Weekend Getaway in Pennsylvania

Finished chocolate jars

My family has fun traditions of making and canning chocolate sauce as well as canning peaches. We don't do these activities very frequently but for the past few summers, near the end of August, my mom and I have driven up to my uncle's house in Pennsylvania to help him can peaches. This year I was the one who requested that we make chocolate sauce since I love giving it to people as gifts.

The day we drove up, my mom and I arrived in the afternoon and got right to work making chocolate sauce. Overall, it didn't take too much time which wasn't very surprising because normally we make tons, and this was only a small batch. This is a family recipe which has been passed down from my great grandmother and remains a staple in the cookbooks of all my relatives. It's one of the most delicious things I have tasted and since I am often the youngest member helping make the sauce, I get the responsibility to clean the pot and spatula...most often with my tongue. One does have to make sure it isn't poisoned.

Bubbly chocolate

That day we also went to the famous Penn State creamery and got some delicious ice cream. It was quite a sugary day for everyone.

Blueberry ice cream. Yum

The following day was our dedicated peach canning day and we started the process at the ripe and early hour of 11:30. It was a bit of a slow morning for the family. I had the lovely job of peeling all the skin off the par-boiled peaches and stood at the sink for a solid 3 to 4 hours. However, the mission was a success and everyone played their role beautifully and we ended up with a whopping 50 quarts of peaches. My uncle was happy and I was ready to take a nap.

The following day was another late start but we headed to the clay shooting range where my uncle, cousin, and I took turns shooting. My family is very in to shooting and going to ranges and I believe that I was taught to shoot my first rifle at a very young age by my grandfather. My uncle and my brother were the ones who taught me how to use shotguns, and my uncle is one of my semi-regular instructors. I thoroughly enjoy shooting clays and my uncle has many shotguns which I can use to practice*. We had a great day at the range and I improved quite a bit. My family does call me Annie Oakley...not to brag.

My uncle and me

So, after that lovely story of a weekend with my family I wanted to explain why I posted this blog post. I am a travel blogger and though this may not be the most exciting and thrilling adventure, it's still travel, just a different sort of location. I wanted to showcase a more local and affordable type of trip that can be just as meaningful as more adventuresome trips. Spending time with family can also be an adventure of its own. I thought this would be a fun break up to my other post, and please let me know in the comments how you feel about this sort of travel post.

*my side note here is a clarification that I do not hunt animals, I only use shotguns for the sport of clay shooting and not for harm.