Canning

I guess it was last summer while visiting my in-laws that I tasted the most amazing spiced figs that a friend of theirs had canned.  This friend has a fig tree with an abundance of figs!  I have been in search of this recipe since then...this friend seems to think no one would want to take the time to make these so hasn't shared the recipe.  Well...I found, what I thought was the recipe.  Finally found some figs at the grocery store...no posted price.  There were 15 figs in a box and we took them to the check-out.  Of course the price didn't scan...they looked them up...the green figs didn't compute...so they rung them as black figs...79 cents EACH!  Whatever...these spiced figs were amazing that I had tasted.  Three days later when I had time to make the recipe, five of the figs were too mushy to use...threw them away...79 cents each.  Put together the recipe and read that you had to boil the figs in this concocted syrup 10 minutes a day for 3 days...okay, did that.  When they cooled the third day, I just had to try one!  THICK syrup...super sweet...not the same amazing spiced figs I had tasted at my in-laws house.  On with the recipe search.  Bought the Ball Jar Canning Book and there is a spiced fig recipe in there that I will try when I can find figs again!!!!!  Hope they're cheaper this time!

Porches

One of my priorities for a new home is to have a porch.  I have been hauling around an oak porch swing I bought when I lived in Blowing Rock (northwestern NC) in 1979...have not had a porch since!  A year or so ago we actually ran into the guy at a street fair in Hendersonville, NC that made it .  He is still in business...expanded quite a bit.  I told him I had one of his swings and it turns out that it is one of his first swings.  He was very interested in it and offered to give me a brand new one for the old one...he would love to have some of his firsts.  There is no way I could part with this swing I have been hauling around for 31 years! 

The house we want has a very nice porch!  Along with the coveted oak porch swing, I will hang this cross-stitch piece I just finished.  I'll be taking it to the framer this week.  The buttons in the piece are from my grandmother's button box.  In case you can't read the saying it says:  "You don't have to have tickets to listen to crickets"  Is that not perfect for a porch?!?!