Stephen's Annual Pickles!  I've written a lot this week. So, today's a bit less wordy and brought to you by . . . Stephen. 
He's made his annual batch of pickles! I was just there to document the process. These guys will sit -- covered -- on our counter for about two weeks until we can enjoy them.  As with the last time Stephen made pickles, he followed the recipe -- step by step -- that appears in one of our favorite books: Put 'Em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook. It describes methods from freezing to drying, canning to, well, pickling.
see step by step photos here:  http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2013/08/stephens-annual-pickles.html