Pickles Anyone?

Our garden is rewarding us with groceries galore and this especially applies to cucumbers. So many, in fact, that Dale suggested I make some bread and butter pickles. Who knew this was his favorite pickle? It has been thirty years since I made pickles and yet I still had the recipe given to me by my old friend and former Clintonian, Rhonda Keve, tucked away in a recipe file. We haven't given them the taste test yet but they sure look good!


Soaking for 3 hours in ice water





 



Heating in the brine





Ready for the water bath



Every jar sealed just right

 Bread and Butter Pickles

25 or 30 medium size cucumbers
8 large onions or you can substitute more cukes
1/2 cup salt
5 cups vinegar (I used apple cider)
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric

Wash cucumbers and slice thin. Chop onions. Combine with cucumbers and salt. Soak in ice water 3 hours. Drain.
Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and turmeric in large pot (dutch oven, stockpot, boiler); bring to boil. Add drained cucumbers. Heat thoroughly but do not boil.
With slotted spoon, pack cukes into clean pint jars; pour brine over cukes leaving 1/2 inch head space. Screw sterilized lids and rings onto jars. Process 15 minutes at simmer heat. Makes 6 pints.





Don't Miss This Book

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore is a must-read in my opinion. It's on the New York Times Bestseller list but was unknown to me until my friend, Elaine, recommended it. It's a story in contrasts--black/white, rich/poor, educated/illiterate--that will grip you from the get-go. Read this amazing true story of sharecropper turned homeless black man, Denver Moore, who was born in the fifties in Louisiana, and international art dealer, Ron Hall and wife, Deborah, as they form an incredible bond because of Deborah's willingness to follow God's leading in working with the homeless in Fort Worth. A small volume that packs a powerful message!

Summer Missions Trip

Summer missions trips are an annual event for us. We just returned from a week's stay in the cave country of Kentucky--Park City, Kentucky, to be exact, home of Mammoth Cave National Park. Forty adults and children from Cornerstone Baptist Church went to lend a hand in the construction of a church building for Barren County Baptist Church, a small congregation meeting in a storefront. While a group of Amish men and boys tacked on the shingles, our crew built the interior walls of the structure, including the platform, choir loft and baptistry.

It's always a blessing to us, not only to help fellow believers, but also to enjoy some out-of-church time with our church family. We've been on the receiving end of such a blessing and we know what an encouragement as well as what a financial help it can be. The weather was cooler than normal and the workers were under cover for the entire project. (That almost never happens.)

Typically we camp at a nearby campground bringing whatever RV available to us. This year, however, the campground offered cabins and we shared one with the Moores and Bernice Snyder. Billed as a 3 bedroom condo, it was really a mobile home with tiny bedrooms and one bath. That's okay. Who expects missions trips to be comfortable!
Claire also came along. She was with us last year and couldn't wait to go again. The campground was nice enough and offered a pool, putt-putt, playground, and game room.

Since we arrived on a Saturday, we worshiped with the Barren County congregants on Sunday and got to know them a little and they treated us to lunch in Pig, KY at the Porky Pig Diner after church. Yum!

One of the highlights for me was visiting an Amish family's farm at the invitation of Jacob, the roofer. Father of twelve, farmer and construction worker, he was super friendly and hospitable. We loved seeing the children all dressed in Amish fashion looking as though they just stepped out of another century. Sorry, no pictures.

More Grandchildren Pics

We're seeing the kids so much lately and I'm loving it. The Morgans and Travis came for the weekend and fulfilled the gift of a photography shoot that they gave me for Mother's Day. Whatever excuse it takes to get them here is fine with me. I'll post some of the professional pictures later, but I thought these weekend shots were cute.

Unbeknownst to us, Hamilton decided to try out the cradle. He certainly fills it up.

Claire's all ready for a bike ride with her Dad complete with a camelback water supply.

It's hard being a parent!

Sweet Collier all swaddled up and sleeping in the cradle Dale made for our children.