Well, canning season is in full swing, and it's whuppin' my butt, I can tell you that.
I work 10-hour days... go home, get in the garden, sometimes until dark, which can be up to 4 hours - tilling, hoeing, pulling weeds, gathering veggies...
Saturdays are designated as "wash-day" around my house. So I get up early every Saturday and get my wash started, usually 3 or 4 loads if hubby is home, maybe 5.... 2 or 3 loads if he isn't, plus bedsheets. Then I hang it all on the line, because it hasn't REALLY rained since around May 28th!!!
When I'm done in the garden for the evening.... I begin canning. I'm blanching tomatoes, peeling them, then either putting them in jars for a "hot bath" or blending them up and putting them in my crock pot for tomato paste.
Then it's on to the squash, peppers, cukes, or okra. The watermelons aren't ready yet, and I'm not picking any more cantaloupes right now. I have almost a whole one in the fridge already cut up... and no one is eating it. I'm sure son will, but he has had a fever for the last two days, off and on. Some type of virus I'm sure... just a low-grade fever and "feeling bad". He got up this morning feeling fine, though.
Plus I'm gathering seed... which means that I'm keeping a VERY close eye on the veggies left in the garden that I want to make seed.... they have to ripen to the point of almost rotten. LOL But sometimes, if the birds have been especially hungry that week, I'll bring in the veggie to finish ripening indoors.
Also... I planted some more items last Saturday, and I intend to plant some more tomorrow. I started seeds for more jalapeno peppers... for Connecticut Field Pumpkins (the "original heirloom" Halloween pumpkin)... for Jaradale Pumpkins (heirloom as well).... more cukes (I never have enough, LOL).... and for Spaghetti Squash (heirloom too).
Also, I harvested the second volunteer zuchinni yesterday. I cut it in LARGE chunks and baked it until it was tender, then dotted it with butter and added some salt and pepper... let the butter melt, then covered it with a few slices of smoked cheddar cheese. It was SO GOOD!!! My son and I hurt ourselves with that one.... LOL.
Also, I've been at the orchard... and have to go again tomorrow, to mow it. I'm sure I'll be gathering figs again, too. I've put up three gallons of figs already this year, and given away another two gallons.
I've had three gallons (three or four? not sure...) of Blueberry juice plus berries alone... making jelly from the juice and I still have some of the juice in the fridge to make jelly.... I still have "almost" two gallons of Mayhaw juice in the fridge for jelly, and I've put up at least two gallons of juice for jelly already.
I have strawberries to can/jar tonight, as well. Plus --- I have to make a pound cake for Lamingtons (I made them at church once, and one of the teens has requested some for the Youth Party tomorrow evening).... I also have to make Oatmeal/Apple/Raisin/Date/Pecan cookies for the Youth Party.... LOL ....yep, another request. *wink*
And last night, I cut up about a dozen purple bell peppers and about 8 green bells.... into strips, then put them in my dehydrator. They should be "crispy" this evening.
Also, my chicks were delivered last Friday, 22 of them, but one had a broken neck and we had to put it out of its misery
poor little baby... so the 21 that are left are growing RAPIDLY!!!
And eating me out of house and home, too!
I don't wonder where my time goes... and I don't wonder why I'm so busy.... and... I think I have it figured out why I'm so blasted tired all the time....
I'll be here for a while though, today.
Missing you all, but enjoying being outside with the garden, yards, flowers... chickens... and canning.