Friday, August 19, 2011

Summer's end....

You can just feel it in the air that the season is changing even if it's hot again.  The early mornings are beautiful with a nice breeze to make it a pleasure to water and take care of the garden.  Veggies that quit producing or slow-downed during the 100 degree days, have started producing again and look like they have a new lease on life.
I ended up with only small varieties of tomatoes this year (I think some were mismarked) but they have so much flavor.  The kind of dark ones are a heirloom variety that Allison started from seed and they are just starting to ripen.  The round white vegetable is a lemon cucumber and are so good.  They taste nothing like lemon -- it's just the color & shape.  Also, my arugula has come back.  I cut them down & now they're big enough to eat again.  It's my favorite salad green.

This is one of the little pie pumpkins I planted.  I'm going to cook a couple and see how they do in pumpkin bread.  I picked a little of my bittersweet but it isn't ready yet -- it hasn't popped open.  I have so much grapevine growing around that I think I'll make some wreaths.  The only thing I have to watch out for is sometimes poison ivy sneaks in the grapevine.


I also made peach and strawberry jelly.  I used a new product for my 2nd batch of peach and it turned out a little darker then normal.  It was an all-natural product so maybe it didn't have what ever it is that's in Surejel that keeps peaches from turning.  Just hope the taste is good.  Also, made some homemade bread that is so yummy with strawberry jelly. 

I've got lots of projects I need to get done before Leola's fall open house so it will be a busy couple of weeks. 

Have a great weekend.

5 comments:

Danavee said...

Ready for fall here!

I bought one of your bittersweet wreaths last year!

Thanks for your super sweet comment on my "look alike" blog this week.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

There's nothing better than fresh produce right in your own yard and making things from scratch. Your bread and jams look delicious. Have a great day. Tammy

Unknown said...

When is the open house going to be ? I'm not quite ready for summer to be over , I like a little cooler weather but the seasons just seem to fly by anymore . Fall is always so busy that it doesn't last long either. No one told me that the ball of age rolls faster on the down hill side . Bummer !

Simply Iowa said...

Wow...I'm coming over!!!
Jan....the Veggies are Amazing!
Thank You, for recomending me, to your friend...{and Fern Hill and Sisters'....you gals, are sooo sweet!} I had to see if she could come, tomorrow....I am whipped... I hope to meet her...
Love to You...
Sweet Girl!
Barb c.

Jenny said...

I like those lemon cucumbers, too. Too bad they aren't ready April 1. We could do some pranks with them for sure!