Shopping from the garden.

It is that time of year that a large part of our meals come from our backyard.

Layne in his favorite hide-out, behind the tomatoes.

All of that goat manure that Layne & Todd hauled last fall...five truck loads...from our friend's goat farm (Thank you Baker family!) sure payed off.  Those tomato plants are tall.

The boys, this past weekend, bringing up the potatoes.

This years varieties:  Red Pontiac & Cobbler

Looks like this cucumber evaded two or three pickings.

(nice pose Mitch)

My canning list is getting a few things checked off.  Still, lots of work to be done.

freezer jam - raspberry

freezer jam - black berry

sweet cucumber relish

pickled beets

beans

peaches

salsa

pasta sauce

stewed tomatoes

diced tomatoes

sweet & sour sauce

pears

cherries

frozen corn

grape juice

We had some corn for lunch yesterday, and it was yummy.  So I think that will be the next item to cross off the list.  I love restocking our bottles and freezer.  It looks so pretty and makes me so happy.

A few more weeks and the acorn squash will be ready and I'm still waiting to let you know how the sweet potato project turned out for us. 

Now Layne is getting ready to get his 'fall garden' planted.  I'm so thankful he loves to garden.

The other big project for the summer was getting some pasture fenced in.

It was A LOT of work.  Layne and Todd worked (and sweated) their tail-ends off.

It didn't help that this is one of the hottest summers we've had in nearly 10 years. 

We took out lots of cold water and they came in for breaks in the AC. 

Justin & Mitch even chipped in when they could.

Getting the post holes cleaned out.

I'm not sure if they are all working or all watching.

For those that have been trying to visualize this project:

Looking South (toward the tree swing)

Looking North

Looking North-East

Having the fence up has really changed how the property looks.

I love it.

Layne, you rock!

It has broke

The heatwave has finally broke.  Finally.

We had 11 consecutive days above 90° with several above 100° and don't forget to factor in high humidity.  That's another 10° to factor in.

The only word that comes to mind is

 GAG

Sadly, there isn't a drop of rain to be found any time soon.  But hey, it's only 83° and I'm loven' it.

The last time we had a heatwave like this was the summer I had Josie.  1995.  I remember that I'd go out the front door, sit on the bottom step to catch my breath before I made the last four steps to get into the car.  Yes, it was that hot.  I heard them talking about that heatwave on the radio this morning and surprisingly, I remembered that last month waiting for my first little one to be born like it was yesterday.  (Surprisingly?  I don't even remember what I packed Layne for lunch today!) Layne was in Japan and I just stayed in our apartment, in a slip with the AC on, and ate watermelon.  That's all.  I also remember watching the news and there were so many deaths because of the heat (even hotter than this year) they had to keep the dead bodies in refrigerated semi's.  Seventeen years later the only word that comes to mind is

GAG 



Just a side note:  The boys worked their butts off in that heat on Saturday, putting up fence with their dad.  So he thought it would be fun to take them to a Columbus Clippers game.  They were pumped.  It was 101° at the stadium and they handed sweat towels to wipe themselves off with as they walked in the gates.  Just going was fun, but the best part of the night was at the end of the game.  Mitch been waiting all night for a foul ball and the few that made it his way were a good 100 feet off.  He was pretty bummed out, but at the end of the game the right fielder tossed the ball up in the stands and Mitch caught it. He was on cloud nine for two days.  It's fun to see kids when they are beyond thrilled with life.