I am a Canning Nerd - Gardenless Canning

I adore canning.  It's like therapy for me.  I love to put on a mellow CD like Neil Young or The Jayhawks and slice, chop and peel the stress out of me.  Then comes the reward, jar after jar of beautiful jams, vegetables and sauces.  Unfortunately, therapy is never free.

The problem is twofold.  One, I do not have a garden, outside of a few containers of lettuce and potatoes.  Secondly, I recently became unemployed and I am now living on a self-imposed budget.  Normally, I buy wonderful, organic produce and berries through Azure Standard but those carefree days are over.  So what is a canning nerd to do?

This nerd goes foraging.  Right outside my backdoor I harvested dandelions and rhubarb and they produced the best jelly and jam I have ever made.  Have you ever had dandelion jelly?  Mmmm, it has a mellow taste that is perfect on toast or fresh baked bread with butter.  

I will be cutting rhubarb all summer long and soon the strawberries will be ready.  Currently, the only thing blooming on the property is yarrow and geraniums and both of them would make terrible jelly. Later this summer I will harvest fireweed and rosehips and make jelly to my heart's content. 

For the rest of my canning I have been buying organic vegetables from Costco.  So far, I have put up spicy carrots, potatoes, olive salad, beans, salsa, marinara and pizza sauce.  I can't afford fresh tomatoes so I have been buying #10 cans instead.  

Spicy Carrots

I'm often asked why I bother canning, isn't it cheaper to buy instead?  The answer is yes and no.  Therapy aside, I can for a few other reasons.  It's important to me to control the ingredients.  I strive to buy only organic and non-GMO ingredients.  I also like to control the portion size.  Let's just say that my hard working husband is a man of large appetites.  Lastly, I always have a ready made gift.  I hate to shop, so if I can go to my own pantry for gifts that is priceless.  For the most part, if you have your own garden, it would be cheaper to can your own produce.  Gardenless as I am, it often is not especially if you are picky about what you buy.

Lovin' life with my canner, a knife and a hungry husband at my side.

Achoo! Home Remedies for My Cold

For the first time in many, many years I am sick.  I knew that there was a cold/flu going around the community but usually these things pass me by.  Not only am I sick, but my household with the exception of the mechanic, is sick as well.  Certainly, not how I wanted to spend the weekend.

Stormy came down with it first but recovered in only a couple of days and  I suspect I caught it from her.  In a weak moment, desperate for sleep, I scooped her up and had her sleep in our bed when she was finding it hard to breathe.  She was just so pitiful laying in her bed, saying "help, help" in her sweet little voice.  

It has given me the opportunity to test our some home remedies that I've been studying up on.  I do have cold & flu medicine in the house, but in the past I have alway hated taking it because it makes me feel as bad as the illness.  Here are a few things I have been doing that have helped to ease my suffering.

Earlier this year I made some homemade "Vicks" rub.  It basically is a mixture of coconut oil, melted down and your choice of essential oils.  I chose to put in mine some lavender and eucalyptus.  I've been rubbing it on my temples, chest and throat area.  I've read that rubbing on the soles of the feet is beneficial but I can't say that I've noticed a difference there.

I have also been snorting some warm salt water.  I must admit that I dread it, there is nothing pleasant about the process, but the results are wonderul.  It breaks up the mucus in the sinus cavity nicely.

I've been making some ginger tea to drink and it has been the best remedy for the chest congestion.  I put some of my dehydrated ginger slices and garlic in a saucepan and let it simmer most of the day.  When I want some, I add some lemon juice and raw honey to it.  Throughout the day I keep replenishing the water in the saucepan.  I credit this with keeping my lungs clear, while the rest of the community is complaining of chest congestion and a bad cough.  

I do have a low grade temperature but so far I am letting that ride itself out.  I don't believe in artificially reducing a low grade temperature with meds.  I am tempted to use some of the yarrow I harvested this year to break the fever but unless it climbs up over 102, I will continue to let my body fight off this virus.

Yarrow

Have I missed anything?  I am doubling up on vitamin C and making sure I take the rest of my vitamins, which I have been forgetting lately.  Today is a day off and I'm doing my best to relax but I am sneaking in a few chores here and there.

Lovin life with a box of Kleenex by my side...well, a roll of toilet paper anyway.