Day Tripping, Again

For those of you who want to help our brothers and sisters on the East Coast, please DO NOT take supplies to your local Red Cross. It puts an extra burden on them to sort, clean, pack, ship, and etc. Please, donate money. If you don't like the Red Cross, consider the Salvation Army (again, money) or the Unitarian Universalist Organization www.uua.org. 

Rainy Day is happy to announce that, so far, her Family of Choice who live in New Jersey is safe. She is very concerned about one of her SOCs who says she is not safe and has no where to go, but Rainy Day doesn't know what that means - is she without water/electricity (a given), or did her house blow down?

Yakima River at Roza's

On to a happier topic....

The other day, Rainy Day and two of her gal pals took a day trip up the Yakima River Canyon (for those of you who don't know where it is, it is BLM land between Yakima and Ellensburg, WA)

The idea of the trip was to photograph fall foliage in all its splendiferous colors. We left our homes under gray skies, and each secretly wondered if it would be worth the drive, but we figured to go ahead and try. A short way up the freeway, we hit fog. Lots and lots of fog. Thick, pea soup fog, then, a miracle happened and we drove through a cosmic door into great and glorious sunshine!

Seed Pods

We got to the canyon a little after ten, and much was still in shadow, but pulled off at the first two recreation sites. Rainy Day got a couple of pictures, and then we went to the Umtanum Recreational Site. There was a footbridge across the Yakima River, and a trail beyond that someone said went to a grove of aspen.

We crossed the bridge (bouncy, bouncy, bouncy!) and walked a way up the trail, then took the left fork and climbed a ways up the hill. Got some wonderful shots of the aspen and the river, came back down, and took the right fork, along the river, under the aspen.

Yakima River and Aspen

Rainy Day took many photos, only a few of which are here. Many more are on her Flickr site  and, of course, yet more are in her computer.

Speaking of computer, Rainy Day is about to go into a week-long anxiety attack. She received a letter from Apple stating her hard drive is being recalled and when she called the local Apple Store/Hospital, the assured her they could and would fix it, but it would take about a week.

Aspen Grove

So, if Rainy Day doesn't play as nice as she usually does, be patient. She will be trying to work on a wee, tiny, itty bitty (by comparison) laptop!

Self Portrait of Rainy Day and Gal Pals

AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! 

And vote for someone who supports FEMA!

Big Horn Sheep across the river

Part of the herd of Big Horn Sheep

Almost Election Day!

In just under two weeks, it will be Election Day in the USA, and you, Gentle Reader if you are a citizen of this country, can help elect our next President, not to mention your State and Local officials.

Rainy Day has already voted. She lives in a state where they mail ballots, and she received hers, filled it out, and mailed it back. Rainy Day voted for people who respect other people of both genders to make decisions regarding their lives and livelihood, and who truly believe this country was built, and will be maintained, by a strong, job wielding Middle Class. Rainy Day has her criteria to choose the 'Best Person,' and she is sure you also have yours. Manners are big with Rainy Day and the people she voted for have manners. And put out the fewest negative ads.

All Rainy Day asks is that you carefully weigh your decision, and not make it based on someone else's hysteria or fear, or false statements, but give each issue on your ballot careful and thoughtful consideration. Do a little research on your own. Don't take the word of your neighbor, your priest or pastor, or the tv sound bytes.

The important thing is that you Vote - intelligently. And that you encourage your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors to also vote, even if their vote may cancel your vote.

Remember, if you don't vote, you won't earn the right to voice your opinion for another four years!

And if, after reading and researching everyone and everything, you still can't decide, vote for Tyrion Lannister! A Lannister aways pays his (national) debt!

"A mind needs books like a sword needs whetstone." – Tyrion Lannister

A country that does not respect women, respects no one.

Jam Session, Part 2

Rainy Day's SOC, Nancy, was kind enough to type up another matrix of the jams we made this year, so if any of you are interested, it is at the bottom of this post.

As you may remember from last year's post, Rainy Day and theFifth Annual Jam Session, we started a recipe of Peaches and Lemon Basil (from Tigress in a Jam), which we now call Racoon's Delight. It's one of those preserves where the stuff has to macerate overnight, and as the 'fridge was full, we set it in the garage. Alas, the raccoons came in through the kitty door, ate all the peaches, had a delightful time, and left me with the mess. We tried it again, this year. This year, we put the stuff needing maceration in the Frog Room, also cool, and had the pleasure of processing everything for human consumption;-)

Remember, jam goes on your toast, not your ballot, though if enough ballots with jam were submitted, it might turn our politics a wee be sweeter, eh?

 

Product	How much sugar?	Source
Canton ginger	Conventional	Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking
Caramelized Onion Jam	Conventional	http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Caramelized-Onion-Jam
Cherry Chutney (sweet)	Conventional	Art of Preserving, p. 52
Classic Sweet Cherry Preserves	Conventional	Jam Lady Cookbook by Beverly Ellen Schoonmaker Alfed (referenced in a blog)
Damson Plum-Orange & Ginger Jam	Conventional	http://www.food.com/recipe/damson-plum-jam-66582
Gingered Pear Marmalade	Conventional	The Home Canning and Preserving Book, p. 164
Ginger-Peach “Honey”	Conventional	? The Home Canning and Preserving Book ?
Jalapeno Jelly	Conventional
Jalapeno-Habanero Jelly	Conventional
Mango Chutney	Conventional	The Home Canning and Preserving Book, p. __
Peach Chutney	Conventional	The Home Canning and Preserving Book, p. __
Peach with Cardamom Chutney (w/ almonds)	Conventional	Art of Preserving, p. 54
Peach-Lemon-Basil Preserve (aka Racoon’s Delight)	Conventional	adapted from http://tigressinajam.blogspot.com/2011/09/lemon-basil-nectarine-preserves.html
Pickled Cherries with Tarragon	Conventional	Well-Preserved, p. __
Plum and Raisin Chutney	Conventional	Art of Preserving, p. 57
Plum Butter	Conventional	Family recipe
Plum Ketchup	Conventional	The Home Canning and Preserving Book, p. __
Spiced Damson Plum Jam	Conventional	http://www.food.com/recipe/damson-plum-jam-66582
Summer Squash Relish	Conventional	Lenora’s cousin Melani
Blackberry-Port Jam	Low-sugar	Pomona Pectin newsletter
Blueberry-Blackberry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Blueberry-Lemon Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Ginger ‘n Spice Cherry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Gingered Cherry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Raspberry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Raspberry-Cherry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Spiced Peach-Plum Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Strawberry-Raspberry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Yellow Plum Cardamom Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Yellow Plum-Peach Cardamom Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com
Zesty Strawberry Jam	Low-sugar	http://www.pomonapectin.com

Rainy Day and the Sixth Annual Jamathon

Gentle Readers,

Rainy Day is still tired, if you can believe that, from four days – and 447 jars of jam – and she isn't all that sure she can write a whole column for today's post. Suffice it to say she and her Sisters of Choice, Lee and Nancy (aka Kitchen Boss) spent four days laughing their way through a whole lot of fruit, onions, and jalapenos.

Two friends stopped by to take some candid photos. Jeff, one of Rainy Day's writerly friends stopped by during as hiatus, so didn't get to see much action but he did get a few shots of Lee and Rainy Day, herewith shared.

Lee ladling jam into jars

Lee, screwing ring over lid

Rainy Day sealing jars for their bath

 Rainy Day is very grateful she is not a jar of jam that has to spend 10 minutes in a bath of boiling water! She is also very grateful she has a pot filler (the black thing against the wall) with which to fill the bath as it boils down!

Rainy Day putting jars into bath

Next week, Rainy Day will try to have the list of all the jams we made, as well as the source, in case such madness should ever overtake and good friends or family;-)

Out of the Darkness

Blogging, as you may know, is a fun way to meet new people, especially when they comment;-) (hint, hint)

At any rate, Rainy Day met Justine Dell through the Grammar Police segment of her blog and Justine, and a friend of hers (and writer) Sarah Fine are working on a project, Out of the Darkness Walk. Rainy Day has lost friends and family (of choice) to suicide, and supports this project. She asked Justine to write for this week's blog, and so we are posting one day early so even more of you, Gentle Readers, can have an opportunity to help make a difference by joining in a walk and or bidding on one of the great items and or donate.

Justine, Rainy Day now turns her blog over to you while she scoots back to the kitchen to get ready for the 6th Annual Jam Session. Thank you, Justine, for taking over this week's blog, and for helping out in such a wonderful cause.

Put them together, Gentle Readers, and welcome Auther, Ms Justine Dell!!!

Hello Gentle Readers and Peeps everywhere! And you, Rainy Day, go have fun in the kitchen. We'll get along just fine.

Over 34,000 people die each year in the U.S. alone from suicide. 

Worldwide there are more deaths due to suicide than to accidents, homicide and war combined. 

This year, Sarah Fine and Justine Dell have teamed up... 

for the Out of The Darkness Walk. 

It's a cause that raises money for Suicide Prevention. 

It's important.

This week we bring you THREE opportunities to win awesome stuff AND help out a great cause. 

The first is our EPIC giveaway. 

For this, all you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter. 

That's it. It's free. 

For every 250 entries we receive, Sarah Fine will donate $100 to the cause. 

She will donate up to $500...IF we get 1250 entries. 

SO ENTER. 

And spread the word.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The second opportunity is this:

Sarah and Justine's Dynamite Donation Giveaway. 

For this you gain entries by donating. Every $1 you donate equals one entry to win one of two awesome prize packs. Use the easy entry on the Rafflecopter below, donate via our Out of the Darkness page HERE, email the receipt to dell(dot)justine(at)gmail(dot)com and we will manually enter your entries based on your donation. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The third opportunity is the auction taking place this Saturday, Oct. 6th at 11 am on Justine's Blog. There is something for writers and readers. You could bid on agent critiques, YA and Adult book packs and an awesome pack for writers. Mark your calendar for THIS SATURDAY and tell your friends. More details on the prizes can be found HERE. 

Help us and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and enter one (or ALL) of these opportunities this week.

Make a difference.

~JD