Homestead Woes & Blessings

Hello, friends.  Last week, I placed an online order for some needed things, using a coupon code for 20% off, and went through Swagbucks for another 10% cash back.  They then sent a 25% off code, and I placed a food order, again going through Swagbucks for the additional 10%.  It's hard to beat 35% off these days.  Gas prices were $3.39 close to where I was working, but I was happy to fill up for $3.03, closer to home.  I thought the high prices may be due to the US Open, but the following week, the prices remained the same.  We are in serious need of rain, with none forecast soon.  I hope we won't run out of rainwater, but it's a likely possibility.  I've not had luck growing black-eyed susan vine from seed, but there were dozens of little volunteers, where I was working, so I brought home a few to try.  They seem very happy to be out of the gravel, and are already making flower buds, so I'm hopeful.  The above photo is at my workplace.

While working away from home this week, dinners were simple.  One night, I opened jars of our green beans and small potatoes, and sauteed them with garlic.  One of our beets went into apple beet salad, for a side.  Jasmine rice with home canned black beans and salsa were another dinner.  Pasta two ways on other nights, with salads, and previously made black bean burgers another night.  Nothing much has gotten done on the homestead, other than a few minutes of chicken chores, watering plants, and small harvests morning and evening.  I'm thankful for the work, but will be very happy to spend more time here, outdoors and in,  this coming week.  It does look like we're going to have some scorchers, with 97 in the forecast last I heard, so it may still be mostly early morning and late evening outdoors for the most part.

One morning, I found our freezer door open again.  We both feel we're being mindful about closing it, and are wondering if it's somehow opening on it's own, as each time, it's been when it's pretty full.  Sigh.  J is thinking about adding a bungee cord.  Just after finally sitting down Friday, after finishing dinner and outdoor evening chores, a strange noise came from the bathroom.  Running there, I found water pouring out from behind the vanity.  Thankfully, J was there, and got the shut-off valve closed.  Apparently, the hose to our faucet deteriorated and blew out, and is not fixable.  Sigh.  This is the second bathroom faucet that has fallen apart from deterioration (entirely different faucets), in the almost 16 years we've lived there.  We have the oddest water challenges.  

While I was gone at work, J harvested our onions and garlic, which are both curing in my carport.  On Sunday, my first day at home, J dug our potatoes, and we pulled them from the vines, and piled them in a shadier spot, to cure a day or two.  Early in the morning, to beat the heat, I watered a few things, then harvested chard, basil, cucumbers, purslane and the first eggplant.  I turned the basil and purslane into pesto for J, as I'm getting ready to start another cleanse.  Cucumbers were made into spicy cucumber chips, a favorite summertime side dish.  I steamed almost all of the store bought potatoes, some for potato salad, as we'll soon be enjoying our own.  The potatoes look the best they have in many years.  I only noticed a bug hole in one potato, which is amazing, compared to past harvests.  Wishing you a lovely week, and stay cool out there.