Christmas prep

 

I hope that title hasn't given anyone heart palpitations; it's just that I'm feeling slightly more on top of things than usual for a change in preparing for this year's holiday gift bags. (I'm sure it won't last, so I have to enjoy it while I can.) This is mainly because, a few weeks ago, one of my Canberra friends alerted me to the fact that my local Big W was stocking Ball canning jars. I made a beeline into Civic, and secured both the 4 oz/120 g (the ideal size for cramming into a well-stocked goody bag) and the 8 oz/240 g sizes at a good price - definitely more than I would have paid in the US, but much, much cheaper than getting them shipped from a supplier in Melbourne, which has been my only option up to now. Replenishing my jar stockpile coincided with the return of jam-worthy fruits to the farmers' market, and I've got a couple of batches of strawberry and strawberry-rhubarb jam lined up and waiting for December. And I'm trying out a new combo this weekend - more on that tomorrow, I hope.

Five/one

Happy Friday! Time for another installment of Five Things That Make Me Happy and One Thing That's Pissing Me Off:

1. I had to stay up super late last night to finish a major assignment - but now it's done and ready to go out the door and off my mind in time for the weekend.
2. The weather in Canberra is suddenly summer-warm and it's lovely to have the windows open and be able to eat meals outside.
3. I love going away, but I also love not going away - really looking forward to a weekend at home.
4. Miss B is tackling learning a new skill that she's been working up to for ages - and she's making amazing progress at it. It's fantastic to watch.
5. I've been digging into my bookmarked recipes for spring and summer cooking inspiration; I made this herbed feta dip for a starter recently, subbing cilantro/coriander and basil in for the herbs specified in the recipe. A hit!

And:

6. I can't believe, in the throes of my deadline fog last night, that I forgot to post! NaBloPoMo fail #2!

Wordless Wednesday

 

 
A picture is worth a thousand words, after all. (Or at least six really choice ones.)

Translation available upon request.

(NaBloPoMo, Day 12.)