The Garners have always been grateful recipients of the occasional jar of homegrown veggies from Mr. Garner’s Aunt Ilene in West Virginia. She has always canned her produce. She always shares. As the years slipped by and gardening became more difficult, she took to purchasing vegetables at the local farm market for her summer canning.
There is great value in being prepared against the vagaries of the weather, the economy, and circumstances. When Hurricane Sandy dumped several feet of snow on her mountain knocking out power to her isolated home for nigh on two weeks, we worried about the cold, and being snowbound, but we knew that she and Uncle Herman had plenty to eat!
Last week, some of the West Virginia folks came down to visit and soak up a little sun on the quiet post-season beach. At the weekend family feast, Aunt Ilene pulled Mr. Garner aside and had him load up two dozen gleaming glass jars filled with colorful veggies. Two dozen! Jars filled with sunny orange carrot coins, juicy chunks of red ripe tomatoes, and my absolute favorite – plump Italian green beans!
Overwhelmed, is one way to describe it; touched and absurdly grateful is another. I am always taken aback by unexpected and abundant generosity. As I was sorting the jars and putting them on our pantry shelves, my morning Bible study was running through my mind. In Luke 6:37-38 Jesus admonishes us on hypocritical judging, quick condemnation, and a heart devoid of forgiveness, warning we will receive an equal portion of treatment. Yet in the very next breath, reminds us that when it comes to giving, we don’t get back an equal portion, we get overwhelming abundance.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
Clearly, Aunt Ilene had better get ready – for a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over!
I wish I canned – this post by Worducopia captures the feeling.
This post Ode to a Canning Jar from Shockingly Delicious reminded me that I need to figure out a place to store 24 canning jars and lids until I can return them!
Rabbit Trails 
Thanks for linking to my little poem Ode to a Canning Jar!
You are welcome! I’m going to print it out for Aunt Ilene – she’ll get a kick out of it!
Reading about Ralph’s aunt Ilene’s canning reminded me of my mom and how she supplied us with canned goods too. I still enjoy the flavor of pickled beets and peaches that she shared among other things.
I remember all of the jars linking the walls of the well house and how beautiful they were when the sun shone through them. That was the inspiration for the photo!