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Thursday, August 23, 2012

My Birthday!

How in the world did this happen! Today is my birthday and I didn't even think about it until last night. That's a really good sign of old age. It's hard to think about canning and freezing and your birthday. Especially at my age.

Growing up I always wanted the same meal for my birthday, Chicken and Dumplings, brown beans, sliced tomatoes, cottage cheese, homemade rolls and banana pudding Not grocery store cottage cheese, the kind my grandmother made. I can taste it now.

It's funny how our taste change as we get older, not that I don't still love Chicken and Dumpling. Now I would lean more to fresh veggies and homemade bread. Let's keep the banana pudding.

On Monday of this week I went to visit a dear friend that lives down the road. Louise had her 93rd birthday last week. She told me at church on Sunday she was cutting back on her canning this year and would love for me to have some of her canning jars. I was thrilled. When I went in she had two pressure cookers on the stove full of green beans. This would make 38 jars. I didn't have to say a word, she said, "I'm cutting back not stopping." Most of the food she cans goes to the food bank and for church functions and her children. She just doesn't have the time anymore. On Wednesday each week she visits the nursing home where her sister is and "talks with all the old people". Yes, she still drives.

I should live so long to be as wonderful as Louise.


  1. I love meeting people like Louise! My idol lives down in VA and I can only hope I will be like her when I grow up! Happy Birthday, Bev, hope you have many, many more!!!! Hugs...:)JP

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  3. Happy Birthday Bev - love your blog. You are an inspiration to us all.

  4. happy birthday!!! you are are just ripening! do something special for yourself today! don't can!!!

  5. I hope your birthday is wonderful! Now you have me thinking about chicken and dumplings. . .

  6. what a wonder she is, that made me smile for sure, Happy Birthday to you sweet lady,

  7. Happy Birthday!!! and I love your story about Louise. Keeping busy and active is the key to longevity for sure!!

  8. Happy Birthday, Beverly. I think you are going to be canning and cooking for a long time! Louise is a remarkable woman, for sure. I had a birthday last week too and I could not keep up with either of you. ;-) Blessings to both of you. xo

  9. Happy Birthday! I had the most wonderful Italian lady for a neighbor when I was first married, she was in her seventies and made incredible things every day, sometimes raviolis, an all day production, canning and even homemade cordial. Always busy, and always smiling. She's been an inspriation to me my whole life. What a great friend you have.

  10. Happy Belated Birthday! I wish I had half of your 93 year old friends energy! Wow, what an amazing woman! You are blessed to have her in your life.

    I can only begin to imagine how many canning recipes Louise has, and how many jars she's canned! I'm new to canning, I've only been doing it for 4 years now and I love it!

