Makin' Jam

I lucked out and found a big box of peaches (seconds, so a little bruised and battered) at the farmer's market for cheap this past week. Of course that meant in the middle of a busy week I had to find time to process 25 lbs of peaches but I made the time first thing the next morning. First item of business was to fill the crockpot full with the worst ones (or what was left of them after cutting out the bruises etc) and make peach butter. While that cooked I began the process of sorting the rest for making jam. After peeling mashing cooking, and adding a little sugar and pectin of course I had 18 jars of jam ready for the canner. YUM!! and FUN!! I feel like an accomplished farmgirl. The peach butter was ready after dinner and I got 6 half pints of that so of course a loaf of homemade bread was in order so we could eat fresh bread and jam. Heaven on a napkin and great memories of making jam in the summers with my mom. Now if only those peaches weren't quite so juicy and the jam was a little thicker all would be perfect.

We've been trying to keep cool during this heat wave and really there is no way to do that but sit inside with the AC on. That of course simply will not do for this farmgirl so next best thing is the swimming pool. It feels more like a bathtub or jacuzzi these days but it has been fun to have the neighbors over in the afternoon for a little cool down party. Last weekend we enjoyed the antics of my nephews who came to visit for the weekend. Always entertaining!

little brothers gang up on big brother - my favorite!

Wonder what's going on down at the farm? With two weeks of vacation followed by this extreme heat we haven't gotten down to check out our projects. We assumed that we couldn't do anything to rescue the garden at this point so it will be what it will be - hope those taters' are keeping cool under ground. The weeds are probably sky high since they seem to thrive rain or shine but farmboy will head down this weekend and check out the situation. If it is not broiling perhaps he will even pick the survivors - from the garden that is, not the weeds - haha.

I will be hosting a lovely little tea for my soon-to-be daughter-in-law this weekend so maybe the following week I will head back down to the farm after a month's leave. I so miss it, but meanwhile I water and water and water some more my little garden in the back yard and send good thoughts to my neglected garden at the farm. The beans here at home have given up and next week I will plant them again for the fall. The tomatoes are going strong, as are the very strong jalepenos (seriously why would you label these mild?) And I have gotten eggplant #3 off the vine. And the weeds are thriving here too!

That's the report from the homefront for this week and last. Fingers crossed that next time I will have something to report from the farm or the craft closet.

my homegrown potpourri