Awkward

I am feeling socially awkward today.  Or, as you who know me would call it, "normal."

I had a meeting this morning at a private residence on campus, about a garden.  Since I wasn't positive how to get there, I was early.  However, there was not a car in sight, so I waited in mine to see when people arrived.  No one came.  I called the office and was told that people were at the meeting.  I drove around and saw a car, but no people, and no one had gone in the front door.  So, I parked nearby and lurked some more.  Finally, 10 minutes after the meeting was supposed to start, I saw another car and just said, to hell with it, I am going in.  I saw someone disappearing over a hill and followed her, all the while worried about being accused of trespassing.

Turns out the meeting was in the back yard, behind a 6 foot fence, and around some 30 foot tall bushes.  And I was 10 minutes late.  I was angry and embarrassed.  Awkward.

Or normal.

See, this is why I wanted to move to the country - so I could be a hermit and avoid all these strange, peopley gatherings.

But then I get lonely and decide I need to make friends.  Which leads to more awkward.  Although, in my defense (to myself, since I think I am most critical of myself), I have been making inroads meeting people.  I am trying.  And when it gets awkward, I can always run back to my slice of heaven and hide in the woods.

A Can-Do Attitude

One of my most favorite homesteady (yes, it is a word.  I made it up!) activities is preserving foods.  Home canning!  And when I don't sustain an injury, it is wonderful.  But we will talk about that later.

This weekend I mysteriously came into possession of a lot of green tomatoes.  A lot.

So I went in search of recipes.  See, canning is a very specialized process.  You can't just throw things into a jar, can them and assume that all will be well.  That is just courting botulism!  You have to take into account acidity, and density, and a whole bunch of other science ideas that are beyond my desire to understand.  So I always (well, usually) go to the experts.  A wonderful resource is the National Center for Home Food Preservation (guess what they do!)  They have wonderful recipes and solid advice.

Recipes in hand, the husband and I made Green Tomato Relish, and Green Tomato Salsa.  Here is a brief tour in pictures:

The tomatoes

Peppers, Onions and Garlic

Combining Ingredients

Filling the jars

Sterilizing the lids and getting ready to boil

That was the relish.  I don't have pictures from the husband's 7 1/2 pints of salsa, nor my 15 pints of chunky salsa from today.  But you get the idea.

And here is the final product:

30 jars of green tomato goodness.  Yum!

No Pain, No Gain
As I alluded to above, canning isn't always pain-free.  Early this year, I sustained a 3rd degree burn when I dripped about a tablespoon of boiling water into my sock as I was removing jars from the canner.  Today, I almost did it again, and now have a mild scald on my pinkie toe.  Both times I was wearing sneakers.  Next time, I think I will wear my wellies.  Maybe then I will be protected.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only injury today.  I am having a week, let me tell you.

For my salsa, I had to chop up jalapenos.  Now, I normally avoid dealing with hot peppers.  I can eat them in some food, but I never, ever cut them.  But I needed them, so I thought, "what the hell."

And found out.  The hell is that I now have capsacian burns under several of my finger nails, and I can't seem to get the oils off my fingers.  I have used soap and water, alcohol, milk, and olive oil.  All recommended by experts.  All I can think is that my nails sucked the oils in.  Sheesh.  I hope I don't need to scratch my face!

On the bright side, the salsa looks great and all the jars sealed.

No Substitutions

A word to the wise(r than me).  White sugar is not a substitution for confectioners sugar in baking.

Trust me. 

Now, I think this needs a caveat.  I normally make beautiful, smooth, delicious chocolate icing.  I swear.

The icing normally looks dark and delicious.  It does not look (and taste) crystallized and gritty.  Nor does it normally slide right off the cake.

Thank goodness that I am an amateur, so none of you can submit this to Cake Wrecks.


I think that is enough embarrassment for one day, don't you think?