Labour Day Weekend

My summers, for many years, have all been the same. First I go to  the trailer, then I  come home and do some  canning. This year is no different and so today started early with a trip to the market.

Locally, our most famous market is the Keady market.   http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.ca/2009/06/visit-to-keady-market.html

Each Tuesday year round, both local and far-away vendors set out their produce  in the Keady Market space.  Many of the vendors are Mennonite.  In addition to the great foods they produce, I, for one, enjoy a brief  glimpse into their very different way of life.

A friend and I go to Keady annually to get our canning supplies.  We leave home at 6:30 - first come, first served - get our supplies then wander and gaze at the bounty.

Back home by 10 with my table covered in produce,

I am ready to begin my annual canning spree.  Well re-begin as yesterday I did some dilled beans and some Strawberry Marmalade.

You will notice in the top photo a new appliance.  Thanks to Sandra of Curlerchick Blog, http://curlerchikparttwo.blogspot.ca/ who tipped me off to how helpful a food mill can be to the home canner. When I stopped at the store for jar lids they had very cleverly displayed the Food Mill right beside the lids. Too easy.  Hopefully it will shave hours off my home made spaghetti sauce. Thanks Sandra.

I  hope to have a year's supply of Chili sauce, Spaghetti Sauce, Peach Pie Filling,  Canned Peaches,  9 day Pickles, Dill Pickles and Salsa ready for the cold room shelves by the end of Labour Day Weekend. They don't call it that for nothing.

Home From the Holidays

We have a lovely back yard.  Lot of trees and green grass.  No other houses behind us.  But as I sit on the deck this morning to write this post, I have to say, I am missing the trailer. There,  the deck overlooks the lake making the trees and grass  at home poor by comparison.    This morning, though,  I have a dental appointment - work on my $3000 tooth - so home I am.

One of the things I do miss about home when at the trailer is the WiFi.  There is none at the lake.  Once home I spend hours on my computer, getting caught up from my summer of abstinence.  Yesterday was a day with Ravelry.  Is it just me or was there very little summer knitting? Fewer tank tops and little summer cardigans?    It seemed as if knitters carried on with hats, mittens, wraps  and  winter knits.  My summer was cooler and wetter than normal with fewer summer knits.  Perhaps it was the same for other ravelers.

Trailer laundry and unpacking is done. Canning recipes are on the counter.  The summer mail contained the flyer for the September KW Knitters Fair.  All signs that the summer of 2014 is ending.  Time to get back to routine and some serious knitting.  
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Monkey Business

Miss Abigail and I stopped into  the Napa Wool Tool Store in downtown Hearst last week. Sadly  for me, my friend Ruby and her hubby retired leaving the yarn store  under new management. Management- who perhaps knows it's market - has stocked the shelves with the likes of Red Heart and Canadiana

Appealing to a 12 year old it seemed, as Abi picked Canadiana in  variegated pinks and a pattern for a monkey hat.

With the model at a friend's house, Grandma got to try it on.