Instead, I can wander out into my treetop garden and celebrate the fact that the heat is creating the need to harvest several times a day. I am able to keep my dehydrator filled and running almost non-stop right now. The cayenne peppers are bountiful this year and each time I walk outside it seems like more of them are vibrant red. This is the first year that I have had more than five or six to last throughout the year.
I'm trying out something new with the abundance of cherry tomatoes. I've sliced them at a quarter inch and sprinkled them with the garlic salt, made from the scapes. They are in the dehydrator now, if all goes well, they will dry and become a slightly chewy chip. Fingers crossed. And if they aren't something we like as a snack, they are definitely something I can toss into various recipes, just like the powder I made from the dehydrated tomato skins.
I'm did most of my Monday chores yesterday, I have a lot going on this week. I was given a couple of bags cucumbers and decided to make cinnamon pickles. Sometimes known as Christmas pickles. I've never tried them, but when you have an entire sink full of slightly larger cucumbers you need to come up with some use for them.
I didn't realize they took 5 days before coming to an actual canning stage. Day two was the most labor intensive if you don't count peeling a sink full of cucumbers. We won't be able to taste them until day 4 at the soonest. Hopefully, I am not wasting an incredible amount of time and they are as delicious as everyone says they are. After all, we were pretty darn happy with the pickled brussel sprouts, and they sure didn't sound all that good.
Waste not, want not.
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| when a squirrel does the planting they know nothing about spacing... |
All of these blistery hot days are definitely paying off. It looks like one of the squirrels decided to plant a few tomato plants for me. I'm debating on what I am going to do with the little volunteer plants that have popped up. I definitely don't have enough bed space to let them all grow, although I absolutely despise pulling them and letting them die. I have no idea which ones are growing, although I am pretty sure that we have enough warm weather ahead for at least another harvest before this season ends. Based on where they are located I am guessing either a cherry tomato or a chocolate cherry tomato. Both have produced wonderfully.
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| cherry tomatoes |
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| Hungarian sweet peppers |
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| gypsy peppers |
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| mini peppers |
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| jalapenos... soon to be jelly |
Hubs and I spent the late afternoon in the garden. Cleaning it up, weeding, tying up tomatoes (did I mention that the tomatoes are going crazy this year?) pruning here and there all the little things that help it continue to produce so well. I think I am going to fertilize today and plant a few more cow peas. That should wrap it up.
I have two more bags of potatoes to check on, they might even be ready to harvest. Then it's time to decide what I am planting for fall in those bags. Part of me wants more potatoes, but then I start to consider some beets. I'm also getting ready to plant the fall lettuces again. As the season starts to change there are more shaded areas where they will grow well. Maybe some onions? And I am waiting slightly impatiently to plant my garlic for next spring.
The garden definitely consumed the greater part of yesterday. It's all good, if it hadn't that would mean it isn't thriving.
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| not sure why Belle thinks she's a fern... or why she is in the planter... |
Thankfully the weather has cooled a bit today, so it will not be so miserable when I head out to mow the grass. After I finish the morning chores I will head up to the sewing room for a bit. I didn't get much made this weekend and need to refocus myself. We headed to a few antique shops and found a few more feed sacks and vintage embroidery work. My goal is to have 20 of the beautiful pin cushions made by Wednesday. Shouldn't be hard. Then I am going to mix it up a bit, I want to create thread catchers/pin cushions with them.
I bought a very plain one at a quilt show not long ago and I am in LOVE. I take it with me everywhere that I will be crafting. It has completely changed my frustration level when doing hand work. I will make a small assortment of those before moving on to the next project. I can't believe we are already moving into August.
Tomorrow is the eldest daughter's birthday. Mine will follow a few days later and then my beautiful grand daughter is two days later. She and I will do something together to celebrate this year. I am so thankful for that. She growing up so fast that before long my sweet girl will be off living her own life and that day between birthday celebration will become the stuff memories are made of.
I haven't forgotten about 2 Timothy 4:3-4, I'm simply still processing it. It ties in so soundly with the message that pastor shared yesterday on John 9. So many thoughts are swirling in my head and I need time to process, maybe ask a few questions. I am finding the more I think I understand, the more I need to question, the more connections and truths I am finding. Talk about sliding down rabbit holes.
Well the sun is starting to rise, soon it will be time to take care of outside chores, so I'd better get busy and finish the inside one. Time is wasting... And I don't wish to waste the blessings from the father...
love and prayers... b
Good one! 381+
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