Hello Blogland, This is your long-lost blogger, Cranberry Morning. I decided that even though I've not been out getting new photos with my real camera, I'll put up a few pics that I took with my not-so-smart phone.
That fencing you see above is the gate to our garden. The brick is standing in the gap between the post and the gate to try to keep out the bunnies. It seems to work relatively well.
I have about a dozen tomato plants, but they're determinates so they are all getting ripe at about the same time. (Determinates or determinants?) I'd really like to open-kettle can them. Does anyone still do that? I know that the County Extension Office strongly advises against it because the 'new' hybrid tomatoes are not as acidic as the 'heirloom' tomatoes were. But if I add a tablespoon of lemon juice to each quart, can't I still open kettle? It would be so much more convenient, because at this point I'm not hauling heavy things up and down (where there's a second range) the stairs, and my kitchen range on the main floor is a ceramic top, so I don't want to use the pressure canner on it. I've heard that they can crack from the sustained heat of canning. Okay, you're right, I'm rambling, and it's not your problem. Sorry.
Terrible photo, nice dog.
Above is the view to the southeast from our front porch. I know I tend to put too many photos of views from our porch or our back deck on Instagram, but I happen to love those views, and besides, if I came across something better, I'd be sure to share to post that too.
At the end of last month, we were at our daughter's home, celebrating the SIXTH birthday of Henry. What a fun kid. What a Lego lover! What a Minecraft lover! Anyway, it seems impossible that it's been six years since that little guy was born.
This was Henry on his introduction to winter, back in 2010. That's kinda how I feel about winter, Henry.
Can I ever publish a post without a barn? Not usually. And I like the star on the front of this one. I hope everyone has been well and enjoyed a great summer. My summer was non existent, so I'm going to try to make the most of autumn and hope that it lasts about six months.
Trying to ease back into Blogland.. maybe.
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37 comments:
love that baby pic and the birthday boy has really grown up since then. the view, the view, I love the view from your porch. ha ha on the brick bunny blocker. love that to.
I don't know what open canning is. my mother put her tomatoes in jars with lids and put them in a canner with a lid and sat it on the gas fire outside and it boiled, then she removed them in a wire thingy and we listened to the pops top and if they did not they were not usable. is that open canning?
Hello, happy birthday to Henry! He is a cute boy! I love the sweet Jazzie too. You have a beautiful view from your porch. Great barn shot. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!
loved henry's photo! haha! sweet jazzie. i loved your view - so impressively beautiful.
Enjoyed your post very much. LOVE that front porch view; I can see why you keep taking photos of it. Exquisite. Don't stop sharing.
And that grandson of yours -- he's such a cutie pie. Love that smile over the birthday cupcakes.
Wishing you a beautiful week...
Brenda
I'm pretty sure I would agree with Henry on the winter issue where you are. LOL Heny and Harry are my two favorite names for boys! I was begging Reni and Evan to name Baby M one of those if she had been a boy but they were going to go with Charles Richard (that part after my dad who nearly cried when he found out. And then he said, "But it won't be a boy." Because he's dad to me and granddad to all girls. Even my step-brother and his sweet wife had two girls!) and call him Charlie. That's ok too but I love Henry and Harry. :) Talk about a tangent. LOL I have no idea the things of which you speak about open-kettle canning so, no help here. I loved helping my grandmother can way back in the day but I've not been brave enough to try it except once. It was successful but my green thumb is lacking. Anyway, I always love the shots from your porch! Keep 'em coming! You live in such a beautiful area! I know, I've said that before. It's so true!
What sweet shots.
My goodness, I would be taking photos from my porch all the time if I lived where you are! That is truly stunning. Have a wonderful week my friend x
Hi Judy, I love all your photos-especially the landscape with the hillside. It is so fun to have grands getting older, though they are cute as baby's too. Hope you have a great day!
Noreen
It is SO good to see you back!! I love your photos, from wherever they come (camera or phone) and of whatever you shoot! The tomatoes look delicious. I have no idea about how safe it is to open-kettle can since I'm not sure what that is. The last time I canned spaghetti sauce, I just boiled the filled jars in my big pasta pan, on my ceramic top stove. I've never used a pressure cooker. Worked fine. That is one fine looking six-year old!! :)
The photo from your porch is crying to be framed - it's gorgeous!
Oh that photo from your porch is just beautiful.
Belated good wishes for your grandson's birthday.
Enjoy the month of September
All the best Jan
Glad to hear from you!
Nice to have you back, Judy. I know it's been a tough summer for you. I'm up to my ears in tomatoes, too. Not complaining, though. "Happy Birthday" to Henry. Can we have 'favorites' when it comes to blog friend's grands? lol I've always thought he was adorable. My favorite season is upon us so I'm hoping for six months of it, too. Deb
I had a very nice, well written comment about your porch views, Jazzie's smorgasbord, Henry's photo, your next six months and then Snickers walked up . . . set her paw on my iPad and I lost the whole comment . . . So . . .
Great post . . . I love your porch views, no matter what camera . . .
Wishing you Happy Autumn . . .
The view from your porch is outstanding! Just gorgeous! I certainly enjoy seeing it. And that grand is the cutest. His last photo made me laugh out loud. Be careful with your canning Judy. I'm glad to see you here today. ♥
Glad to see your post. I love the view from your front porch! Enjoyed the cute pics of the kids, too!
I love your photos, and your view is amazing. I have no idea about canning. I don't know how, even though my mother use to can. xoxo Su
I've enjoyed this post. Every single photo tells a story. Love the photos of your grandson as a little one and now celebrating his sixth birthday. The countryside around your home is beautiful. The photo of the view from your porch looks like a painting. I can relate to getting back into blogging after a time of being out of action. Wishing you well.
Glad you are back Judy!! I love your posts and those pictures from your porch are gorgeous. I love the name Henry as it is a family name in our family and it is Baylor's first name. Your Henry is such a cutie and sounds like he and my Landon would have a blast playing together as they like the same things. Hope you are becoming more mobile and improving every day!!
Oh My Goodness! That view from your front porch is sooo gorgeous. I am afraid I'd find myself sitting out there all day. And happy birthday to that little cutie! Time flys. Enjoy your week!
The pictures are wonderful and OMG that view and I love the barn too.
Happy Birthday Henry!!!!
I'd say you've eased back into blogland smoothly Judy. The only tomato canning I did was chili sauce and it was always open kettle as I don't own a pressure cooker. Lucky me found a Mennonite supplier of a sauce that is almost identical to my recipe, just a little runnier so I don't make it any more.
The view from your front porch is very nice, different days, different things to see so why not share them?
Barns are part of farm country and it's emotional comfort when I reach the big sheep farm and barns where I turn off the main road to head to our pocket village.
Henry is a sweetie and they do grow fast, our youngest grand will be 9 this year, hard to believe!
Nice to see you easing. I wonder if I've been reading you long enough to have seen that photo of Henry as it looks familiar. And did you ever do your canning?
Oh my that VIEW photo took my breath away; it looks like an oil painting, and then the kids are so darn cute :)
I can tomatoes in glass jars in a big kettle on the stove...not in a pressure cooker. So I assume that means 'open kettle' but I am not sure :) Then when the lids 'pop' the jars are safe. That's the only way that I know of.
No canning this year...planted more cherries than big ones because the grands like them so much but I am going back to more large tomato plants next year. I just picked the last 10 or so that were good....some bugs got to 5 or 6 :(
September got here really fast! Love your photos- very pretty ♥
summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
DOesn't feel like September..going to be in the 90's all week..maybe all month..Beautiful sky shot and those cupcakes look delish!!!
Love the views you post! I would be able to sit and stare all day! Happy Birthday to Henry. those cupcakes look delish. and so does that soap! lol! it looks good enough to eat! lol!
have a great day!
xoxo
vivian
The third photo, especially that one all golden, needs to be painted! So gorgeous and you captured
it at a particularly magical (Narnia magic) moment. You post that scene too often? You have heard of
Monet and his ponds and haystacks?
Well I read your ramblings about canning tomatoes with interest. I was not tempted to can tomatoes, but
now am wondering if the situation with reduced acid has any impact on freezing them, which I did do.
Would love to see you feeling up and at'em enough to be in Blogdom more often!
No idea about the canning I am afraid, it isn't something that is common here in the UK so no help from me! I would make them into tomato sauce and freeze it for future use in pasta sauces, soups etc, but that isn't any help to you is it! Sorry!! Happy Birthday to Henry! xx
Judy...the photo you posted of the view from your porch takes my breath away! Simply gorgeous! You are beyond lucky to take that in every day. Happy Birthday to your grandson...such a cutie!
What a gorgeous view you have Judy! I canned tomato sauce in an open kettle a few years back and then was too terrified to eat it. LOL I know what you mean about lugging the pressure cooker out. So heavy! I've missed reading your beautiful blog. So nice to drop in for a lovely visit.
Blessings,
Valerie
Beautiful photos, Judy! I've been MIA from Blogland, too, but have a little time today to "catch up." Love that picture of Henry in the hood--made me laugh.
So good to be back and to see you again! Those are stunning photos! The landscape with clouds is just amazing, I would love to have a porch like yours - it's like a gateway to heaven. I love the dreamy photo of Jessie in the yard sniffing the breeze; it is in line with my feelings about the coming autumn. Yes, it is hard to believe that the summer is over...
Judy, welcome back to Blogland! Don't ever apologize for putting up more photos of views from your back deck -- if I had that view, I'd never go anywhere or take any other photos! Happy Autumn!
It's so good to have you back blogging. Henry sure is cute. I love your view on your farm. What lovely land.
I love your porch views! I am a "porch girl" for sure. What did you decide on the canning? I grew up watching my Grandmas doing the canning in the late summer. It was HOT AS HECK and no air conditioning. But they carried on. They seemed to can EVERYTHING back then. Tomatoes, all kinds of fruits, even meats. I remember them making applesauce. And jellies of many flavors. I remember hundreds of cans of green beans! There were stored in neat rows in pantries, cellars, closets, kitchen cupboards. I'm sure they probably canned corn but mainly remember them freezing the corn. ? Although I watched all this, I dont know how to can. Never was taught the almost-lost art. But I do remember the can lids "popping". LOL
I will never get tired of looking at Wisconsin scenery, lucky you:). My dogs will stand still and twitch their noses when the wind picks up. Hope you're doing well with your new hip.
Kathleen in Az
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