Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Mastering the art of jelly

I DID IT!  I DID IT, I made jelly yesterday. I had to tweak it a little but I did it.
 I never had much luck with jelly, my grandmother, bless her, tried to help me to master the art, (more luck) but I was getting tired of not having special jellies that I like, like cinnamon/apple, and lower sugar grape jelly with a little flavor and maybe some special ones to try.

My first batch I didn't add enough pectin, and didn't boil to jell stage. Good thing when you get syrup, you can re-do the batch.  So I did, and it worked this time, I wasn't going to let a little batch of jelly get the best of me. Take that Jelly!
Not much happening on the home front, just processing and canning little batches about every few days, to keep up, then the domestic goddess things that get left because of the canning things going on, I wish I had 2 more sets of arms and the energy to do it all.

I want to thank all who are visiting my new blog, I am excited...I can't believe that the cyber-world connects all of us. I also would like comments (nice ones  please) about what you would like to see and talk about.  I received a very nice comment from someone who is on SSI, I too, am on SSI, and very much way below poverty, but I do manage to handle things well by following the simple life principles of staying out of debt/getting out of debt, and reducing the amount of things/material things that are in all of our lives.  I will have posts on this subject soon, and ideas I hope will help those of us who by no fault of our own have fallen upon illness or other tramatic situations that called for desperate and call-for actions.  There are some who mis-use the SSI system, and others like myself and others  who, having a congenital spine defect ending with a fused spine to cancer, and then falling into the SSI system by no asking of myself, are subjected to the SSI system, and then must make the best of it. It is nothing to be ashamed of, and I do the best I can with what I get, and make the best of what I get.  I want others to feel the same, not ashamed.
Well, off of the soap box for now.

Anyway, its sure hot here in Nebraska, have had lots of humidity, the garden loves it, I don't, makes the body scream a little and then I have to quit working until later in the evenings getting things done in the garden, and then mow the tiny yard I have, just that wears me out.

Today, its hot but the humidity is lower and much more tolerable, I have a little patio area I laid a few years ago by my north side of my trailer, and I have one of those el-cheap-o dollar store collapsable canopies, and I sure like it, I can sit in my swing, and I have morning glories all over the car port growing and it makes a lovely little space somewhat like a tuscan patio with all the plants that just make it cool and inviting, I love all the bugs and bees that buzz about and I even had a hummingbird last week visiting my petunias that hang in the front of my carport, we very seldom get hummingbirds but I do get a few through the summer, and have had some for the past 3 years that stop by to visit for just a few seconds and then off they go, this one was a beautiful emerald green with a sapphire blue head, just gorgeous, it was sure quick though, I thought it was a moth at first, but then I seen it's color and I was sure fasinated by it.

Well, gosh, better get to work, I love to chat more, but then if I did, I wouldn't have anything to talk about.
Oh, yes, I am working real hard to get a digital camera so I can post photos of the trailer, and the weather, we do get here and how I handle my garden space on a very tight budget. So, please be patient, I do farmer's market with my herb garden, and herb mixes, and I should have the money to do this soon , I think that it will help with the blog.
Well friends, til then, thank you for visiting, and all of you please have a peacful and productive day.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, just came across your blog and have been reading about you. My grandmother made jams and jellys all the time. She would make jelly out of berries that I thought were poison and it was good, and no one ever died. If you ever want a good jelly or jam and other preserved delights here is a place you might like. Their name is "Walso Ward and Son". The web site has their history and all their products. They are just east of where I live, at least 25 miles. Their homestead is in the foothills east of Pasadena, Rose Bowl Parade famous. I will save you on my faves and come back for a visit.

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