Would it be cliche if I asked "Just where does the time go?" I'm sure you are feeling it too - almost a fourth of November has come and gone and I'm left asking myself just what have I been doing all week! I purposely took a break from quilt-making. Not only was I feeling creativity blocked, but I knew I'd be busy with school activities, event planning, meetings, and appointments. More than once I felt a longing to return to my usual work with patches of fabric in plain fields of color, however there simply was no time for that. I had other things to do.
And just what do I have to show for my time away? On Monday a friend and I canned 47 pints of pasta sauce! Good Grief! Crazy, I know, but it's for a good cause. Our school will be having it's annual Holiday Sale next month and this is our contribution. I'd show you photos, but you've seen me post pictures of the process before. So I'll leave you with shots from another round of canning I did this week - Apple Pie Filling!
It's fitting that I start this month with a flurry of canning. November, the month of gratitude, and gathering, brings with it a renewed focus on cherishing the season's offerings. Despite living in an age where I simply don't need to stock up and prepare for a long winter, I still lovingly participate in this age old tradition. It forces me to slow down and be mindful... other concerns simply have to wait as I'm focused solely on the task before me. It brings me closer to others, sharing the work is always easier, and pleasant chatter makes the task at hand go faster. It fills me with a certain pride of having something to show for my time. If gives me something unique to offer when friends come to visit or in the case of this week, as a donation for a community event. It allows me to feel gratitude for abundance, something hard not to do when surrounded by fifty-pounds of tomatoes or baskets full of apples. Mostly though it transports me out of my everyday; working in the kitchen my thoughts drift to the countless others before me who did this out of necessity. And as I tuck these jars away in my pantry, I can't help but think how much more than simple sauce that these contain. Like a time-capsule buried years ago, these jars serve to remind me that despite our usual fall-frenzy, these truly are peaceful days filled with warmth and gratitude.
2 comments:
Beautiful blog! I am fascinated by the art of canning but have never actually tried it... seems like it should be an activity enjoyed and shared along with the company of other woman, just as you and your friend have done. Really lovely!
The apple pie filling looks so tasty! I have never done any canning, but I remember we lived in a rental with a grape vine and my mom canned homemade grape juice. It was so good!! With all the preseratives and chemicals they put in food today at least you know exactly what is yours! I wish I could be there to pick up a few jars of the sause at the fund raiser. Lucky are the people that get to buy it!
Post a Comment