Cruising right along.....

So, in the past month, we've had some of the oddest weather combinations that I can remember.  We've had heat, then cold, then heat again, then frost warnings overnight....and of course, the frost warnings came AFTER we put in the 3rd garden bed and got our seeds and seedlings in the ground {sigh}.

However....we got everything planted, and had tarps to cover the beds on the 2 nights we got frost, so it's looking like everything survived.  The soil we got apparently wasn't completely clean because the new garden bed, which is filled entirely with the soil, has a nice green slime on top....we'll work with it and probably add some Miracle Grow garden soil in a few weeks.  The cucumbers that we purchased are apparently delectable to the critters because, out of 8 plants, only 1 is still standing...the rest have been chewed into oblivion.  One type of lettuce has not broken through the soil yet, but the other lettuce (can't remember which type I planted in which garden bed) is coming up, the collard greens are doing well, beans are starting to sprout, and we are also starting to see the tips of the carrots leaves (stalks?).  We bought the tomatoes and pepper as young plants and they are all doing well.....corn, not so much....but we can replant this weekend.  Oh, and Rebekah got more strawberry plants and the first full-grown, red strawberry is peeking through...if we can just keep the birds away from them, we might have a decent amount of our own berries instead of having to venture out and purchasing them.

Yesterday I got back into canning again - ended up with 13 quarts of kosher dill pickles.  

This year, I did some as pickle spears, and some as pickle chips for use on burgers and sandwiches...very happy with them, and considering entering a jar in the county fair.  Kids say I should also enter a jar of my jelly, but we shall see.  Today's adventure is spaghetti sauce....and I hunted for the recipe I used last time I canned, but of course, couldn't find it.  Did find another option and the second batch of jars is in the water bath as I type.  But of course, while the first batch was processing, I hunted through my stacks of recipes (that I need to get on the computer instead of having millions of pieces of paper) and of course, after I had already started with the new recipe, I found my original one tucked into a magazine of kid-friendly meals {sigh}.  Well, I know where it is now (on the table right next to me) and I will make sure I put it with the rest of my canning supplies when today's work is done. 

I have a fabric stash sewing contest coming up next month....might be the best time to work through some of the projects that I've been delaying work on....and gives my poor stove a break from all the canning work.  Besides, the next thing I want to can is the chopped, spiced apples for use in pies or in poptarts (something else I need to get to work on).  Next shopping trip, I also have to purchase some more ground beef (probably the family size package) and make it all into jerky.  I will only let them have a small amount, then I'll vacuum seal the rest and add it to my closet - apparently they ALL like it (not me, can't stand it...barely tolerate SlimJims....gah)......so...being all kinds of "50s housewife" around here, but it's fun for me and I enjoy the results - particularly when the rest of the family gets HUGE eyes and HUGE smiles when they taste the results.....