I have been harvesting the herbs regularly and depositing each in their own Kroger bag to dry out. Every time I grill, I do also four jalapeno poppers as an appetizer/side dish. Oh, you must be sure to have a tall cold beverage nearby when indulging in these I tell you!
Our three cherry tomato varieties turned out to be as different as the three Baldner children. The cherry reds are a small compact variety that provided the earliest fruit (red, bland tomatoes) and they are almost done producing. The yellow cherry are by far the most delicious and eat-off-the-vine friendly: each cluster ripens fruit by fruit, making these easy to keep track of and harvest; and there is very little splitting or falling off the vines. The burgundy variety are the largest (almost golf ball size) but most of these are splitting before they get fully ripe - i don't understand this. Their flavor is sweet and good, but because of the splitting I am using these to make sauce.
So far (mid-August) this year's chili pepper plants have been the healthiest I've ever been blest with. Two plants of the 'mammoth' variety have provided consistent four inch fruit all summer; their smaller cousins (also two plants) have produced healthy (albiet smaller ) fruit as well.
The strawberries have been pretty consistent all year as well - mostly small healthy fruit, as long as I get to them before the pests do.
I only harvested two raspberries all year so far, there has been heavy insect damage to the leaves and this is their first year since being transplanted.
I have been watering mr. basil from the bottom as per the nice lady at the Dexter Farm Market and this year's plant has also been very healthy and productive.
The safflower feeders have been popular with the chickadees, cardinals, house finches, sparrows of divers natures, pigeons; as well as an occasional treat for mr rose-breasted grossbeak and mr chipmunk. The latter has come maybe thrice to my knowledge, the latter I don't know how often for he is shifty and evasive. Two of these I have dispatched already this year, and there is one more who comes more recently but it has been a few weeks since I've seen him.
The planter hosta and catmint are as big as ever; the front lilac and forsythia are bigger than ever and restrict my north view significantly. Even the Swarthout crab apple has surpassed its former glory both in height and in breadth.
Our newest additions, the summer ruffle rose of sharons and the dogwood (and their associated accent grasses and sedums) are all doing well this year. Moni has kept the grass well-watered in the absence of rain this summer (thankfully we do not pay for water:-).
Otis has been more recluse and acting out and I do not like him.
Mid-eighties to-day but there is still a nice breeze, God be praised!
After a stellar first thirty days or so, the cucumber plants have turned lime yellow and have only produced retarded fruit. I added some serious 0-50-0 as per the advice of the nice Big Acre lady, and also some all purpose 24-8-16 just yestreday. We shall see, we shall see....
The pickling has been fun this year and I feel I am (after three full years) done experimenting. A simple tablespoon of kosher salt in a 3:1 water to vinegar solution boiled briefly, then poured over the sliced cucs, garlic, red pepper flakes, whole dill fronds (many), and then a chili pepper cut once for a good robust pickle. They have been crisp and hearty. Don't skimp on the dill, and don't skimp on the garlic. The one chili is plenty - if the LORD provides enough fruit for two more jars this year, i might split one chili into two jars.
I have been exceedingly lacking in my genealogy research for the past year. I blame the nice weather and ... um sloth.
To-day later i cook some tomatoes into sauce, and then on the grill: split breast of chicken, thighs, and legs from Polly Market On The Lake with our home-made barbecue sauce, potato bundles, and jalapeno poppers :-)
Padre celestial, gracias por la vida, gracias por tantas bendiciones.
