The lovely scent of rain-washed air blew in the window early Friday morning. Throughout the weekend, rain fell in fits and starts.
"Welcome, welcome," said the earth.
"Ahhh," breathed the plants.
"Relief," sighed the forest.
And the rest of us didn't mind at all.
It was a good day to preserve summer. Chop a few apricots.
Combine them with some sugar in a deep pot. Stir and let them meld together while you...
run out to the herb patch to clip some rosemary, not even minding that you can feel your hair gaining volume and frizzing in the damp air.
add it to the apricots and sugar. The mixture bubbles for 15 to 20 minutes while you stand and stir, thinking of summer and winter and the sweetness of apricots combines with the pungency of rosemary and it's all you can do not to eat the mixture by the spoonful.
You think of melting Brie and cheese scones and perhaps a glaze for chicken and your mouth waters. You fill the hot jars with the hot jam and set on the hot lids and screw them down firmly. Later, the pop, pop, pop of sealing lids assures you that when you open the jar in the cold grey of November, summer will rise again.
