Strawberry Fields and A Rainy May

Drippity-do-dah, Drippity-yay
My oh my, what a dreary day

Plenty of rainfall's
Been coming our way
Drippity-do-dah, drippity nay!

It. Has. Rained. The. Whole. Month. Of. May!  So it seems.
I am sick of it. Sick, sick, sick.

It has really put a damper on life outdoors around here.
The pool may never see the light of day is still closed.
The strawberry field is a mud pit full of green berries.
And I was in a quandary! I didn't pick last year because of all the rain.  And let me just say, I am still getting grief about it.  And not just from family members.  Pft. 

Goldilocks and I went picking last Sunday (one of very, very few sunny days).  We were there for what seemed like ages.  We came out with two buckets of berries.  It was a struggle just to get that!
I sent some home with Goldilocks for her effort and kept some.  Wouldn't you know I threw away a third of what was left!  Rotten little buggers!  Cut the rest up for strawberry short cake.

So I waited impatiently for more sunshine so I could go again.  This past Friday presented a good window of opportunity to do that.  So half may Aaron and Hur team (Lady Di) and I teamed up with TEN buckets and loads of enthusiasm.  Surely now there would be berries after two days of sunshine.  Surely.  Off to the field we went!  After what seemed like For. Ev. Er.  we walked out of there with TWO, yep, TWO buckets of berries between us. Some of them were, let's say, questionable as far as ripeness goes. The odds were not in our favor. 

I pondered for about a day as to what I should do with my bucket.  I spread them out on a cookie sheet hoping to deter the "rotten berry syndrome".  Worked pretty well I must say.  So, what to do with them?  I have an order for two strawberry pies for one of Ben's friends, plus I want one myself.
I have been getting stink-eye expectant looks and insulting subtle hints for jam.  You know you've created a monster you're appreciated when the recipients of your gifts give your jam jars back all nice and clean. (with a smile on their face) 'cause you know they want that jar back ~ filled again!  So needless to say, that one bucket of berries wasn't going to fill that tall order!  So.... I made an executive decision:

I washed all the berries.  This is about half of them.

They did finish ripening up nicely yesterday.

 I cut them up.

Got the cooking supplies ready.
See where this is going?

Threw the crushed up berries in the pot with the ingredients I needed.
Do you know yet?

And I made jam.

Eight small jars to start with.  I'm holding out hope against the odds that I can pick again and make more jam.  I am. 

There was enough berries left to make a couple pies, but not another batch of jam.  So it all worked out. 

I've been toying with the idea of charging for this stuff!  Wonder if the kidlings would go for it? 

Bahahahaha!  Who am I kidding?!  They would melt down into a puddle.

Put your name in the pot now.  That may be the only way you get jam this year!