A Road Trip South and Canning Beets

Last weekend we made a road trip South to visit our friends. Last week our city was blanketed with thick smoke from local forest fires so we were happy to hit to road. Things were better in the South.

It was snowing ash the day we left.

On Friday we visited friends at their parents' organic produce farm. We got to visit and gorge on tasty organic food - it was great! The tour of the farm gave me crazy aspirations and Hubby unfortunate allergies.

Yum Basil! I want an organic produce farm.

Monkey playing with our friends' daughter.

We got to scope out the local farmers' market on Saturday. I was jealous, but our friends bought fudge and eating some made me feel better. I ended up buying 10lbs of organic beets. I don't even like beets, but they were cheap and would travel home well.

The rest of the weekend we relaxed. Hubby played loads of boardgames with his friend and Cindy and I splurged on delicious ice cream from the Marble Slab Creamery, chatted, nursed our babies and watched Julie & Julia. We also got to visit with our priest friend. He showed us around the town; I think he wants us to move down there. I must admit that the thought has crossed me mind.

Touring the town with Father.

Our little girls hanging out.

Sweetpea is working on sitting but gets tired easily. Good thing Bunny is such a good sport :)

I've been canning beets for two days now. Half the beets were canned as Maple Pickled Beets and Onions and the other half as Caraway Pickled Beets from the Ball (Bernadin) Complete Book of Home Preserving. I have 13 pints (500 ml)... what am I going to do with all these pickled beets!?