Good Neighbors and Jammin with an infant & chihuahua

This morning while Julia and I were walking Chewy I was running through the list of things I wanted to get done before heading to Northern California for the Holidays.

I had been putting off making jam because:

1. It had kind of "hot" earlier this week (85 and sunny...aren't we spoiled?) New England friends please don't be mad at me. I miss you but I am also happy to not be experiencing another New England winter right now.
2. I was waiting for a time when Pete was free to watch our precious little daughter
3. And I needed lemons

As I walked around the neighborhood with yards containing citrus trees I was thinking how nice it would be if someone just handed me a few lemons so I wouldn't have to go to the store. And then... a Christmas miracle happened (if we use the term miracle loosely).  As we rounded the corner this woman came out of her house, waved at us, and yelled a greeting. She then stopped me and insisted on giving me a bag of lemons. Now she could have seen me longingly looking at the lemons in the neighborhood, been softened by Julia's angelic looks (people are always nice to me now that I have a baby) OR it could have been a coincidence she already had lemons picked and was just a nice person. Either way it was very generous and not a common occurrence in Hollywood.

So I decided it was fate and to take a risk making jam with Julia. And I'll tell you, it was no surprise she was a perfect angel. Pete and I really got lucky. 
 

Some of the lemons generously provided by a nice neighbor

My helpful crew (mostly cheering squad)

 

Other ingredients donated for this cause were some delicious summer peaches from my parent's tree

And our finished products:

         Christmas Jam                          Blueberry Peach Spice Jam

Julia was exhausted afterwards and needed to take a nap.