The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

I love winter, the cold, the snow, the time to retreat into the warmth and comfort of home. I love the weekend nights sharing suppers with family and friends after shoveling snow, packing wood on the fire, watching the kids play in the snow and coming in with red noses and cold hands. I love the holiday season, cooking with family and friends and eating til you're stuffed.Then I love it when we see the first hint that spring is on its way and the winter hiatus has ended and the snows have ebbed from all but the mountain tops. Spring has arrived early this year and the lust for getting the garden in shape and growing is like an a magnet that pulls at my desires to dig in the earth and plant.The garden is being enlarged this year! Not much, but just enough to add the bed for winter squash and cabbage.
Along with the extra square footage of garden space, we added 3 apple trees to the surrounding yard. Semi-dwarf Honey Crisp, Macintosh and Cameo apples trees grace the East side of our yard. The uncertainties of these times calls for measures that can renew belief in our selves and our way of life. Gardening provides the avenue to meet these needs, providing nourishment for our families and creating a positive impact on the earth. It is like a gift that keeps on giving.I can already feel my senses calming. The process of gardening restores in me what begins to diminish through the winter months.As soon as the first green shoots appear the
excitment begins!

Pickles in Winter

With the preserves and pickles on the pantry selves dwindling at the end of the winter, getting creative to satisfy the taste of something summer is a must.
While shopping at Costco in January, I came across baby English cucumbers. A baggies of these little jewels came home with me. I did not intend on making pickles, but after eating them sliced with salt, pepper and a dash of vinegar, I realized what I really wanted was refrigerator pickles!
Three more bags of cucumbers came home with me the following week, and wallah ~ we had ~

Winter Pickles

Slice as thinly as possible (I use a mandolin) about 4-5 pounds baby cukes, and 2 sweet onions.

Toss to mix well and pack firmly into 4 quart jars, washed and rinsed with boiling water.

Heat in heavy sauce pan, bringing to a boil.
4 cups sugar
4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/4 cup canning salt

Ladel over the cucumbers and onions in the jars.
Seal and let cool. Store in the refrigerator.
These are ready to eat as soon as they have chilled through.