our day-to-day-together lives. However, two years ago when we bought new cell phones and I watched as his seemingly became older and more weathered much more quickly than mine, I became a bit adamant that some things are not meant for the job site. Like. My. Camera.

With all that said, our arrival at the job site was timed with a beautiful sunset. And because the camera was left at a job site with a great view and the sun was setting at that very moment, I took a picture or twenty, and my frustration that the camera was there in the first place faded.

Now, with all of that being said, I was appeased with movies during our quest to retrieve the camera. We rented Stranger Than Fiction and Wondrous Oblivion. I recommend both of them.

NC Sunset

Labor Day Weekend

Sunset on the Chesapeake.



We cooked some tasty meals. We worked a bit harder for some others. Labor Day morning we woke up and went crabbing. For all the crabs I have eaten, I've never actually caught them myself. And, if I'm going to be honest, I was the photographer, not the crabber on this trip!







The real weekend highlight though was that we got to meet our cutie nephew, Jacob.




I'm not sure why, but for some reason Blogger is making all of my text look like it is linked. It isn't. It won't take you anywhere more interesting. Also, I got sick of the light dots, so I switched up my template again. Just needed something new.