The handing down of customs from generation to generation.
My husband grew up with many family traditions. I love to watch him tell the boys stories about "when he was a kid". One favorite family tradition was their annual car trip back to Oklahoma for the family reunion. Once, they made a stop at the Grand Canyon. They all got out of the car to take a look...and after 2 minutes Poppy (my father in law) said "Okay, you have all seen it now get back in the car so we can get back on schedule."
Coming from a farming family there was a lot of time spent in the kitchen. Big breakfasts of biscuits, gravy and sausage. My mother in law makes THE BEST scrambled eggs. Why is it that farming wives are the best cooks? I have done my best to take one of the husbands favorite traditions and introduce it into our family.
Summer no longer seems complete without a day or two of slicing apricots...
Chopping them into little pieces...cups and cups and CUPS of little pieces...
Standing over the hot stove, stirring, stirring and stirring some more...did I mention that we do this in Summer??? The HEAT of summer?
And in the end...having beautiful jars of jam to share with our friends.
I will never forget the first time I joined in on this family tradition. I was 9 months pregnant and because I was ready to burst, my mother and sister in law gave me the job of stirring with the reasoning that I could sit on the stool and do it. Looking back...no air conditioning and being 102 that day...I don't think sitting had anything to do with it. They were breaking me in and they did a good job.
My mother in law no longer participates on those hot summer days but she still enjoys the bounty of our hard work. I wonder if one of my sons future wives will be interested in joining our little summer party. I think she will have to start off by stirring...
16 comments:
I just found your blog. It's wonderful and your art work in spectacular. Will be back. You are so creative and talented.
P
Oh Colleen...your jam looks wonderful! Do you do a lot of canning? I used to can everything...I don't do as much anymore, but I loved it when I did it.
Have a great weekend!
Nancy
Oh, yummy! Nothing is as good as home canned jam!
Hugs,
La Donna
Oooooooh, that jam looks delicious! I've never tried canning myself, but remember my Mother doing it....Thanks for the memories. :)
~ Carolee
What a wonderful tradition and what lovely jam. Thank you for sharing a family custom.
Blessings,
Doreen
Yum! I have only canned a few times in my life, many years ago, but your post brings back memories!
That;s a lovely story of traditions. The jam looks so yummy!!!
Ahhh, a woman after my own heart! Thank you for sharing, and visiting me! Beautiful!
WOW this so reminds me of my sweet grandma.. She had tons of fruit trees in her back back back yard and apricots were by best!! plums walnuts pomagranits peaches and we always had canned and jams and pies...These apricots are so beautiful and I can smell them.. OH, When will my cobbler be done???
SNIFF SNIFF!!
WeLL Darn its me again!! I wanted to let you know about my HUGE party open house new pages and fun at my blog commin up.. Would ya stop by to see??!! I can use all the help I can get to advertise it!!!!!
theSE PICS ARE yUMMy cOLLeeN,
LooKS LIKE YOU WERE iN APRICOTS UP TO YOUR ELBOwS..
NICE tRAdITiON Too mISS!
~cONnIE :>
Yum, makes my mouth water!!!!
Blessings,
Carol
I can almost smell that jam - it looks so wonderful. I remember it being over 100 degrees outside, sitting in front of the fan, and snapping an entire table-full of fresh green beans. I guess the really hot part came when my grandmother had to can them. That's about the time that I made my self scarce!
Teresa
Hello.........
Just the kind of jam I would like to get into.......great pictures!
I am looking forward to seeing you at Tinsel and Treasures......if not in the tasting room before.
Hi ya Colleen ~ Hope you are having a good week. :)
Best,
Chris
Start off by stirring...me, too.
D.
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