Shirt #19 (seersucker)
Summer has definitely arrived in East Texas with daily temperatures breaking the century mark for the past 2 weeks and no end in sight. Even after biblical, record rains throughout Spring, we are now watching the skies, hoping for rain. Our colder-than-normal Winter is only a distant memory as we chase air conditioning while hiding from the sun. Texas! No need to say more!
Along with these dog days has come laziness and lack of ambition. I’ve accomplished little recently and I use the heat as my excuse. I have only started making shirt #19. It’s another seersucker with contrasting collar stand and backside of the shark tail collar. It has a chevron pocket. All that’s left is to insert the sleeves, sew and flat-felled the side seams, construct buttonholes, add buttons and hem. Frankly, that’s a 2-3 hour easy job which I have no ambition to complete today. Shame on me!
Earlier this week, I canned some chicken soup. It’s SO easy to do. I cooked 10 chicken thighs in water with seasoning, chopped onions, a bay leaf and celery to make a flavorful broth. I deboned and chopped the chicken, chopped more onion and celery which I inserted into quart jars along with a couple of tablespoons of frozen corn and frozen peas. I ladled hot broth into the partially filled jars, wiped the tops and added lids and rings. I processed the jars in my pressure canner for 1 ½ hours. Each of the 7 quart jars is a beginning to a wonderful, homemade chicken soup. As we heat a jar for a meal, I can add rice, barley, noodles, dumplings, etc. according to what we desire at the time. We’ll have a terrific homemade, hearty, healthy dinner in a matter of minutes. (I LOVE deliciousness especially when it’s quick and easy!!!)
After making room for the chicken soup on the shelf, I notice we have no more space for jars. The freezers are also packed full so I need to stop putting up so much and start eating some of it. It’s time to chomp down on some of this accumulation of fresh, wholesome food. I’m down!
Stay cool!
Shirl