SUMMER GARDEN

I've had a really great time this summer growing things in my garden. This year, I actually did something with the produce grown! I canned strawberry jam early on. It has been so yummy! I wish I had had more for freezing whole berries for smoothies throughout the winter. Perhaps next year.

A bit more recently, I tried my hand at canning beans. My sweet neighbor, and surrogate mother/grandmother, brought over her pressure cooker and taught me how to use it. It was so much fun and the end result has been so delightful! The best part was doing it with her. I love her!

I also really love green peppers. I did, however, go a bit overboard with how many plants I planted. I have given away a lot of them! But that's ok. I love the primary song that says "We'll plant enough to fill our needs then plant a few to share..." Here's a pic of one that grew a little helter-skelter that I picked this afternoon.
My tomatoes have been a chore. I planted 9 plants, and only 5 of them produced anything. They have slowly been giving us ripe fruit to enjoy. Mei really enjoys picking them and throwing them over the fence to the sheep next door. I have probably lost over 30 tomatoes in the last 3 days from this sweet girl feeding the hungry lambs, and decided I really do want to feed my hungry family! So today, I went out with Wy and Mei and we finished picking all of them. I guess I'll just let them ripen on the table. Hopefully by next week they will be ready to can or make into salsa.
So after that, I'll be down to my potatoes, which I think I'll shred and freeze as hash browns; my carrots, which I don't know what to do with; and my onions, which I will be dehydrating in Utah, and then the glorious pumpkins! I'll post pictures of those beauties closer to Halloween. Oh yes. And Aces favorite part of the garden has been the corn. I, on the other hand, have not enjoyed them. Next to the bees buzzing through the stalks, the earwigs infest them! I understand why the cobs are wrapped so tight in their husks.
And of course, my summer garden and yard wouldn't have felt complete without the chickens. They are so much fun to have around! We've named some of them. We have Ugly Betty, who is so ugly she hides from the camera. We have Henny Penny, who is delightful because she loves to be petted. Unfortunately, I don't know which one she is until she is letting me hold or pet her so I have yet to capture a picture of her! And, finally there is Foghorn. Yes, we got "blessed" with a rooster. The dear thing started crowing about 2 weeks ago during the daytime. It's been so funny! He sounds more like a broken wind up toy than a rooster. However, over the last 2 days, he has gotten much better. And sadly, he is realizing his true potential and starting to crow at the crack of dawn. I think he will shortly be enjoyed as chicken noodle soup.
We received 4 new additions to our chicken coop this week. They are older girls and are producing eggs!!! Yea!!! It's fun to go back and find those wonderful treasures awaiting us. It is still a fun task for the boys. I can't help but wonder when it will be just that...another task! I caught this one by surprise. I think she was getting ready to lay, but I scared her. I'll have to go back later and see if she finished the job.
But here was one in the box next to her. Good job girls!
Thank you Wildings for teaching me how to can and the joy of having chickens. Thank you Grandma for your extra bottles and lids and for the pressure cooker...which I will pull out to use now that I know how to use it!