Last Day of July

 

Remember the empty jars piling up?

I checked butterfly pea flower facial toner off the to-do list.  One flower per every 1/2 cup of witch hazel (let sit overnight).

Once infused, strained, and only a small bit of glycerin added, it's bottled up to use.  The most easiest thing you can make for yourself.  I have been using it for more than a year, and I have a travel bottle to take it on any sort of overnight trip as well.  

I still need to make more handmade items to re-stock, however, I was also able to get my homemade hair detangler made.  My hair is loving it.

The cucumbers are rolling in now, and I dug out my vegetable chopper, but it's now in the trash sadly.

The top part that is pushed down to send the vegetable into the metal slicer, and then into the catch tray, broke off some plastic pieces (and I can no longer use it).  In hindsight, I should have thought of that before buying it, but it last a few years.  The top parts are not removeable, other than a piece that you slide off to remove any debris.  I sort of liked this chopper, so I'm on the hunt for one that is not "plastic" on the top under part.  If you know of one, or have one that has been good for you, please comment below.  The only downside for me, was extra dishes.

Thankfully, I noticed it, and fished out the black plastic nubs that broke off (ugh).  By the way, I used this thing a lot of times, so it could be just from so many days of using it, but I have not seen any of these box choppers made with metal top undersides.  The next best thing I guess is the hand chopper from Pampered Chef (metal cutting blades), but the plastic outer clear attachment often breaks over time as well.

A cucumber salad made with the above chopper.  

A cucumber hand cut with a knife.  Looks the same, uses less tools, may take a slight bit more time, but for now that's how I am cutting up my salads.  By the way this particular one was diced up to top hummus with (and delicious).  We are getting very creative with using up the cucumbers, because someone planted a wee bit too many for two people (ha ha ha!).

The jalapenos are starting on finally.  Hard to believe it's July 30th, and we are just now picking a few of them.  Again, the craziest, latest harvest year ever I think.

My lemon balm is doing fantastic in this heat (heat advisory), but not so much for the peppermint and spearmint plants.  I don't think my mint plants like the heat, other than my catnip potted plant (it's doing fantastic as well).

I planted borage and rosemary in the squash this year, to deter squash bugs.  I do have squash bugs, but in the plants where nothing was planted in between them (I rotated the borage and rosemary between plants).  I missed one section, so the plants had nothing in the middle, but along the sides.  Everything else is bug free.  So now that we have borage, what should I use it for? Has anyone cooked with it?

(most recent granny square made for the book blanket)

Update on the book blanket I am crocheting - all of the finished granny squares have been crocheted onto the blanket!  I just have to sew in the ends to catch up, unless I finish the next book, ha ha!

Canning?  Nope.  Not yet, but it may happen soon, so July is going by with zero garden canning.  I'll be digging out a few recipes to double check ingredient lists.

As July ends, and I look back at all our successes and joys, I am looking forward to more next month.   Yes, there are regrets for things not "done" and adventures not taken (out of our control), but we are moving forward with good vibes, thoughts and prayers for future happenings, and future decisions.

Praying for a fantastic August ahead.  Happy blogging!

Last Day of July   ©  July 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart