The Joyce of Living

This year I have canned and harvested more food than I have in my whole entire life.  Through the many changes and difficulties that I have faced over the past year, I find great comfort in growing food, getting my hands and feet dirty in the garden, and being able to pick the goods that have grown.  I'm happy to say that I have an abundance of salsa, corn, green beans, tomatoes, peach preserves, pickles, and banana peppers.   I want to continue this lifestyle, of growing my own food and putting it away for later.  I love knowing where my food is coming from and what is being put into it.  I have accepted a lot of food this summer too, and I gladly receive it, knowing that I can try to learn and make something new.  A lady that I work with gave me two boxes of pears.  Not ever being much of a pear lover in the past, I didn't really know what to do with them.  I did a little bit of research while they ripened up for the week and found a quic...

Over the past several months, I have become extremely close to my family.  I can honestly say that without a doubt that they have my back.  I am thankful for them - for the love and support they have shown me - for showing up and helping me when I felt too weak to do things on my own - for simply being there.  Several members of my family have been helping me spruce up the house for potential showings.  They are ready to see me move on with my life, and I am so thankful for having them in my corner. I'm telling y'all...my family is the cream of the crop.  They're mine & I'm theirs & we are family! Our garden is still producing lots of peppers.  I was busy canning banana peppers last night, using a simple brine that I found off of the internet.   Ingredients: 50-60 banana peppers sliced into rings 7 cups of vinegar 2 cups of water 4 cloves of garlic 1 tsp celery seed 1 tsp dill  1 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp pepper...