Each summer when the cucumber crop comes in I make sweet pickles for my family. Last year’s bounty is down to three jars. I needed cucumbers in a big way. Before my fall at the end of last month I arranged to order the cukes I needed from my local grocer. After the fall making pickles was out of the question. I couldn’t do that and follow my doctor’s instructions, too. I was really thankful I put off ordering the cucumbers until after the weekend. It’s been so hot in southeast Mississippi most gardens are struggling and cucumbers have not been especially plentiful. I was beginning to wonder if I would get to make the beloved pickles my family enjoys throughout the year. I believe in the power of prayer and that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to care about the little things…even pickles. I told Him of my need. Just a couple of days after my prayerful plea, a dear lady at church offered me some pickling cucumbers. She was even going to pick them! Yesterday she called me, and I went to her house and picked up a five gallon bucket of cucumbers perfect for pickling. God answers prayer!
This morning I washed and sliced my precious future pickles and put them in a lime bath. Tomorrow I’ll rinse them and cover them in a spiced, vinegar syrup for another twenty-four hours. On Wednesday morning they will go into prepared canning jars and be processed. Sweet pickles we will have!
My lady friend told me she will pick again on Wednesday or Thursday, and I can have more cucumbers if I want them. If she calls again, I will repeat this process…and I will feel every bit as blessed as I do with this bounty.
Until next time…
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. Ecclesiastes 7:3
apron strings 
yay! No garden here this year. We didn’t want to plant one, then risk the house selling in the midst. Enjoy the harvest!
Hey Quintana,
I didn’t realize you are moving. Where are y’all headed? We didn’t get a garden in either, but I hope to have a fall garden. Maybe then it won’t be so hot everything burns up before it bears fruit. I’m so thankful for those who share…
Good to see you!
Judy
So glad that you could make your pickles! I always think of blessings like that as a hug from God! It sounds like it was perfect timing, but what else would we expect from our Father in Heaven?! 🙂
He has blessed me bountifully lately, since I finally decided to take the plunge into serious CQ’ing. My mom recently gave me both of my grandmothers’ button boxes. It meant so much to me because lately I have been missing both my grandmothers very much. I can’t wait to incorporate some of the buttons into blocks and projects. It will be so nice to think about them as I use the buttons. I plan to use some of the blocks to tell their stories.
Blessings, and thanks for a great blog!
Steph
Stephanie, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing how God has blessed you! He is so good to us…often in ways we could easily overlook giving Him praise. Receiving button boxes that belonged to your grandmothers is truly a treasure. I hope I see some of what you do with them…
Blessings, Judy
Praise God! Would you mind sharing your recipe?
Yes, indeed, praise God!
I don’t mind sharing the recipe even a little bit. I probably should add this link to the post…
https://apronstringsandothertiesthatbind.wordpress.com/2011/07/10/now-thats-a-sweet-pickle/
If for some reason the link does not work, you can find it under the recipe tab on the top of my blog.
If you try them, I’d love to know how you like them. My family loves them!
Good seeing you, and thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Blessings, Judy