Ya see this jar of peaches? That is the most expensive jar you'll ever find. Let me tell you why.
A couple of months ago our Stake President, our local church leader, put forth an edit. He told his High Council to tell each family in our stake (about 2,000 people on average) that each family should can a quart of peaches. Now, this might sound easy to some of you but it was a challenge for this chick. I didn't need any peaches and I have food storage as directed by our church leaders so I was in a quandary. For me it was about obedience to our stake president. I try my best to be obedient, especially on the "easier" things. ;-) I mean it's not hard to be good on the "harder" things, just a bit more of a challenge with daily living. Sooooo, what do I do? Hmmmm.......
My canning supplies are up in an attic that Love Bunny made over our 3rd car garage. It's pretty hot here in this western desert so I couldn't subject him to go up there in 100+ degree heat rummaging around for the canners or he'd likely die and I'm pretty fond of the fellow by now. Soooooo, I thought well, I could buy another can of peaches but since peaches aren't thought of fondly in this household and I have my fruit supply I decided against that. What to do, ohhhh, what to do??!!
I decided that I'd volunteer to help someone can peaches in their home and ask for a quart of peaches for helping them. I'd return their jar to them of course. But just in the nick of time the woman in charge of our women's group in the ward decided to get together with a group of women and can peaches that were given to us, the ward, by our orchards. (Our church maintains orchards for the purpose of supplying the needy.) Wellllll, let me tell you that was an answer to prayer. It was scheduled for wednesday, August 27th, and I signed up to be there.
The best laid plans...........right???? Yep, our mantel was to be delivered by FedEx on Tuesday, August 26th. I waited until 8pm that night and decided to check it on line and it had a sort of "caveat" or "change of plans" according to the FedEx tracker. They rescheduled to Wednesday, the 27th. So I had to be home to receive this huge package.
I decided to do this: I'd call the woman and say I could NOT make it but I'd donate some lids and rings if I could have just 1 jar of peaches. She said that it wasn't a problem. (This is a very sweet, nice lady but I think I throw her into shock a bit when I call her and refer to her as "Sweetpea" or "Chickee"!) So early wednesday morning before most people were up I ran to the market (this was "avant" I showered or fluffed my hair and would be quite scary to anyone trudging through the market at such an early hour!) and bought a package of 12 lids and rings and then arranged for someone stop by to take them to the "canning" event. I was on a roll, I tell ya!! ;-) It lasted about an hour and a half and they canned 70 jars using a couple of outdoor camp stoves and and the kitchen stove also. Twenty or so minutes after the FedEx arrived a woman from the ward arrived with my one jar of peaches still boiling hot from the canner! I was thrilled because I was able to be "obedient" to my church leader and get my "one quart of peaches"! Cost of lids and rings - $5.24!! The costliest quart jar of peaches I've ever "bought/canned/or eaten"! But I was OBEDIENT!!
A couple of months ago our Stake President, our local church leader, put forth an edit. He told his High Council to tell each family in our stake (about 2,000 people on average) that each family should can a quart of peaches. Now, this might sound easy to some of you but it was a challenge for this chick. I didn't need any peaches and I have food storage as directed by our church leaders so I was in a quandary. For me it was about obedience to our stake president. I try my best to be obedient, especially on the "easier" things. ;-) I mean it's not hard to be good on the "harder" things, just a bit more of a challenge with daily living. Sooooo, what do I do? Hmmmm.......
My canning supplies are up in an attic that Love Bunny made over our 3rd car garage. It's pretty hot here in this western desert so I couldn't subject him to go up there in 100+ degree heat rummaging around for the canners or he'd likely die and I'm pretty fond of the fellow by now. Soooooo, I thought well, I could buy another can of peaches but since peaches aren't thought of fondly in this household and I have my fruit supply I decided against that. What to do, ohhhh, what to do??!!
I decided that I'd volunteer to help someone can peaches in their home and ask for a quart of peaches for helping them. I'd return their jar to them of course. But just in the nick of time the woman in charge of our women's group in the ward decided to get together with a group of women and can peaches that were given to us, the ward, by our orchards. (Our church maintains orchards for the purpose of supplying the needy.) Wellllll, let me tell you that was an answer to prayer. It was scheduled for wednesday, August 27th, and I signed up to be there.
The best laid plans...........right???? Yep, our mantel was to be delivered by FedEx on Tuesday, August 26th. I waited until 8pm that night and decided to check it on line and it had a sort of "caveat" or "change of plans" according to the FedEx tracker. They rescheduled to Wednesday, the 27th. So I had to be home to receive this huge package.
I decided to do this: I'd call the woman and say I could NOT make it but I'd donate some lids and rings if I could have just 1 jar of peaches. She said that it wasn't a problem. (This is a very sweet, nice lady but I think I throw her into shock a bit when I call her and refer to her as "Sweetpea" or "Chickee"!) So early wednesday morning before most people were up I ran to the market (this was "avant" I showered or fluffed my hair and would be quite scary to anyone trudging through the market at such an early hour!) and bought a package of 12 lids and rings and then arranged for someone stop by to take them to the "canning" event. I was on a roll, I tell ya!! ;-) It lasted about an hour and a half and they canned 70 jars using a couple of outdoor camp stoves and and the kitchen stove also. Twenty or so minutes after the FedEx arrived a woman from the ward arrived with my one jar of peaches still boiling hot from the canner! I was thrilled because I was able to be "obedient" to my church leader and get my "one quart of peaches"! Cost of lids and rings - $5.24!! The costliest quart jar of peaches I've ever "bought/canned/or eaten"! But I was OBEDIENT!!
~*~Just a thought.
I had a little candy dish that I loved, but during our move in 2005 it got "crunched" - a word I like better than broken - and I waited and waited for my sweet hubby to fix it, but he is so busy that I just gave up. The lid survived and was intact though. I didn't want to throw it away as it has roses on it. And if you know me or have been reading this page or my blog you KNOW how I feel about roses! So instead of throwing it in the trash I hung it on the wall in my office behind my desk. It has a little "lip" that make it just perfect for hanging. If you love something enough just find a new use for it if part of it gets "crunched" and is beyond repair. Look at it and say, "hmmmm, can I hang this?" Give it a new use.
~*~
Very clever with the canned peaches! So glad it worked out for you. Nice looking melon in the background.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh, Connie...I thought for sure you were going to say that you got into a car accident, or knocked something over with your jar of peaches, lol...thank goodness it wasn't anything like that! I think $5 is a bargain for fresh peaches like that!
ReplyDeleteCome over to my blog and enter my giveaway...good luck!!!
Bella :)
Those peaches sure look tasty :-).
ReplyDeleteI love using candy jar, sugar bowl and other lids in my mosaics....especially the heart shaped ones!
xo
Penny
Hi Sweet Connie, Sure enjoyed catching up on your posts. So glad the peach project went well. Loved your story telling!! Your mantel is gorgeous and that room is so fresh and pretty. You have been so busy. My world exactly! LOL! Been non stop since getting home.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Labor Day!
Hugs, Celestina
la rea rose
Save those peaches for a winters day. Thats when your $5 bottle of peaches will taste sooo sweet! I sure miss my mother in laws bottled peaches! They were such a favorite for my fam.
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous of that gorgeous mantel!! :O I've had a mantel on my wish list for 26 years! Still waiting for... Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Leprechaun, to find the urge to grant my wish!!
Hope you're getting plenty of R&R!
I miss your face at my blog!
Sara
What a great story!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to be obiedient in the little things but as the scriputres say "those faithful in what is small will be faithful in what is much."
Good girl.
Your mantle looks great by the way!
smiles,
Sandy