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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

COME ON, JACK FROST,
PAINT THOSE LEAVES!

October 12, 2014
 I have no fruit this year from my 6 trees. Nothing to put into jars for winter eating .... thanks to squirrels, chipmunks, birds and deer!!!! ...I will borrow this little tidbit of info post from a couple of years ago and share how one goes about getting SOME kind of fruit to preserve ... beg, borrow or ... no steal!! Not necessary to steal since friends are more than willing to share their bounty (how they avoid trees bare of fruit from marauding varmints I don't know).
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When did the Red Maple take on this vibrancy?
 Falling leaves aren't far behind ... collecting them for my compost ... me and God made DIRT in the compost bin last fall, to winter, to spring, to summer 2012, assisted in the "cooking" process by layers of fallen leaves .... and other biodegradable stuff ....
garbage!

It's the season of preserving the bountiful produce we grow or
has been given to us by friends.
For me it's pears ...... lots and lots of pears, gifted to me
from my friend Leslie's pear tree ... bartlett, my favorite.

My pear tree tried ... and tried, as did the peach,
but birds, chipmunks and squirrels
got to the fruit before it even ripened.

So today ...
I canned gifted-to-me pears!


 First things first ....
climb ladder to get canning equipment down from top shelf in pantry. 


Spring of 2014 I sold ALL of my canning supplies! The young mother was eager to get started preserving produce for her growing family. And she bought it all at a terrific bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now ... I'm not too keen on climbing ladders
but a girl has to do what a girl has to do
to can gifted pears!
I decided against the quart jars ..
and brought down pints ... wide mouth pints
and lids and rims. ....
and grabby things, and twisty things, and funnelly things.
All necessary things to can fruit.
Oh yes .... and a cook book turned to
P  as for pears, canning how to.


I never go by the recipe of how-to-can-fruit....
but the book open on the table is like
having an old friend sitting there
ready to give advice .... if asked.
I noticed blotchy spots and lightly smeared color spotting the page ...
I've turned to this 'old friend' often and left prints to prove it.

LITTLE OLD WIDDER WOMAN'S  RECIPE
 ON HOW TO CAN PEARS
Unload pears from box, gently ...two or three at a time
 and spread out on the cabinet next to the sink.
Some are green green .... green yellow .... yellow red....
 yellow yellow. When the box was empty there was four times the number of pears seen here covering the counter in a lovely display of delicious!

Varying shades of ripe, juicy and delicious!
I can't help but pick one up and eat it ... mmm,
pear juiciness escaping past my mouth and blotching my blouse.


Cut and core
peel and pare
and plop into a bowl of cold water and lemon juice,
keeps them from turning dark.


Jars, lids and rims in boiling water.....
bubbling sugar water to cover the pears in the jars ...
and BIG pots to process the pears.


After boiling for 25 minutes the first little jars of pears are lifted
out of the pot and left to cool.
And the process continues
until all that's left of the fresh pears is gooey, slippery, aromatic peels in the sink... soon to be turned into compost for summer 2013.
I brought the peelings out and fed them to my neighbor's horses.
They actually smacked their lips!
Wish I had taken a picture of that!!! Sorry.


And here they are,
14  little beauties!
Free pears
free time
minimum cost for sugar.
I love Fall ....
leaves change color
and fall to the ground,
fruit ripens and is gathered to be preserved for a winter
delicious treat....
The pears may be the only produce I preserve this season ...
but how wonderful it will be ...
on a dark and stormy night ...
a jar of pears and a lovely book, a cup of tea
and memories
will light up my night and
bring comfort,
warmth and contentment.
Yes ... one little jar of canned pears can do that.
Try it. 

Not such a great idea to sell ALL my canning supplies! 2014 I had to buy pint jars and extra lids, a funnel and borrowed a set of canning tongs from Lorrie to make applesauce from her apple trees! Friends are always willing to share their bounty.
Lorrie shares more than apples with me .... she's my Bible study buddy. Every Thursday for the past two years we meet at 9:30  at her house and turn on the laptop. My sister-in-law, Laurel, studies with us from National City by the "magic" of Skype.
God's Word is so full and rich and preserved for our consumption .... and there's nothing I have to do to prepare for this FEAST except open the book and be fed.
Thanks God for preparing a feast for us! And, okay..... thanks for feeding the critters even though my mouth waters and my eyes teary up when I notice a squirrel skittering across the yard with MY pear in it's mouth!!
If you care so much for these little varmints .... how much more do You care and provide for me. Amen!