More Canning

If you'd asked me any year prior to this what my favorite fall scents were, I would have said something normal like apple pie or cinnamon stick candles. This year, I have a new favorite - the tang of brown sugary vinegar simmering on the stove in a pot full of peaches, waiting to be put up for midwinter decadence. Yum!

I love the pickled pear and pickled peaches recipes I found this year, and since both fruits were on sale for a really good price I picked up a couple pounds of each and put up a few pints. In addition, I canned four quarts of cider, a pint of mulled cider, and four more quarts of applesauce. (My kitchen looked like a war zone with pots and pans and cooking utensils piled everywhere... but I eventually got it all scrubbed down and it was so worth it!) Walking into my pantry and seeing shelves of produce canned or dehydrated from the bounty of summer and fall gives me a huge feeling of success and calm. When this unending spell of rain gives way to snow, I'll be prepared!

Of course, I was carefully supervised by my faithful nitro-puppy, who is keenly interested in all kitchen chores because they result in food... he likes food! Here you can see one of his best "Look, I'm cute - you should feed me!" grins. :0)

Sorry for the quality of the pictures. The camera, understandably, is in on the other side of the planet with my husband, so my cell phone is standing in. I'm grateful it works, but haven't quite mastered taking really great pictures with it yet!