Let me start with gardening. The guttering didn't work out all that well. Something ate my spinach and lettuce and I learned that I needed to water more often because of the shallowness of the guttering. I was so busy trying to get the soil amended and other things done to the garden area that time got any from me and I didn't get everything planted that I wanted to. I did get squash planted, peppers , sugar snap peas and lots of tomatoes. I love tomatoes and we have eaten a boat load of them plus I have made something that I just love, Tomato Jam, more about that later.
I planted four or five types of heirloom tomatoes and three types of cherry tomatoes. I had decided not to use tomato cages this year and I was going to stake the tomatoes and tie them up......well, the tomatoes were so huge they pulled the stakes over and I had tomato vines everywhere. I felt like I had just gotten out of a yoga class after picking tomatoes from all of the twisting, bending, reaching, stretching all of these weird configurations just to get to those delicious little red jewels. The tomato patch was lovingly referred to as the tomato jungle this year. The vines grew to the top of the stockade fence and took off in every direction. Now, I'm not complaining. :)
One major disappointment was that all of my blueberries died. They contracted a fungus and I couldn't keep ahead of it. I snipped and pruned and tried to keep the fungus beat back but they all succumed. I am regrouping in my thinking about blueberries and I have not yet come to a conclusion on what I will do about them next year.
My peach trees were loaded this year with peaches. I told you earlier how hard it was for me to pull off the peaches. I did do it but learned to late the peaches that are to be pulled off, should be near the end of the limb. You leave the peaches close to the trunk of the tree. Of course, I did just the opposite and several large limbs of several trees broke from the weight. :( Also another great recipe I want to share with you is Peach Rosemary Jam with Cracked Pepper. I have had a recipe for Peach Rosemary Jam for years but found this recipe on a blog. I have to tell you that I have never followed blogs. I knew that it would consume a lot of my time if I ever got started, so I just never allowed myself to do that.....until I ran across Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen. I found her quite by accident but I love her blog and her and she is the only one I try to keep up with. I got my Tomato Jam recipe from her. She is a wonderful creative cook!
So, I have been canning a lot and I have been putting up lots of squash soup for the winter with all the yellow squash I have been getting. Lots of peaches in the freezer for smoothies and lots of jams for appetizers and different things. I've also been cleaning out cabinets in the bathroom getting rid of old stuff that has just set there forever. Getting organized once again. Made a sweep through our clothes and dresser and chest of drawers to get rid of clothes that we never wear. So things are pretty well cleaned out in our bedroom and bath. Makes me feel better. Now, the house is in need of a major cleaning. I have just hit the high spots this summer and it is pretty bad around here.
All in all it's been a wonderful summer. Lots of gardening, lots of wateringgggg, lots of wonderful meals. Can't forget the beautiful sunrises I've enjoyed behind the barn in our new little outdoor space. It's been satisfying, productive and restful. I have also read some really good books this summer.
Now, I'm getting excited about pulling out the pumpkins and getting the house all fallish looking.
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