Rain and Heat ~ More Squash! ~ Motherhood Moments

 

(this was a few days ago)

Me to my husband:  Sure looks like it's about to come down out there.

Husband to me:  Oh great!  Another 1000 green beans (ha ha ha!)

We have been getting rain off and on.  We are also getting heat.  We canceled our first camping trip as fast as we booked it due to the heat.  What's the fun in camping, if you can't enjoy a campfire meal?  Not only will the heat be here this weekend, so will thunderstorms.  

I decided to only freeze shredded zucchini, and not diced this year.  I prefer to be able to squeeze the water out prior to freezing.  

I sent a large bag of squash with my husband to work.  I also picked more, and reduced the numbers by about 10 of them with some baking and cooking (and freezing).

The muffins are delicious, but a bit sweet.  I may make them again and swap the honey for maple syrup, and only use half amount.

Although we recently got a small bit of rain, it was not enough for the garden.  I will be watering this morning, so I must get this posted and get busy.  We are getting into the 90's this week, and it heats up pretty fast out there.

I did not get any answers regarding the cucumbers, so the chickens are getting the treats for now.  I will try and do more research today, but I have very little free time right now.

I was talking to a friend, who travels to upper MI to pick blueberries.  I told her I have never purchased a box with so many un-ripe berries, stems and leaves.  She said they may have switched to machine picking them due to lack of help.  My husband and I are not happy with them this year.  We are unable to grow them on our property due to lime stone sadly.

On the motherhood front, we are worried about Daughter K.  She has a doctor appt this morning due to high blood pressure.  If you get a moment, please send prayers for her.  It is not normal for her to be experiencing this, and the doctors so far have not (even with an ER visit) treated her with any medication.  

This and That

 These are the days of my life.  My day ends like this and starts like this.  I am just so tired at the end of the day lately.

Kids came for a meal and a visit over the weekend, and I was thankful that I had help to clean beans.  On the other hand we did not get any work done regarding the new coop, nor any painting done.

Our green beans are doing so well, I may be giving some to family and friends.  We'll see as I get mine put up in the freezer.

Picking from last Saturday - 5.5#

Picking from Sunday - 5.8#

Grand total so far this year is 17.59 pounds.

We are eating them, gave some to the kids, and the rest blanched and froze.

A few strange double growing veggies.

I only planted National Pickling cucumbers and one other for salads/snacking.  Do you think the National Pickling is too sweet for canning dill pickles?   I'm told they will be too "sweet" for that.  I don't want to waste ingredients or time.

We have been making zucchini boats, using all sorts of concoctions.  This one is with chicken.  I'm sure we'll be making zoodles, and whatever other creative way to eat zucchini around here.