End Of July In The Garden

This one is not mine.  I don't have nearly enough straw to line the paths. And my fence has to be much taller as the deer could easily hop over this fence and eat everything and where's the gate?

The heat arrived a few days before my son.  He isn't used to humidity as his California location is dry and crispy from lack of water.  So, his first day here in Maine was difficult.  Almost 90 degrees, sunny and 85% humidity--and then it started to rain.

He also has been induced to help "lift and carry" -- something our daughter gets very irritated with. She doesn't mind helping, but, to her, it's "all the time".   C also used his expertise to remove hard drives from 3 older computers which are now on their way to the recycling station at the Town dump.
C and I took apart my 100 year old Danish dining room table (aka my sewing table) and carried it--wow is 100 year old wood heavy--- upstairs into the room which will be the new sewing room.

Sigh---- if I ever feel like sewing or quilting again.  With the retirement of the Twelve by Twelve challenges--my interest in quilting has dried up as I guess I needed the "push" of the challenges to get into the work.  I still have shelves full of pretty fabric, bolts of plain white to dye or paint, and lots and lots of unfinished projects.  I need to make pillowcases.

The 2015 garden is in full swing now.  Tomato plants are chin high.  I collected enough zucchini from the first plants to produce (4) to make bread and butter zucchini pickles--6 pints. (in the heat and humidity of my kitchen at 9 pm after work)  I have lots of lettuce.  The mustard plants have gone to seed.  I have plenty of kale. The cucumber plants are climbing the trellis and have lots and lots of tiny, tiny pickles on each vine.  The squash plants have lots of baby squash--- and since it has been very hot, and raining every day--I need to go out with my knife and garden basket and collect produce.  I've pulled half my garlic and will get the other half out today or tomorrow.

I am hoping the heat and daily rain encourages the FOURTH attempt at seeding carrots.

Today, C and I will be making potstickers.  We'll have to drive to Town to get supplies and then we'll stand around the kitchen island (together) hand folding and pinching dozens of little dumplings. Some we'll eat and the rest will get frozen and packaged for future meals.  I have also promised him a birthday cake.  Which reminds me that I need to find the recipe for the spice cake that was always his favorite, or he can have whoopee pies or a cherry pie (Whole Foods makes an astonishingly good cherry pie).  We'll see what he chooses.

Next birthday will be our daughter's in August and then mine in September.

I've often tried to suggest "birthday pie" instead of cakes but I haven't had much success--I am the only one who asks for a birthday pie.  Last year it was peach raspberry and I loved every bite of it. (LOL).   I would ask for a banana cream pie but I would be the only person eating it.  So I usually buy a little banana cream "tart" for just me.  I also love a good banana pudding.

I am on vacation from work.  I had a long weekend off, worked two days and now have five off.  I may not go back (ha, ha).  I really like having time to wash windows (with newspaper and glass cleaner), then wash the glass on all the framed pictures on the walls, wash the dog's nose prints off the storm doors, clean the microwave, clean the large mirror in the bathrooms, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.  Yesterday I sat on the steps and sorted seed packets.  It all feels "right".