Saturday, July 12, 2008

This weeks happenings........

OOPS!!
I wanted to add this cactus, it belonged to our Mom.It is covered in pale yellow blooms.They look white in this picture.
First let me say I'm sorry, no 4th of July pictures. My hubby took movies, not pictures.
But I do have pictures of things I'm doing and flowers that are growing to show you. So here they are . I hope you enjoy them.A daisy,don't know where it came from....Just found it beside the house.
The female downy woodpecker.we have a couple of pairs that think this is a restaurant.
This is a hosta that comes back each year,blooms are lavender color.
This is a clematis that climbs w/ my jasmine.This one is blooming late...
This is "Rose of Sharon", we have a lot of this.Also a pinkish purple.
This is a female finch, the male has a red head.Very aggressive.
This is hydrangea, also called snowball bush.
This is our 1956 chevy pick-up. It belonged to hubbys Dad. It will be having some work done on it this summer, then a new paint job.

This is one of my little time consumers, and worth every minute.
These are my chicks I hatched out.They are about 3 1/2 weeks old. I put them out in the morning and get them in at night. They have learned to climb the wire.hmmm. I'm going to cover the top.Bet that stops them.LOL
My lavender colored crepe myrtle.
My pink crepe myrtle.
This is over 3 cases of jelly I have put up.
Some figs from my tree.This is a small part of them.I have given friends and neighbors some too.
This is what I'm doing to some of the figs...I had 2 trays to put in the dehydrator.Not counting what I froze too.
This is patty-pan squash, I'm going to bake it tomorrow.
This is more berries I picked yesterday.It was close to 100, Thats too hot for me.I only picked 1 gallon, and almost got too hot .I'm though making jelly. I am just putting them in the freezer now.
This is a Care-bear dress I made my grand daughter.I also made a baby quilt for a friends daughter.I forgot to take pictures of it.
I went to a yard sale and got 2 whole bolt's of material to make baby quilts. I will make several , and save them till needed. I also picked up 4 rolls of lace....I don't use lace but it was 25 cents a roll. I do like a bargain you know.The material was $2.00 a bolt, another bargain.
I'm trying everyday to play catch-up with the everyday house-work. I don't think I stand a chance till the swimming and playing in the rain is over.(its raining right now too).
Monday was Dr appt's for hubby.Tuesday was Dr appt's for Luci.The rest of the week was cooking, and "other".
Today we picked up a baby rabbit for Jon. A friend raises them to eat.Jon wanted one for a pet. While we were there we went to the field and picked cucumbers.Now I have to pickle some of those and eat the rest.(I'm not complaining, they are food and FREE). Another friend gave me a gallon can of dried white beans. This is the first time I ever saw dried beans canned. I will cook them and can them. I know Clint and BJ will be wanting some of the canned beans.LOL
Sure beats trying to cook them after getting off work.
I want to can some potatoes, pork roast, beef roast, chicken, and tomato's. I like to eat tomato's and cornbread,just love it.The lady next door is giving me tomato's radishes ,onions and peppers. I'm giving her jelly, cucumbers and figs. We all trade back and forth. Thats the way it should work. If we have extra, we share.
The friend we got the rabbit from has a large place, about 30 acres. most of it is in garden crops.His wife cans and freezes their winter food. The only thing they buy is beef and pork. When they get all they want,Bobby calls me.This is where I get my peas, corn and cucumbers and other vegetables. I almost always get enough for the whole winter. This year he has a new pea, is a purplehull crossed with a whippoorwill. He said it looks like purplehull except it has spots!!! I'm gonna ask for some of the seed to save for next year.
I'm supposed to go to my son's tomorrow and pick plums.IF it doesn't rain. Plus I have 3 kids here tonight, I hope I have the energy to go.LOL.
Time for me to post this and put the kids to bed. Then put me there too. I hope everyone had a good week. I hope you have a good weekend too. Take care and God bless.
Donna

13 comments:

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Mmm...I'd like to have some of those dried figs. I like 'em fresh but after a handful I'm done. A little dab'll do me.

I don't think I've ever seen canned dry beans before either.

Lightning struck my AC unit this evening so I have all the windows open and the fan on. If my landlord gets it fixed in the morning we'll proceed as planned. If not, we'll either take it to Jessica's to finish cooking, or go out to eat somewhere. It's too hot in here to cook, and too hot to eat it after it's done!

I made refrigerator pickles but no canned pickles. Just don't feel like fooling with 'em right now.

Be careful in this heat, Sis. It's real easy to get overheated.

Love y'all too, hope to see you soon.

Love and hugs,

Joe

Aunt Jenny said...

YOu sure had a busy week!!
I buy canned dried beans all the time in the gallon size cans...real convenient!!
I just hope my pickling cukes do okay in this heat...I have been watering like crazy..so I can do pickles this year. We had such a cold late spring that they arn't very big yet..either is the squash..I planted golden zuchinni and Hopi pale grey.
I love to hear the different things people grow and cook in different areas....like the purple hull peas. I havn't ever seen them! Are they like blackeyed peas? I love them but have never grown them. I do buy them dried though!!
Yum...tomatoes and cornbread!! I LOVE cornbread..and as soon as I have ripe tomatoes..it will be a couple weeks yet....I am going to be a tomato eating fool!
Your figs are so pretty..yum!
Have a nice rest of the weekend..sounds like you deserve a rest!!!

Nancy said...

You sure are one busy gal!!! I don't do any canning at all, just berry-freezing is all I do these days. I used to can tomatoes years ago, but they were for hubby then. I get hives from fresh tomatoes. I love the smell of a freshly sliced tomato, though!

Your flowers are all beautiful. I don't do much of that anymore, either....just 2 free-standing porch planters on my front porch with red and white petunias. It's not the same when you're divorced...I just don't care about things the way I used to...even after 11 years of being alone!

Hot here, too! But it won't be long before old man winter will be upon us. I love SC winters....usually mild...and then every few years we may see freezing rain and, if we're lucky, a dusting of that beautiful white stuff. Nothing like the PA winters we are used to, that's fo/r sure! LOL

Have a blessed Sunday and a good week, Donna!

(((HUGS)))

Linds said...

I am totally exhausted after reading this. When do you sleep!!!I love fresh vegetables, especially when they are free. I trade a lot with my friends too. Wonderful. We used to have a fig tree in South Africa, and I can still remember the smell and taste of fresh figs. The best.

I love all the photos - especially the one of your little time consumer! What a gorgeous grin.

Have a great Sunday!

Lucy Stern said...

Wow, you are one busy lady, but the old saying goes, "Make hay while the sun shines." You are putting up your winter food and that is important....

You must have a lot of recipes that are handed down from the family. I haven't done any canning in years. I live in the big city and we don't have much room for a garden, but I do have tomatoes growing. We recently did a large group tomato order and we ordered a great canning, freezing, drying book from Georgia. Check out this web page and see if it is something you might like: http://www.uga.edu/setp It is a 375 page book with everything under the sun about preserving.

I suppose you have a bunch of canning jars that you can use over and over again. The price of jars is unbeliveable now. I saw Kerr jars at Walmart for over $8.00 a box. With the prices of food going up, I need to start canning again....

I have canned dry beans, but they are in #10 cans and they are stored in a dark, cool, dry place. Heat is a beans worst enemy. Good luck with your beans.

I am so glad that I found your blog, I'll be by again. Have a great week.

Jess said...

Did I mention before that you make me very tired just reading! Good Grief! Who new what figs looked like or those squash... I bet those peas are great!

Have a good Sunday!
Love, Jess

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

I so enjoyed all the pictures! And you are a busy girl! i would love to be there to help you. Afraid I would need frequent breaks for pain control but what fun we would have!

kansasrose said...

Loved your photos! You make me tired just reading all you do hon! Take it easy in the heat too. The veggies sound delicious. Those figs are gorgeous! What was the name of the fig tree you grow? Been having brain farts, and forget most of what I hear.lol. I'd love to grow those. The pattypan is gorgeous too! You sure have green fingers! WE'd have a blast pickin and puttin' by, wouldn't we? My okra croaked. I tried a new strain. A friend from Alabama gave me some white okra seeds and they came up but dried up. I love pickled okra. Do you grow that too? In a few weeks the cukes will be ready to pickle. I grow the kirbys. I have a great bread and butter recipe from my mom.
You put me to shame hon on all your canning and putting up, and the cooking ya do! I feel like a lazy bum reading here. YOU rock out preserving foods girl. :) :) Have a peaceful Sunday. Love, Jen ps love the little dress you made, the quilts sound sweet too! Do you ever sleep? lol

Sam said...

Wow Donna. I am thoroughly impressed! Seriously. I knew you were a wiz in the kitchen, but you sew too?? Is there anything you can't do?

Beautiful truck, by the way! I love those old trucks.

Beautiful child too! :-) How old is she?

Stay cool in this heat! And I hope you have a good week!

Greeneyes said...

My Goodness , what kind of batteries do you run on????and where can I get me some????
You must be an awesome neighbour to have , and yes I like the idea of sharing that is great, more people should do just that ,there would be alot more happy people in the world .

You certainly are a talent at many things and I dint know you could can potatoes????I thought they would be runt????HAHA ruined or turn dark ???
Your flowers are beautiful but your little time consumer is even more so !!!

HUGS and God Bless

greeneyes

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Donna:-)

My goodness, you're a busy gal but all that work is so much worth it, isn't it!! My vegetable garden is just starting to grow now...couldn't plant it until early June so it will be another few weeks before I can pick anything. My busy canning and pickling time is in late August and early September. I don't can fruit but I do make strawberry jam. I'm just fascinated with your figs and patty-pan squash...never ever seen that before!! The only time I've seen figs is when they're packaged up! lol

Your flowers are so beautiful and so many types you have that I can't grow here because of our short summer season.

Oh wow, I so love that 56 chevy truck...it will look awesome once it's been repaired and painted!!!

Hopefully your week is a bit more relaxing but I somehow doubt that, I'm sure you're busy as usual! lol xoxo

Pear tree cottage! said...

What with your garden, your cooking, your grandchildren and you raising chickens how you have time to blog is beyond me "well done" your summer sounds too hot for me...thank goodness it is winter time here now or I would be over heated with all you work.

love Lee-ann

Cecil said...

Just thought I'd let you know I had to put Percy to sleep a week ago today.. he had cancer. It was a horrible week last week.. I don't really feel like blogging but I wanted to tell you about him. All the veggies sound good. Hope you have a good week. Love you all... Cecil