Things I'm Happy For This Saturday 7

Flash from the past.......remember these Saturday posts?

Saturdays--Starting back to school makes me appreciate this day of the week for "catching up"

Produce from the garden--I'm trying to remember that all this bounty that I'm canning will be worth the pinched nerve in my back--this winter.

An Industrious 10 year old--Mopped my bathroom, cleaned my laundry room, and swept out several dusty corners all in the last half hour.

Bloggy Friends--I enjoy your comments, and interaction here on my blog so much.  I often lack adult conversation, and you help fill that gap in my life.

Toddlers Playing Together Happily--Peace is reigning for the moment, and I'm basking in it. 

What is making you smile today?

Can You Guess...

.......what I canned today?

It's not tomato juice, spaghetti sauce, or salsa.

Update.....

You all made really good guesses....well most of you. 

But, none of you were right.

It's ketchup!

If you're interested here is the recipe.

8 quarts tomato juice

1 1/2 quart vinegar

6 cups white sugar

1/2 cup salt

2 onions chopped

3/4 teaspoon ginger

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg ( I omitted this)

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

Mix together all ingredients and boil rapidly for 2 hours.  Cool until you can safely blend in the blender.  After you blend it put it back on the stove and bring to a simmer, and add 1 3/4 cups of Clear-Jell that has been blended with about 1 cup of water.  Simmer until thickened.  Process in pressure canner for 10 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.

Sugar Pea

I'll confess that lately my impulse has been to scream.

Not because the roller coaster is going too fast.

Because it feels like it's stalled on the tracks.

Birth Dad has been a source of extreme frustration.

He does just enough toward his goals to be annoying.

But not enough to make much progress.

He shows up for Sugar Pea's visits about 1/3 of the time.

When he doesn't show up--he calls and claims he is running late.

Which means I have to wait 30 minutes for him.

Sitting in a van with five restless children for 30 minutes is not my idea of a good time.

The next court date is in about two weeks.

Praying for a miracle!!!!!

Impulse Purchase

I went to a local roadside farm market yesterday to get some tomatoes for fresh eating--since mine are refusing to ripen.

I saw these giant cheerful sunflowers, and couldn't resist.

Makes my kitchen seem brighter somehow.

Jesus Loves The Little Children....

My two year old's version of the song.......

"Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Black and blue and red and white

They are "preshus" in-is-sight"

I've corrected him over and over, but he still sings it this way, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. :)

Talking To My Tomato Plants

I've been talking to my tomato plants lately.  

They are LOADED with lovely green tomatoes.

But, none of them are turning red.

Unlike my "ever-ripening" middle they seem content to stay little and green.

I've told them I have a baby coming in about two months.

And that I want to start canning tomatoes soon.

I feel this urgency in the very center of my being that the clock is ticking.

I have this list that I'm trying to check off "before baby."

But my tomato plants apparently aren't listening.