Several years ago, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Craig and Jamie Hale came from Tennessee to spend Christmas in Utah. We enjoyed the time we spent skiing, shopping for Christmas gifts, playing cards, visiting, attending the Hale family Christmas party, etc. While they were with us, Jamie gave me a lovely gift, a small book of poetry by Edgar A. Guest titled A Heap o' Livin' and published in 1916. I really hadn't heard of Edgar Guest so I "googled" him and found out that he was an English-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet. I picked up my little book of his poetry the other day and was enchanted by his sentimental and
optimistic poems.
Edgar Guest doing his radio show.
Reading his poems, for me, is a little like looking through a book of Norman Rockwell paintings. Lots of Americana, patriotism, holidays and seasons, family, old-fashioned values, kitchen-table philosophy, etc. His collections of poetry have names like Just Glad Tidings, Poems of Patriotism, the Path to Home, When Day is Done, Harbor Lights of Home, and Faith, to name a few. He wrote some 11,000 poems that were syndicated in some 300 newspapers and collected in more than 20 books.
One of Edward Guest's poem, titled Canning Time, really captures how I feel about preserving my home produce, at this time of year. This year, our grape arbor actually produced a variety of sweet, beautiful grapes that I spent a couple of days harvesting and then a few days, juicing and canning. If I'm not feeling hurried or I don't have a lot of irons in the fire, I actually enjoy canning. I love to see the bottles of peaches, salsa, applesauce or grape juice lined up on my kitchen counter. I feel accomplished, resourceful, prepared, creative, even artistic! I love the rich jewel-like colors of the produce and the wonderful aromas of spice, sugar-syrup, peppers, etc. I particularly love the rich, perfumey smell of
concord and other varieties of grapes as they're steaming in my old steam juicer. Mmmmmm! Sometime, try hot grape juice simmered with a few cardamom pods (same idea as apple cider simmered with cinnamon stick and cloves). So delicious.
Canning Time by Edgar Guest
There's a wondrous smell of spices
In the kitchen,
Most bewitchin';
There are fruits cut into slices
That just set the palate itchin';
There's the sound of spoon on platter
And the rattle and the clatter;
And a bunch of kids are hastin'
To the splendid joy of tastin':
It's the fragrant time of year
When fruit-cannin' days are here.
There's a good wife gayly smilin'
And perspirin'
Some, and tirin';
And while jar on jar she's pilin'
And the necks o' them she's wirin'
I'm a-sittin' here an' dreamin'
Of the kettles that are steamin',
And the cares that have been troublin'
All have vanished in the bubblin'
I am happy that I'm here
At the cannin' time of year.
Lord, I'm sorry for the feller
That is missin'
All the hissin'
Of the juices, red and yeller,
And can never sit and listen
To the rattle and the clatter
Of the sound of spoon on platter.
I am sorry for the single,
For they miss the thrill and tingle
Of the splendid time of year
When the cannin' days are here.
So while I'm extolling the virtues and joys of the fall season, I have to include these photos of Scott and Adelaide from a BYU football game day. BYU's win-loss record may not make you smile (unless you're a Ute fan) but these photos WILL make you smile! Love them! Til next time . . .
