Mustard Pickles

While Toby was out of town a couple weeks ago, I purchased the Ball Complete Book of Canning. And now, thanks to the great recipes in that book, I have at least a 2 years supply of mustard pickles sitting on my shelves. I don't understand my obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to projects, but I am sure I will be glad to have the 20 pints of mustardy goodness on my shelves in the winter. (I can't tell you how many times people say that I will be glad to have the grape juice, pears, plum leather and now mustard pickles in the winter. I wonder why only the winter?)

Hawaii Mission Memories part 1

Most people know that I served a mission to Hawaii. Yes, they really do have missionaries there and I know I was truly blessed.

After spending 6 weeks in the missionary training center, I was ready to fly the coop. Actually, we were supposed to stay for 8 weeks because we were learning Japanese, but we left earlier. Not a moment too soon for I was ready to get to work. Script for tram tours memorized? Check. Speaking and understanding Japanese? Yeah right. Ready to hit the pavement? You bet!

So, when we arrived we spend the first day at the mission office. The AP's were so helpful to all of the new bleary eyed missionaries by passing a huge candy bucket around every 15 minutes or so to ward off sleeping. First night was spent with one of the couple missionaries. I remember the apartment smelling like bengay liniment. Every time I smell that strong pepperminty smell, I am right back in that apartment. The next morning we were picked up by the district leaders from Laie and off we went. I was awestruck by the beauty of that island. Once through the pass, the mountains were surreal in their beauty. Seriously, how could a place be more beautiful. I loved the monkey pod trees with their vast canopies and another flowering tree with orange flowers and the many plumeria, papaya, and coconut trees. I seriously had visual sensory overload for the first couple of weeks.
Often the ocean was quite close to the road and I was amazed at clear aqua water. I had never seen water so clear and sand so perfectly sandy.

I met my new companion, Sister Ishihara and Sister Padeken met Sister Kaito and we had lunch at Subway. I remember this because it was one of the most awkward meals I had ever had - lots of silence. Not that silence is bad, but that memory just sticks in my mind.

Sister Ishihara and I were on trams that evening and boy howdy was I ready to do my thing. If you haven't been to the Polynesian Cultural Center, let me explain what we Sisters did at that park.

We conducted tours from the PCC though the town of Laie, sharing information about BYU-Hawaii and its campus all the while driving to the top of a roundabout where we directed the audience to the right-hand side of the tram to take in the beauty of Temple Beach, aptly named. Then we conveniently segued into our dialogue about the Hawaii Temple and asked the crowd to take a look on the other side of the tram, down the long street lined with huge palm trees ending with the breathtaking, gleaming white Hawaii Temple. Truly one of the most beautiful places on this earth, in my humble opinion.

Photo by Rick Satterfield, 2005

Anyhow, just a thought that was in my head. I have more I would like to share so if interested, stay tuned.

Pears

Autumn arrived at our house today in the form of beautifully ripened bartlett pears. I purchased them on Thursday and they rested in the dugout until today. I knew that it was today or never, so after an invigorating gym class, I draped my apron about me and began to get the kitchen ready for canning. I have to wipe all surfaces down before I preserve anything - it just doesn't feel right if I see crumbs or fingerprints.

The process was long. Longer than I remember from last year. Perhaps it was that I was flying solo for the first batch. Maybe that invigorating gym class sapped my energy(it was a great class). Whatever it was, I was glad to see those last seven quarts in the boiling water before I headed in for my shower. After what seemed like eternity, I have 13 quarts of pears sitting on my picnic table in the backyard. I swear I canned more than just 13 quarts - at least if felt like I peeled more that 13 quarts worth of pears. I still have pears left over - a little green for canning. They are resting and growing sweeter with every passing minute. These guys will get to try out my new drying sheets for the dehydrator. I'll let you know how pear leather turns out in the next couple of days.

Homesick

It has been almost 2 weeks since my firstborn started another school year. He was nervous in the days preceeding the start of school because he was certain that he would not like his teacher. She has a reputation as being mean and yelling. After meeting her at back to school night and also during a reading interview, he changed his mind. "She's really nice!", was the reply to "So what do you think of your teacher?" I feel comfortable with his teacher and am glad that she keeps a finger on her students. The class is small, only 17 students at my last count on back to school night, which I consider a good thing.

So why the title Homesick? Well, my blonde cutie tells me that he gets homesick at recess. My heart melts because I know what that feeling is like and I know it is hard to overcome when so young. My son is such a tender soul and my aching heart just wants to scoop him up, wrap him in a blanket, have treats and play all day. As we were talking about his homesickness, I said I could put a small picture of our family in his binder. He said he would probably cry. Oh, my heartstrings! I have been praying to know how to help him and I hope I will do what is good and right for him. Does anyone out there have advice for soothing the ache of homesickness?