Sweet (HOT) Summertime!

      It has been a typical week in the South, weatherwise, with hot, muggy temps! We are actually getting a little rain, as I type this. It is so welcome as we have had a very dry August! My pepper plants are drooping as if they will fall over any second! I harvested the peppers from them today in hopes that they won't! The bean plants are turning yellow and unless this rain helps, there may not be any more green beans. Same with the cucumbers and squash. I didn't know I'd still be harvesting from these vines this late in the Summer! Pleasant surprise! Are ya'll still harvesting beans, squash, and cucumbers?

      I think the pumpkin vine finally has a pumpkin on it. I hope it will grow to maturity before a frost! Surely so, since our first predicted frost isn't until November 11! I can't see the melon vines, as the grass has grown so tall around them! I don't want to venture into that tall grass and get chiggers again! I think my chiggers have finally died off! But the poison ivy is another story! I didn't know I could get poison ivy from handling my goats! I touch them before I realize it and then I suffer from extreme itching! It' so hard not to pet the precious little darlings! They always jump on my legs like they're trying to climb up them! I hope to find buyers for them soon! I hate to see them go, but they will not be of use here as their purpose is for breeding. I would not breed them back to their Moms! If they were for meat, that would be different, I guess.

      It was so nice to see the girls home from Morocco! We got to spend a few days with them before they went home to Birmingham. They had to get started in school. I hope to see them again soon. Winterlynn and Riley came too. We got to spend a few days with Winterlynn when her Mom had a virus. She is such a sweet girl! They're all sweet! Never a dull moment when they are all here! They will be sad not to get in the big swimming pool again! We had a mole poke a hole in the bottom of the liner we had just purchased last Spring! I don't know if we'll patch the hole or sell the swimming pool! I'll let you know next time. They enjoy the little pool almost as much.

      I hope ya'll are having an enjoyable Summer! I have enjoyed all the harvests from my garden, and others! I'm also looking forward to next week when I get another box of peaches from Chilton county! They are the best! Thanks for reading and commenting! Blessings from Bama!

A bat was in the top of the umbrella when we opened it!

Don't tell Uncle Randy she's sitting on his mower!

Lulu wants to drive the golf-cart!

The 'Princess' opening her presents! She's such a Momma's girl!

After a long day of play!

Having fun in the pool!

Such a pretty thing!

Got to get over!

I'm glad she was brave enough to get on the float!

They got still long enough so I could get this shot.

I can't look at you Aunt FeFe cause the sun's in my eyes! They found a turtle on the side of the road and had to bring it to me.

I can never get them to look at the same time!

Winterlynn likes my green juice!

Can you believe these potatoes were harvested from our garden? And this is just from one hole!

The angel trumpet looking so pretty!

Me, my Mom, and sister having a girls day!

My last batch of sauce until fall.

Harvested today.

I've been harvesting figs quite often. When my bag in the freezer gets full, I'll make some jam. I'm hoping to make chipotle from the jalapenos. Those are two of six pears on my pear tree. I just picked apples from our tree I'm going to make into a cobbler.

From our garden.

Chicken cooked in the sun oven.

Freshly picked from the garden.

I finished the job!

      How good it does feel to finally have the two empty beds filled with dirt and ready to plant! I got it done just before the rain set in! I don't care for these dreary, cloudy, rainy days; and I appreciate the sun so much more after days like this! At least we're not under fifteen inches of snow! I don't know what I'd do if we were! Go out and make snow angels, for one! I love the snow and think it is so pretty, but after a long winter of it, I guess it does get old. At least I can be inside and get inside tasks accomplished. The girls are coming tomorrow, so I've got a day to get ready for them. I missed them last weekend, so I'm looking forward to them being here.

      I got some of my seeds started! That's another plus for being inside! I ran out of t-labels, so I didn't plant the rest. I will go to WM this weekend and pick up some while I'm there. I don't like to make special trips just for one or two things. I'm so excited to see the first seedlings appear, but it probably won't be for 7-14 days!

      The weather is affecting the hens laying! Today I only got one egg! So much for cream brulee! It takes four large egg yolks! It's that, or no eggs for breakfast in the morning. I like eggs for breakfast, so I may have to buy some eggs for the cream brulee. I'm surprised I have any eggs! Nine hens just don't add up to one egg! How are ya'lls hens doing?

      I'm curious to see what next week's weather brings. I have other jobs in the raised beds that need to be done. They won't be as extensive as removing and replacing dirt, although that is what I'd like to do. I'm just going to skim off the top layer and replace it with manure and leaves. Hopefully, that will break down into nice compost for future veggies. I would also like to plant some early spring veggies. I will think on that and let you know next week. Hope ya'll have a great weekend! Blessings from Bama!

This was a new dish I tried this week: cheese and bean stuffed burritos with taco seasoned meat sauce on top.

Filling the cells with seed starting mix.

The finished bed, yay!

Peppers planted.

I need to skim off the top and put in some good stuff.

This bed still has garlic and some beets. When I harvest them, I'll skim off the topsoil and replace it with manure and leaves. The bed above it has some turnips, so when I harvest them, I'll do the same.

Next day, I planted tomato seeds.