Freezing Corn

First, I do not like the new blogger at all.  Oh my golly.  I reverted back to the old, sent my feedback, and hope they get the picture.  

It's that time of year again for freezing corn off the cob.  I'll be back at it today.

We had a few beautiful weather days (days I call great camping weather).  My tomatoes and hot peppers don't like it, but it's been nice to have a break from the heat.

Cowboy Candy and other ramblings

Yesterday, the first thing I needed to do, was to put up the 4.6# of jalapenos I picked.  I needed 3# to make the cowboy candy.

I got that canned, but it takes a lot of time to slice up those babies.  The remaining will be frozen today hopefully.

I have been able to crochet more of the jar grippers.  I will get them up for sale as I get more colors made.  I have already sold the first six I already made (not pictured).  I'm told they work great and better than most that are made (my "gripper" has smaller holes that what my Mom was given and she loves it).  I think people are buying the "gripper" part from the Dollar Tree, and I have seen it and didn't like the look of it.  I purchased a different type (better brand) and am glad I did. I use a smaller hook and a cotton thread.

Apron Time! ~ Sweet Pickle Relish ~ Zucchini All Day!

My husband went back to work yesterday.  It's time to get back to cooking and baking and getting my kitchen in order.

First I had to put away a stack of clean dishes, then it was time to start chopping.

My first batch of sweet pickle relish was canned.  So thankful for the cucumbers and green pepper from the garden.  It was too early to dig up carrots, but they are growing.

Baked a zucchini breakfast casserole with garden zucchini. It was fantastic.  I used one from AllRecipes and used up some zucchini.  So good!

Baked a Chocolate zucchini cake, because we could all use some comfort food right now.  I thought about adding a glaze, but decided against it.  The reviews said it would be a very moist cake, and the glaze would make it softer too.  Boy is it good too.  I swapped out half the oil for home canned applesauce.

Dinner?  Meatballs with home canned hot pepper mustard sauce over quinoa and zucchini/corn off the cob saute.

Brought in 4.6# of jalapenos.  My job this morning - can most of them.  My tomatoes are not even ready yet, so no fresh salsa sadly.

As for the "order" in the kitchen?  I officially dirtied all the dishes in the entire kitchen.  Today is clean up day, because I just plain ran out of time (after I can today).

This and That

A lot has happened in the last few days.  Lots.  So much I need a getaway to clear my head, but that's not happening until later this month.  I got our camping trip booked.  In fact I booked two camping trips.  A third is being looked into as well. 

Friday, Hubby went up to the Big City to get all the title work and license stuff done.  All their computers were down.  Drat!  We have a lot that needs done too.  Gah!  Found out the next day the computers were not really down.  They just said that due to an employee having the virus.  Via a good source, we found this out, and we were told they didn't want to cause panic (hence saying the computers were down).

We have been getting a good amount of rain.  So thankful for that.

I brought in another 3.4# of green/wax beans, 4 bell peppers, 3 cucumbers, and some zucchini.  The zucchini is larger than I'd like, but it's getting grated up for freezing.  

The coop is here.  It took a lot of friends and family to load, trailer it and unload it.  Now we try and squeeze time in to hook up the electric, tweek it a bit, and get it painted.  It will be moved where those trees are behind it.  That's another job - getting rid of the trees that are around a cement slab that was put in years before we moved here for a chicken coop.

My remaining hens are all shook up right now, so I've been trying not to drop their food too fast, as it scares them.   Oh, the coon got my rooster now too.  

I asked before, but what can I used up Kamut flakes with?  Besides granola.  Any ideas would be very helpful.

Exhausted

I woke up emotionally exhausted this morning.  Yesterday was the service and celebration of life, followed by a private dinner.  We stayed with the family until late and I think I went to bed at almost midnight.  Unheard of.

It was the hardest day of our lives.  Youngest was given the strength to get up in front of everyone and share her story.  She also shared a song her boyfriend sent her when she was having a hard time and played that.

Youngest's boyfriend was the hardest working young adult I have ever met.  He was so kind and positive and always willing to help when needed.  He will be missed.

Not sure how we'll get through the day today.  Thank you all for you kind words, prayers, good thoughts and mojo.  It's been a rough, rough time lately.

Berries ~ Question

We don't have much to pick this year.  Too dry despite watering.  Zero red raspberries this year.

Does anyone know what this is?  It's a form of a vine growing in the trees.  It doesn't have any sort of berry on it either.

Random Tidbits ~ Camping Trip Plans

I don't have any photos for today's post.  We had a very busy day yesterday, and we had to go help one daughter (the one with our grandkids) with her van.  Unfortunately, it's their only vehicle and my husband told her it's the transmission.  So....we are trying to get them a vehicle.  And...and...our daughter that lives here and works STILL needs one too.  Ugh.  So many things going wrong all at once.   The same daughter with the van, also needs a new washing machine, and now their mower broke down.  I'm barely holding on. 

Update on the pandemic in our state and county:  We went down a notch on his scale he made, putting us out of the mask mandate, but then put one state-wide.  He actually said that more people were wearing them, but yet the numbers keep increasing in our county and he's expanding day care (but today he may start shutting down bars).  None of this makes sense.  We personally know people who got notices of testing "positive" yet never tested at all (one person 15 times).  The numbers also include probable, so we again are not getting true facts and it is disturbing as to what they are doing to destroy this country.

Our Governor also closed down our fair, which was next week - from what I read, only 4-H.  Now the local health dept. is chiming in to place orders on how that happens.  I'm sure they were already set up too, so all of those vendors, rides, games etc. have a worse financial burden.  I do know people already paid for their camping spots for the fair, and some plan to camp anyway.

Also, not sure if I shared this, but I know of one large area business that banned homemade cloth masks (saying they are not medical).  Now lawsuits will start on those making these masks.  So if they don't work, and the paper ones clearly state on the box they don't work for this virus, why the mask mandate.  Control?  Like I said, none of this makes any sense at all.  Other than to try and lock us all down, so they can force mail in voting (which would be bad).  By the way, we had a lady ahead of us at the grocery store talking to the clerk.  She looked back at us and literally told us who to vote for in November.  Next time it happens, I will NOT keep my mouth shut.  

I'm digging out my camping journal to see what our best camping sites were, and where.  We need a camping trip badly, as we won't be back to the island this year.  I feel bad for the island too.  Their season to make money is very short of over there.  Anyway, we shall see if we get a camping trip in soon.  Then again, if they start shutting more down, we'll all be in lock down before a camping trip happens.  All of us need some camping therapy, to go off grid, to get with nature, so please pray that happens.  Camping is true isolation at it's best.

I tried to make a visit with Mom yesterday too, as we did a "pay it forward" for someone in that town the same day.  I tell ya' it's hit or miss with a visit.  She is out and about most days, ha ha!  I don't blame her.  She was in lockdown a lot longer than the rest of us here.

We haven't caught anything in the live trap, and so far no more casualties.  I have one goal (okay two) today - pick beans and do the dishes.