Here are the recipes for the peach jam and strawberry jam.  I'll try to post others as I find time over the next few days.  These recipes are from Blue Ribbon Preserves which explains a lot of the information behind canning and making high-quality jams and other soft spreads.  If you've never canned before, I'd highly recommend reading that book or ( Read more... )

This weekend started with a trip to the farmer's market and ended with thirty more jars of jam and jelly in my kitchen. I'm not sure the jelly has enough pectin in it to set, so I might have to redo those, but the jams look good ( Read more... )

Last weekend I decided to dust off my canning jars and capture the early summer flavor of the fresh peaches I've been getting at the farmer's market. I also wanted to do something with the pounds and pounds of plums on the tree in the backyard ( Read more... )

Shane, Nathan, and I went climbing after work last night.  The weather was perfect, and we had fabulous views of the coast and sunset.  Since Shane had a headlamp with him, we kept climbing after dark and didn't get home until about 10pm.  I had a great time and learned how to belay.

I lugged my SLR with me, so I've got pictures.  Next time we'll be ( Read more... )

Last night was the last regular session of the photography class I've been taking.  That meant our term project, a portfolio of ten images, was due by the end of class.  During last week's class, the instructor showed us how to cut mat boards for our photos if we wanted to present them in a photo box.  Dealing with the mats looked like it would be ( Read more... )

Don't ever cut chiles immediately after rock climbing or some other activity which roughs-up your hands.  Or, if you do, wear gloves.

Trust me.

Both Shane and I have posted a few pictures from last weekend's rock climbing adventures: by Shane and by me.  Miraculously, I got sufficient sunscreen applied that I didn't even get burned in the bright sun!

The next time we're all available to go is next Thursday, but I may go try out my new climbing shoes on some low boulders this weekend.

Rock climbing is awesome.  I need to find time to do it again, especially since there's a spot that's good for evening climbs ( Read more... )

It's been a while since I've posted anything because I've been very busy doing a lot of things I really enjoy.

Here's a brief run-down:

• The new version of software product I've been developing for the past two years at work finally made it to initial release on Friday. We don't have it in our customers' hands yet, but the CD images are made. That ( Read more... )

I'm back from my trip to Ireland. I had a great time. I saw a lot of monastic ruins, neolithic sites, and lush green vegetation. Pictures to follow at some point.

Now I just need to convince my body that it should be on Pacific time.