Those sound delicious! Makes me want to put a few pints up today. Too bad all i am picking right now are Red Noodle long beans. i worry they would get mushy treated that way. Enjoyed your comparison of the different beans you used.

Vannie, sorry your weekend plans might be ruined by the weather. Kathi, where are you that you can work in the garden at this time of the year? Are you in California? Gayle, good your dogs have sun to bathe in. I can't wait for spring and I think Luther (our dog) would agree with me. Hi Kiwi! Dirtyfingernails, I hope you have a warm blanket or thick coat to wear in that car! I remember when I was stationed over in Germany, took me about 20 minutes or more to drive to work, longer in the winter/snow...I had an old Opal Kadet with a lousy heater that took forever to warm up. I had bundle up to get in the car, by the time I pulled into the parking lot at work it had finally warmed up. Hi Maryann, sounds like you're having lovely weather there in TX. Your kids were sweet to hire you guys some help. Those cinammon rolls sound wonderful! Summer, you all are making me wish I had settled in Texas! Just got back from the store. Lauren invited a friend over, she lives out in the country, up a long, dirt, ice and snow covered drive. Not nearly as bad as where we used to live, though...and I kept telling myself that as we climbed up her drive. LOL! Still snowing here, not really hard, which is good. The roads are pretty clear. Went to Krogers and they had a bunch of sales: milk, grapes, boneless chicken and a few things I don't need, like Pepsi. We also ate at the new Huddle House in town.

I swear I saw a commercial for it while I was watching the wedding stuff last night, but I can't find it anywhere on the web site so maybe it will air next week? Blame it on the two glasses of wine I had, lol. LOL... Is that why your user name is Sleeperblues?

On occasion, I have grabbed an oil filter wrench from the garage. I keep 3 sizes out there. An ordinary strap wrench works too, but one should use these with care because filter and strap wrenches can apply great pressure in the circumferential direction and may break a glass jar or crush a metal container if too much force is applied. For smaller jar lids, a pipe wrench will work. Heating the lid by immersing it in hot water works by expanding the metal. In an emergency, another quirky method works that was used by my mother. Take a heavy handle of a table knife or other object, hold the jar upright and begin tapping/striking the edge of the lid in the loosenign direction. Rotate the jar while tapping until you have made at least one circuit around its perimeter. There will should be small dents on the edge of the lid. Now, try to unscrew the lid. You may find that it has unstuck. That reminds me. I need to shop for a jar lid wrench/opener for the kitchen. Nothing works better than a proper tool. We had one, but the way the handle was fastened to the jaws was a joke. It promptly snapped off the first time someone gave it a good squeeze. I'll be looking for a better built one.