Picking My Way Through The Seasons

For me, each summer/fall is associated with different harvests. Each ripening fruit presents an opportunity to put up preserves. First are the strawberries, then the blueberries.  The delivery truck from Georgia brings an out-of-sequence delight:  luscious southern peaches.  Black caps precede (or should I write "pre-seed?") red raspberries; then come blackberries, elderberries, local peaches, and lovely Concord grapes. Last of all apples, of which Cortland and MacIntosh are my favorites.  I enjoy making up the various fruits into jams, jellies and fruit butters for nice holiday gifts which sit pleasantly on a warm piece of buttered whole wheat toast on a cold winter's night.