Working Hard - Really; We Are.

We have had several VERY windy days around here.....So windy we didn't get outside to work in the garden.  We spent time on Monday weeding and harvesting. Goodness - things went CRAZY with a bit of rain and no one tending to the growth. I aim for small ones (front center) but these WERE a bit smaller than that small, front and center one,  a few days ago. WhUT?

Stacia and I  turned the above zucchinis into 22 quarts of shredded and 8 quarts of chunked pieces in the freezer. I may have to plug in the other small freezer. Moose or no moose. ::snort::

I want to be sure to get all the produce that will go bad the 2 weeks we are traveling out of the garden.  Here are the cucumbers I picked.

Stacia and I worked to fill both canners...and made 14 more quarts of kosher dill pickles. 

I bought pickle crisp for this batch - hope it works

The house smelled so strongly of pickles that I could feel it in my chest. LOL 

Such a pretty sight

It took quite a bit of hunting but I eventually found the window which had blown out of the left side of the greenhouse..... We're going to have to figure out how to get it back in. The mornings and evenings are getting colder....

Alex spent much of the day helping Michael. They have a long list of RV things they need to get done before our trip. Benny and Dad helped me weed and pick things....and then I looked up to find all three of them like this....Those characters! Planking at it's best.

My dad, my son and my grandson - Blessed

 I have worked HARD to grow corn. It is expensive up here. Last year the corn began to tassel and then we got frost. This year we planted earlier with black plastic - only 11 came up. I started 150 plants inside and transplanted them...still well within the 60 days needed for maturity. The corn actually looked better than any others I've seen around town...as far as height....and lots of tassels, and cobs forming....and then the wind! I have no idea what to do about it now. I probably should pull it all - but it won't hurt to let it stay until we return. Maybe we'll get an ear or two. It makes me sad.

Most of it was quite a bit taller than me....and now it's all flat. 

In cheerier news we had a productive planning meeting last night with our women's ministry team. I'm excited to see where God takes us this year.

Dinner tonight was salmon we caught, a salad with lettuce, kale, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower from the garden, pasta, and a cucumber/tomato salad picked 10 minutes before dinner....we aren't sustainable, but we're certainly eating more variety of organic veggies than we have for years. I think we can be legit baby homesteaders after this year. LOL

It's about to kill me to leave again at this time of year. This is CRUNCH time for projects before the winter sets in for the long haul.  We are going to miss the state fair again too.....ugh. BUT we need to make the trip...and it is best to make it before we are into the fall swing of school and church community. On the other hand, it will be nice to get away from the smoke!

Look at this face....but GRANDMA - WHY do I have to pick up? 

Yeah - Papa is WAY more fun! 

Photo via Krista 

We'll end this quick catch up on that happy note.