Little Miracles

Yesterday was such a beautiful summer day here in Southern Ontario so I took the opportunity to head out to the blueberry farm. Blueberry season is a little later this year and I always go out to pick with whomever I can drag along with me. Last year I took my sister and her girls (see here). I used to make the kids come along when they were younger, but they flatly refuse to come now...too early for teenagers to roll out of bed!
I learned the love of picking blueberries from my mother-in-law. It has always been one of her greatest pleasures in life to pick berries and since she is 84 years old, it is getting harder for her each year. Considering we thought she might die last fall and she spent about 2 months in hospital too weak to even walk by herself, it was a miracle that she could be here this summer to pick blueberries. Here she is, sitting on a stool picking the low berries, and I picked the higher ones. This photo makes me smile because even though it was hot and I was sweating, she has a jacket on so she won't catch a chill! I picked 17 litres of berries and she picked about 6 litres to share with the other seniors in the facility where she now lives.
I find that I am getting more like her every year (shudder) and this year she has convinced me that I can make jam. Now, I come from a long line of domestically challenged women, so if I could actually make a tasty jam, that would be the second miracle for the day!
Secretly I have always wanted to be a jam maker/domestic goddess. I love all types of jam but my husband is very specific about the only jam he will eat (Smuckers Sugar Free). I know he won't eat this stuff because it has 4 cups of sugar in it, but if it turns out to be good, I'm sure the kids and I can polish it off in no time. I just made the refrigerator version since I don't know anything about how to seal/sterilize jars properly (that is next on the list of things I'd like to learn).
And here is the finished product...after hours of work...
ta da...7 jars of blueberry rhubarb jam made from rhubarb in my garden and berries I picked in the morning. My official taste tester told me "the flavour and texture and colour are perfect"!! I was so happy!! It really is a great feeling of accomplishment....unlike sewing borders on quilts!!!