From This....To That

    It was a busy day for me.  In fact, it was far too busy.  The day started at 5am with me bounding out of bed and into the kitchen.  Mark had carried home a lot green beans that needed canning and I still had plums to jam.  First things first, however, and that meant coffee.  I needed lots of coffee to help me through this mess!  That done, I started snapping those beans.  This was a longer job than I anticipated.  Even with Mark's help, the beans seemed to be a never-ending pile.  He helped for an hour or so then had places to go and things to do.  I sat snapping beans.  After getting about two gallons snapped, I turned my attention to the jars and pressure canner.  A good cleaning was needed before I could begin processing the beans.  Jars washed, jars sterilized, canner washed, canner started heating, water put on to boil, lids soaking to soften and I was ready to go!

  By this time, Son had entered the picture and promptly started lending a hand.  This young man can preserve food with the best so was a big help.  He just steps in where needed and does a good job.  By the middle of the day, we had all of the beans snapped and half already canned.  Things were going smoothly.  

  By late afternoon, using the pressure canner had come to a halt and the jam making began.  Back home again, Mark helped me chop what amounted to 18 cups of diced plums.  The jam making would not take nearly as long as the green beans so I was a happy camper about this time.  The chore of home canning was nearly finished for the day and I was so ready.  It took nearly 12 hrs of kitchen time to do all I had to do from snapping the beans to getting everything cleaned up afterward.  Once the job was completed, however, it felt mighty fine to stand back and look at all of those pretty jars lined up on the table.  All three chest type freezers are filled and the pantry shelves have little space left.  We will eat good this winter!

  This whole scenario reminded me of a story that was told about Mom. When they married, Pop was a farm boy and Mom was a city girl. She had no idea what she was getting into!  The first week after they were married, Pop toted home bushels of beans from the fields.  He was so proud to give her a brand new pressure canner but Mom had no idea  how to use it.  She promptly sat down and wept.  This farm life was going to be hard!  Luckily, Dad's sister came to the rescue.  Marie came over and taught her how to use the canner and many other "tricks of the trade".  Mom told the story often of how (Aunt) Marie was so patient in teaching the city girl how to become a farm wife.