Summer

When I think of summer I think of eating ice cream, going on bike rides, swimming and relaxing.  I've eaten a little ice cream and gone on some bike rides, haven't done the swimming, yet, and the relaxing part has not happened.  But, I've had time with the grandkids and have enjoyed seeing them do all of the above.
Summer is flying by and it's been a busy one for me.  It's been the summer of produce.  My daughter, Christy,  knows the owner of a produce store who has been giving her fruit and vegetables that are not the prettiest to sell, but still good enough to make jams and sauces with. Also, milk that has just expired that I make yogurt with.  Last night I helped her package ripened bannanas  freezing  them for smoothies, there was lots and lots of them that we peeled and then put into gallon size baggies.  She was also given a flat of tomatoes that I took home and processed, today.  I was in the kitchen for hours, blanching the tomatoes, which means putting them in boiling water and then right into ice water.  It makes the skin easy  to peel off and then I cooked the tomatoes into spaghetti sauce.  I seasoned the sauce with my garden basil and with onions I had grown along with other spices in my kitchen.  I was quite pleased with myself after my tastebuds had declared it a success.  I felt rather pioneerish, ( I may have made up a new word).  I'm used to opening a jar of Ragu which is a lot easier, but making it myself felt better.  I was telling Christy I think God has blessed us with all this produce so we could finally like being in the kitchen.  We are both kindred spirits in not liking dealing with food.  Processing all this food has given us a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in being together.