Garden Ups and Downs & Another Year Around The Sun

Hello, friends.  I hope you've had a good week.  For Labor Day, J cooked our dinner on the grill.  I prepped eggplant, potatoes, and mushrooms, and he added corn and pork.  We ate on our porch for the first time this summer, which was lovely.  I recently had my first shower of the year in our outdoor shower.  I forget how absolutely wonderful that is, and really should use it more often.  It's one of life's simple pleasures.  I blanched and froze lambs quarters.  J has had to fix more things on the homestead.  First, the pressure switch for our well went bad, which he got a part for, and replaced.  My steam mop had stopped steaming. He soaked parts in vinegar, and thinks he's got it working again.  Even though I only use rainwater in the steam mop, he thinks the tannins, which get through the initial three house filters, may have clogged it up. 

I was able to can a small amount of tomatoes, which was good.  After a lull, I've been working on soap, gearing up for the holiday season and upcoming show.  Daisy had asked for information on where I'll be vending, and I'll be at this herbal symposium in Pittsboro.  We're still awash in pawpaws, and shared them with several people throughout the week.  We received a bag of cucumbers from a neighbor, which was much appreciated.  All laundry was dried on the line.  I made golden paste for the pups.  This continues to be a most interesting year in the garden.  Now that the tomatoes have quit rotting, there's a new problem of many worms/caterpillars on them.  On Saturday, I picked off 42, of at least four types!  At least the chickens have been getting extra protein.

It's been a good eggplant year, however.  I made a pasta dish with caramelized onions and eggplant on my birthday, Wednesday.  Though it was a lowkey day, with J working, I gathered a bouquet, took a longer than usual walk, and made cookies.  Giving myself a little more than the usual down time was nice.  It was also nice the celebration continued, with flowers arriving from my daughter in spirit Thursday, time spent with my sister Friday, and time with friends at a winery on Sunday, so all the best things were enjoyed.  I've recently noticed what seems to be a decrease in pollinators in the garden.  I'm seeing some around it, mostly bumblebees on the morning glory and garlic chive blooms, but very little in the garden, and no honeybees, though we have two neighbors with hives about 1/2 mile away.  The tomatoes and eggplant are obviously getting pollinated, so hopefully it's nothing to worry about.  I'll keep my eye on it.  We were able to have the windows open a lot this week.  I hope the weather is lovely in your little spot in the world.