Little Black Dress

Although I love flowers, frills and romance, I am always intrigued by the macabre.  Every once in a while, I trade my pink dress for a black one.   I love fall, when all the colors turn, and the trees turn creepy, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and I hope to live in an old “haunted looking” Victorian house one day.  I was at a parade this weekend, and I saw the coolest old horse drawn hearse.  If I weren’t getting cremated, I would totally want to ride in one of those to my burial.  There is a city in Kansas where some of my relatives lived at one point, called Atchison.  It is supposedly the most haunted city in America.  They have haunted trolley tours that look so fun, and they even have a haunted tea party.  I tell you what, one day I am going to drive thirteen hours and spend the night in Atchison, and do all the haunted activities just for the chills and tummy butterflies.  I’m so excited to see where my relatives used to live, and check out all the cool old houses there.  Have any of you ever been to Atchison?  Do you have any real life ghost stories?  Please share in the comments.

This is the cool hearse I saw in the parade.

Gargoyle House in Atchison, KS.

The Haunted Trolley Tour

The Haunted Tea Room

My Great Grandparents who resided in Atchison

My Great-Great Grandparents who resided in Atchison

Jammin’

As Bob Marley sang, “hope you like jammin’ too”.  Perhaps he was talking musically, but I like jammin’ in the summertime with fruit.  My sister and I have a tradition where every summer, we get together and make jam.  She lives eight hours away, so we don’t see each other very often.  Jammin’ with her is a special time to enjoy one another’s company, while doing something productive and fun.  We even made up a fun little jam dance to help the jam “set”.   Below is a picture of my sister doing the Jam Dance.  Sometimes we laugh so hard, I just about pee my pants.  Unfortunately this year, we weren’t together in a location with a stove, so the Jammin’ didn’t take place.  I decided to make jam anyway in honor of my sis, after seeing her last week.  Although it was bittersweet without my sister, I did have some help from my two precious children.  I also took a pic of me doing the jam dance without her (shown below).  My sister may not have been there, but, hopefully,  she will smile when she receives a package in the mail containing her jam.

If you want to make the jam I made last night, buy a package of Sure Jell powdered pectin and about 4 cups of your desired fruit.  The pectin has the instructions inside for cooked jams and jellies.  I did the blueberry last night, but I did substitute some rhubarb and strawberries for part of the blueberries.  They all go well together.  I sanitize my jam jars and lid rings in the dishwasher, then I dry them thoroughly.  I boil the sealing lids and dry them before using them.  When the jam is done cooking, I put it in the sanitized jars wipe the lids, and invert them.  They seal that way, and you don’t have to process them.

Whoops, I dropped a blueberry....don't worry, this won't go in the jam.

My lovely assistant helping pick out the stems.

 cooking and smashing

 Inverted jars

Do you have any fun summer traditions with family or friends?  Please comment.