Fun With Mail

A week or two ago I decided to try canning for the first time on my own, since living at home with my parents. When I was growing up, all summer long was canning, picking, shelling, blanching, freezing, weeding... we had a huge garden. It was a big job. I hated the heat from the canning and was afraid because I witnessed a jar or two exploding.

But, I decided it was time to face my fear and give it a try on my own.

First, you wash all the jars. (this was very satisfying)

Then, you boil everything, including the lovely yummy rhubarb-strawberry-apple preserves you decided to make.

Then, you fill the hot jars with the hot preserves, clean the edges, put the tops on, screw it down tight and turn it over to seal.

Then, if all goes well, you have lovely little jars of preserve. Apparently you are supposed to do a final hot water bath before you are officially "done," but I wasn't aware of this and didn't really have the equipment. So, hopefully there wasn't any botulism floating around my house.

So it turns out that Tammie had never tasted rhubarb. How can this be?!? This must be rectified at once! So I sent her a jar. Which apparently she then proceeded to hoard and not share with her children. I approve.

Then, a week later, I got a nice fat envelope in the mail from Miss Tammie. No, it wasn't a doctor's bill for the botulism case... it was this lovely little birdie clutch! She made this for me. I am so touched.

I love, love, love the grumpy owl on the inside flap. Isn't he adorable? I love this little bag so much. I am plotting what to put into it. Lipstick and a credit card? Paintbrushes? Birdseed?

Fun with the post! I love this! I sent off quite a few care packages last week, which was fun. It's so much fun to get packages in the mail.