The Ultimate Blog Challenge Is Harder Than I Thought

   Maybe, for those people who don't lead boring, dull lives, the Ultimate Blog Challenge is easy, but it's not for me. Nothing ever happens up here, except for weird weather and animals passing through.
   As for the weird weather, yes, it's snowing again. We really do have 6 months of winter, even if technically, it is spring.
   I have been going through my canning supplies this week to see what I have and what I need. I thought I had plenty of jars, but I guess I need a lot more.
   I found a 16 quart pressure canner at Walmart for $65.00 I will probably be buying this month. I debated about getting a bigger one, but decided this size will due, because I have to be able to pick it up and move it with jars in it while it's hot. I'm a weakling in my old age.Walmart also had the rack for the bottom of my water bath canner. I have one, but the jars tip because the bottom doesn't have much jar support on it. The new one has more rings on the bottom, so I shouldn't have the tipping problem.
   I think this year, I will use 1/2 pint jars for canning the veggies, since there are only 2 of us here to eat. Pints are a little too big for somethings for just the 2 of us.
   I still haven't finished all the crocheting for Myrna yet. I have finished the important ones, though, so I guess that's ok. It seems someone has been reading their Nook Color instead.
   I'm making butter today and the usual wash clothes. I do have a truely bad movie to watch from Netflix. Plan 9 From Outer Space. For dinner, it's homemade chicken pot pie.
  
 

Here A Jar, There A Jar, Everywhere A Jar Jar

   I bought more canning jars yesterday and then what did we go and do? We went and bought a bunch of apples for applesauce. It's not like I don't have anything else to can.
   Tim noticed that hanging out in the canning area in stores makes strangers talk to you. Tim grew up in CA where strangers don't tend to speak to each other, so it's new to him.  Anyway, as I was loading my shopping cart up with jars, a woman walked by and told me it would be over soon; meaning the canning. I'm beginning to have my doubts, especially when I go and buy more to do.
   The same woman past me as I was putting yarn in the cart. I told here canning was cutting into my crocheting. I never did get my summer clothes sewn, much less cut out. Maybe I'll magically loose wight over winter so I won't have to worry about the clothes I didn't make, not fitting. I can always hope. Unfortunately, I like to eat what I cook.
   When we were in the check out line getting everything rung up, talking about canning, of course, and I mentioned all the carrots in the fridge. An older man suggested I pickle them. I hadn't thought of that, but I think I will pickle our little finger length carrots. It's worth a try. Why not? I canned green tomato sauce. I got to thinking today, which can be a very dangerous thing, that I might need to get more jars. Again. The jars I bought yesterday were 25% off.
   It got down to 27 last night and that finished off the garden. Tim harvested corn today while I was off grocery shopping. Now, I have more to do. I have to figure out how to stuff everything in our small freezer.
   When we bought the house,( the appliances came with it), we thought it was a big fridge and freezer. It is if you've just lived in a 27 foot travel trailer for 2 years. It's not, once you put food in it.
   One of the reasons I went shopping today was to get the vacuum seal bags I forgot to get yesterday. Wouldn't you know it? I forgot them today, too. I even had them on my list. The same list I had yesterday that was in my pocket. I'm not going shopping tomorrow. I hope. I have clothes to was, those never ending towels to fold, along with more to wash, bread to bake, and make the weeks cookies for Tim's lunch. Wheat bread for sandwiches. I came across a recipe for peanut butter and honey bread I'm going to make, as well. Since I have my daily peanut butter and honey sandwiches, why not?
   As I was shopping in Walmart, grumbling about the steadily rising prices, I debated, sugar or no sugar. I figure I have about 20 pounds, so I'm good. Looking at the pickle instructions on the package of mix ( I cheat, since I'm new at pickles), I see it takes 7 cups of sugar. Then there is more sugar for more cherry preserves and cookies. I might even make apple butter. I really like apple cinnamon jelly, too, but I know I didn't buy that many apples. Yup, I should have put some in the shopping cart.
   Pretty soon winter will be here and I will have to stay in. By drs. and family orders, I'm not allowed out in the icy, snowy, slippery weather. I tend to slip and break something that has to be surgically repaired. I hope I'll have all my canning, done by then so I can catch up with my crocheting. Maybe, I'll get to my neglected spinning wheels and looms. Who knows? Maybe I'll even fold towels.
  
 

I'm finished with tomatoes

Today I finished canning tomatoes. OK, I put the finished sauce in the freezer and didn't "can" it. I weighed the remaining tomatoes that I used today and had 13 1/4 pounds, so I figure I started with about 25 pounds. I like thick sauce, so all together I had 5 1/2 pints of spaghetti sauce. We had spaghetti for dinner. It was pretty good, put mild. Hopefully, the flavors will get stronger in the freezer. They should. I put enough spices in it.
Tomorrow, I am going to make peach jam, and the next day, I will try making peach butter in the crock pot from a recipe I found at PickYourOwn.org. The recipe and instructions looked pretty easy, and I'm all for easy.
Rooting around in the freezer, trying to make room for the spaghetti sauce, I decided I had enough cherries left to make jam. I think I'll need to get more jars for that.
I figure I am either crazy for doing all this canning, or I will be. I'll let you know.