:: August Full ::

I still can't believe labor day is this weekend.  Our summer flew by, and it was full of so, so much goodness.  Our weekends have been full harvesting, my nights - preserving.

This is after not picking tomatoes for about 4 days.  One nights harvest with green peppers!

(bad iphone pic)

I ended up running out of time to can them up before this weekend, so i skinned them and threw them in the freezer until i have time.

Last Sunday, hubs picked enough corn to just about fill the wagon.  He picked & shucked, and i blanched and bagged!

I ended up freezing 20 bags of corn for the winter!!

And this weekend we are getting ready for my dad's 60th birthday / retirement party at our house! 

It will be so much fun to have a big Gray family party, and see everyone :)

I actually read this book at the end of July, in four days!  It was so, so good.  I highly suggest it. 

And if you don't already read her blog, i suggest you do!  www.kellehampton.com!!

I took a trip up to Center Harbour last weekend, and stopped by the farm to grab some fresh Apple Cider Donuts!  I think they are my favorite food.  Good thing they are only out in the Fall!

I have canned two batches of Nana's Dilly Beans.  She handed me down her original recipe card.

It means so much to me.

I love it.

More lovely corn!

The moon one night, gorgeous.

Mid August Canning inventory.

August has been full to the brim, and i have loved my time at home.

Have a great labor-day weekend!!!

Garden Plans

2012 marked our first year growing our own vegetables.  Last year we longed to have a garden, yet our property was still under construction with a big topsoil pile resting where our garden would be.  We had sand for a lawn, hence, no garden.

This year, with grass so green, it called my name at all hours to go spread out the blanket and read a good book.  So we dug in.

We stared with just he Garden Patch.  We managed to squeeze in three types of tomatoes, broccoli, summer squash, zucchini, pickling cuc's and straight eights, radishes, carrots, peppers, green/yellow beans, lettuce and mescalin.  It all looked so organized and put together in June.  Holy jungle right now.  All of the mound plants are creeping on each other, we can barley get to our plants to pick the veggies.

The blueberry bushes and strawberries came the week after the garden went in.  We put the strawberries in old whiskey barrels, which looked cool, but did not function properly for the strawberries growth.  Having my architecture background, i wanted a bush and a plant to follow each other around the garden to look symmetrical.  Fast forward one month later, the robins are enjoying their breakfast on all, yes all, of my blueberry bushes.  Total Fail.

Then two weeks after the garden patch went in, Jason decided that he really wanted corn, so we started that this year as well.  That lead to trips to Agway, and discount pumpkin plants we just couldn't let go to waste, and so we had some pumpkins lining the corn.

Here is what we are thinking for next year.  This plan includes spreading out the garden, to have all of the mound plants separate with ample room to roam and grow.  We already moved all of the strawberry plants out of the barrels and placed them in a nice long row for next season's harvest.  I think our plan below will provide much more room and better production for our gardens. 

Oh how i love to plan and dream.

At Home

One weekend in Vermont, exploring the countryside farms with my love, going to a farm auction and spending a night at home with my parents (and totally not taking even one picture). 

The next extended, wonderful weekend in Cape Cod without my love, but with four happy kids, brother, sister and parents.

So here i am, Sunday evening.  Feeling so grateful for my weekend at home.  For my routines to be restored, and my family to eat dinner together.  To work Sunday morning in the garden.

Buying a new-to-us rototiller for the tractor from a Alpaca farm in Canterbury.  The barn was beautiful, actually heavenly.  Hay filled the third loft, alpaca babies cozied up to their mama's on the second floor, while adult goats, turkeys and alpaca's grazed the back pasture and took their rest on the first floor.  The lady of the home spins the wool.  Workshops coming this fall, I'll be there.

To finally finish our dear friend's baby girl's quilt.  Feeling pretty good about it, except the binding, that needs work.

Canning Dill Pickles and Bread & Butter pickles.  Yum!

Baking chocolate chip cookies and Nana's macaroni & Cheese on Sunday afternoon.

Loving my beautiful glads from my husband for my birthday. 

Marveling at the tassel's that suddenly appeared on our corn and the miniature corn cobs growing.  Holy Moly i am going to have a ton of corn to freeze :)

 Picking so, so, so many vegetables every day.  Loving our garden and the plans we are making for next year.

Learning to use my new pressure canner/cooker from hubs.  We cooked up some fresh beans out of the garden in it.  Added a hunk of salt pork and made some Delicious string beans.

Looking at my kitchen and the sink that is full for the billionth time this weekend.  But loving the process that creates this lovely mess.

Thinning out the carrots and bringing all of the small ones in to munch on.

Getting excited for these hot, humid New England summer days to wind down, and the cooler temps to creep in.  Sweaters, flannel, wood heat, cooking on the cook-stove again, apple picking, making homemade apple cider donuts.  Oh how i love Autumn.

Yet also wishing time to stop, to let me catch up, give me time to pick the last of the blueberries and preserve so much more.

 

Enjoying my time at home.

This Moment

Adapted from Soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~ Happy Weekend ~

{ By the Sea }

{ What I loved about my weekend on the Cape }

·         Watching my youngest niece explore this unfamiliar environment, and learning to trust the sand beneath her toes, and the water splashing on her face.

·         Seeing my mother, now a grandmother teaching her oldest granddaughter to ride her new bike.  The cycle continues.

·         Dancing in the misty rain with the kids, while feeling like a kid myself.

·         Watching my dad play non-stop with his grandson.  His love overflowing throughout each child.

·         Smiling as she devours Oreo’s, then grabs my hand to head out for a bike ride around the block. 

·         Realizing that life flows on, and goes by so quickly.  Families grow and expand and the love continues.

·         Looking at my sister-in-law, loving those new lives inside her, and feeling so grateful she is my brother’s companion.

·         Learning patience and overwhelming love from my brother and his gentle approach to every situation with his children.

·         Feeling so grateful to be a part of their lives.

·         Watching him soak up every single second of his life.  Through games and laughs and explorations.  He is thoughtful and so sweet, that nephew of mine. 

·         Being near the sea and relaxing completely.

Life is short, and sometimes stressful, but oh so wonderful.