September 10, 2014
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Marathon
I think the grape juice/jelly marathon is almost done. Whew! The grapes must have been trying to make amends for the lack of apples this year. Shh. Please don't tell anyone. I don't put the jars in a hot water bath. I just sterilize them real good, fill them, turn them upside down for 10 minutes, and cover them with a towel, then right side up, and listen for the pop as they seal. It's such a satisfying sound. So far none of us have ever died or even been sick from doing them this way. If by chance a jar doesn't seal, it goes in the frig and we use it first.
I was supposed to take my mother to the Dr. today for a routine check-up. It rained hard this morning, and has been raining since then. There's a short distance to walk from the car to the front door of the Dr's office. It slopes gently. For my mother it's a long steep hill, and she walks so slowly that we would be soaked by the time we got there. So we postponed the visit until next month. They do have a wheelchair for general use, but she refuses to use a wheelchair or even her walker. She does use the walker to get to the bathroom at night, but so far she hasn't used it in public.
We might get some storms tonight, but I'm ready if we do. We have a basement, flashlights, kerosene lanterns, and buckets of water in each of the bathrooms. If electricity goes out the only thing we won't have is water. We have a gas stove, a small gas heater, and a woodstove. We do have an old generator too. We haven't used it in so long that we don't know if it works anymore or not. I hope we won't have to find out.
For your viewing pleasure, here is a picture of the Chutes ti Mbi (Mbi Waterfall) in CAR.
Please keep praying for peace in that country (and others too, of course.)
Comments (12)
Liked the m b i waterfall.
My mom used to can thinks and she had to hear the pop of the lid. She counted them to make sure they were all vacuumed. ( assuming it is to vacuum)
We are still not getting rain.
Beautiful photo! I continue to pray for peace all over the world... It was raining so hard this morning that I got drenched and had to put my clothes in the dryer at work! Good thing I change into scrubs at work or I'd have been miserable!
I haven't canned anything for many years, but I remember waiting for and enjoying the "pop" of sealed jars.
You are amazing Gracia to can the grape jam and juice so diligently.
Those storms passed through here, and we had continuous rains for more than 48 hours. We saw sunshine this afternoon though.
Glad to hear the sun is still up there. I think the worst of the storms went south of us. I have a lady come to vacuum and mop for me once a week. If I didn't I think the grapes would have to stay on the vine. Either that or I would have a very dirty house. I enjoy doing the grapes. It hurts me to waste free food.
My mother used to seal jam jars with paraffin, as well as hearing the pop as the wax cooled!
Beautiful Picture.....
Most days, with the younger generation, jars are not sterilized the traditional way.... Washed and rinsed in hot water, then set in the microwave for a 15 to 20 second zap....And the jars are now sterilized.....
Everyone has its way to sterilize the jelly but it seems the yours is simple and efficient .
You have well foreseen all what needed if a storm came and your basement can resist to a siege..
Love
Michel
I heard somewhere that September was a birthday month in Texas ? What about ?
Love
Michel
My middlr daughter lives in Texas, and her grandbaby has a Sept. birthday.
We planted 24 grape vines this year. In a few years we should have a healthy crop!
24 grapevines! That's a lot!