68 and 12 years and canning and...

cooking cauliflower, and baking bread, and all other kinds of good things.  It's been a good week.  My two beautiful cauliflowers were large enough to supply one breakfast, one side for dinner and six pints of pickles.

Byron loves to saute cauliflower florets lightly in a little butter, salt and pepper.  He then adds some eggs and scrambles them in the cauliflower and tops with an Italian cheese mix.  This is good eatin' in the morning according to Byron.  I doubtfully took a nibble off of his plate not expecting much...I cleaned the rest up...yummmmm

Here are store bought carrots, home grown cauliflower, green chilies and red bell peppers soaking in salt water while I prepared the jars....

Next I boil the jars to sterilize them, and then I put a lid on the pot and reserve the hot water for the canning water bath...

Here are the packed jars waiting to be covered by the seasoned vinegar mixture I have made in another pot...

...after filling the jars with the seasoned vinegar mixture, lidding and capping the jars I processed them in a boiling water canner for ten minutes.  Here are the beautiful jars of pickled cauliflower and carrots.  My girls just opened one.....yummmmmmmm

For dinner I sauteed the cauliflower in a little butter, sprinkled a little Italian cheese mix on top and served as a side with turkey spaghetti and.....

fresh baked bread.  Byron then discovered that the cauliflower tastes great with the turkey tomato sauce on top....maybe I can skip the noodles next time?  Hmmm?

My friend Debbie has been teaching me to decorate traditional birthday cake style.  My roses were a little droopy because my house was a little to warm.  Not too bad though...Fun to do...very fun.  This is a carrot cake with cream cheese icing....Seleste's request...and again...yummmmmmm!

This is my Dad's first birthday since his terrible stroke in April.  He is 68. We celebrated his and Seleste's birthday together.  He always called Seleste one-baby because she was born one day after his birthday.  She turned 12..eek.

My heart was so happy to see my Dad enjoying himself and participating like he always used to do.  He was teasing the kids, clapping and singing "Happy Birthday".  Even though every word he sang wasn't understandable, it was the most beautifully I've ever heard him sing....I love you sooo much Daddy.

Seleste loved all her presents....and Naomi was wondering why she didn't get any presents...it was her birthday too....at least according to Naomi....Naomi you're just the cutest little pumpkin liver ever...I love that little Bootsie Barker...and Seleste...I love you soo much...continue to be the wise little owl that you are!