Jam = Win

Well this weekend was a wondeful one.  I seem to have fallen into a bad habit of posting only on the weekends, this will stop.  I am going to post during the week even if there is really nothing to say.   I made strawberry jam again, this time with great success.  I am so proud of my row of jelly jars in the cabinet.  Small steps, there are so many small steps, in this journey towards self sufficency.  I used pectin, but I added the full amount of sugar this time, delicious results.  We already plowed through the first jar.  The fruit all kind of floated up to the top, which isn't bad, it doesn't affect the taste one bit, but I want my fruit mixed evenly throughout, so next time I am going to let my jam cool a little bit before putting it in the jars.  I also am going to make sure to add butter the next time, as it was foaming like crazy.  I had a panic moment where I had to grab the pot and hold it over the sink as it threatened to boil over.  I am also going to try to make some apricot preserves so when I make my Brie, I can just grab some jalapenos from my plant, and a jar of preserves from the food pantry.  That will make my heart feel pretty warm and fuzzy.

Rainbow

The above picture is a rainbow that is a perfect circle around the sun.  It was so neat, but hard to see because well, you are staring at the sun.  I messed with the pic a little with one of my Iphone apps and it turned out super cool.  

The piano stool and I had a long overdue rendevouz today.  Ever since I bought it last year from a farm out in Waiamanlo on a rainy night,  I have been itching to get it re-upholstered.  I love the stool and it matches perfectly with my piano.  I finally mustered up the will power to see what was under all of the old ratty fabric.  The fabric had been nailed in place with what felt like hundred nails, all of them rusty and non cooperative.  It seemed that more was better to whoever did the fabric covering.  I took off the fabric only to discover an older fabric underneath, and the remains of a dead bug.  I think the second layer was from the 60's or 70's based on the color.  Pretty ick.  Under that was the foam padding and under that, the original piano stool wood.  The piano stool was made by Greenwood Co. circa 1860.  I love the original wood, but it is partially broken off on one side and replaced with new wood, so I am not sure if I am going to bother to try to restore it or if I am just going to leave it and re-upholster.  More on this will follow.  

The piano stool

Ick! so old

One final thing.  I am going to do a family cook book that will be published for Christmas this year! I am going to be going around and collecting favorite recipes from everyone.  I will be calling or snail mailing, and asking for them in the next couple weeks.  I am going to try to include a couple of recipes from everyone in different categories; main dish, dessert etc.   Aloha Oe