Can as much as you can.

Here's a little corner of our kitchen.

January makes me reconnect with home.

It makes one slow down, think deeply about hibernation,

reading, watching movies, snuggling, drinking tea.

It also makes you look back at the year.

What bounty our garden and local farmers provided for us this year.

We are canners.  We simply can't help it.

When the abundance comes in, the canning pot comes down.

This year Kris was the canning master.

Afternoons at farms up on ladders,

taking down the most gorgeous fruit.

Evenings in the kitchen, steamy windows,

music playing, in the heart of our home.

I was the helper this year and the label maker.

I carved stamps while she peeled, chopped, diced and stirred.

It's nice to have a little something to look back at

and say, "We did that together."

And canned goods are never a gift refused.  

Like they used to say,

"Can as much as you can."