Beans In Jars

When I sat down here on the back porch about fifteen minutes ago to answer comments from yesterday, the sky suddenly went cement gray and the trees began tossing their branches as if they were trying to get rid of them. Crows were cawing, hawks were shrieking, and the song birds were making loud, screechy noises. I have to say it was a little scary. I looked on my phone which knows all, tells all, to see if there was a weather alert but there was not. It's calmed down now although it's still very gray and I do believe the temperature has probably dropped at least five degrees since that wind began. I will not complain about that. Rob Nucatola, my go-to meteorologist, says that there is a possibility of rain and perhaps storms tonight. And then our temperatures and humidity are supposed to become more reasonable for at least a few days which thank god because it's really been horrible, as I said yesterday. 

I didn't even try to do much outside today. Mr. Moon reset the fence posts on the garden gate but then ran into some other problem and couldn't find the tools he needed so he came in, cooled off, and ate his lunch. He worries me because he is so stubborn and will push himself far harder than I think he should. 
"Quit worrying!" he tells me. 
He really does not know me, does he?

This happened today. 

I picked so many beans this morning that combined with ones I've picked the past few days, I knew I had enough to begin canning. I got my pressure canner out of the box that has been stored in the pantry all winter and spring and went over the instructions in the booklet that came with it very carefully. I only canned a few batches of beans in it last year and needed a refresher course. Unlike most instructions that come with products these days, this little booklet is thorough, concise, and easily understood which I appreciate very much. 

I removed the ends of my beans and snapped them into bite-sized pieces, filled my jars with them, added boiling water and a tiny bit of salt, and then put the lids and bands on the clean jars. There's a whole process that has to be done properly to ensure the safety of the finished product and I would assume, the safety of the person doing the canning. Part of that process is letting steam escape from the valve stem before you put the pressure weights on it and here's a picture of that. 

I've been yearning to do some black and white photos lately so here's one. 

Anyway, blah, blah, blah. No one wants to hear about how to pressure can green beans. But here's the finished product. 

On Joanne's towel.  

Seven pints and one half-pint. And thus it has begun. Beans for the winter! I am so excited to know that on nights when I just am so tired of figuring out vegetables to serve with supper, I can just open up and heat a can of our own rattlesnake beans. 

Last night I made some squash soup and it was so very good. I have determined that the soup may be the very best way to utilize summer squash in that you can take four nice-sized squashes and turn them into two servings of soup. That's getting your squash nutrients! 

We've already had squash and onions and I will be making squash croquettes and also air-fried squash. Yes, here in the south we fry everything and the air-fryer has been a godsend to me because I do not like to pan fry and never, ever deep fry. Now if you asked me if there's a difference in the taste and texture of food fried in oil and foods air-fried, I would gladly tell you that yes, there is. But the air-fried versions are still delicious, the stove doesn't get grease-spattered, and of course there are the health considerations. 

Pass the ketchup and hot sauce and let us be happy. 

Mr. Moon's gone to some Coastal Conservation Association dinner this evening. That may be the name of it. Whatever it is, he won't be home for supper tonight. I suppose I need to get in that kitchen and fix me something to eat. We've gone through all the leftovers, which is sort of unbelievable. 

I was going to write a whole thing about the praying emoji on Facebook and how I am sick and tired of so-called Christians posting that they are praying for someone which is so absurd and which enrages me for some reason and then May texted us all about a chiropractor she went to who had Bible verses printed up and on the walls and now I'm even more pissed off. And the right-wingers keep talking about how they're not even allowed to say Merry Christmas anymore. 
As my old and dear friend Balboa would have said, "Bite me."

But here's a nice picture. 

Look at that pretty little lizard. I hope that he/she is eating Georgia Thumper nymphs like popcorn. 

Love...Ms. Moon