Canning Apples

It has been a busy week, picking apples and turning them into applesauce and apple butter. Yum! There is nothing better than homemade applesauce. I still want to make the apple pie filling. That might happen tomorrow. I must confess, there is a sense of satisfaction in growing your own apples, picking them and then preserving them. Yeah!

Proudly Voting My Conscience!

Like most Americans I have been so demoralized by the choice of the two predominant candidates for President right now. I have anguished over who I should vote for. I have hardly been able to sit through the debates because I cannot stand the negativity, contempt, and bad examples of both of these candidates.

I grew up singing that America was the "land of the free and the home of the brave." I grew up watching my faithful father treat my mother with respect and love. I grew up being taught to deal honestly, to love others, to be kind, and to cherish the freedoms afforded me in this great nation and that all of the people I saw around me were God's children. I was taught to choose wisely because my choices had consequences. I was taught that what I had to say was important and that my opinion mattered.

Politics lately seem to be a sticky subject--and the more I watch these "leaders" yell and bicker and demean each other, the less I want to watch and the less I want them to "lead." I'm tired of the bantering! I'm tired of the cries to vote for the "lesser of the two evils!" I'm tired of having my own party tell me that I need to vote on the "policies" their party represents when clearly their presidential candidate's words and actions don't reflect being honest, respectful, kind and good like I have been taught all my life.

I am proud to be an American! I am proud of our nation and our history and the amazing leaders that have guided us in the past. I am a woman of faith, who values family and freedom. I proudly raise some of the rising generation with the same set of values that I was taught by my parents: to love America, to vote, to treat others with love and respect, to deal honestly, and to love ALL of God's children. I'm doing my best to raise my boys to treat women with respect and my daughter to respect men. I am teaching my children that choices have consequences and that they can contribute to our family, make a difference in our community and serve God's children.

My question is, how do these two main candidates measure up to these same standards I was taught and am teaching? They don't. And so, I cannot vote for the lesser of two evils. I was taught to avoid the appearance of evil. I cannot just vote for the "policies" of parties, when the "head" of the party is setting an example I'm embarrassed to have my children watch on television. I am embarrassed that leaders aren't being held accountable for their choices, actions and words.

I received a poll via snail mail from the dear old GOP last week. I filled it out honestly and let them know that I would NOT be voting for their candidate, but that I WOULD BE VOTING!

Please don't tell me that I'm throwing away my vote when I say I'm voting 3rd party! Know this--I will not stand idly by and watch America choose the "lesser of the two evil candidates" and say nothing. I will not vote Democrat nor Republican for President this election--BUT I WILL CAST MY VOTE! Some will say that my vote means nothing--so I shouldn't bother voting. I am an AMERICAN AND MY VOTE COUNTS! Our ancestors fought for the right to vote and I won't let anyone tell me that I cannot or should not vote!

I am NOT going to sit down and be discouraged. I am going to VOTE! I invite other Americans to STAND WITH ME. Stand for what you believe, and know that your vote does count. It DOES! Take a stand, get out, and vote. Vote for people you believe represent your values. If, like me, you find that you don't see those qualities in our two main candidates, then look at the 3rd party candidates. We have more than two options!

Here is the great secret: If ALL the people who are disappointed with the two main candidates vote for a 3rd party--maybe a miracle will happen. And that hope of a miracle is what I am hanging on to.

I finally found someone I can get behind: Evan McMullin for President with Mindy Finn as Vice President.

God bless America--Get out and Vote!!!!

Canning Joys and Sorrows

Crack! NOOOO I cringe! There is no worse sound in the world to someone who is canning: The cracking of a jar you just so carefully packed. I hate it when the second you put them in the boiling water they crack....darn it! So much wasted time and work. Yes, I know I have some jars that are a little older--and maybe I just need to replace all of them so that this won't happen. The problem is I can't tell my old jars from my new jars. Oh well.

I did get some more canning done yesterday--more Cinnamon pickles. They are a good thing to make with all of the cucumbers that you pick from your garden that are way too big and overgrown to do anything else. Canning joys and sorrows.

Pint-Size Freezer Bags!!!

Ziploc has a pint size (2 cup) freezer bag now!!!! I am so excited! I can now freeze my tomatoes in smaller increments without feeling like I am wasting a larger quart size bag. Hurray!

#PintSize

Organizing Project

I worked on a project with my father-in-law yesterday--putting some shelves up in our storage closet. I think I have had that on my list of things to do for about 6 months. It feels so good to get something like that crossed off the list! Thanks Dad!