SILVER PLUMS

 It's 75 degrees this lovely morning and spitting rain.  What's up with that??  I just don't ever remember it raining in July before.  Anyhoo ... I took off early and headed out on a run.  My run versus walk time is getting better, but my sore versus stiff body is getting worse.  It's all good until you sit down for an hour ... then it's a groaning match to stand up.  I'm a little better this morning, but was hoping for some nice warm sun to lay out in.  So far it STILL looks like this.

Which turned into this, before returning to complete cloud cover for the rest of the day.  That's okay I guess because it kept the temperature down while I ran a couple of errands in town.  

I needed fuel in the Jeep for my trip north.  Though stations get advertised on GasBuddy at $4.40, the one I had to stop at was $5.00 ... for regular gas!!  I could have driven 20 miles for $4.29 I suppose.  I see a big credit card bill in my future.

The main reason for the trip out was to pick up a big box of fancy plums.  The Sourdough Gal that got me going, also cans everything she can.  She has a Simca Plum tree (at least I think that's what she called it) and offered to share.  I never say no.

They were silvery on the outside and super dark purple on the inside.  A freestone variety, meaning you can get the pit out fairly easily, they made my fingers purple in no time.  Into the pot they went to cook.  

This is not your normal recipe.  This one only has plums, sugar and lemon juice.  I cooked them up, hit them with an immersion blender and boiled them for 18 minutes.  No pectin required.  I really didn't expect it to set up without it, but I decided to try it anyway.

Once it was packed in the jars, she called.  She asked if I double stacked the boiling water bath.  Yeah ....... and then she said I should do that when I water bath them.  But wait ... the recipe doesn't say I have to do that.  I better do what she said, so inside this canner are 13 jars of jam.  I'm hoping that doesn't turn the jam into syrup since the recipe did not call for it.

So here we are ... 13 jars.  How in the world am I EVER going to eat all this?  I've already earmarked three jars for donation to people who probably don't really want it.  Everyone clamored for homemade jams and jellies in the past, but nowadays I think they are afraid of getting food poisoning.  Me included, if I'm not satisfied they know what they are doing!!

I did a taste test ... this stuff is AMAZING!!!!!  I'm going to put it on everything!

That took up all morning.  By noon, it was time for the Calgary Stampede finals.  It was a weird year.  Hardly any of the best in the world guys won.  It was all new up and coming kids.  I have to admit I really like the rodeo attitude though ..... if God meant for me to win, I would win.  

Almost five hours later I got off the couch with a big groan.  No pain, no gain!!  Overall, I feel much stronger since I went back to running.  I admit however that I get UP much slower.  

The day ended with huge clouds hovering over.  I suppose that kept us cooler, but it ruined my suntan plans.  No one wants to see a white girl in a bathing suit in Hawaii.

In no tine, it looked like this.

We rarely get sunsets here, and definitely NOT in summer.  When you look out and see these colors, you run to see what's up.  It was most unusual on this night ... a nice way to end the day.

I of course end every day with pictures of my Cooper boy.  Oh how I miss this sweet face sleeping on the end of the couch.  Absolutely nothing is the same without him.

By the way, it seems many of the blogs I read have discontinued writing.  What blogs do you read????