Thursday, June 30, 2016

So Much for Kicking Back

HA! Who needs rest when there is a new thing to try? The canning went well. Of course someone could still drop months from now but I have hope that that won't happen. Here are the fruits of last Fridays labour.



 It was a nice morning spent learning the steps and getting to know my electric canner.
It worked wonderfully!



 I'm happy with the purchase although from what Michelle and Cindie say, I could have gotten away with a big enameled pot too. The sustained boil the electric model gives me  is reassuring and of course, being at about 4300 above sea level means I have to hold that boil 10 minutes longer for everything.

The warp for the Pup was completed

Second of two warp chains-exactly half.
 and I'm about half way through the threading. This is what I hope the project will look like, in green and white of course.



And speaking of green and white, painting resumed on the house. I just got sick of having all my funky weird artwork tucked in closets waiting for me to finish the painting Gene started last winter.



Talk about a** dragging. Saturday and Sunday I picked up, did a little gardening and then Monday started in. The kitchen got a fresh coat of white, cream really, soft and with a hint of yellow.





The same color the family room got and weaving studio. You really see the wood stove now against the cream paint.



 I still have a bit of accent stuff to do and some trim should be freshened up but the big horrible thousand ladder steps part is done. The studio is still in disarray



 but pics coming next round.

This little duo was completed over the weekend.



Both of these are extremely fast makes. The binding on the top takes the longest and making and setting pockets on the linen pants eats up a bit of time but both of these were completed in a couple of hours each.

The Evening Grosbeaks have again taken over the feeder world. Fledglings are every where.





 They will land on you, walk across your feet, cheep at you for food and in general, are barn cat bait. I chase her away from around the house with the hose when I see her for right now. She is a lean, mean hunting machine. I have had squirrel, wood rat, moles and many mouse parts left for me in choice spots in the barn.

The garden grows.



 We are enjoying our overcrowded raised bed veggie experiment, so much so, we may add another smaller one.



Takilma Gold has certainly been a star in the garden.



 The Shasta Daisies are about to bloom and the bright yellows and whites will rule the garden together for bit. The rest of it all looks pretty good although the bee balm hasn't come back like I was hoping.



It's all improving with the recent, more summer like heat. The nights are heavenly for sleeping though, going from the mid 80's to mid 50's.

This weekend will see a bit of rest. I may can again if I find something nice at the growers market. I am inspired by Marisa McClellan's "Preserving by the Pint" which has many interesting recipes for small batch canning, and that works for us perfectly! I'm not looking to put up a years worth of anything, but love the variety of a little of this and a little of that. I can hardly wait for pear season....

Parting shots: Could be dead.........


Or not!

12 comments:

LA said...

You'll be rolling your eyes with pleasure this winter when you open one of your jars of goodness! Summer memories in the cold of winter are the best!!! Your garden is amazing!!!

Cindie said...

Wow - big update - you've been busy.

I think apricots are coming in soon if not already started - check the market. Blueberries (my all time fav) will be ripe this month. Bet you could find some pickling cukes and beets now.

Judy said...

Wow, I'm tired now reading about how my energy you've had and all that you've accomplished ;-) You've been busy! Thanks for the laugh about dropping off and canning, haha. I'm sure that what you made will be delicious. Your new project on the Wolf Pup looks like fun. And painting, sigh, I need to do the same thing. Tomorrow. I love how your kitchen looks!!

Judy said...

That should be how much energy you've had....

Peg Cherre said...

Ok, I'm heading out right now to my library to borrow one of Marisa's books. I can't wait!

Theresa said...

Peg, Did you find one of her books? There are two. The one I mentioned and another titled Food in Jars.

Judy, No words of wisdom other than once you start it isn't half as bad as thinking about starting. ;-)

Cindie, The blueberries are nice and the raspberries coming on strong. I picked up both of those today. Waiting on apricots and a mix of beets.

LA, I sure hope we even have some jars of something left by winter. Gene is known in these parts as a jam hog.

Anonymous said...

Ah, canning....tell me about this electric canner I have not heard of one before. Around here I use either a good old fashioned granite ware canner for hot bath canning or a nice aluminum pressure canner. Sometimes it makes me wonder why the weather has to be so darn hot and humid when I need to can - makes the kitchen unbearable. But, the fruits of all that labor are so tasty!

Dead dog! Nah, just taking an afternoon nap in the sun. Ah, the life of a loved dog.

Shuttle, Hook and Needle said...

Kitchen looks wonderful. Looks cool and restful even with all the canning going on. Love your idea of hanging the old jars on antlers! Ah yes the life of a loved dog. Wish I had time to sleep in the sun!

Coco said...

What a fun time. Love that canner - back when I had a half-acre garden every year, I canned and froze like crazy. An electric canner would have been a blessing!

Great paint color - love seeing pics of your charming house.

And those cute bird babies. So so cute.

Peg Cherre said...

I did get the book at the library, and although I can't make many of her recipes (not friendly to my tummy), it's the whole concept that makes tons of sense to me and that I absolutely can and will apply.

Leigh said...

That's wonderful about the canner. It's so much fun to have your own custom made goodies!

I really like the cream color for your walls. So light and fresh looking.

Michelle said...

As always, the glimpses of your house look SO inviting; love your aesthetic (and need to hire you as my interior designer!). That wee woodstove is so cute, as is your new summer outfit. I hope the fledglings survive your barn cat....