Mushy Mess ~ And Yet More Rain

I'm afraid to show the world my vegetable garden right now.

All this rain...humidity, no sunshine....

Oh, why not.  

It really is in disarray this year.  

Although, so far I see only one hot pepper plant did not make it due to the excess rain.

Here it is...

Humid, Hot and Wet

Some days, okay almost every day, I forget to do something that should already be ingrained in my brain.  You know, the routine stuff?

I forgot to collect eggs one day, and the next day I got this full basket of bounty.  You can see the four araucana hens are now laying as well again.  I got two eggs from them.  However, the full basket indicates that our black araucana is not eating eggs anymore.  She very well could be eating her own, but I'll have to keep watching her.  Maybe all of her isolation, and feeding her mustard filled eggs worked.

. . . from the handiwork journal ~ Random Tidbits

. . . finished the last two cup coasters for one of the kitchen tables.

Homestead Tidbits ~ Canning Radish Relish

Friday, Hubby had to get a required physical, to return to work (always some strings attached in that business), so I headed to the garden.  Lots and lots of work out there, so I took a nice big thermos of water, and covered my head with a hat and bandanna.  I went out there prepared to sweat.

It is very reassuring to know I don't have to babysit chickens this summer, while I'm running around working.

Just another work day. . .

 

I overslept this morning, but water is heating now to brew my nettle/oatstraw tea infusion.  Coffee is brewing to wake up my sleepy overworked body.

Another batch of cheese is draining this morning too - Fromage Blanc made with goat's milk.  We are enjoying it while we have it.
 
We continue to get more rain, thunderstorms, and wind here.  In between, we get spurts of sunshine too.

More Rain ~ More Jam

I'm canning more jam.  More strawberries went into the freezer, but I have four quarts left.  It rained off and on, so I could not get into the garden early anyway.

After the first morning batch was made yesterday, I was summoned to take school photos (albeit a bit late this year).  We do not purchase many school photos, due to the high cost, and the girls like to pick out their background here on the homestead.  

Canning Season Starts ~ Strawberries ~ Random Tidbits

Ideally, if we don't get any of one vegetable or fruit, we just do without.   However, we picked up 12 quarts of strawberries.  I took care of six quarts yesterday, but only canned jam once.  Many went into the freezer.