Cool Mornings, and Warm Afternoons

We have had a cold snap. Jack Frost has blown his cool breath across the area and its been in the 50s here in the mornings.. for us that is BRRRRRRR Cold.
But it has warmed up to become a beautiful fall day. The pumpkins are out in massive droves. Halloween is around the corner. I must get on to SENIOR about getting my Halloween items down from the attic.

The baby fish are growing, you can now make out their little eyes and tails. We only have 5 of them left. So I hope they make it.

The other day the boys ran in yelling for me to go out back with them, a butterfly was laying in the grass. Very  beautiful one in deed. Not sure if its a Monarch or not.  ND is an aspiring entomologist. I mean what boy isn't.?  If there is a bug within a five mile radius of our house, he will find it. When Seniors mom passed we found a book with pictures of every possible insect in the world. He likes to carry it around and draw them. So, when he say this butterfly in the yard, he went completely nuts, and hoping it wasn't dying. Explaining nature to a 6 year old is really hard.

A new antique shop has opened in town, I must see if one day Stephens Sweet Wife would like to come up and go off antiquing with me. I am in need of more old canning jars....okay, so its not really a need. Oh gosh, I can see Seniors eyes rolling at me! 

Finally almost done with the baby album I have been working on, only three more pages to go and I can gift it to my friend. She use to be NW and NDs Preschool teacher, so I let the boys pick out a month to design, they chose March and April. 

Got to ride around the community yesterday with our assistant community manager person. She does the inspections for the Homeowners Association. I was her little secretary writing down all the addresses she is sending violation letters to. Well, the political signs are actually getting out of hand around here. People are acting like its a competition of who can have the most signs in their yards.So, she had to send out an email to all residents about it, plus mailing a letter. It is a violation to have any sign other then a "For Sale" sign up. So, I am sure there will be some ticked off people around here.

The VP debate tonight! This will give the American people a good chance to look at Paul Ryan and get to know him. I hope he does well against Biden....

Welp, its time to go get boys from school...can't wait to hear about their adventures. 

My Newest Canning Jar

Last year, when Senior and I were visiting his dad in South Carolina, we found a large lot of canning jars for sale. We paid 60.00 for the entire lot. Once home, and upon cleaning, I noted some where no longer in production. This find started my antique canning jar collection.

Saturday we ventured down state to a large flea market. I happened upon a young man selling old jars for 8.00 a piece. I wanted one to add to my collection.

The one I chose is clear glass, and has MASON’S Patent Nov 30 1858. Someone had painted over the lettering.  Senior looked at me funny, but I was excited. We got home and I did some research. I found that my newest jar was probably made around 1915, because there are seams up the sides.

 I then soaked it in hot water and began to scrub the paint off the letters. As I worked I started thinking about this jar. Where has it been? I thought about all the history surrounding this one particular jar.

 And then it talked to me, it told me about all the good things it had once held: Green beans, peaches, corn, and potatoes and other things fresh from the garden. It told me that countless times a little elderly lady used it for her homemade jellies, her recipe had even won first place once at the county fair. And then it was given to the lady’s grand daughter so she could catch lightening bugs during the evenings, and then it was used to hold the girls "Jacks"

After the little girl grew up, she became a beautiful bride and used the jar as a vase on her kitchen window. A few years later her husband suddenly passed away, the bride packed the jar away in her attic, she could not bare the reminder of the flowers it once held that were always from her husband. And there the jar sat, packed among other odds and ends.

 Until one day it was discovered in a box, and given to a boy who liked to build models, it became the perfect paint brush holder. He thought so much of the jar, he painted over the words. As the boy grew in to an older man, it was used in his garage to store nuts and bolts then sold in a yard sell. It was then taken along with other collectibles to the flea market, where I found it, bought it, and liberated it.

It said  all these things to me while I scrubbed and cleaned it, Inspecting my jar I learned to appreciate the rich history it holds. Now it sits atop my kitchen cabinets, the focal point of my jar collection. Where others who visit can look and learn to appreciate the rich history associated with canning.