Today is a weird weather day. Supposedly a cool front is going to push thru later today, but meanwhile, we have 91% humidity and it was 81 degrees before 10am. Not especially hot by Florida standards, but for the plateau this is downright sticky. And as I walked out to the pavilion earlier a fog was rolling in from the lower plateau. Crazy weather.
Well, it's a good day for Joel to stay inside and rest and continue to rehydrate and recover from his fall Saturday. I took the pressure bandage off earlier this morning and we both got a look at his gash for the first time since it was sutured. It actually looks really good, I counted 8 stitches. He's lucky the gash runs right in one of the creases of his forehead so I don't think it will be very noticeable after it's all healed. He's still pretty sore and is limping because of his foot but he's so glad to be home on his comfy couch.....watching the military channel.....with the remote in his hand. For him that is the definition of a perfect day.
I decided to stroll out to check on the garden since I've ignored it for the last few days. All the plants are going crazy and seem to grow a few inches each day. Here are the tomatoes, remember when they were only a foot tall a few weeks ago? Well, not any more!
Some varieties are already up to the top of the 4' trellis. And almost every plant is loaded with nice juicy green tomatoes. And see the acorn squash plants on the left hand side of the pic? I have no idea how big an area they plan on spreading into.....they're only halfway grown at this point.
Oh, how I love tomatoes.....these babies are almost 3" across already. And the plum tomatoes are hanging heavy on the vine, too.
Guess I need to get out there with a bowl and pick some of these snap peas later today. Our freezer is going to be stuffed by the end of July if these plants keep producing like this!
This is the back side of the main garden with the acorn squash on the right, hubbard squash in the middle and corn on the left. The 2 rows of tomatoes are behind the squash and corn row. I'm getting excited now to see how much our garden really produces for us.
It's a good thing I got the new crock, lid and weights for making sauerkraut in the mail last week because the cabbage is ready to be harvested. Some of them succumbed to the worms but over half appear to be clean as a whistle. I'll find out as soon as I cut into them.
And see this nasty looking patch of somethings? These are the potato plants and as they die off it's the signal to start digging then up out of the ground. We have a lot of harvesting to do this week! Holy cow! I guess that's a good problem to have.
I don't usually feel overwhelmed but this garden is giving me a run for my money. I feel like I barely figure out what to do with one harvest and then another vegetable needs to be picked and blanched, frozen, canned, or dehydrated. Whew! My nights are consumed with looking thru recipe books and canning how-to's for the work that is to follow the next day. Are you sure you don't wanna come help? Just kidding.......
By next year we should be old hands at all this gardening-canning business and it won't seem so overwhelming. At least that 's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Feelin' like a real farm girl now,
Debbie
