What Was I Thinking?

My thoughtful neighbour brought over a bucket of Marion berries this morning that she had just picked from her garden.

They are so sweet and juicy, but there was too many to just stick in the fridge.

After we spent the morning at a secluded lake location, the girls and I came home and settled in for a hot afternoon.

So what did I decide to do?

Make JAM!!!

This begs the question, "What was I thinking?"

In 34 degree weather, using a hot stove for over an hour, processing the jam into perfect neat little(hot) containers, while the house is literally melting and I constantly wiping the sweat off my face, as the kids lounge in the living room sticking to the carpet playing play mobile.

The jam is marvelous I must admit, but really did I need to do it today?

I could have just frozen the berries, and the irony is that we really don't eat that much jam around here.

It is not uncommon for me to toss jars of the stuff after it has been opened for months and left to mold in the fridge.

But now it is done and I can check that off my to do list (although it wasn't there in the first place.)

My to do list, however, is looking mighty long in the coming weeks with the garden producing so much goodness.

I am relishing in it immensely and feel that this has been our best garden to date.

I feel so lucky to be able to offer our family such wholesomeness and eat fresh produce everyday. Actually every meal of every day.

We have enough to last us for the year in most thing, but that means processing it all.

Tomatoes are just about in full fling and I can sense lots of fresh salsa and soups coming our way.