Jul 11 2009
Early Bird Gets the…
I have always been an early riser. As a child and a teen, I got up with the sun – and sometime before -when the house was quiet and just read for hours upon hours. When I was in school, I used to do my homework in these early 
morning hours. The early riser mentality continues today… Kris does not sleep in really late, but I usually have a good three hours of “me” time before he stirs. I get up, feed the kitties and puppies, make myself some tea, and choose my activity. Reading, yoga and meditation, knitting, baking, catching up on some of “my” TV shows, and a few household chores usually fill those hours. It is kind of amazing how much I can accomplish in these wee hours. I feel so productive!
This particular Saturday morning was no exception… and it was wonderful.
Before 9am, I had made 32 oz. of peach freezer jam, read four chapters of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (re-read in anticipation of the movie’s release this Wednesday!) and had planned a knitting project and wound up the lovely handspun yarn that I bought at MDSW a few weeks back. Ahh, early bird gets the… jam 
I am committed to several large knitting projects right now – all gift knits for others. This is my year of knitting for others, and so far, I am behind schedule. I have my mother’s lovely cardigan on the needles, but her birthday and Mother’s Day have long-since passed. Luckily, she understands and says “well, it is summer, I wouldn’t be wearing a sweater anyway…” Thanks for understanding, Mom! I am also 
making a cardigan for my sister, Mimi. She just moved to the central coast of California and is enjoying the mild summer temps. I think a cardigan will be an all-year round staple for her. We sure are excited to get out there and visit later this year when the baby is born! The other big gift knit is Kris’s Olympic sweater. The progress on this one is surprising, and I will write a whole post about it very soon.
The jam was a simple “recipe” from the back of the jar can. This used “freezer” pectin, so no cooking was necessary. I had eight peaches that I bought on Thursday at the farmers’ market and picked up the cute little short and stout jars last night. The cute factor was definitely the reason I made the purchase! I used regular sugar, but cut down the amounts – it called for 1 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2/3 c was plenty for a nice “gel”. Crushed peaches, sugar, and pectin, and then put them in the little jars and stuck them in the freezer. So easy and immediately usable too. And aren’t they great for the Project Spectrum theme? summertime orange peaches and metal lids! I am thinking about more canning – I have loads of berries from our outings to the farm – mixed berry jam or strawberry preserves sound quite delectable!
This early bird truly lucked out this morning with the delicious fresh jam on toast:
I left a comment on your Flick page hoping you’d have the recipe for your jam here …. and you did!!! thanks much!!
You know, knitters can do … everything!
I’ve just started canning this past fall, and I have to say that I get an unholy pleasure out of “putting up for winter.” It can be a lot of hot, sweaty work, but when I see those jars lined up in my cupboard, it’s completely worth it. I am looking forward to raspberry season later this summer so I can make jam, and then my favorite – apple sauce and apple butter.
yum peach jam. it looks tasty. I used to be an early riser. Now I sleep like a log. Seriously, it’s amazing how much I can sleep.
That jam looks absolutely amazing!
I must admit to being a little envious of all you can accomplish in those early hours – especially when it looks as tasty as this jam! I wish I was be able to get up earlier, and get more out of my days, myself – something I’m working on.
I am like you, have always awakened with the sun (or before), and my husband sleeps later, too. I truly relish my “me time” in those early morning hours. Fortunately he gets his “him time” in the evening, since I am early-to-bed as well as early-to-rise. It works out nicely.
The photographs look lovely. I agree, it’s amazing how much one can accomplish in the early morning hours. Thanks for sharing.
Oh Lolly, that jam looks so good.
I woke up early this morning to go to the bakery where I drank tea, read the paper and ate a blueberry muffin. Not quite as productive as you!
Oh I WISH I was a morning person…I’m on the opposite end of that spectrum…late nights! I really want to make some jam this summer too….never done it before and my kids eat a plenty……must get out and pick some strawberries before they’re all gone!…..OK….that’s my goal for this week!
Love the photos and colours!
Interesting, I didn’t know that you could make jam without all the boiling of jars, etc. I always thought that was mandatory for health reasons. I’ve always hate playing around with all that boiling water so maybe there is a way for me to become a jam-maker after all.
Also, I have to say as a born night-owl, 3 am or later is the best hour because I love being awake when the world is sleepy and quiet. If I see the dawn, that’s pretty but it means it’s bedtime.
Oh my, those jars are adorable! I would really like to try my hand at freezer jam and those cute little jars would definitely get me going. Sounds like a great start to the weekend.
Yum Yum…
Oh, that jam looks lovely! The freezer pectin sound like my speed for jam!
My sister and I both just finished reading HBP in anticipation for the movie, and we also just purchased our tickets – for 12:01 am Wednesday morning/Tuesday night at an IMAX theater. We CAN’T. WAIT!
:O)
You were a busy little bird! All great accomplishments for sure. I might even be inspired to dust off my copy of the last Harry Potter book!
This was a delightful post. I love those super productive, quiet morning hours as well.
just tried this recipe from the box … with strawberries and 1/2 the sugar called — I just couldn’t make myself put 4 cups of sugar into 2 cups of strawberry “mush” LOL. We’ll see if it sets …..
this is very timely because my brother in law gave me a jar of organic jam from a local CA farm — talk about wanting to just stand there and eat it all out of the jar with a spoon. On their label there is just fruit and citric acid … I wonder if their version is “cooked” (as in cooked down to a thick mixture) … so I’m off to Google “cooked jam” and see what I find LOL
You are really productive! I wish I also had so much energy. I blame it on my age
Love those quiet mornings before and during the world waking up. I love to sit outside on the deck and drink coffee, watching the birds. I try to do my deadheading and what-not in the garden. I like to cook in the morning, as well. On rainy days, it’s a good time to read, but who can read on such a beautiful morning.!
When I was expecting you, I made strawberry and raspberry freezer preserves at my parents. Dad’s strawberries and raspberries were just too good and very plentiful. Strawberry freezer preserves will always be my favorite. The raspberry was the conventional recipe. Tell your friend that the boiling of the jars is more difficult than putting the clean jars in a low temp oven. After filling, it’s pretty gratifying to see those lids seal in a hot water bath! You feel that you will have a bit of that experience for months to come. XXOO LYSM
i love being up early too and my husband can lie in bed for ever! My son gets up early with me though so no really quiet time. The jam looks so lovely!
Those stout little jars *are* adorable! I’ve always been a morning person, too, and am always so pleased when I can fit a useful activity into that quiet time before the world’s awake and bustling.
Just wait…the whole canning thing can become as addictive as the knitting! You will never look at farm markets in quite the same again. Of course, it also offers similar opportunities to go overboard, witness our adventures this summer with picking strawberries & sour cherries. And then there were the gooseberries at the farm market… All your colors are scrumptious.
mmmm! We made peach freezer jam this past weekend. It’s delicious! And I love making freezer jelly because there’s no canning required!
I’m a early rise, too. The jam looks very yummy. I wish I could get good peaches consistently in Hawaii. I am soooo looking forward to the new Harry Potter movie.
Lolly – LOVE this post. The foods look so yummy. I’m also re-reading the Half Blood Prince in anticipation of this week’s newest movie… plus I’ve forgotten many of the details of this book. I was always an early riser, too, thus my easy adjustment to the Marine Corps. I should try canning some jam, too. It looks so yummy. Happy early mornings – Jennifer
too funny, I also started re-reading HBP this weekend!
the jam looks delicious….
I do my best work in the morning, too, and am trying to get up even earlier (usually the best I can do is 6:30) to start my day. Your post is such an inspiration! Lovely-looking jam (the Tailor is a late-night jam-maker), and your post reminded me of my favorite quote from Alice in Wonderland:
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
The jam looks extremely yummy! Can I have some yarn to go along with it too?
I hope I can find some of that freezer pectin you mention here in Singapore — is it from the baker’s shop?
Oh how I admire morning people…I’m such a night hawk and could accomplish a million things between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m…..than sleep the morning away unfortunately. In fact my early-riser hubby says I “lollygag” in bed all morning…don’t know that word means really, but he is talking about me just laying around dozing in and out of sleep.
Yummy jam photos.
I really need to try my hand at jam making!
I sure do envy you about being an early riser. I had a real problem when I was around thirteen years old, I just could NOT get out of bed on time! These days I love getting up early, if I can. Your jam looks yummy!
Mmmm…colorado peaches are just around the corner and I might have to try this. I loved reading this entry…I have some early morning time to myself too and fill it up with a lot of the same things you do…knitting, reading, baking, sipping coffee (when my stomach can handle it), writing letters to dear friends at my little desk…morning time is particularly special…happy knitting…
Did you see the movie yet? As soon as I left I wanted to re-read the book since they left so much out. But that’s on my early morning to do list too! Those morning hours just seem so full of possibilities
[...] and be able to get loads of things done before the rest of the neighbors have eaten breakfast (like Lolly, who can knit, read, and make jelly before 9AM – I’m jealous!). Especially during the [...]
Oh, where did you get the lovely jars? My mason jars and old pickle ones work, but they are less than inspiring.
[...] seems like everyone is canning these days. It’s cool, it’s hip. Now, I’ve never made jelly,* or saved summer vegetables, but I do make pickles… not from cucumbers however, but [...]