It was a busy day out here yesterday JOTOLR. It started at 6:00 a.m. with milking Marigold who has increased her milk supply by one quart, plus a little at each milking...She's turned into a SUPERB family milk cow. She's easy to milk, calm, contented, and we are, too!
After milking came time to clean out the cucumber patch of those ugly yellow BIG cukes (anyone have a recipe for outsized, over-ripe ones?)(if so, send it along to me!) I had a cartful of "overdones' and the pigs were a happy lot as a result.
Next came hanging my cottage cheese which I had slightly overheated due to other pressing concerns, but I got it up on the cupboard door handle, where it hung and dripped the rest of the day.
Next, something I had not planned on doing, but a welcome task nontheless--MM brought in a bucket of snap peas to string, blanch, and freeze. Along the way, he asked me if I had dried any more ZUCCHINI...and you all know how I feel about that mild suggestion on his part on a day like yesterday.
After we got that discussion out of the way, I segued into washing the premium cukes, slicing them, washing jars, loading jars, heating the brine/pickling spice, and generally speaking, readying the whole canning panoply and ultimately canning fourteen quarts of dill pickles. Thanks to my friend, Debbi at Knit Run Reap Eat for having dill since mine pooped out except for three small plants which haven't matured as yet, but will in time for pickled okra later on.
By the time I finished the pickles just before evening milking...I was finished. Any blog time I thought I could manage yesterday flew out the window as the pillow beckoned. I'll have to get organized as some of you obviously are, with posts that seem to happen magically regardless of your busy schedules. It's so apparent I could some organizational training in blog management!
So, we had the cottage cheese, plus tomatoes, plus first corn, plus snap peas, plus salad (loaded with ZUCCHINI, lettuce, radishes and....guess what? CUCUMBERS...and some new OKRA which I will share with you the next time we pick. I am not an okra-lover! But this was incredible!! HUGE pods and oh-so-tender! I can't wait to share photos with you (MM ate all of it except for two pods I ate. We now have to wait for the next wave, but I promise I'll show you and tell you all about the story that goes with it.
Also, I haven't put aside Milk 101. Things have simply been too busy to go back to the topic. I'll try to put more into that this coming week.
I thought today I'd end the week with a photo of the "farm fashion footgear" I wear. It needs no explanation except to say that depending on the day's tasks, each of these is a solid part of my oh-so-fancy wardrobe! The "wellies" are my favorite...or maybe the funny Chinese shoes that are so comfy....OTOH, I do love my "fencing-and-firewood" boots...then again, the "running shoes" give me maximum flexibility when I'm chasing cows or training dogs! Which simply goes to show they each occupy an important part of nearly every day, out here JOTOLR.
Finally, a HOT, HOT, HOT sunset to end your week. Thank you all so much for visiting and for sharing YOUR stories with me! I so enjoy every word!
Have a delightful COOOOOOOL weekend!
See you Monday.
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Elora -- your ending sunset was a duplicate of what I saw over here in Central KY. Your shoes were appropriate for your chores. The wellies reminded me of when I lived in Oregon. The rain in Oregon demanded every sensible farmer/gardener to own a pair as the mud was unbelievable. Perhaps you remember that about Oregon. The pickles reminded me of my now gone mother-in-law that was famous for her dills. And all the rest of the produce made me homesick for land that can produce such wonders. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteYou are so busy. Hope you have time to rest this weekend. My mom would make zucchini bread & butter pickles,mmmmm.
ReplyDeleteYou're always so busy. I just float through my days sometimes only doing a fraction of the things you get up to. The blackcurrants are looking ready to pick, they'll go straight into the freezer to be made into blackcurrant and apple crumble when my visitors come. I used to make jam (jelly) but as I'm the only one who eats it that's not a good option. Re the plastic shoes - I have 9 pairs to co-ordinate with my school clothes, I have really broad feet and they are so comfy, like wearing slippers. The proper 'crocs' cost £35 but mine are all fakes costing £4- £5 a pair.
ReplyDeleteLove the footgear pic. Our front porch railing is often like a display of various choices.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I do several posts at once and schedule them for the coming days. -- that alleviates that last minute hassle.
And sometimes I haven't been so foresighted and time runs out and I do a post like today's.
Hi, Kat! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I guess I make a big deal out of "being busy" but really, I've got to admit, it's nice to have plenty to keep us "occupied" out here! And the produce, in the winter, is soooo wonderful. I love B&B pickles. Same with Z-Bread! You gave me a reminder that I should take advantage of the ZUCCHINI as opposed to disparaging it!
ReplyDeleteVicki, I thought perhaps you managed your blog that way. When things slow down a bit, I'll follow your lead and do the same. Need a bit of space to start with, but that would help a lot. Thanks much for sharing!
Barbara--Wasn't that sunset absolutely gorgeous!? Vicki's yesterday was, too. Or was hers a sunrise???? That's her secret!