Daily Notes- August 6th

All of this is available at the local grocery store right now.  Not in my garden.

My green bean plants look nice and "cute" cause they are only five or 6 inches tall--but all the seeds germinated. I was thinking of green beans in September.  Not August.  No carrots because last year the chipmunks ate the carrot parts under ground and left the carrot tops for me.  I was not amused.

I have enough pickle sized cucumbers to make another jar of refrigerator pickles tomorrow--I had to go out to the grocery for a bundle of dill--what I had planted went to seed.  Another customer said her dill had "burnt up" in the daily heat---90 here in Maine today on the coast and over 100 about 20 minutes drive inland (west).  Humidity is very high.  I am finding I am quite open to having quick conversations with strangers these days.  I smile.  They respond.

I wish I had known to smile in high school and college.  My entire life would have been so much better. So much different.

I was tempted to try a new bread baking recipe for a "honey oat" like the one I bought (home made) in a little Maine Country Store out in Harpswell. When I looked down at the very bottom of the When Pigs Fly Bread rack at the grocery and "what to my wondering eyes did appear"..... but a loaf of honey oat bread.  And it's good.  Moist.  Sweet.  Just what we wanted.  G had it for a lunch sandwich and he never makes a sandwich. Love When Pigs Fly Bread.  They bake it here in Maine. Local Bread.

G and I have taken turns watering the Earth and Grow Boxes today.  Three fill ups.  And the tomato plants in the boxes are at least a foot taller than I am.  It is my sincere hope that they aren't just growing leaves.  The orphan (and planted very late) Romanian tomatoes are in the raised bed garden out back. They went from 6 inches tall to 36 to 48 inches tall since being planted just before World Cup Soccer.  That's quite a growth spurt.  And there are tomatoes (green) but tomatoes all the same.  I told them I was quite proud of them today when I went to check them an secure them further up on their stakes.  I mentioned to the collard greens that I wasn't happy with their lack of growth.  I have looked forward to spring rolls wrapped in collard leaves.  Perhaps next year.