Did you know that today was National Root Beer Float Day? Neither did I until I got a text telling me about it from A&W. I could have sworn it was "Make Apricot Jam" day. That's what we celebrated at my house.
Oh don't get me wrong, I was extremely grateful for the apricots. Last year we lost all of them to a late spring frost, but this year there are so many that they broke several limbs off the tree! Unfortunately they are pretty small, but they still make some amazing jam.
I'm a little famous on my street for apricot jam. We have made little jars for the neighbors for Christmas a couple of times and we always get tons of compliments every time we do. So this morning the girls went out and picked 3 big buckets full. (My sweetie says there about about 15 buckets on the tree...) and we made 14 batches of jam or 32 quarts. I expect we will be at it all week.I love seeing the jars all lined up and waiting to be put away when we are finished, but there is a ton of work that goes into it beforehand. Princess washed and pitted all the apricots, then stirred three different pans full of hot jam.. I washed bottles, drove to the store for more Pectin, and ran all the apricots through the food processor. I was also in charge of filling the jars and capping and water-bathing them all. Prima Donna was also a stirrer. Between the two girls I didn't have to stir a single pot today. Crafty was in charge of measuring sugar and helping clean things up in between. She also gathered the boxes of rings from downstairs. The Dog Walker carried bottles and big bags of sugar up and down the stairs. It was definitely a community effort.
When the little kids got home from school and the jars were finally full, we piled into the van and drove over to A&W for a free root beer float. It was the least I could do.
I was too tired to do anything else...
Dang! I missed out on a fun holiday! I definitely did not forget about national cheesecake day this year and we got our 1/2 off slices at the Cheesecake Factory. First time we left Emma with a babysitter who wasn't her grandma.
ReplyDeleteIt was yesterday that was National Root Beer day, I don't think it is today the 7th of august...I think canning all the apricot jam set you into one day early today is the 7th not the 6th which was the Root beer day..yeah you find all kinds of free stuff for your family, one could not afford all that is offered for free..The cheesecake factory was swamped, we only had one piece of the stuff some nice person paid for it all, I even had some green tea, I saved up one full year for the event, left a huge tip and thanked whomever paid the bill..an act from the Lord I say, the cheesecake was not worth the price I thought since I am a great baker and cook, I thin they just get you in there to spend lots of money, well it did not impress me at all, I make better cheesecake! ciao!X()
ReplyDeleteWe go to Sonic for freebies all the time, there is a server there who is going to college I tip well, he did his mission in your LDS faith and saving up to graduate and marry, I figure why not be sweet to such a wonderful young man..He is sweet as can be, always faithful and kind and adores his fiancé and his family of course his faith is so so important, he is wonderful..Have a great week, wish I lived closer I would help you can, we don't have apricots here and fruit is super expensive, but I did manage to pick a lot of blackberries in a neighbors yard before they destroyed the bushes and make some jam and several pies..it was wonderful..ciaoXXX()()()()
ReplyDeleteI did post this last night, which was the 6th, but you know how it is with me, I rarely manage to get a post up before midnight. Sorry for the confusion.
ReplyDeleteSandy
Thanks for the heads up . . . we walked over to the drug store for some root beer tonight. I guess we celebrated a day late. Oh well. We had just paid lots of $$$ towards DD4's housing at college this fall and needed a reason to celebrate.
ReplyDeletePS The jam looks awsome. Great work!
Wow, that brought back some bottling of fruit memories. I loved your community effort and then of course the free root beers. That doesn't surprise me somehow.
ReplyDeleteAlways love your posts and blessings to you all for the hard work!