Good Morning Everyone, from the
warm  (in the upper 70's) and slighly more
humid,  rocky coast of Maine.   

I have my AC on (put it on in the middle of the
night) to accommodate the higher humidity,
which we have today.  For us here on the 
rocky coast, comfortable weather is all about
the humidity (which today is going to be higher
today)

I think that I will go out for a walk before
the temps go up.   

Have a good day,  everyone.
Sandy

Phyllis, quite often its these short trips out, or the most basic of places, that turn out meaning the most to us....we never know who we will meet to have some short chats with, or longer conversations with....and some can leave a lasting impression on us.....Its so refreshing to pop out, then come home happy in the fact that we did pop out to that place in the first place, often stopping off somewhere new on the return journey, just some advertising sign notice we spot, that draws us in...if you understand what I mean...
We have something over here called a " Black Forest Gateau...."

Hi everyone.  Another ditto day as far as the weather goes.  Our Weather Station said we got to 104 degrees yesterday.  It was a very busy day as I got out early and took care of 5 errands.  When I went to take the wrong sized window back they realized they had made mistake in ordering and said they would order the correct window and told me just to discard the window.  I measured our windows and it won't fit any of them so have it on the street for city pickup this morning. However, the hardware store just called and asked if I still have it as they had given me someone else's window and mine to the other person.  So I recovered it from the street and the lady said she would be out to pick it up and if not I will just take it back.  Hopefully they can recover mine.

We enjoyed a nice lunch with Scott at Ruby Tuesdays and later last evening he came out for awhile.  Nothing out of the ordinary on tap for today.  I will go to coffee and then the Wisdom class and then spend the rest of the day taking it easy.

Hal, I see you were multi-tasking with the yard man and your SIL.  Keep up the good work. 

Jackie, glad those tests are over for you.  It sounds like you had a lovely lunch. 

Gloria, when I worked at our Calvin Cove at our church, which provided care for those that couldn't be left alone, I saw some of those Meals on Wheels meals and do remember the lack of color on them.  At my folks Senior Center in Missouri the meals were great.  I just picked two more tomatoes this morning from our two plants.

Lloyd, your fresh produce sounds wonderful.  At least the rain gives you time for the inside things like the canning or freezing and perhaps a little more time of relaxation.

JaneS, I hope having your daughters around for the weekend move will help cheer you up. 

Gloria, I have never heard a mockingbird,would love to hear what it does!! We did have whippoorwills but I haven't heard any in a long long time now.
My senior and his wife used to get Meals on Wheels but he had a special name for them "Trash For Cash" I saw some of the meals and the mystery meat/vegetables they put in it.....no thank you!!!

Jackie, early bird gets the worm.

Janie--I wish you nothing but smiles at work.

Good morning, Joy.  I don't think they have anything here like your "Peak Awards".  If they do, it's certainly not advertised.

Phyllis--Good morning.  How nice you got out yesterday.  Your mention of the various pastries makes my mouth water.  I'll take one of each, please.

Good morning, Sandy.  As you know we have many months when we have VERY high humidity.

Vanilla-Jackie--I'd like to search out some new places, but with the weather so hot this time of year, I have to mostly staying inside with the a/c.

Larry--Good morning.  What a fiasco over that window.  Nice that you, Pat and Scott could have dinner together at Ruby Tuesday's.

Amy--When my father could no longer prepare his own meals, we got "Meals on Wheels" for him.  After about a week I called him to ask how that was working out (he lived 2,000 miles away) and he said the 3rd time they came he told them not to come back.  According to him they were like eating shoe leather. 

Oh, Amy, I do love to hear the mocking birds.... we've had some here that can go on & on without a repeat of any song.  One time when visiting my husband's mother, a mocking bird seemed to follow my husband where ever he went, drove him nuts with it's constant singing.  We usually left in the dark, "someone" in the family was always in a rush to get home, and stop for a nap in the car at the visitor center near Paducah,KY, to miss the rush hour traffic going through St.Louis.  Would you believe that a mocking bird sat in the tree near our car & kept going through it's routine until my husband gave up & we left. 

Jackie, after 30 years in this house I still keep night lights in the hall between bedrooms and entry hall and another in the hall to the kitchen/family room.  The builders must have been laughing their heads off when they put this place together, rooms jutting out at every angle.  Good luck with what the tests turn up, I had a history of all "female" troubles & kept putting the doctors off of surgery & finally got an all clear, hope you can get off as easy. 

Watch out Lloyd, we just had a sudden storm come through with winds clocked at 80 mph at the airport... sheets of rain & quite a few without power right now.  One semi truck blown over on a highway that runs through town.  Really a fast blast & more to come, hopefully not as wicked.  Will have to check out your Amish store next time I go through, I'm always looking for apples to bring home.  Mo used to have the best, Grimes Golden Delicious.... for making pies.  Hardly needed any sugar they were so sweet. 

Larry, good your trash service didn't come early!  People mixing up happens more often than we think.  My husband & our 10 year old son had X-rays of their teeth at the same time (same dentist).... and next time I took my son for the fillings the dentist was telling me that "those wisdom teeth needed to come out" and which teeth needed fillings.  Took me a few minutes to realize what was going on.... he was holding my husband's X-rays, quite a difference between a 10 year old that didn't have even a start of wisdom teeth.  We found another dentist.  I've never been to Ruby Tuesdays, what do you recommend?

Our real time temp was 101 yesterday with "feel like" of 108 & 110.  Not comfy, the humidity felt like someone sitting on me.  I don't like summer and hate the thought of at least a couple more months of this.  Doesn't seem as bad when it cools down at night & can open the house for fresh air.  I really have a problem with being "caged". 

Joan, when in high school cooking class we made Eggs Benedict.... but since each team of girls took one item to "put in the pot".. I have no idea what all went in or how it tasted.  We weren't required to eat it.  Guess I will Google to see what I've been missing all these years.  I was not the best student in "Home Ec" class. 

Phyll, there is a place in Wichita that started as a bakery but serves soups & sandwiches now.... that made cream puffs like my mother did, the old French way. The bakery that used to make the same type cream filling long ago closed, good thing, any time I was on that side of town I would pick up half a dozen & eat them all the way home, then share the ones left with my husband (never told him how many I had already eaten).  Need to check & see if that place is still open, will get carry out.  My friends are always on a diet & that's not exactly diet food. 

Have a great day, everyone.... Gloria, talking about apples, will your son have any this year "for the family"?  I enjoyed your photos and descriptions of each variety... could almost taste them.

Joan, my father said the same.... he loved home cooking and very picky about who/whom did the cooking!

We also have meals on wheels here in UK, have to admit I have never heard of anyone who actually does have them delivered but we also have advertised another home delivery called Wiltshire Farmfoods, seems as if its based on the same principal....The advert for these home delivery meals are done with comedian Ronnie Corbett but....my betting is he has never eaten one of these meals in his life......he can afford the best...

Joan, that saying brings back memories, I remember my father referring to something being eaten..." as tough as old leather..."

Link... http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/taking-care-of-mealtimes?gclid=CI7-8OKj880CFS8z0wod1_wDDQ

Canning Peaches.  Does anyone do "pickled peaches"  I haven't seen them for years and I loved them.  With all the cloves and spices.  I could have eaten the whole jar if they had let me.   

I was trying to remember how we used slip the skins off peaches.  Seems like we scaled them and then placed them in cold water and the skins would just slip right off.  But I may have left out something.

Good morning from another bright sunshiny day in the Interior! We are again to be in the upper eighties today and hopefully keep some of that rain further out!

Hal, when you mentioned the peaches, I remembered the cloves and that both my Missouri and my Kansas Grandmothers made those as well as my mother and one long time, thirty years, next door neighbor as well. I went Googling and found several recipes similar to what I remember and this one is very close. If I recall, the peaches were dumped quickly in and then out of a boiling water bath. My Kansas grandmother, when she died, at 100 years, had an entire room filled with jars upon jars of canned goods. Jars brimming with color and goodness!

I think I will try this and bring back some memories.
http://www.food.com/recipe/pickled-peaches-11826

Larry your comments about Meals On Wheels reminded me of my experience using their services.  When I was discharged from the hospital I wasn't fit to go  shopping so I ordered Meals on Wheels. The price was extremely affordable and they delivered food by volunteers. However, I found that the meals were only a tad better than the meals they served in the hospital so I gave up on them and went into respite care. But those folks do a good thing and for folks on a low budget they are quite adequate.

Hal,  you had it right...... how to skin a peach.   Easy to do!

And, yes, I do remember eating pickled peaches. It seems my aunt used to make them and they were good.  I will have to look for them at a couple of the farmer's markets I get to.  I know my aunt always made pickled watermelon rind.  They were good, also.  You only use the white part of the watermelon,... (not the rind).  Took time to trim all the white away.

I wasn't never into canning.  I canned peaches one time, and I wound up throwing them all away.  I was so afraid that I hadn't done them right and they would cause us all to get sick.  Never tried again.  My mother did a little bit, but not much.  My aunt used to make her own ketchup.  To me it was too watery.  I have to stick with Heinz ketchup as they are who pay all my bills.   My husband retired from there after 30 years.  They were a great company to work for.  He took a little cut in his pension when he retired so that he would get a raise every year.  He has been gone for 10 years,  and I still get that raise.  I am sure things are a lot different now with the new owners.  Cannot believe after several generations that the family sold the company.  I am sure old H.J. is rolling over in his grave.  LOL

Good luck on finding some of the pickled peaches.

Joy

Patricia,  thanks for the recipe for the Pickled Peaches.  Sure is easy enough.

However,  it didn't say anything about processing them?   Do you think they would keep ok by not processing them?   

If so,   I sure might try some of them.

And, Hal, they are easy enough,  that you could make some, also.

Joy

Good Morning everyone ! We're all in our places, with sunshiny faces, and this is the way….to start a new day ? Sing along my friends..we have another chance to make our lives worthwhile. Or as a wise person once said, "How do you justify your existence"? That one sure brought me up short. I still don't know the answer.

Jackie, I do hope you can get some satisfactory answers from your G.P. I am making a written list to ask my doctor next visit we have. She comes here once a month. My appt. is the 27th. so it is necessary for me to have a list..I would never remember all my questions without one.

Bis, I am so happy that you got some extra sleep this morning, that is so refreshing to wake up all by yourself at a later hour.

Jane, a busy day ahead for you. I am glad your daughter is just moving across town and not far away. It feels so good to have Gary and Dori just 20 minutes away from me, instead of two hours.

Gloria, it is good to take a "time out" and just be lazy. Better than being in a hospital bed where you cannot do what you want, but just lay there and wait for a tomorrow to happen. We have no rain at all in sight for us and it is so badly needed.

Hal, my mother loved to can, even in hot summer days in Mn. she fired up the cook stove and boiled jars and food stuffs. One time, she asked me to can peaches for her. She could no longer do it herself, so she sat in a chair and directed me..this was when I was in my sixties or more..but it worked. She got her jars of home grown peaches, and was so thankful.

Phyllis, You are blessed to have such a great son. I know you prize him as I do mine. I'm glad you had a day at the Mall. I can enjoy just sitting and do some people watching. Not as restful as sitting by a nice quiet stream in the forest, but people watching is like reading a good book.

I must cut this short, and get dressed. We have a program of Music Bingo in less than half an hour.
So……..ta,ta.

Shirley--I have night lights all over the house.  That way I don't have to fumble for light switches when I am wandering around during the night.

Vanilla-Jackie--Those meals in your link look tasty plated, but wonder what they REALLY taste like.

halkel--I remember my fraternal grandmother had pickles peaches in her canning cellar.

angelface--The peaches in your link sound good, but I wouldn't go to the trouble of making them.

Radioman--I guess if a person got hungry enough they'd eat the Meals on Wheels.

Joy--If you decide to make those peaches, could you please put some in the "hidey hole"?

June--It did seem nice to wake up a bit later.  Enjoy your "Music Bingo".

Joy, I went back and looked and you're right about no type of processing. Perhaps in that method, it is not needed? I remember, but not why or wholly, that my mother would plunge the peaches with a slotted spoon into a boiling water bath and then into one with ice water. She almost always used the water method of canning as a finishing

I was drafted along with my sisters into working the garden, picking the fruit or vegetables and preparing the meat or foodstuffs. So much so that I swore never to do it again after leaving home. Now, of course, I regret that as I remember the finished product fondly but not how that was reached!

In 2014, I became very allergic to a chemical or chemicals in processed, convenience, or microwaved foods.  I sometimes become violently ill, and a hospital is very expensive, so I've learned to cook clean and to attempt to relearn what my parents tried to teach me so long ago. There is, I'm sure, a saying about that somewhere. But it is another thing I've forgotten!

June, how do you justify your existence is another old saying, "actions speak louder than words." One of my father's famous last words to any arguments with us!

angelface--Being that you are so allergic to chemical(s), I understand why you choose to cook clean.

I remember the grown ups talking about canning accidents where the pressure cookers exploded.  They always made sure all the safety gizmo's were working.
My Dad's mother is the one who made the pickled peaches and they were good.
She also made a triple layer coconut cake that was outstanding.  That a cold glass of buttermilk was to die for.

Joy, I don't even know where I could buy a bushel of peaches without heading into the hill country to some of the groves up there.  I did put up peaches one year in Canada, when we first bought a deep freeze.  But I froze them and they were good.  I also put up some corn on the cob.  Actually I have thought maybe doing some corn on the cob in the microwave and freezing them in our small freezer.  But since the dentist just worked on a front tooth and told me to take special care in eating anything I had to use a lot of pressure, may not be a good idea.  Ah, the joy (no pun intended) of aging.  But still have most of my own teeth.

I remember going out to my Dad's mothers place after she had died and they were fixing to sell the place and going into the cellar of the smoke house and Granny had shelves of canned goods.  No telling how old some of it was.  Even some home made wine my Grandfather had put up before he died in 1942.  More than likely just vinegar it was so old.

Joy, if you intend to eat the peaches within a few days it probably is only necessary to put them in the fridge and no boiling water bath would be necessary.  But, if you put them up for use several months away then I definitely would process the filled jars in a boiling water bath.  That will seal the air out and inhibit bacterial growth.  My mother canned everything she could.  I still remember the rows and rows of jars of beautiful fruit and vegs. lined up on the shelves in the basement.  I brought home a bag of peaches today but they need to ripen on the counter for a couple of days and then I'll turn them into peach cobbler.....no canning for me.  Too much work and it's too hot! 

Joan, I think you and I ought to get together (and anyone else who wants to come along) and go to the bakery and buy one of everything!  We'll put them in the hidey hole and sneak something delicious to have with a cup of tea every afternoon.  It might help you put on that little bit of weight that you would like to have.  I could probably stand to lose about 10 lbs, or more, but my doctor says if my BP is ok and I feel good then I don't need to worry about it too much......so, I don't.  I figure that at my age I deserve to do what I want to do.

The Ball Blue Book (my canning bible) says that pickled peaches are to be processed 20 minutes in a boiling water bath.  They do sound good!  Peach season is almost over here. 

When I left Cathy's new house, the moving was almost complete.  Now they have to begin to organize.  I don't envy her that job!  I don't ever plan to move out of this house.  While I was over there, someone said, "You had to pick the hottest day of the summer to move.  I sure don't feel like doing this today!"  I said, "Neither do I and I'm not going to!"  One of the perks of old age. 

I have to think about something for supper.  I don't know if they are coming back here or not.  When I left they were discussing pizza.  If I'm lucky, that's what they decided.  But just in case, I checked my freezer.  I'm OK. 

Keep cool Everyfriend!

Jane you are always so helpful and informative. My mother used a pressure cooker many times but she also used a large kettle with a rack for the jars. Do you have any information on what those are? The kettle I mean.

I do not do much as I only have the typical freezer on top although I do make my own pickles, ketchup, (not watery!), mayo, yogurt, and a few other items from recipes that are quick and easy for small batches. And of course, I freeze so much.

One simple thing that cuts costs is simple syrup which is the basis for so many alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. It is simply equal parts water and sugar boiled together and kept in the fridge for three weeks. For lemonade, I put in two tablespoons of real lemon juice, one cup sugar, and one cup water on to boil. You use very little of the syrup, personal preference, and then add water. You may then add fruit, berries or alcohol to taste. It's miles away from the supermarket mixes and at least two-thirds less in price!

Joan, they told me the first time in the emergency room that it is a chemical used in preserving the convenience or processed food and they have seen an increase in these types of allergies. Unfortunately, I am beginning to have symptoms in foods such as canned fruit and canned soups.

They are not sure what chemical or chemicals specifically cause this, but it is also happening with foods from fast food places particularly McDonalds so these chemical preservatives are causing issues with more folks but especially I was told babies, toddlers, and seniors in their experience.

Patricia, I still have one of my mother's canning kettles.  She had two, a large one for quart jars and a smaller one for pint jars as well as a Presto pressure cooker. 

The kettles are black graniteware with a rack that held the jars and a handle to lift them out of the kettle.  I checked Amazon and they still have them for sale which was kind of surprising as I didn't think many of the young people do much canning.

I quit canning when I got my freezer.  It was a lot easier to freeze things rather than stand over a hot stove!

Mary

AF, your mothers pot was probably a blue granite water bath canner.  There have been two sizes available for more years than we have on us.  I have one that used to belong to my mother and I'll never give it up.  All it is, is a large straight sided, flat bottomed kettle with a rack to hold up to 7 jars and a lid.  I use mine to sterilize the jars while I'm preparing the food to put in them and then I put the prepared jars back in and make sure there's enough water to cover them and bring it back to a boil and process the time suggested in my Ball Blue Book...my canning bible.  There are many new canners on the market but old blue granite ones are still available.

Note:  mine are blue granite, Joy and they still have them at Wal-Mart and some of the hardware stores, too.

My daughter and granddaughter came and left again.  They are meeting some of Cindy's friends for some kind of concert in a park nearby.  They'll be back to sleep here tonight.  They asked me to go along but that's not my thing.  Cindy brought me wedding pictures.  That's my thing!

Sorry, that was Mary that beat me to the draw...not Joy. 

Patricia, my mother also used the big "tub" with rack to hold the jars apart to can.  I loved the pickled peaches. Twice made picklelilly because I had lots of green tomatoes.  Cost a fortune to buy all the other stuff, looked great, smelled just like Mom's and tasted like it.  First time I had to take my husband to the Dr before time was up for the water bath, neighbor that gave me the recipe also loaned me the big pot.  Since I turned it off before time, I was chicken about feeding to anyone after the first few days so took the jars out to the garden and returned the stuff to the ground.  Killed me to empty all those jars.  Next time I cooked it & put in jars to seal but was afraid the person I got that method from might have forgotten some of the steps so dumped those jars as well.  Never again, like some of you, I remember the taste & smell but never learned the "how to".

Yep, Jane, dark blue granite with little white specks, huh?  I think my daughter was given most of Mother's recipe books, including the Ball canning one.  Mother loved having her visit & always sent her home with stacks of what was Mother's treasures... mainly her recipe books. 

Mary, I still use a pressure cooker often but got a smaller one than my old Presto.  This one is stainless steel.  I retired the old one since it needed another rubber gasket & cost as much (almost) as the new stainless one.

I agree with the problems of preservatives in foods... I've been on a tomato & fresh corn kick & have a feeling what has caused my rash & maybe the cough.... we all know when there's no bugs in fresh food something has been implanted in the seeds or sprayed ... a real catch 22.  I still shudder at the thought of those worms under the silks of corn~  haven't seen one in years.

halkel--Nice memories.

Phyllis--GREAT idea for the two of us to go to that bakery and buy one everything. 

Janie--I don't blame you for going home and letting the rest of them complete the moving.  Pizza would be a good choice for the gang.

angelface--That's too bad you are developing even more allergies to foods with preservatives.

MaryTX--I never canned.  As kids we did have to help my mother.

Shirley--You'd better cut back on the tomatoes and corn.

One thing a friend mentioned to me Shirley, he was from Joplin, is the aerial spraying that is done with pesticides and "Roundup." This is from up in the air and gets on more than just the fields and also has killed birds and animals. I wonder if this may be part of the increase in allergies?

Also as Lloyd has mentioned, the GMO types of engineered foods.

Jane and Mary, my mother's kettle was gray, but now I have some places to look. I'm not interested in large batches, but saving some for the winter months has an appeal. Especially with the monthly farm shares, I receive in the summer and fall.

I also got rid of my nonstick cookware that was scratched and have changed to one large and one small cast iron pan and one 12" electric skillet. I have one medium size pot and three large pots for the cooking to the freezer mixes. I also use a slow cooker and rice maker and that is the extent of my downsized kitchen. I may add a small pressure cooker and canning kettle to that

One upside to clean eating is that I've lost 25 lbs. of stubborn weight and really only have 33 to go and I'm not dieting.

Joan, I just wish I knew what the chemical is as it changes eating out and with friends and you don't want to make a fuss so you stay home.

There were a few years when I didn't can a lot because I had two big freezers in the basement.  Plus I had a side-by-side in the kitchen.  But when I moved here, all I had was the top freezer on the fridge that they left here for me.  No place to put any of the big freezers I had before.  So, little by little, I began to can more and more of summer's bounty and discovered that I like it a lot better than frozen stuff.  When I can open a closet and a jar of home made veggie soup is staring me in the face on a cold January day, there's no doubt in my mind that the time making it and canning it was well spent.  I love to see all those goodies and I'm very slow putting them away when they are done.

Shirley, if the lids had gone down on your jars and they didn't click when you pressed on them, they were safe to keep for up to a year.  Pickles keep even longer.  Anything with vinegar in it will keep.  Go out and dig that stuff up!

Patricia, if you only want to do a few jars of something and one of your large pots has a lid, I'll let you in on a trick you can use so you don't have to go out and buy a canner. 

Jane, my largest pot is a thre in one combo, pot, strainer and lid. It is width, 7" and depth, 10". It was my go to spaghetti  pot before I went to clean eating.

At this point in my life,  I won't be doing any kind of canning.  First of all,  I can't stand as long as it takes to get everything ready.  Plus, I don't have that big of a pantry to keep too many extras. 

If I do decide to do some of the peaches, I will cut that recipe down and only do a few and just keep them in the fridge. They will get eaten pretty quickly.

I got a lot of "stuff" done today while not having the computer or the TV one.    I had turned the air off and I was very comfortable all day.  For one thing, I don't get any sun during the afternoon.  The time for the energy saving was from 1 to 7 and I turned the TV back on about 6:45 to see the end of the news   I will be interested in knowing how much I will have saved on my electric bill.

Have a good evening.

Joy