Off For Adventures in the Berry Patch

Tomorrow we are heading to a lake with our canoe to visit friends. Its high time we start enjoying some of our summer as a family. Husband only has one week left at his current job and then we are back to the unemployment line. Its the first summer where I can say I am excited about it. I know its not fun being out of work. But I for one am going to enjoy the family time. After the lake we will be heading to a berry farm to load up on raspberries. I am really hoping to pick lots as we love raspberry jam and I want to use this as a lesson for the kids. When I was growing up my mother pickled, preserved, and canned her way through the summer months. As a woman of this generation we often find convience in the store bought items. But as a child I recall fondly the skim off the jam spread on toast. And I love the freshness that homemade preserves have over the store varieties. I love the aroma of jam bubbling luciously in a cookpot as it thickens to perfection. So yes the excitement is exuding from me.