Thank you for all the concern from all of you checking if I’m ok. I am more than all right, but have had an extremely crazy summer, which is why I haven’t found time to post very often. Also, our laptop will no longer make posts —it’s very old— so all blogging has to be done on my iPad, which is harder, and I find myself putting it off. I hope to do better because I want these posts for myself in the future to look back on.
In September, we spent a week camping. We went to Detroit Lake, which is in the mountains not far from our home.
Although our youngest grandson didn’t sleep in the campground with us, his dad brought him up a couple of times. One time we took both boys fishing. It took all of us and we caught nothing. We had so much fun, though. We went back to the campsite and roasted marshmallows and the boys played. Another day, Rob, Malcolm and I all went fishing and we did get 5 between us. Fun! We ate 2 and froze the rest.
Rob and I have been working so many hours in October that I can hardly catch a breath. My sister’s family will be going on a vacation in the future, including the kids, so we will be having a vacation, too. We have been able to work extra before and will work extra after, so we will be financially fine, as long as we stay frugal. My project list is growing by the day in anticipation, plus we will go camping again for a few days.
The garden is almost finished. Rob chopped up the last of the peppers yesterday and I dried them. I’ve been pulling plants as I can and have about 1/4 of the garden cleared. There are a few more fall crops but most are finished.
I’ve filled so many jars I’ve lost count. I do have a written list so I could count them, but I haven’t had time lately. We cleaned out all 3 deep freezers, completely organized the canning to make sure older items are in front and the new stuff is behind. I’ve frozen veggies and fruit and the newest are on the bottom and the older on top. We have already finished up quite a few of the older things I found. We received our 1/4 beef from the farmer we buy from each year and now have any leftover beef from last year in a place to grab before we grab the new. We had a gift to spend at Costco and did that and put those staples in the pantry to be rotated correctly. In August, I utopped up some pantry items with an Azure Standard order and have our drop next week that I have ordered from. As well. I tend to order a bunch then skip a month or two or even three since I get bulk items from there and they last a long time.
We are slowly cleaning the shop and garage and other areas. Rob has already been hauling things off to donate and we have more ready when he gets time. Our neighbor kindly took a bunch of our stuff to the dump. We have tossed, recycled and even burned quite a bit. This is a big project but we have at least started and can tell where we’ve worked.
I didn’t keep the garden weeded very well, but still got lots of food from it. I didn’t sew or quilt at all. I went so far as to take my sewing machine camping and didn’t even sew one stitch. I have been cooking, but not baking as often as I do sometimes.
These are just a few of the things we have filled our time with over these past few weeks. I hope to catch up with you all soon!
Sounds like you’ve been super busy! Glad you are keeping well.
Super busy is right! But hanging in there. Thank you for the kind words you always say?
Glad to see your update! Love seeing your grandkids and garden photos. And it is good to know you had a good summer
Thank you
So glad you are doing well and just busy! Sooo busy! Wow!! I know, though, it is such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to see all the full jars on the shelves & full freezers. It’s also a great blessing from the Lord! Hope you both get to sit down & rest for at least a few minutes while your sister & family is on vacation. Thanks for the update…..Vicky in Ky.
I hope so too. We are getting pretty tired but do plan to rest up while they are gone. We are on a different schedule than we have been—working more hours, different times of the day—all that, so we’ve been trying to adjust.
Your post is very welcome. And it confirmed my suspicion that you were busy living life. Fun to hear what you’ve been doing. And also to get an update on your garden and canning efforts. All is well here and I made it through my first summer and the heat. God is good. cheers,
I’m really glad you have adjusted to your big move. It was quite a big one and I’m sure your garden grows much differently now. I’m hoping it’s a fun change for you-experimenting with a new climate.
Great to read Where Have I Been today. Missed you, checked in once a week. Love the photos you share.
Joy
I’m hoping to be able to look back in future years at all these photos and remember what feels like a blur now.
I’m glad you’re back! Just happy to know that you were ultra-busy. I was afraid that something bad had happened.
I’m glad nothing but the common things in life happened either!
I’m so relieved to see this post! I was too scared to contact you because I was afraid to get bad news. I’m glad you’re just living life!
Thank you. Sometimes life just grabs me and takes off running!
Your camping pictures warmed my heart – thank you for the update. I don’t even know you at all, but I was hoping everything was ok with y’all! You give so much love and nourishment to your family; I love to hear about it.
Thank you. That’s so sweet of you to say.
I understand the break! Blogging is highly time-consuming. It takes me about 3 days to get one post made. There are so many things I would love to write but can’t get it done.
My summer garden is strangely still producing. Every year is different. The tomatoes that I staggered planting to avoid being overwhelmed when they all ripened at once, are still producing. They are covered in green tomatoes! What do I do with a bushel of green tomatoes????? I have been researching YouTube and have found some interesting ideas.
Two years ago I had a few green tomatoes left so I canned one wide-mouth jar by layering slices. This week I finally opened the jar, carefully battered and fried each slice. I alone, loved it. This morning I went to the basement and dug out the short, wide-mouth, Tostitoes salsa jars with the button lids that friends have saved for me. They will be used to can enough slices for me for one meal. I saw a video on YouTube that Europeans use these jars and lids over and over again until the rubber loses its elasticity. Recycling jars is my life!
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
What I do with green tomatoes is make salsa verde and can it. I have never grown tomatillos but use those instead