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.

The orioles that pass through here, if given the choice of nectar, orange, and grape jelly, almost always choose the jelly. Only the first oriole this season ate a small amount of orange when the jelly trays were empty. The only problem is I don't get many orioles(8 total in 7 weeks) and it doesn't take them long to eat the jelly. I've had one oriole for the last week so he must be nesting in the area(I haven't seen a female so maybe she's sitting on eggs all day). However, he only visits my feeder for about ten seconds a few times a day. The catbirds, on the other hand, spend MUCH more time at the feeder eating jelly. I have seen them less in recent days as they have shifted to some other foods like serviceberries.

Great job! The adults are such illusive critters, despite their bright colors. I hear their calls in the woods all around the house now at dusk, migrating through. I've been too lazy to go out to find them so far. Maybe one will land next to me and wait for me to focus...

I have a similar banquette to the one @gooster mentioned (her amazing photos inspired me!) and we really like it. The banquette gets a lot of time - meals, homework, Ipad/laptop time, games & crafts, etc. When we have friends over they will sit there and chat while I finish things up in the kitchen, and it's great as a kids' table while the adults are in the dining room. Because of a contractor issue, we got the banquette months before the kitchen renovation started (later this month), which felt like a big risk. But for my small space this is a great solution. Another less expensive off-the-shelf option is the store World Market - I actually had one of their bench banquettes before I realized that I needed the L. FYI there are tons of DIY tutorials on the web, many using Ikea cabinets; also search GW as there are a lot of threads on banquettes. I swear that I read every one before pulling the trigger! My only advice is that you really need a table with a pedestal base so that it's comfortable to get in and out.