Whew...I'm Back With Pickle & Jelly Update

I've had quite a bit of catching up to do since returning from our trip to my grandparents. It was such a wonderful trip and although I'm glad to be home I really hated to leave. It was wonderful to spend such quality time with them, and for Kinsley to be able too as well was priceless. It made me remember summer days when I was a kid and would spend a great deal of my time there just having a blast. We would always do special little activities that made the trips so memorable. They were special to me anyway, looking back I know see that most of them were just regular activities that needed to be taken care of. We spent a lot of time at the farm picking the garden and that was something I was able to witness my daughter doing this time as well. It brought tears to my eyes watching my daughter make memories that I still hold dear to my heart. I saw the same excitement and wonder in her eyes as she walked the rows and found the peas among the leaves, placing them in the little bucket she would drag behind her. It was no different when we returned to the house and began shelling those very peas. I remember sitting in the floor with my grandma and a pile of peas just having the time of my life. To this day I still enjoy sitting in the floor and shelling peas. It always makes me smile to think of doing that very task with my grandma and now I will think of my daughter doing it as well (though she insists it's her Memaw). There is something very special about that.

We had our work cut out for us this trip. I arrived with an ice chest full of cucumbers and we were going to make pickles. I have been wanting to try for several years now and I finally gathered up enough cucumbers and free time to make it happen. We had to make a couple trips to the store to get supplies. I swear those cucumbers were never ending. We made a batch of dill (some slices and some spears) and put hot peppers in a few of them just for some variety. We also made Sweet Lime pickles which I had never even heard of, but the Pepaw (my grandpa) swore they were the best ones. I know they made the biggest bunch of pickles I've ever seen. They better be good because we have a lot of them! But they look good getting started don't they?

We also made two batches of Bread & Butter pickles. We tried out a new recipe with the second batch. Although I have a definite soft spot for the taste of a good dill pickle I have to say that making the Bread & Butter was the most fun. I just love the way they smell while they are cooking. Don't they just look yummy too?

They're also my favorite to look at in the jar. I just love the little mustard seeds floating around. It just makes me happy. It makes me especially happy to open my cabinet door and see this staring back at me.

Believe it or not we also managed to find the time to make some jelly. I'll have to tell you about that one later. But I will say that I've already dipped into it and it's drool worthy!