I have been up to my ears in canning supplies this last couple weeks.
We got some free transparent apples for apple butter and sauce, some free miniature plums for spicy plum sauce, plum jelly, and whole plums; the green beans are growing like crazy and we have already put back 20 quarts of them in 2 pickings; cucumbers are being turned into sweet/ sweet and spicy relish as well as pickles; squash is getting chopped and shredded and frozen; jams are being made... and we are no where near close to finishing!
I read a blog yesterday, Northwest Edible Life, where she does most of her canning in a weekend. Oh what a wonderful weekend that would be. As my husband called last night on his way home, he asked what I was doing... and for the first time in 2 weeks I WAS NOT CANNING!!! Not that I shouldn't be, but I just needed a break! So I hit it again this morning. More free plums, some hamburger pickles and get ready for more applesauce and plums and of course all the stuff from the garden that will be collected tonight.
Don't get me wrong. I love to can! I love seeing the shelves fill up with food that we have grown, food that will fill our family's tummies this winter, food that I know where it came from. But being about 8 months pregnant (or so... still in ? about the due date) it is hard work! This big belly is getting in the way with everything!
Our house has taken a huge hit. Probably the biggest ever! There is laundry in baskets needing to be put away, laundry needing to be done... floors needing to be swept and please if you do come over, don't look a the kitchen, especially the stove! But through it all, every once in a while we get to do some deep cleaning/preparation for the baby. 2 out of the numerous windows in the house have been taken apart and completely cleaned! Only to have the babies touch them this morning and get handprints on them again. But hey they are so much cleaner!
So today... we get back to the grind of canning, and cleaning.
