Michigan & the Fruits of my Labor...

I am slowly getting burnt out from all the canning I've been doing lately, and really missing my sewing room.  But I can't stop the canning as long as there is an abundant flow of fresh fruits and vegetables!  I hate to let things go to waste, so canning is one way I can preserve these wonderful gifts from nature!
Today was a very long day in the kitchen, and considering how many hours I spent canning, it sure doesn't seem like I got a lot canned!  But I only have one 4 burner stove and no dishwasher, so all the jars have to be hand washed, then sterilized in a HWB canner, so I can't use the canner for canning until the jars are sterilized...it's just the way it is here, and I am fine with it!  But what I wouldn't give to have a dishwasher....

Well, last weekend we spent a day site-seeing some places in Michigan, just above the Wisconsin border.  My parents and my dad's cousin (along with her husband & their oldest daughter) also went with.  We stopped at Irish Hollow Cemetery near Rockland, MI.  Then we stopped at the museum in Rockland.  We stopped at Old Victoria and toured the old copper miners' cabins...what a neat piece of history!  We had a picnic of homemade sub sandwiches at a park in Rockland before heading to Ontonagon, MI and Porcupine Mountains.  I have been up in these parts of Michigan, but not since I was a teenager.  My family used to camp up there quite often as I was growing up.  But Brian has never been up here.  I enjoyed being able to see it all again after so many years, and to show Brian some of what Michigan has to offer as well.
We also walked along the beach of Lake Superior and took in the sights there as well.  Here are some photos of our day trip to part of the UP in Michigan...

 ...Brian at Lake of the Clouds Scenic Area

  ...Brian watching Cliff & Dad looking for their namesthat they carved 50 years ago in the rocks

 ... Dad being goofy & pointing out his name...
and below is a closeup of his name...
he carved it when he was about 13 yrs old...
around 50 years ago...
and it's still there!

 ...Dad standing TOO close to the edge...
at Lake of the Clouds Scenic Area

 ...Brian & me at Lake of the Clouds Scenic Area
(above & below)

...Brian at the entrance of an old copper mine

 ...Brian & Dad at Lake Superior

 ...Brian & me at Lake Superior  

  ...Brian, Dad & me at Lake Superior

And now for some pictures of what I got canned today!

The apples we picked in Michigan... 

Brandied Apple Rings... 

Peach Rhubarb Jam, Apple Rhubarb Jam, Apple Maple Jam,
and the 2 oddballs in the front are Rhubarb Black Raspberry Jam.
(Not pictured is Blueberry, Apple, Banana Freezer Jam that is already in the freezer).

NOTE:
All the rhubarb came from our yard.
All the apples came from Michigan.
The peaches were fresh frozen from Spring Lake Country Store in Spring Lake, WI
(a Mennonite owned store with AWESOME fresh & bulk foods).
IDK where the black raspberries came from...
Brian had them in the freezer in a Ziploc freezer bag!

It's now time to say goodnight and head off to dreamland...