Still Sweltering in September!

      But hopefully by the end of the week, things will begin to cool off a bit! I am absolutely soaked as I sit here after my walk! The green juice I'm drinking sure is refreshing on a day like this! Is it still hot where you are or has the temp cooled down? I hope you are comfortable, wherever you may live!

      As the days are beginning to shorten, I seem to have less time to get things done outside. I guess it's because I have to wait until evening to do any digging because of the heat. I dug a few potatoes last night and it was still so hot! I don't know if potatoes are worth growing here. I will have to talk to Randy about that for next year. It's usually hot when I have to dig the trench to plant them, and hot when we harvest them. They did seem to do well where they were planted, but if I rotate the garden, the rest of the dirt is not soft like that. I may choose to plant something else, like more okra. Ours didn't make this year because of the cooler first half of the Summer. Okra likes long, hot days. It does well with less water. It is usually the easiest crop to grow. I wonder if next Summer will be like this?

      I am so looking forward to Fall and cooler weather! I never thought I'd say that because of the long, cold winter we, and everyone else had. I don't want it to be like that again, but sources say it will be; and maybe even worse! I sure hope not! The Polar Vortex was more than lots of people could handle! I don't know if we can take another one here in the South! But as I was saying about Fall, I am getting in the crafty mood again. I am so glad! Crafting makes me about as happy as gardening! I just need to take time to craft all year! I take time to cook and garden; what's one more thing? I think I was getting out of balance with some things. I'm so glad when God gets me back on track! Life is so much more joyful when we trust and follow Him! 

      We went on a camping trip Labor Day weekend. It just happened to be the day after I made the peach freezer jam. I had my hands in those delicious peaches all day, so I ate peaches all day. Stomachs don't set well when fed too many peaches. You'd think a grown woman would know this! I suffered the whole camping trip with a bloated stomach and much discomfort! I still managed to enjoy most of the trip, in spite of that! I learned an important lesson: Don't eat too many peaches while making jam! We got back Monday in time to host the family cook-out. I was so glad to see my girls! They are growing so much! They are coming again this weekend and I can hardly wait! The weather will be a little cooler so we can spend time outside, hopefully without getting eaten by mosquitoes and see-me-nots, and chiggers! Chiggers will always be a problem, but if we wear the right clothes and shoes, we will have less chance of getting them.

      I made some delicious crackers today to go with a homemade chicken chowder I made last night. The chowder was made with corn I froze this Summer and potatoes from our garden. So it was semi-home grown! The chicken was left-over smoked chicken from the night before. The chowder is really good! I kind of went by a recipe, but mostly added what we like. I hope the crackers will compliment it. If Skylar likes it, I'm O.K.! He's quite picky about food. I guess I've spoiled him that way. Like the biscuits I make are more hard than fluffy. They're still better than store bought though.

      When the temps cool down, I hope to get back to writing more. Hopefully, soon! Ya'll take care and have a good day! Blessings from Bama!

The making of peach jam.

Relaxing at the campground.

It rained a lot while we were camping so we had to caddywonker the awning.

Relaxing with my honey.

A fawn lying just out from the camper.

The deer were so tame.

The campground where we stayed.

Five of my favorite people!

A typical Southern breakfast with grits and homegrown fried egg! 

My little poser!

The bat looks like he's going to take a bite out of something!

The beginning of a wreath.

Two rows of potatoes, one more row to go.

Can ya'll believe I used this by myself?

Yummy cracker dough!

I was inspired to make these after eating some at a Guntersville restaurant.

They are not even, but for my first time, they turned out pretty good. They are going to be candy corns.