Tired of Canning!

Right now I'm trying to process my second batch of jars for the evening... I'm getting the water to a boil, and once it's at a full boil I can set the timer for 30 minutes, then once they're out I'll be done for the night. Yeah, it's 12:35 at this exact second, so I won't even get done until after 1. But-- Rose was a stinker tonight and didn't get down for the night until 10! I had Young Women's tonight, so I didn't get home until about 9, which was part of the reason. Thankfully Dave had the girls bathed, in jammies, teeth brushed, and reading books in our bed when I got home. Lacy insisted on waiting for me to get home for spiritual time. I was quite pleased with how close to ready for bed they were! If he hadn't done all that, I would be even further behind.

So once the girls were sawing logs, I started with the nectarines. Nectarines are very easy to can. Just cut in half, pit, arrange in the (sanitized) jar, fill to 1/2 inch of the rim with light syrup (2 1/4 c sugar to 5 1/4 c water), wipe the rim carefully, put sanitized lid on top (I keep them in a small saucepan of boiling water to ensure they stay clean-- but I think most people do that), screw on the ring, and process in a hot water caner for 30 minutes (I'm at sea level, and I think it increases if you're at a higher elevation). While I was waiting for my nectarines to finish, I started with the peaches. Peaches are just like nectarines, but you have to take off the skins first. The easiest way to do this is to barely cut an x through the skin of the blossom end of the peach, scald in a pot of boiling water for 30-60 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon, shock in an ice bath, and peel off the skin. It takes a bit longer to prepare peaches than nectarines, but the end result is delicious so I don't mind. We only got one box of peaches this year, so they're going to be a rare commodity this winter. I'm also going to get a box of pears this weekend and I'm really excited to can those as well, although I'm not so excited to peel them! You actually have to peel pears by hand, unless there is a special trick to pears that nobody's ever told me.

I'm hoping to find a few apple trees to pick bare this year so I can make some applesauce, and I'm planning on making at least one or two more batches of jam. I'm thinking of making one batch of seedless blackberry. I have my mom's strainer, which will easily take out all the seeds. I did a batch of half-seeded blackberry which is phenomenal, so maybe seedless will be phenomenaler?

Do you think peach-blackberry jam will be good? Or nectarine-blackberry? I've got both on hand right now!