Early August Days

Hello, friends.  Last week, I was happy to find cherries for $1.99/#, and cantaloupes $1.79 at Aldi.  I harvested a few tiny potatoes from a volunteer potato, which was missed last year.  I was not enjoying one of the library books I had gotten, so I started reading the other one I'd picked up.  There are plenty on my "want to read" list, so no use wasting time on one I'm not enjoying.  I made a batch of cashew parmesan.  In the garden, we spotted the first tiny zucchini and tromboncino squashes, and first cantaloupes.  The tomatoes are finally ripening, though we seem to still be eating ones that ripened early due to dying stems or being chewed on.  Not the most flavorful, but we'll take them.  I found the first parasitized tomato hornworm of the year, which I was glad to see.  

My massage therapist told me a Lowe's store I usually pass whenever I have soap to deliver, has an awesome markdown area.  She was right, as there were three large shelving units full, plus a cooler.  I picked up a dented can of organic black beans for .75, and a lb. of organic dried lentils for $2.20.  When I first saw them, I thought that was still pretty high, even if 50% off, but when I thought about nonorganic lentils at Dollar Tree being the equivalent of $1.67 per lb., I decided it wasn't too bad.  I'll make stopping there part of my monthly routine, and hopefully remember to look through the cooler next time.  In the garden, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and oregano were harvested.

When I couldn't fit another thing in the freezers, I pulled out thirteen gallon bags of veggie scraps, simmered them, and canned 18 pints of concentrated broth.  It's good to have a little breathing room in the freezers again.  All laundry was dried on the line.  Our fourth try at yellow squash were large enough to be planted out over the weekend.  Here's hoping they thrive.  I started seeds of chard and broccoli.  J had wanted to give the mama hen a break, and separated her from the chicks, putting her back in with the rest of the flock.  They were all miserable, so after three days of watching and hearing her clucking sadly at them, I managed to catch her and reunite them.  All is well again.  The chickens are still getting their daily mash, depending on what's available. Most days tomato is included, which they love.   They've also gotten frozen cubes of corn on hot days, and melon rinds.  My Fall-inspired soap is on the drying rack.  Cool days will be here before we know it!