Busy, Busy, Busy & Mhmmm Good

OK - so Keith and I never got the HUGE garden planted this spring that we envisioned all winter.  

We got some peas planted (which have all been eaten already. Yum-Yum!)

I was really hoping for a bounty of tomatoes this year - which would have meant salsa 
(America's favorite condiment 'cuz everyone likes to say "SALSA!")

However, I procrastinated and didn't get any planted.  

Well, technically I planted 4 plants in some of those fancy space saving planters you see on TV.  MIne aren't 'Topsy-Turvy's' but 'Upsy-Downy's' (honestly, that's what they are called.)  

After 3 months of neglect and starvation by me - this was my reward. 

 

I was actually excited about this - otherwise, would I have taken the time to snap a picture?  Think not. 

We also got some cucumbers planted - which means pickles!  That is the one thing the boys really wanted us to get done this year.  So far I've only canned about 8 pints along with 2 pints of beets I purchased from our local farmer's market.  (Since I am the only one in my house that likes beets these will probably last me all winter.)  Tomorrow we should have enough cucumbers ready to do some more.  

These 10 jars of pickles/beets really make me puff my chest out in pride (Yeah, yeah - I know...Pride is bad.)  But for years I avoided canning like the plague - mostly because I doubted my skills and was afraid if I fed anyone something I had canned they would GET the plague.  But I've canned about 3 years now and no one has had so much as a stomach cramp.  I'm impressed...aren't you?

We also got a bunch of corn from the Cub Scouts/Kinship - beautiful corn at only $3/dz!  Couldn't pass it up.  We blanched and froze that corn plus some Keith got from a field at work (he works for an agronomy center) - enough for about 25 quart size bags. 

This will taste SO good in the middle of January when we are fantasizing about next summer's garden.  

That garden probably won't get planted either - but that's why its called a fantasy...uff-da.