I love the months of July and August!  This is my Jelly-making months.  There are so many wonderful fruit trees are in full bloom with lots of yummy fruit on the branches.  Thankfully my parent's backyard combined have fig trees, peach trees, grapefruit trees, limes, lemons, and apricots!  That is the best part of living in California!!!

Today we went picking...  picking apricots.  Now, some call them "(long "a", short "i") A-pri-cots" and others call them (short "a" and long "e") a-pre-cots - either way, they are yummy when they are ripe!  I picked a few bags full and started the process of making jelly.  However, with California ants being the way they are, I had to be extra careful not to drop any juice in my kitchen.  I even soaked the apricots in lots of water to eliminate any smooshing and juicing while waiting to be de-gutted.  We have chased millions of ants from the kitchen within the last three weeks - and I'm super clean with my counters!!! Don't get it...  I just don't get these CA ants.

I love making jelly.  It's something that I only do -  I'm the last of the canning maniacs in my family. I'm not sure why, but I like it being my special project each year.  I also don't plan on stopping the recipe from being passed down.  As soon as my little girl gets old enough, she'll be in the kitchen aside me every July and August (even if we are in CO). The funny part about this whole ritual is that you would think I would have the recipe memorized...  but I don't.  I still rely on the index card my grandmother (94 and still going) wrote down for me years ago.  It's so unique and so yummy!  Different from the others I've tried (no, I'm not sharing...  family secret).

So, despite the 100 degrees weather, I am cooking!  Cooking up some Jelly!!!  What are you doing???