Change...& exploring.

    Change is good. Whether it's my home, my wardrobe, my hair color or my blog...I get the itch to change it up every once in awhile :) I like change. It helps me to grow & learn new things...My blog title changed once again. Along with it came a new blog address. You can access all the posts I've made in the past, you just can't access the blog with mccl4.blogspot.com anymore, the new web address is growingupcountry7.blogspot.com I'm hoping you will continue to visit me here, I love the feedback!

    Today we decided to pack up the kiddos & take them to a place that I loved to visit as a little girl. Hoping to make some of the same memories for our children that I have today.

    "The Wilderness Center"  is a wildlife center with winding trails, beautiful ponds, lookout towers & so much more.

    There were tons of trees uprooted like this one due to all the storms we had last year...

    Feeding the fish & geese is always a highlight! I brought along a nice big loaf of stale bread & we had so much fun watching them scramble for the crumbs...

    

    One of the beautiful ponds...

    Grandma & Grandpa met us there to go hiking...sitting to rest after an all uphill winding trail. Having a snack of pretzels before heading to Grandmas house for supper...

   There is rain in the forecast for the next 3 days so we made the most of every bit of sunshine that we could get today-such a beautiful day! 

                                                 Have a blessed Sunday & a good week!

Preserving Pineapples without processed sugars

    This year I'm starting a new adventure. I've been canning & preserving for as long as I can remember. I learned everything I know by watching & helping my Mother year after year as a little girl, growing up. When my Husband & I got married, almost 12 years ago, I continued doing so for our family. This year I'll be learning a whole new way of canning & preserving. Using only natural, raw & whole sugars & sea salt to preserve my fruits, vegetables & meats. I will try & share each new recipe as I go along.
    I'm super excited to start filling my cellar shelves with delicious, wholesome foods that are good for my family.
    Today I'll be sharing my recipe for canning fresh pineapples. It's super simple.
    I found pineapples on sale at our local Aldi for 1.99 each!

 I bought 10 of them, cut them up in chunks & filled my jars. I then made a simple syrup using 1 1/2 cup raw local honey to 1 gallon hot water. I stirred the honey-water till all the honey had dissolved into the water. I then poured the simple syrup over the pineapple, in the jars till the neck of the jar(leaving about 1inch from the very top of the jar.
    wipe the rims of the jars clean with a hot, wet dishcloth. Place the lids & rings tightly on the jars & place them into your canner. Fill the canner, up to the ring of the jars with water that is the same temperature as the liquid in your jars. I add 1 cup vinegar to the water in my canner, it keeps the jars from getting a chalk-like film over the surface of the jars.
    Cold-pack for 7 minutes once the water reaches a full rolling boil. Remove from the canner & place on a tea towel till the jars are completely cooled.

I saved one pineapple for eating fresh & the remaining 9 pineapples made 2 quart & 21 pint.