Fig Preserves

Fred and I have a big fig tree and I was exciteded to make fig preserves this year for the first time so I asked my daughter-in-law, Sarah, to come over and make them with me.  

I washed and prepared 18 pint jars in anticipation of lots of preserves to share with everyone.   Sarah brought her niece, Caroline, over and we cooked our sugary concoction according to the recipe and waited anxiously to fill our jars.  Turns out, it only made 2 jars!  Needless to say, I'll be heading back up the fig tree to get a whole lot more figs to fill the remaining jars.  Last time I went to pick figs, I had on shorts and my rubber (Hunter) boots.  I knew I looked ridiculous but didn't know if I'd run into the local black snake or not, and didn't think anyone would care anyway how I looked.  I was just about finished picking figs when I decided to go up the ladder to the top just one more time to reach some really high ones.  As I was coming down, the ladder tipped over.  Luckily, I was holding on to two limbs so I was left dangling.  I was able to lower myself and leave with the little bit of dignity I had left.  Fortunately no one was around with a camera phone or I'd probably be on UTube or at least the Holly Hill paper.

Fred said next time he'll take the tractor over there and raise me up in the bucket.  Well, won't that be a sight?! 

By the way, the label says Kettle Figs because Sarah's niece said they smelled like kettle corn when we were cooking them, so she named them Kettle Figs!