backyard-homegrown texas peach preserves

we planted two baby peach trees in our backyard almost 2 years ago.

(we actually planted the tree before my husband built that shed...his wife wouldn't let him cut it down :)

i just love the pink blooms in the spring.

(hard to imagine a peach coming from such a delicate flower)

we watched in amazement at how fast they both grew.

the first year i was determined and excited about making peach preserves.

 

the first time i ended up picking them way too early and didn't peel them.

my first experience was a flop...and i even attempted the freezer kind which i read was super easy.

as you can imagine...i was a little nervous this year about the whole thing.

so, this time i ended up picking them way too late. ugh!

i don't even want to tell you some of the surprises i found. 

i will say it reminded me all too much of reading James and the Giant Peach as a child.

i even scored the peaches on the wrong side before blanching them and then ended up cutting my thumb pretty bad. 

(peeling peaches with a bum thumb is not fun...and it stings)

i followed different directions this time and had to cut the recipe in half because of the quality and quantity of my peaches.

i heated...and heated...stirred....and stirred...and never really seemed to reach the consistency that the recipe called for.

just as i was about to throw my hands up and never make jam again...i heard a sound that changed everything!

a lid popped proving that i had actually sealed my very first jar!

later the next day i dared to have my first official taste test.

i was worried that it might be too sweet...but it was actually very delicious!

this is my breakfast and snack every chance i get.