BOY!...It's still HOT....................

[mcb39]

I remember helping my grandmother can tomatoes in August. Zorching our hands on the blanched tomatoes to peel the skins, chopping them, fillings the jars, standing over the boiling kettle... My grandmother would have on her dress, apron, long stockings, and shoes too -- but she rolled her stockings down to the ankles on those occasions and tucked them into themselves in little knots the likes of which I never learned how to twist. It remains a mystery.

Took a walk last night in the twilight and remarked for the gazillionth time that no one goes out at night. Time was, to escape the heat of the house (while it was trying to cool down will all windows and doors wide open), folks would sit on stoops and in lawn chairs, while the kids ran around playing. Neighbors would wander by, and folks would take it easy and catch up with various doings. Now we all stay in our air conditioned bubbles, hiding, and not knowing who lives next door. Love my AC but we have also lost out.

Ah, yes. I still can tomatoes to this day, but do it in a large,airy kitchen wearing shorts and a T Shirt. As for the rest of your post, "Where have all the good times gone?"

[Catherine]

Ah, yes. I still can tomatoes to this day, but do it in a large,airy kitchen wearing shorts and a T Shirt. As for the rest of your post, "Where have all the good times gone?"

I don't bother with tomatoes anymore, but I made raspberry jam yesterday (about 7 half-pints, but froze them after instead of BWB canning) and saw, out picking, that the blackberries are starting to ripen up. They'll be next to get jammed and canned!

The neighbors cut back their pear tree last year so much that I only have about a half-dozen myself; there was no cross-pollination. May have to buy myself another pear so I get that in the future. Meanwhile I can eat up the last few years' worth of canned pears.

My girls are usually not home to help these days but the folks next door (other next door; not the tree-pruners, lol) have three kids who all want to learn to can. Years of help on the hoof!

[mcb39]

I don't bother with tomatoes anymore, but I made raspberry jam yesterday (about 7 half-pints, but froze them after instead of BWB canning) and saw, out picking, that the blackberries are starting to ripen up. They'll be next to get jammed and canned!

The neighbors but back their pear tree last year so much that I only have about a half-dozen myself; there was no cross-pollination. May have to buy myself another pear so I get that in the future. Meanwhile I can eat up the last few years' worth of canned pears.

My girls are usually not home to help these days but the folks next door (other next door; not the tree-pruners, lol) have three kids who all want to learn to can. Years of help on the hoof!

Raspberries are just starting here. Blacks are totally green and if we don't get rain, they will dry up. Flowers are at their peak of loveliness. Everything is very late this year. Last year, everything was early. My daughter-in-law cans and my Granddaughter is getting very domestic; but expecting first baby in Oct. Also works full time. Freezer jam is THE BEST!

[Jack from Ohio]

Freezer Jam!! Two thumbs up!! The strawberries here are not consistently available from year to year. In the year they are plentiful, we will do around 75 jars. (Most 12oz, remainder 8oz.) In a deep freeze at 0degrees or colder, we have successfully kept it over 4 years. We had a great crop in 2011. Not so good since.