Swisms

I will tell you right up front do not go looking in any dictionary for the word swism. It should be in there as it is the perfect word for what happens on a hot summer day.

When I was out picking my beans in the garden the other night I was experiencing issues with swism. For those of you who wear glasses this will make sense. Swism is that drop of sweat that rolls off your forehead when you are bending over and it then lands on your glasses to create a swism.

When you try looking through this swism you get the same effect as looking through the swism’s better known relative- the prism. It might be a little fuzzier than that.

I have also heard it said that women don’t sweat……I will tell you this is a falsehood.  When the weather is as hot as it has been (108º heat index) women no longer glisten; it really is sweat.

As I write this my husband reminded me of my enthusiasm when those seed catalogs arrived in the mailbox back in January and February. As he was throwing wood into the woodstove back then, to keep us warm, I was dreaming of produce and a beautiful organized garden.

Nowhere is those glossy photos of clean abundant produce did I see a drop of sweat on the people holding those gorgeous pumpkins, beans and carrots. (Who are those people and where do they get them from??)  Nowhere did I see earwigs munching on the leaves or rabbits chewing those peas to nubs.  Maybe I should have bought the packages of repellant that were advertised?  You would think I would learn after this many years of gardening!!

I do have to say that once you get the beans picked the next part is actually pretty relaxing as you can sit on the porch and listen to the birds and watch the chickens as you snip beans. You can even enjoy a great cup of tea. Yes I still enjoy a cup of tea even when it is hot. You just have some chocolate mint tea that has a hint of cool to it.

After years of using the hot water bath method for canning my beans I finally purchased my first pressure canner  a few years ago.( My mom still cannot believe that I use a pressure canner and I often hear the story of how Grandma had chicken soup all over the kitchen because the pressure canner blew.) After using the pressure canner these last couple years I would not go back, especially when it comes to beans. I must admit I reread the instruction book every year and do not leave my kitchen while it is in operation.

I also need to admit that when those jars come out of the canner it is very satisfying. Hearing that pinging sound of lids sealing is one of the best sounds around.

It is a great feeling to begin to fill the empty jars from the pantry shelves with produce. I know that by the time that last jar gets filled and on the shelves I will have forgotten the effort it took to get them all there.

My husband just grins when I stand in my pantry and admire all the filled shelves in the fall. My youngest son usually takes a look and comments, “Yup, mom is ready for the apocalypse.”

 

 A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready;
it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.
Proverbs 10:5  (GNT)