The love and joy of canning...

Way back, a long time ago... I was working in Seattle for a logging company and the owners girlfriend at the time was a very nice lady who grew up in Buckley, WA but spent her adult life in the mountains of Idaho.

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She was one of the "once in a lifetime" mentors for me, and taught me all kinds of things about nutrition, being frugal, saving money, playing fair, patience in motherhood (even though she has never been a mom), organizing, color coding, strength in womanhood, loving and caring for animals, hunting, respect, integrity, gardening and canning... I could go on and on and on.... we became life long friends even after I left that job.

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I remember one summer Mary Ann had me come to their house and go over some of the books and we would talk while she was picking green beans in the garden, the next day I would meet with her again to go over some more work, and she had the beans ready to go in jars and can... so I would help her (I use the term "help" very loosely, I knew NOTHING). And when I left that day, she sent me with a couple of jars of green beans.

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Jacob was about 4 years old and Jim was just as picky about his food back then and didn't eat veggies, but they both ate the green beans and LOVED them and RAVED on and on about how good they were.

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At that stage of my life, I was not interested in gardening, I knew nothing about it... but she planted a seed about canning and putting food up for the winter, that would later be nourished in and sprout into a great love for me in my life.

This week, I was able to go pick some green beans from a local garden. And from just one Walmart grocery bag I was able to get 9 quarts of green beans canned and used that yummy recipe from long long ago! I hope they taste as good, I can't wait to try them.

It has bacon bits and caramelized onion bits.... sooo yummy!

I love canning! And I really love all the joy it brings into my heart! Thanks MaryAnn, you will never know what a great blessing you have been to me over the years, and all the beautiful life lessons I have learned from you and your example!