Precious memory or Junk?

Yesterday was a big cleaning day and I tackled my closet for the first time in a year. I try to do it every year around spring cleaning time but sometimes I push it off for a few extra months, like this year.
After getting it done and put back together, I had a long sit down outside under the stars. Yeah it was a long 12 hour day, no it wasn't all on just the closet. While sitting there and reviewing what all I had gotten into and saved, I got to wondering about what will happen to all my stuff when I die.

I've always been one to know that yes I could die at anytime. I might not wake up or I might have a tree fall on me or worse I might cut myself so bad that I bleed to death before help could arrive. My point is you never ever know just how or when you will go. I guess this thinking process has come to mind cause hubby's coworker went home to find his wife had died of a stroke at 45 last week.

I have watched families fight and pick over loved ones possessions sometimes to the point of fighting. In a way I understand that, the item has precious memories attached to them or they know it was something precious to their loved one.

I look around at my "stuff" and wonder does anyone know why this or that was precious to me, why I continue to keep it and not just chunk it away. Well to tell ya the truth I really don't know why I keep somethings cause when I do die it is just going to be a house of junk that no one will understand and will probably throw it all away.

As I don't have any children of my own that shared in the memories of why I have what I have, I wonder the logic of keeping anything at all. Maybe I should wrap up my items individually with a note as to why it was important to me.

That washcloth isn't just any washcloth, it was knitted by my blind great grandmother!
That rose necklace (yes it was from AVON) used to hang around my grandmother neck.
That purple rock in the shape of an egg was given to me by the hubby's father.
That green scratchy baby blanket was mine made by my birth mother. 
That 80's skin tight dress was from me and my best friend back in our teens.
GAWD forbid if anyone EVER throws away my Bon Jovi t-shirt!!! (I think I will request to be wearing it!)
ect..ect.. So many things to the unknowing that will be just junk.

Soo, for those of you with children to pass your precious items to, let them know what they are and why they mean something.


 

Home Canning for the first time!

A little continuation of "Blessings on the Table".

I sit here and I am just beaming with warmth from the generosity my landlord keeps giving. When we had to move in 08', we were thoroughly blessed to find this place and to have such a wonderful couple to rent the lot from.

In the last month he has given me bags of zucchini, squash, tomatoes and plums. The first batch of zucchini and squash he gave us was mostly all eaten but sadly I did have to throw some away cause they were starting to spoil. The bag of cherry tomatoes he gave to hubby were nearly all eaten but again some spoiled. This bothered me...alot. I hate throwing away food especially in these hard times. Most of the time we eat what was prepared till it is gone, even if it means eating the same thing for a couple days. That is how much I hate wasting food!

Another bag of zucchini was left on the gate and yes I do love zucchini but I was burnt out on them by this point. Soo...

I figured it was high time to get over my fear and ignorance and learn how to do Home Canning. I'd been talking about it, thinking on it and wishing I knew where or how to begin. With some help from my friends pointing me in the right direction and sharing some cool links, I figured out what all I was going to need and where to get it. Hubby then surprised me with a shopping trip to get supplies for canning, I guess that was his way of saying "Stop talking about it and just do it already!"  Fear is a big thing...I let the supplies sit there for a day just trying to muster up the courage. I was so afraid I was going to ruin the zucchini and then it would have been all wasted...we all know how much I hate wasting food! I had to remind myself that if I don't at least try they are gonna go bad anyway.

Bravery on a Saturday afternoon! I turned the second batch of zucchini into Bread and Butter zucchini pickles! 

 I was soo excited when I finally started hearing the pops of the lids sealing, I was high 5'ing the air and doing a little dance! A success! Now my brain was working...what can I do next? (personally I think canning may be addicting)

The next day I decided to make jam with the wild blackberries (some folks call them Dewberries) I picked earlier this year and froze in quart bags. It was even simpler than the pickles (honestly I was surprised how easy but I did mess with the recipe a bit cause OMGoodness it called for ALOT of sugar) and yes I was again dancing in excitement at each lid popping. Mostly I was grinning from ear to ear cause, I mean..LOOK, I did this!!

The following day the landlord dropped of some plums. Now I am not a big fan of plums, matter of a fact I have never bought any and hadn't eaten one since I was still living with my parents (mom loves them).  I had NO idea what to do with them.

 

I wanted to make some plum butter butter after reviewing the recipes and realizing I don't have the spices and the recipes are nearly exactly like jam I opted to go with jam instead.

 

Let me tell ya the mashing of the plums through a strainer was kinda time consuming but I managed to get'r done! I wanted to make some plum butter butter after reviewing the recipes and realizing I don't have the spices and the recipes are nearly exactly like jam I opted to go with jam instead.

I just love the taste! Some of the plums weren't completely ripe so the jam as a sweet and slightly tarty taste...yumm! We have already gone through a jar! I gave the landlord and his wife a jar of each and received a call last night from them giving me rave reviews and in return I got another bag of plums! LOL! Hmmm...any suggestions???

 Let me give a shout out to Jen over at All Because 2 People Fell In Love. She was my inspiration to really get on the Ball and do it. (sorry about the pun, I couldn't help myself..LOL!)
 

A little morning with the Furries

I roll over and look at the clock. 6 hours, that's all. I am soo not going to get up. I lay there, eyes wide open. I look down at the cat laying on my feet, he's staring right at me, probably waiting to see what I am going to do. Stitch noticed I waved to Whiskers. Yup, I'm awake but I ain't getting up! Haha oh yes you are! Lick lick, bounce bounce, step on your hair! Okay okay, let me up. Giggles.
What is it with a dog, as soon as they realize your eyes are open you MUST get up! LOL! Makes ya wonder how long they have been laying there watching you...I just got a creep vibe. Maybe it's best not to know!

I cautiously put my weight on my knee...hmm seems to be fine so far, this might actually be a good day. (Just in case ya didn't know, my left knee has been pretty bothersome for awhile now) I stroll out to the kitchen... coffee, microwave, computer, dog out, bathroom, back to microwave, back to computer for one click, coffee fixed up and out to the porch I go. (yes, I am still smoking only outside. It's going well and still down to smoking around 8 - 12 cigs a day.)

Good morning momma (kitty)! We sit there sipping, puffing, petting and purring. Grr..that black cat is in my yard again. I can't run it out cause of my knee and being barefoot. I look down at momma and asked "Why you keep letting that cat in my yard?" she purrs. (eye roll with a giggle)

Chaquita comes out, stands there at the top of the stairs and scans the yard. She sees the neighbors dogs and growls, barks and runs. I busted out laughing! She sees these dogs EVERY single day and yet she acts like they are complete strangers. Cracks me up!  

I come back inside, Whiskers is eating. I start this post. I can hear Whiskers getting some water, I can hear Whiskers urping (throwing up) (he does this often).  Ohh man...Whiskey. I grab a paper towel, clean up the mess, pat him on the head and tell him...I don't know how you are soo fat when you do this all the time! LOL!

You wondering about Taco and Peachy? Well they still haven't gotten up yet. I take my blessing when I can get them! Haha


 

"Have I done anything significant in the last ten years?"

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the day hubby should have been killed by that pipe that whacked him across the head and cracked two vertebra in his neck, busted his eardrum, broke his ear and a hairline fracture on the skull. This has left him in a strange mood today. I'm sure it didn't help matters that he had to put our cat down today, I know how much that pains him to have to do that.

He asked me a very powerful question that I at first didn't know what to say to.

"Have I done anything significant in the last ten years?"

I hadn't realized it had been 10 years since the accident, I didn't grasp to what he was referring to or looking for. I asked stupid stuff like...you mean around the house, for us or generosity towards others?.

In general, he says. Like what have I done with the 10 years I shouldn't have had.

I was stumped.

But then I blurted out... you've been wonderful to me, you provide and are constantly doing things for me! AND hey we ended up getting married 6 years ago, that wouldn't have happened if you had died. PLUS you've had grand babies, to which he replied with a "that would've happened anyway". I countered it with "that you have been able to see and they have had the opportunity to love you. You also might want to think on this...it would have been torture for your parents to have had to bury their son.  After a few moments of reflecting on these he agreed I was right.

AND now that I have had a few moment to reflect on this, I have come to the conclusion that it really isn't a matter of what you have done with your time it is that you were here for that time and just your presence has an impact on those around you.