Busy! Busy! Busy!

That time of the year again, when harvesting, canning and freezing take over our lives. Now, I'm not complaining, mind you. I love to put things up and have some of that home made taste over the winter. Our garden wasn't very big, and went in late with everything going on with Dad. DS pretty much did all the gardening. He has truely been a blessing!

So far we've canned:
6 pints peach jam
3 pints spiced peach jam
8-1/2 pints barbequed hot peppers
7 pints pickled hot peppers
3 half-pints banana butter
7 pints stewed tomatoes

and frozen:
16 quarts of our own beans
7 quarts corn
10 quarts sweet Italian peppers

I have a ton more stuff on the porch waiting to be taken care of so it's back to the canner again today. I bought a bushel of hot Hungarian peppers and a bushel of sweet Italian peppers, so I'll be working on them today and making more BBQ'd hot peppers (YUMMM!!!) and pepper rings, plus some salsa.

Weight hasn't dropped much more - just a half pound, but it's still coming off. With that I'm pleased.

On the needles, I have a CIC sock, but I'm starting to worry I won't have enough to finish the second sock. Not sure what to do there, as I 'd hate to put another color on the foot of the second sock - think it would look silly. Trying to figure something out - but at the same time, would really hate to rip out that toe on the first one. Might have to to make them match somewhat.

Not much else going on here except getting ready for our long winter....

Last week was a great week! I hit my 30 pounds lost goal and passed it, put a lot of beans up for winter, dug some yummy fresh potatoes for dinner, worked on painting the house, and even finished my DD's "Grow With Me Afghan". I was a productive week with lots of odds 'n ends finally finshed. Now, just the ambition to throw out more clutter.

I received my Heels & Toes Gazette from Dawn Brocco. That is one awesome magazine! It has 4 beautiful sock patterns and a pattern for leg warmers that would be perfect for one who wears dresses or wide leg pants in the wintertime. I sure wish I could do the warmers in cashmere, but I had better think of learning how to spin - as that's the only way I'll ever get it! There's also a gorgeous pair of stranded socks that look like they could have come out of "Folk Socks" but they are worked from the cuff down, instead of toe up. That's a must do for me! They are awesome!! But then again, all Dawn's issues are nothing less than awesome!!! I have every one of her gazettes and some of her patterns, and and one day hope to have them all.

Well, Labor Day has come and gone, and it appears the hummingbirds went with it. I haven't seen any for the past couple of days. There may be a straggler or two left, but it appears the majority is gone. I always hate to see them leave, but I know they'll be back next year. Their migration blows my mind. Those tiny little birds go for more than a thousand miles, and then in April, make the treck back, and the wildest part is, I really think the same ones return. They fly to the exact spot where we hang the feeders looking for them even before we put them out. Yes, some years they appear early, and they were the ones that alerted me to realize they must be the same ones! I can't find my way out of a paper bag, and these little critters can come back to the same nesting spot?!!!