Something to celebrate (up to a point)

It seems that the harvest has begun in earnest. This is obviously a cause for celebration, but it is also a signal to roll up my sleeves and pretend I'm a housewife. Back in early spring, I was allowed to help put the netting over our fruit bushes. We've had too many seasons when they've gone from 'nearly ready' to 'ravaged by the birds' overnight. I don't know, then, why I was surprised when Himself fetched up in the kitchen on  Sunday afternoon with pounds and pounds of blackcurrants and redcurrants. 

'Lovely,' I said. 'I was wondering what to do this week.'

Since life is too short to take off all the nibbly little stalks to make proper jam, I've opted for jelly, which took care of about 6lb of fruit. That's plenty, given that while clearing a space for the jars I discovered some of last year's preserves that we still haven't eaten. 

We've eaten some of the new crop just as they were, cooked down and stirred into Greek yoghurt (and, yes, served with ice-cream, too). The rest are now bubbling away enthusiastically in demijohns on their way to becoming wine. They are in the corner of my 'office', making a reassuring bloop-bloop-bloop.

Cherry tomatoes are on their way

We've started digging up potatoes, as well, and onions and garlic are hanging in the shed to dry. Any minute now we shall be gathering courgettes and beans, and the tomatoes won't be far behind. Lovely stuff!

Have a great weekend, folks. 
 
Celebrate the Small Things  is a blog hop. Visit Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week. Originated by VikLit) and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge and Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog.