Pickles n Mint Jelly

Today I started my vacation.  Not that I don't like doing the work at the hospital - I truly do - but this time allows me to catch up on all those things that weren't done while I was working on the Quilt Show. 

Gloria's plan - all previously quilted by hand in red

I've been madly working away at a lovely quilt done by a friend from the bank, Gloria.  She started her first quilt 16 years ago and then decided to quilt it by hand.  I understand the motivation.  She lost her enthusiasm some time later when she'd done about 1/4 of the thing. (it's a double sized sampler quilt) After carefully stitching away on a frame at home, away it went to sleep in a closet or a drawer until about 4 months ago.  She hasn't done another quilt.  Too bad - she's really good at making quilt tops.

Last year she'd seen work done for one of her co-workers and asked me to help her out.  Well, as all you long-arm quilters probably know, this presents a whole raft of challenges but it's now on the table and things are coming along 'swimmingly'.  


That being said, all those things that were waiting for me to take vacation still wait patiently in the back of my head.
I've started weeding (O M G!!! You can watch them grow!) and had picked all the cucumbers before they became a lovely shade of yellow.  Then some dill, then some mint.  

Last night I pickled my husbands favorite Dill Pickle Slices.  As I was cleaning up the disaster area that always seems to occur in the process of the processing, my DearlyBeloved asked me if I liked doing the pickles.  I thought about it for a moment and (all you fellas with wives can sympathize with him during the 'answer a question with a question' scenario) asked him if he liked the canning results.  He said yes (as I had expected). 

Thinking about it for only a moment, I then told him that it wasn't just about getting the canned produce that was home-made, of course that was great, or using our own things from the garden, again - really great, but it was about making things that my loved one enjoyed.

Yes, I can buy really great pickles from the grocery store.  Yes, I can buy produce from the grocery store or local growers.  But when I see the look of pride in his eyes when he opens a jar - that's what gives me my reward.  (He also tends to horde them and hide them from the kids when they visit - that's how I really know he loves them)

Love that man of mine.  He's such a sweetheart.

That's why I made mint jelly for him this morning.  He loves that stuff!  Now I have to go out and save my garden from the weeds so I can get back to my quilting!