Today has been a beautiful day here in Floyd. Temperature as I type this is 72 degrees with a slight breeze. An absolutely georgeous day. Thank you, Lord.
This is a picture Grace took yesterday. This is the view from the back yard of the house Hubby is working on. The girls and I have been working on plums today. We did one batch of freezer jam. I am trying out the ponoma pectin that my blog friend Cheryl at http://holcombhappenings.wordpress.com/ uses. You only have to use a small amount of sugar with it. I have some now on in the steam juicer. I wonder how plum juice will taste? One thing for sure, the house smells delicious!
I am also making yogurt today. This is a new recipe for me. I got it from Cheryl too. The recipe is Sweet Yogurt:
7 cups milk
1 pkg unflavored gelatin
2/3 cups instant milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tablespoon yogurt
In a small bowl, measure yogurt and let it sit. Mix ingredients (except yogurt) in a large saucepan and cook to 180º; do not boil. Cool to 112º in pan. Stir in a small amount of milk into the yogurt and then mix it all into saucepan. Stir well. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla (if desired). Divide into 2 quart jars, cover with lid and band. Wrap in a towel and set over a pilot light or on a heating pad covered with a large pot. Check in 4 hours.
The only thing I did different is use my yogurt machine. Well, actually, it is Jessica’s machine. She is letting me borrow it. The recipe filled up the yogurt machine with about 1 pt left over. I put that pint in the oven and turned the oven light on. I want to see how that works. I’ll let you all know.
Well, the juice is almost done so I better get busy. Enjoy your day and God bless.
A later note to this post. The girls and I were working on the plums when the house started shaking. David, my son-in-law called almost immediately to see if we were okay. Evidently, there was an earthquake somewhere close to Richmond VA. We have never felt an earthquake here. It definitely was strange. Our friends, the Horn’s, felt it at their house also. We said a prayer of thanks to the Good Lord for his protection over us. We also prayed for the safety of others. I will let you all know more about this as I learn of it. God bless.
Merry Heart Crafts 
You should change your title to Beautiful Day and an Earthquake!
Your pictures are always so pretty! I bet the freezer jam and juice will both be so good! And the yogurt too 🙂
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Hi Donna.. I just sent you an email and then I checked your blog and see all is well.. Thank you, Lord.. They even felt it here in Canada.. Up in Ontario mostly.. Your pics are lovely and the yogurt sounds interesting..
Blessings.
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Oh my goodness…I just heard about it on the news and ran to my computer to see if you and Vicki were okay! So glad you are!
What beautiful pictures you posted! I would never tire of looking at a view like that! You are so blessed.
Missed you and will play catch up tonight after all goes to bed. The wee ones are batteling flu like crud here so have been busy blowing noses and ect..:(
Many Blessings,
Cary Ann
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I hope that you like the pomona pectin jams. We sure like them. They taste more fruity and less sugary. You will have to let me know how the yogurt turns out. The gal I got the recipe from even cuts the sugar down some. I need to try it one of these days.
I am so glad that all is fine with you and your family. I grew up with earthquakes in So. CA and I do not like them.
Have a great evening.
~Cheryl
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I have been toying with the idea of plum juice. Let us know how it is.
~Cheryl
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Wow! We heard all about the earthquake on the news. I also heard that earthquakes on the east coast were worse than ones on the west. I can’t wait to hear how your yogurt and jam turn out. The pictures are beautiful.
Blessings,
Tiffany
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