GREETINGS
CONTINUING FAMILY TRADITIONS
Today I canned tomatoes. It’s a long tradition in my family.
On steamy, hot summer days in Maryland, the small gas stove in my Grandmothers basement was lit. The women in the family were busy cutting and peeling tomatoes right from the garden. As a child it seemed like a day long project they were only finished when all the tomatoes were done and the jars were on the shelves in the basement. These women, my Grandmother and her daughters knew how important it was to have food on the shelves. They had gone through the depression. My Grandmother fed many Hobo’s tomato sandwiches, they were appreciative and it might have been the only meal they would have had that day.
My Mother continued the practice and I can vividly see the stocked shelves in our basement.. Jars and jars of blueberries picked from the farm, peaches from our own tree, tomatoes, beans and corn from our garden, and pickles of all kinds. She always made Mustard Pickle with a recipe that was handed down from my Dad’s Mom. I wish I could find the recipe.
Today I am also cooking diced tomatoes in the crock pot. Herbs,garlic and peppers from the garden are added to the tomatoes and some diced onions from the farmers market top it off. These will be put in packets and frozen for sauces for this coming winter.
I am hoping to dry some peaches and more herbs. Plan to freeze the string beans and some corn and make pickled beets.
ANGUS
Angus went to the vets yesterday. He had been having all sorts of problems. He will celebrate his `17th birthday next week along with his brother Shorty. His blood work and tests came back in the okay range so fluids were given and he has to take an appetite enhancer. He hates pills and will hold them in the side of his mouth for as long as 10 minutes and then you see him spit it out! Dr. Funk showed me how to do it. He has to go back today for more fluids. He was so happy to be home. He likes living upstairs now.
Its been raining here for a couple of days now so I did not do the farmers market yesterday. It’s a gentle rain so that is good. The cukes are starting to ripen and there may be enough for making bread and butter pickles later this month. Chris will be leaving on Sunday and Ricky will be here for a few days. He will be helping me to inventory all the family items in the house. We will take a picture of the item and then he will write a narrative. So many things have been handed down to me I want my family to know where these things came from.
THE BOY’S
Here is the latest photo of the boys. They are grand roosters. They have marvelous crows and are very friendly. When it gets cooler they will be living with the sheep upstairs for the winter.
Hope you have a wonderful day and many thanks for reading my blog. Carole
.
