Broken Pressure Canner = Blessing

 

 

Pulled the rest of my tomatoes from the freezer to process a couple of weeks ago to make some more "chili juice" and pizza sauce... only to have my pressure canner break!!!

Luckily, I can water bath can the tomato products - so I did.

BUT I cannot water bath can turkey or bone broth! So into the freezer went all the turkey products this weekend...

one small little bend

Who knew that such a small part could make such a large difference - Presto is, however, fixing it for free!

It will just be four to six weeks...

Then I realized what a blessing it was this past week to NOT have a working canner - Sure I had the pressure of finding room in the freezer for the turkey, etc., but I also had more time to enjoy "Black Shopping" with Jon, more time to get organized for Thanksgiving and plan for the upcoming Christmas season (neighbor gifts done!), more time to enjoy phone calls and in person visits - just more time to truly enjoy all of the many people who bless my life!

Blessings abound when I know where to look! 

Another Little Is Great at 8!

 

Ashytn is eight! Luke and I were able to go visit to celebrate her baptism. Ash is so creative and inquisitive. She loves learning, reading, music, and insects!

I am so blessed!

Little Blessings Add Up To Abundance!

Marigold seeds - at least 3 cups!

 

The garden this year has been a little different... I had so much more space, and yet with the weather, pests and drought - not much more has grown. In fact, after planting 9 or so summer squash plant, both zucchini and scalloped squash, I only had on average 2 or 3 squash per plant. Not many considering Luke's love of squash.

With the exception of cherry tomatoes, which did so well, the tomatoes have also been slow to produce - and it seems less this year. In fact, I finally took out one tomato plant mid September as it had had zero fruit and no blossoms! It was tall and green, but nothing! I have finally been able to process some juice and sauce, but I am so glad I had so much last year!

I wanted to can enough green beans for the year... but even though I planted SO MANY BEAN PLANTS, it has been a couple of cups here and a couple of cups there. I ripped out the bush beans last week as they were done. This week, the pole beans are finally producing. I was able to do six pints yesterday.

All in all, I have had to learn to appreciate the smaller quantities I have been able to harvest. Along the way, I have also learned to harvest things I may not have bothered with in the past. I have learned to preserve herbs in new ways and begun to collect a few seeds too.

All of these smaller amounts have added up to quite the abundance when all is said and done. As you could see from my marigold seeds, a small bowl of dead blossoms contained quite the large amount of seed.

What a great reminder to me to look for the myriad of small blessings surrounding me each day! With all of these, I am abundantly blessed!

It's the Grand Backwards Countdown Time of Year!

 Starting at 0 years of age, the adorable Cameron!

At age 1, the cute Oliver!

Sophia is our playful 2 year old!

Our expressive Thomas is now 3!

Rylee is our spunky 4 year old!

Olivia is our sweet 5!

At 6, Parker is ever energetic!

Creativity describes Ashtyn at 7!

And at 8, Claire is so caring!

Of course, all of these words and so many more could describe all of our Grands! We love them so!!!

I am so blessed!!!

The Big T is Big Three!

 

Thomas is three! He is such an articulate kiddo for his age, very fun loving and such a joy!

We count ourselves lucky to have time with this little one. We are blessed!

The Big O is O-N-E!

 

And isn't he just so cute!

We have loved watching him learn and grow!

I am so blessed to be Oliver's Grandma Dee!

The Garden May Yet Go Wild!

 It's been a different sort of year for the garden. I have not even had one ripe melon (although maybe by Tuesday that will have changed)! I only have harvested 1/2 gallon of tomatoes - except for the lovely cherry tomatoes that are producing about 1 cup every 2 to 3 days.

But the squash is up over the trellis and I am starting to get a few beans!

I even had to rig a taller trellis for some of my tomatoes - they are at least 7 feet tall!

I love my wild garden!

I am so blessed!