I used to make it every year when we still had kids at home and had it all over our property in Dripping Springs. The hardest part was the picking, lol This recipe ( from Wild Texas Edibles ) is the same as mine and I also didn't do the final steps because I knew it wouldn't be around long enough to really "preserve" them. At HEB they sell the plastic freezers canning jars The last time I made it was with stevia but I can't find the recipe for that batch Agarita Jelly Recipe Makes 2 pints Slightly tart and perfectly sweet, the soft-red colored agarita jelly is a Texas treat on everything from biscuits to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 4 c agaritas 1 package of pectin 1 Tbsp. lemon juice þ c sugar per cup of agarita juice Place agaritas in a bowl or pan and pour hot water over the berries just until covered. Let sit for 30 minutes then mash vigorously with a potato masher to release the juices. Strain through cheesecloth or a jelly bag and squeeze thoroughly to extract all of the juices. Measure and pour the juice into a pot and add the pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then add þ c sugar per cup of agarita juice and stir constantly. Bring to a boil for 2-4 minutes. Test the liquid to see if it will gel by taking a spoonful out, letting it cool, and then pouring it back in. If some of liquid runs together into a sticky sheet, itâÂÂs ready to gel. Pour the hot liquid into sterilized jars, place the caps and rings on tightly and boil in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Note: This recipe does not make a lot of jelly so if you plan on eating it within a few weeks, you don't need to can it and process in a hot water bath. Simply put in in airtight containers and store it in your refrigerator.

It visited probably the last few days of May. From my book, the Red Crossbill's bill is too light colored. The White-winged has a dark bill, but my bird (funny to call it MY bird!) had no white at all or any bars. Pictures of a Hepatic Tanager most resemble my bird, but its range is way too far away! My bird lit on a shepherd's pole right outside my front window. On the pole are an orange and a hummingbird feeder. My yard is open but surrounded by an ash tree, black walnuts, a cedar, and further out, thick woods. I appreciate all the suggestions!

You and your wonderful birds amaze me! You really get some good ones. Thanks for sharing!

Grace - that sure does look like a fire breather! I use a recipe similar to this one although admittedly I am a newbie to fermented hot sauces after hearing about it from isgen here on Houzz. https://www.fermentedfoodlab.com/easy-lacto-fermented-hot-sauce/ I usually make up batches in those 1/2 gallon mason jars. Let them sit on the counter for a week to two weeks, then blend and transfer to smaller jars or hot sauce containers. I play around with lots of different blends based on what I have excess of at the time - the most well raved sauces (according to family and friends) were a green jalepeno/poblano and garlic mix and a hotter red sauce with red doux d'espagne sweet peppers, a good bit of habs, thai chilis, and maybe one ghost pepper. I put in a generous amount of tomato paste to increase the redness. Garlic seems to make the sauces really pop so don't skimp there especially if you're a fan. Carrots make a good filler too. You can get creative with different fruits and veggies - you can probably throw just about anything in and you'll be surprised how great the lacto makes it taste - just make sure to get the right brine concentration - too little salt will let other bacteria/yeast thrive and too much wont let anything grow. I'm excited to try some sort of mango or pineapple blends this year. I also like to drain a good bit of the liquid brine out and replace it with a mix of vinegar and lemon/lime juice - I think it helps the shelf life and also gives it a little extra tang/flavor.