Preserving time

Preserving time, the time when I peacefully get on with the process of preparing fruit for bottling together  with preparing fruit for pickling.   A time for thinking and contemplation and making sense of all those thoughts that run through my head at breakneck speed  and sometimes do not get to see the light of day. A time for cogitating and making sense of a number of factors.

The beetroot is bubbling away in the big stainless steel pot on top of the cooker, as I write, following a well versed process in readiness for being pickled.  Alongside in a saucepan sugar is melting into water in readiness for being made into syrup to preserve the blood red plums and the blackberry, pear and apple mix, the pears and the nectarines for the pantry shelf.  All is calm apart from the gentle hubble bubble of the water as it reaches peaks and troughs and slowly cooks the contents of the pan. The work is methodic and calming and the peace and tranquility gently chills my tired soul, but also fills my pantry shelves.

There is a lot to do and so little time to do it; I am thinking of savouring those blood red plums with pure home made vanilla ice cream and perhaps a touch of cinnamon for extra flavour.  If I had my way I would add it to the jar, but OH does not like cinnamon at all, so I tend to add it just for my portion. Comfort food of the highest order to cheer up long cold winter nights.

Hubble bubble toil n trouble - Alchemy of a different kind