Wednesday

salmon and swans ~

How quickly the weather is changing in my neck of the woods.  This morning when I got up and  looked at the thermometer it was at 37F ... turned on the news and heard the predicted high for today is 54F ~brrrrr.  I think I better get the beets out of the ground today and get them canned up.

I've been busy canning, as usual.  My last conquest was doing up 13 quarts of salmon.  It's a pretty easy process.

 
Canned Salmon
Clean and fillet off fish.  Cut into chunks and pack loosely into quart jars.  To each jar add 2 Tablespoons of ketchup, 2 teaspoons of canning or pickling salt, 1/4 Cup of white vinegar.  Seal and process in a hot water bath for 1-1/2 hours. 

~~~
I finally got the last coats of stain on the hunting shack, aka. TajMELhall.  There's so much stain on that shacks chipboard floors and walls I don't fore see it rotting out in my lifetime.  I used a gallon and half of another gallon on it.  That's a LOT of stain on a 6x8 building.  It just kept soaking in ... so I just kept painting it on :)

I also made camo curtains yesterday for the windows.  Now we just need to get this bugger transported into the woods and reassembled.  The guys said they would be doing it this coming weekend.

 I thought I'd share some of my birds ~

  ~ I have them tucked into plants and such all over my house. 
This one is guarding her egg .. a rock DH gave me because he thought I'd like it.  How well he knows me ... it looks just like a big brown egg.
This is one of my fave bird paintings.  It hangs on my bathroom wall ~ where I can sit and admire it every day ... several times a day.  LOL  
I need to get it framed.  It was painted by my sisters neighbor, Gaylene, before she was afflicted with Alzeheimers.  My sister Colleen had it hanging in her house; but when I visited her last time she said that it was mine.  Gaylene wanted me to have it and gave it to Colleen to hold for me the next time I made it to Texas.   Poor Gaylene ... now she doesn't even remember that she could paint.


Swans have such a special place in my heart ~ as they remind me of my sister Lana and the vision that she had of them right before she died.  So this painting has double ... make that triple meaning.  I reminds me of all three of those gals, Colleen, Lana and Gaylene.

I know it seems silly ... but sometimes it's those little things in life that mean so much.  

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel



9 comments:

  1. Yuppers, it's the little things...
    BlessYa

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  2. Boy am I glad you mentioned reassembling the cabin. I just didn't know how to tell you that it looked like it was falling down.
    What a delightful collection of birds.
    Arkansas Patti

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  3. oh, loved the swan portrait and special significance it has for you...

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  4. It doesn't seem silly at all!! And what a wonderful talent she had!! AND LOOK AT ALL THE TALENTS YOU HAVE!!! I feel so lazy next to you!!

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  5. Amazing talent in the swan painting. The "meaning" makes it even more special.

    I'm ready for some colder weather.

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  6. You are such a busy bee :)
    Love that you canned salmon!! I'm up to my eyeballs in canning.....and loving every minute of it!
    Have a wonderful day~~

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  7. You guys are just full and over flowing with talent. Love the birds. I love the swans and the special story with them. Such a sad statement'She doesn't remember she could paint'. Whaty another mean disease. But you guys can remember, and that makes it very special. I love the sentiment.

    Enjoy the new hunting LODGE!

    We are in Florida and it is
    HOT!
    Love ya!
    Sherry & Jack

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  8. Loved this post, Mel. The memories of your sister who could paint - the picture - and you soak-painting the shack. Should last quite a long time I think! The TajMELhall! Love it.

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  9. What a wonderful story about the meaning of the swan painting you have. Love your bird collection too.

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