Hello, friends. It's been a busy week. Between working away from home Monday through Wednesday, and taking an online class Friday through Sunday, that didn't leave much breathing room. On the way home from work one day, I stopped at Food Lion to pick up some produce. I found avocados 2/$1, so got 4. My computer wasn't fixed when I brought it home from the computer repair shop this summer. It didn't do anything unusual while there, so it seems he couldn't figure it out. I continued getting error codes, and then last week, it began strobing one evening, going from a black screen to my home page. I decided it was time to just get a new tower, as I wanted to be sure I could take the online class without challenge. The last one was refurbished, and lasted 3 1/2 years, so I really can't complain. Going through Swagbucks, I earned 2% back, and used $35 in Staples rewards. I picked it up on Thursday, dropping 4 ink cartridges off for rewards while there, and ran to the library and Aldi's while in town. I'm continuing with celery juice in the mornings, and was happy to find celery hearts about half of what I had been paying at Food Lion. I was happy to find they also had pomegranates, for $1.19, which may not be the best price, but a good price, so I got two. I love mixing them in green salads.
We had an unseasonably warm day on Thursday, 80 degrees, and had wind gusts above 50 mph. Half of a large maple tree came down on the back of the shop. Thankfully, it didn't hurt the fig tree back there, or the guys working inside. J cut it up in firewood sized pieces, and several nice pieces of usnea were found among the branches. After not being able to harvest for 3 days, on Thursday I harvested 3 tromboncino, an eggplant, 3 peppers, a few cherry tomatoes, and quite a few figs. I dried several trays of figs. The goji berry was a disappointment again this year. I found four miniscule berries, and am wondering if pruning it back hard would help it put more energy into fruiting. I pulled winter squash and boiled peanuts from the freezer, to make the first autumn succotash of the season. J installed the new computer tower. It may be a while before we've got the photo and other programs set up, so I'm glad I loaded these onto the blog before it changed over. Lemon balm was harvested, and a jar of tincture started.
The cold and our first good frost is coming Sunday night. I'm enjoying the blooms, butterflies and bumblebees while I can. During down time at work, I shelled a bucket of black eyed peas. On Thursday, I went through all the peanuts that had been drying, and put the good ones in jars. We ended up with 5 1/2 gallons of unshelled peanuts. J and I also brought in the sweet potatoes, which had been drying, and stored them in the basement. That should do it, which is good, as our shelves are full. Our first sweet potatoes were baked. Broccoli Cashew Apple & Pear salad was made, which used our pear and onion. A green salad with pomegranate, toasted pecans and feta cheese was enjoyed another night. A few orders were powder coated on Saturday, before the online class. Hummus was made for lunches, yogurt was made, and a load of laundry was hung on the line. Before and during breaks in class on Sunday, J & I picked the garden, covered the lettuce bed, and powder coated the remaining two orders. I'm very much looking forward to a less busy week, as well as a day I'll be spending with my sister. Wishing you a week of things that support you and bring you joy.
4 comments:
Sounds like you packed in a good bit!
Hopefully, your new tower will help you sail along online.
It was 32 degrees here this morning. Do you do anything special for your chooks over the winter? I'm not sure if I should let them out at their regular time, since it's so cold. Learning as I go!
I look forward to having our own sweet potatoes next year. They are such an easy crop to grow.
Enjoy your week in the sunshine!
We do a few things for the chooks in cold weather. We put up a polycarbonate "window" in the coop that blocks most of the air, but still allows some ventilation up top, and light. We close the coop door (they have a small enclosed feeding area outside the coop with two closed outer doors), which stays open during warmer weather, and I do the deep litter method in the coop, which keeps it warmer. On the coldest nights (20 or less), we use a heat lamp. Chickens in general do well with the cold. Supposedly heat is harder on them.
I just love those pictures this time! Those look like asters, but I'm not sure. I know I live in a different part of the country than you, so who knows if flowers are the same. The butterfly is so pretty.
Those Tromboncinis! Mine have been very prolific, too. Right up until the last frost, I was also picking them. There are still some in the fridge! We got so many, I'm not sure if I can use them before they go bad. I already have 32 cups of frozen zucchini, so I don't need to freeze more. Now, if I could just find them in the freezers.......it's becoming quite a joke around here--"Where did Becky hide 32 cups of shredded zucchini?" When we cleaned the freezers recently, I guess we put them in a "very safe" place:).
That's funny, Becky! And I can relate. One thing I'm thinking of doing with mine is making soup. There's one recipe I've used called Burden soup, meant to use up lots of zucchini. That may be what I make for dinner today. And they are asters indeed.
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