It Rained! At war with a raccoon!

It's been a very rough week.  Some days are just trying to do something to stay busy, others are tough as h-e-double hockey sticks.

I hadn't washed dishes since last Friday, so we are taking turns on the rounds to catch up.  Movement helps.

Project supplies arrived, so there is more that can keep me occupied, other than the garden.  The chicken coop needs mucked as well.

Picked another round of beans - almost 2#

Black beans are finally climbing and the blossoms are on.  We got rain, but not enough.  Just enough to give them a dose of goodness.  Many people who are watering with city water are losing their gardens in this drought.

On another note, I have been trying to order a replacement part for my sauce maker since last fall.  I pulled up their site, and it's still out of stock.  I emailed them, and guess what?  They asked for my address and shipped me one FREE!  How awesome is that?


My side bar bible verse has been changed.  It's our daughter's boyfriend's favorite verse.  

Despite the drought, and with diligent watering, my tomatoes look good.  So good, we needed to buy more tomato stakes, as some stakes were broken and shorter.  I needed 25 new stakes and could only find 17, so we'll just do with what we have and deal with it.

It's everything under the ground I'm worried about right now.

Another raccoon tore another hole in my coop and this time killed a hen.  I'm so mad right now.  I re-set the trap.  Please pray I can summon the energy and time to build my new coop and right away.  I wish I could have a coop building party and feed the crew, but family hasn't been around at all.  The boys are adding an addition to one of their houses too, and are pretty busy.

Green Beans ~ House is a Hot Mess and other Ramblings

This was supposed to be last Saturday's post....

Yesterday's pickings.  The beans are from the first planting, second planting are loaded with blossoms.  Praying for more rain.  I only picked one hot banana pepper.  There are more on the plants but need to plump up before I pick them.

What is your preferred way to can green beans?  Raw pack or hot pack?  I think I will can the next picking to save room in the freezer.

I watered and watered, and then went back to weed.  The garden is full of weeds, but plants look great so far.  We need a good soaking rain to get things flowing out there.

Speaking of a hot mess, my house is a hot mess.  That happens when garden work takes over. I'm not stressing over it, and I'm putting the girls to work when they can.  One daughter works a lot, so that leaves one.

What's your favorite way to use turnips?  How do you store them as well (I don't have a root cellar nor basement)?


I have some Kamut flakes I need to use up.  What's your favorite way to use them (other than granola)?

Well, it was a raccoon in the coop this time.  I caught it.  Lets hope that was the end of that.  So tired of re-wiring the coop.  Pray we get the time to build a new coop and soon.  All chickens are accounted for.  He must have been after the eggs.  Urgh. I sort of had a feeling it was a raccoon, based on how things were knocked all over in my barn the last few days.  Now to go hunt for some spare chicken wire.  There will be zero chicken wire on my new coop.  I have found two locations nearby that have free sheds or small shed like buildings.  Not sure what route we'll take yet.  We have some things to get done this weekend and next.