Signs of the Times

With the Bounty of Produce the Earth and Garden lift up to us this Season, some "Signs of the Times" present themselves:

• Someone is always at the Sink. With Arms, Buckets and Creative Energies laden, we wait in cue for our turn. We haven't resorted to a "sign-up" sheet yet and don't plan to.
• We keep running out of Jars. Sarah Saltmarsh gave us all Gifts of Jars at my Birthday. She laughed and called them a "Gag Gift". We were very grateful and they were no gag for us. Thanks Sarah! Those Pints are now gone. We used up the Jars we got from the Store since, and we now need some more. As our Garden has grown and our Canning has increased, our need for Jars was a bit of an Unknown. Over time, that should stabilize.
• We use Pints for Drinking Glasses. Usually they are in abundance. These days, that Cupboard shelf is bare. With all the activity around here and with the Jars quickly coming and going, we never know if we will have our usual Pint Drinking Glasses. We laugh and head for another size.
• We think only in the "now". The Produce that is ready is precisely the preservation spot where we need to be.
• Countertops can clutter and small Kitchens tend to "fill". "Smooth flow" is essential so we don't miss a beat. To keep a "smooth flow" from 1 project to the next, we keep counters empty and clean. Our small but efficient Kitchen Sanctuary is open and ready for that next project. All systems "Hum". Now in our 3rd Gardening Season, we continue to look for little ways to "tweak" the flow to make it even better. We are happy to report that after the tests of the 3 Harvest Seasons, our system is working, but completion of the Pantry and Storage in the Laundry Room are surely going to help.
• Jars from the Canner are allowed to cool on wooden boards on the Oak Table in the Dining Room. We check that all Lids have Sealed. On that next day, Rims are removed and Jars are rinsed and dried. We let the Jars sit on the Table until completely dried. An hour will do for this step.
• We then fill the Canning Jar Boxes with Jars. Those Boxes are almost as precious as the Jars themselves. The Boxes then find their way downstairs to the Basement. The Stacks of Boxes there are getting taller and wider. With each addition, we know that the next Season is surely on its way.

Notes:

• Richard canned 18 Pints of Carrots this morning from Carrots he had already, dug, washed, cleaned, cut, prepared yesterday. When his early Morning canning was complete, he headed back to the Garden and dug 1-5 Gallon Bucket of Danver's Half Long. He scrubbed them down outside, cleaned and cut them at the Kitchen Sink, yielding 4 Gallon ready for that next batch of Jars which we do not have. Those hefty Danver's Half Long are the best so far. Other varieties got stuck in the Clay Soil forming "Star Wars" versions of Carrots. This variety stay pretty much straight and true as Carrots should be, making preparation easier.
• It was hardly noon yet and the Kitchen was ready for the next project.
• The Dried Peaches (in the Dehydrator in the Basement) are now done.
• Melanie brought in Tomatillos for the Tomatillo Salsa. She isn't sure what it is going to taste like but notes: "With Tomatillos, how could you go wrong?"
• In the meantime, I have been recording these matters on this little Blog.
• Richard has headed into the Dining Room to work on filling nail holes and spaces in the woodwork around the new windows and I shall soon be ready to paint.
• We aren't working like crazy. We are taking it one step at a time.