Heat Wave ~ Garden ~ Weekend Work

The heat rolled in as they predicted.  No sign of rain is exhausting.  There is a caution of drought conditions, which will be an issue with the gardens.  We are still in the 90's here. We have been diligent with garden work and outside work, like finishing the pressure washing.

Peas are still rolling in with constant watering, but plants are not as tall as they should be.  Harvest amounts are lower. 

I've been much better at logging the harvest.  The numbers will determine what we will plant or not plant next year. 

Although I attempted to get pictures of our wrens, this guy wanted to be the star of attraction yesterday morning.

Thank you all who had concerns about my sciatica.  I have been doing my stretching diligently, because if I don't get better, the garden dies, chickens won't get fed and watered etc.  I can sleep without pain now, and that helps with a better start to the day.

We had the best 4th of July ever.  We ended the night watching fireworks off the front porch and they were fantastic.  Love our neighbors all around.  There were so many more setting them off this year and it was fantastic.  It end the day perfectly.

Deer ~ Gifting a Friend ~ Extremely Dry Week

I watched a group of 3 deer cross the road yesterday morning, but they turned back and went back across to the river that runs behind us. Later another group of two crossed.

Early morning (which brought us home at noon) one daughter and I took Momma cat and her 2 kittens on a road trip.  We found a Humane Society open that would take them.  I gave them a bag of cat food and wrote out a check.  I'm so glad they took them, as our temps will reach up to 96°F this weekend.  It does anger me that I have to pay to have them get a new home, when they were not our cats and 99% sure dumped here.  I believe in karma for people like that.  Kitty's will have a nice place to stay now until they are adopted.

I have a friend who is the wife to a co-worker of my husband, who is so stressed over the possibility of another lockdown (and the recent loss of their long time dog).  I decided to make up a basket of goodies to lift her spirits - 4 pack of KY Bourbon Barrel Beer (they didn't have her favorite), bath salts, kitchen trivet, organic jerky, fireball, candy, a cosmetic bag that says  "This Girl Can," a notebook that says, "You Got This," heart shaped sticky notes, a fridge magnet that says "Lettuce be Calm," (for her kitchen) and other happy stuff.

It's hot here folks.  We need rain every so badly.  I am running the water pump all morning and sometimes at night.  Flower pots have to be watered twice a day or they will die.  It's getting frustrating, and our well isn't filling up right now.  I have one rain barrel of water.

I hope you all have a great weekend. 

Strawberries ~ Strawberry Vodka ~ Pie Crust Crumbles and other Tidbits

I finally got strawberries at the last picking of the season (not mine).  I have yet to re-vamp our strawberry patch and sadly have about 4 June bearing plants currently (with plans to move them and add many more next year).   

I started a double batch of strawberry vodka.  We like this.  Recipes are all over the internet if you are interested.  I have more strawberries to freeze today.
I made a batch of freezer pie crust crumbles too.  It makes 6 pie crust crumbles.  I use the recipe on King Arthur Flour (available online).

My tip to do this recipe:  I cut the butter and put it in the freezer first.

I then measure out the flour etc. and add a bit of it to my food processor.

I toss in the butter and pulse it until it looks like this.

I then add it to the rest of the ingredients and measure it out using my scale, and freeze them.  All I have to do is thaw it a bit, and add ice cold water and roll the dough.  I have been using this recipe for a while now.

Anyway, that's what's happening. 

Standing and walking helps keep the worst pain away. If you have had sciatica, you know what I am talking about (and I have not planted Arnica this year - totally forgot about it {insert sad face}).

I want to bake and deliver another meal to our friends (wife of the couple had a heart attack).  Praying I feel up to it.  


We caught Mom and 2 kittens.  One kitten may have gotten taken by a raccoon (we have seen some lately).  We are on the job this morning, locating a Humane Society that will take them.  Cross your fingers we do.  It's not easy this time of year for any to take them, as it's kitten season right now.  One kitten is very friendly, the other and Mom are not happy with us.

Sadly, we are heading into a very hot week with no chance of rain until July 7th.  Watering is almost daily, so I hope the garden still progresses during this trying time.

Photo shoot from the front porch

Baby yellow finch.  So happy to see that Mom and Dad had a baby.  I will have to keep an eye out for more.

More blooms in the flower garden.

My new addition to the flower bed is blooming wonderfully.

I almost had a close up photo of a Boston Oriole, but by the time I got my gimmpie rear to get my camera, he/she flew off.  Hubby and I got to see it though while playing cards on the front porch last night.  That's about all I accomplished, other than watering everything.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We had another weekend retreat at our favorite island.  It was the best weekend ever.  We went alone this time.  We met more islanders and laughed and laughed and laughed.  Tried a Storm Cloud shot for the first time.  Hubby didn't like it so much, but I did.  Sort of on the sweet side.

It was pretty busy on the island and the place we rent is now booked until mid August already.  Our friends that own it, have a machine that they set inside and put a timer on and it kills anything.  Sort of like what the UV machines do, but different.

We were home early, unpacked, laundry started, lawn mowed, garden checked, catnip went into the dehydrator and potted plants watered. Sage went into another dehydrator.  It was hotter here than at the island (beautiful weather and nice breeze at the island).

We have six acres, but not all is mowed.  Our old goat pasture looks like this now.  Hm.  Time to locate people to bring the goats in to eat it down?  When our buck was in this area, he ate it down regularly for us.

We did some flower bed weeding, and cleaned one of the air conditioner filters too.  It's probably a good thing we did work on Sunday.  By evening, I figured out my sciatica was back.  At first I thought it was just a pulled muscle.  Not a good time to happen.  I'm digging out my papers on stretching exercises and will start on that first.  I will have to have the girls do my garden work for a few days until I can get back to feeling better.  I didn't sleep good at all last night due to the pain.  It's a horrible pain.

Here are my biker gnomes.  They are going back out. I'm just not sure where yet.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .
89°F/63°F.  No chance of rain.  Sunny.

How I am feeling this morning. . .
In serious pain.  Frustrated this happened, but I succumbed to this awful, off and on problem, due to falling on ice and landing on my back and hitting my head on cement over 13-14 years ago. It comes and goes when it feels like.


On my mind . . .
How am I going to get my work done today?  The timing is awful. Also, the health store where we buy our true organic/non-gmo meat from has closed permanently.  The produce stand where we buy our sweet corn announced yesterday they are also closing permanently.  What's not getting destroyed from idiot rioters, is closing due to lack of income (from being forced to close).


On the breakfast plate . . .

Sweet potato and black bean frittata with fresh cilantro from the herb garden.


On the reading pile . . .
Nothing this week.  I took the week off.


On the TV . . .
Whatever we find interesting on Amazon Prime.


On the menu this week . . .
Well, first I have to make out a grocery list, after checking the pantry and fridge.  
-Stuffed Shells, veggie
-Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn
-Chicken/veggie kabobs on the grill


From the camera . . .

I picked shell peas this morning.  They are doing great.  I missed these last year.  Lots more on the vines, and that makes this gal happy.


Looking around the house . . . 
It was cleaned up yesterday by one daughter so she could have a backyard cookout with some friends last night.  I will need to get the herbs out of the dehydrators and refill one with mullein leaves and flowers.  My wild mullein is 6 feet tall right now.


Chore I am not looking forward to this week . . .
Everything and anything I can manage to get done, like watering everything.  I will resort to my sprinkler for the vegetable garden, but I hate to run the water pump that long.


To relax I will . . .
Stay off any news on the TV, stay off any social media (getting so sick of it), crochet and maybe watch cooking shows to stay off my feet.  Although movement helps.  I will do my stretches however.  It's the only thing that helps get rid of the pain.

On my prayer list . . .
Well, for starters for this pain of mine to go away.  Our country, our President,  and law enforcement. 

Garden Goodness ~ Happy Heart

Pea picking is daily right now.  Shell peas are now on thanks to the goodness of rain.

Oregano is abundant this year (unlike my thyme and rosemary), but I'll take anything this year.  I filled the dehydrator, and may do it once more.

Although there are a lot of sugar snap pea recipes, I went with what I had - used homemade garlic scape pesto, tossed in pasta and snap peas, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Rain and other tidbits

Tuesday morning we finally got some of Mother Nature's medicine for the gardens.  It was very much welcomed.

We also celebrated our one daughter's 21st birthday (she baked and frosted her own cake), and we celebrated it by going out to eat and buying her first adult drink.

Daughter and I went to the "Big City" to get our licenses renewed.  Her renewal was easy, but because mine expired during this virus mess, I had to have all sorts of information brought with me.  I dug through paperwork and actually found every single thing I needed for my renewal.  It took us an hour to get through the process.  We timed it right, with only 17 people ahead of us, but a very long line behind us.

We have purchased one car thankfully too.  However, we need 2 more to be completely functional, so we are car shopping for the daughter who turned 21.

View from our front porch last evening.