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Post by pondgardener on Jul 30, 2024 18:05:44 GMT -5
Picked 48# of tomatoes today, mostly Rio Grande paste and Big Beef hybrid. Cut them up, separated into two batches, added some other vegetables and started processing them to run through a food mill later for canning tomato/vegetable juice blend. 100˚ heat makes it a little uncomfortable outside, even under the patio. Hopefully I can finish in the morning.
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Post by centralilrookie on Jul 31, 2024 5:57:00 GMT -5
Things have been a little busy, maybe better described as crazy, in central Illinois as of lately. Last Thursday made a trip to Tennessee with the FIL to purchase a new side by side ( off road 4 wheel drive machine). His trip planning took us on the slowest route to get there then after the deal was made we had to stop at place that had a bunch of trails thru the woods to try it out. Turned a long one day trip into two days but he was tickled with his new toy.
Sweetheart returned home from work Sunday with the 3 adopted grandkids, from Texas, that were in nearby Bloomington seeing their other grandmother. Our regular Sunday night/ Monday two grandsons also got dropped off so the house was filled with activities and more noise than Ruby or I really liked but we did survive. Monday I drove our neighbor out to Iowa City for a pre surgery check up by his eye doctor before his surgery today. Dropped off the FIL at a casino on the way and picked him back up on our way back. He came out a few $$ ahead so I guess the trip was a success.
We are getting low on hay so yesterday was a good day to move a few things in the barn and cover the inside of the walls with some lumber that I’ve been storing for a couple of years. Dusty and a pain in the ____ to get down from storage, along with the heat plain wore me out but I’m happy to be getting that project done.
Tomorrow we go to Chicago as our grandson is having surgery again. Hopefully this ends his headaches. Saturday we go to my 50 year class reunion. Can’t believe it’s been that long ago…..
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 31, 2024 6:11:23 GMT -5
Went to Cedar Rapids yesterday to deliver a wedding gift to cousin's daughter since I can't be at the wedding. Ended up going to 2 fabric stores, one of which is going out of business. I didn't know that or I would have planned better! Controlled myself and didn't buy a ton of fabric, only a few fat quarters. Everything 50% off but the only thing was you could only buy in 1 yard increments. Most quilts take way less than one yard of several fabrics, so didn't seem like a smart thing to buy even at half price. Fighting with myself over going back this week, but after getting out patterns decided NO. And it's 80 miles away......
Today is cleaning house and doing laundry, some garden work early before the heat rises.
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Post by binnylou on Jul 31, 2024 14:10:18 GMT -5
Harvested collards…they are now inspected, cleaned, and ready to be chopped/sliced for Instant Pot Southern Greens. But I needed a “sit” and an iced tea . I probably will have enough collards for 3 more pots…all for the freezer. This is the link to the recipe I’m using…tweaked of course. Gotta add some garden garlic. www.mysequinedlife.com/southern-instant-pot-collard-greens/#recipe*during the onion sauté, I added some large chop Red Marconi peppers from the freezer(2018).
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Post by reuben on Jul 31, 2024 14:48:36 GMT -5
The Olympics have to stop. It's way too easy to watch from 5am to 5pm - judo, swimming, table tennis, badminton, field hockey...
I did some minor garden maintenance (didn't need much), rewired a switch, and did some minor vacuuming.
My garden is behind schedule, but a neighbor gave me about a dozen tomatos just as mine are starting to come in, so I'm trying to eat two tomatos a day in some fashion. I need to learn to blanch and freeze them. I gave him some lettuce in return.
Did a bit of exercise - while watching the Olympics, of course.
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Post by gardendmpls on Jul 31, 2024 14:54:49 GMT -5
need to learn to blanch and freeze them No you don't. Just freeze them. Tomatoes do fine without blanching.
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Post by gardendmpls on Jul 31, 2024 14:55:56 GMT -5
Controlled myself and didn't buy a ton of fabric Been there.
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Post by reuben on Jul 31, 2024 15:01:45 GMT -5
I never thought much of badminton until I saw world class players decades ago. As I recall, they can only do three things - slam, lob, dink. But Ho-lee Cow, the reaction time and athleticism to do so when I saw a video... (similar to my own past sport). I mean really - the behind the back, between the legs, and no look shots? They play faster than the untrained eye can see. You may need to replay parts of this to see what actually happened.
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 31, 2024 16:53:16 GMT -5
I'm kinda stuck on Olympics too. Love the water sports and gymnastics. Is fishing an Olympic sport????
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 31, 2024 17:31:01 GMT -5
I need to learn to blanch and freeze them I agree with gardendmples. No need to blanch. You can even freeze them whole. I place several on a baking sheet, so that they're not touching. Once frozen, bag 'em up.
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Post by gardendmpls on Jul 31, 2024 21:41:11 GMT -5
Finished fertilizing and mulching 1 1/4 beds. Planted the winter squash. One more bed left to do for melons and whatnot. Only 15 minutes to water everything in. Went inside and God sent the rain for just long enough. He makes a good gardening partner.
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 31, 2024 21:54:17 GMT -5
In spite of the heat (high 94º) I worked outside today. The plan was to follow the shade. That didn't work out so well. I needed to cut back California poppies that had a gazillion seed pods. Full sun. And while I was there, dead headed the yarrow in the same bed and weeded . And then there were the weeds in the gravel driveway next to that bed. And let's deadhead the rose bush and 3 lavender plants in that part of the yard, as well.
Then in to hydrate before the next round. I needed to cut back the silver lace vine which had invaded the plum tree. Full sun. Put up a support for the young trumpet vine volunteer I transplanted 2 years ago. It's starting to take off (3rd year they leap!) and started deadheading various perennial flowers. I think I may have a better chance of following the shade tomorrow. Lots more deadheading to do.
Veggie garden is actually starting to look like a garden. Sure was slow taking off this year. I'm now attributing it fully to weather. Green beans are lush and flowering, NM chiles have lots of chiles (will start picking some in a few days) and are about normal sized plants. One pumpkin plant has 2 flowers and is starting to sprawl.The other is a good size too. Most of the tomato plants are still small (this is my biggest disappointment so far) but a couple are now close to 4 ft tall and they are all full of flowers. Basil plants look great.-can start picking soon. Cut the cabbages and left the plants to see if babies appear. Lettuces that I left are just about ready to harvest the seed.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 31, 2024 23:47:24 GMT -5
That sounds like what I do, desertwoman, follow the shade! Unfortunately, the main part of the garden is in the shade in the hottest part of the day, but it's still better than being in the sun! Plus, I put another layer of sunscreen on (even though I'm in the shade), and some bugspray on (an unfortunate necessity, in this area, esp. later on!), and shortly after I go inside, take a shower soon, and wash all that stuff off! I picked a few things today, and after that rain didn't come (.05" total today), I went around and sprayed some 20% acetic acid on those invasive vines, and a few other weeds that even the 10% didn't kill last week. I've never added the salt to it as another additive - something that supposedly kills even more things, but I don't want to add any salt around the garden; even though this isn't where the plants grow, it is near.
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Post by emmsmommy on Aug 1, 2024 3:05:34 GMT -5
Tuesday morning brought 1/2" of rain and then it abruptly quit. I managed to catch approximately three buckets of water and they were distributed between two beds. Had an impromptu PTO officers meeting and a playdate for kiddo's and mine and her little friend decided to make mud pies and were absolutely filthy by the time we were finished. I figured you only get to be a kid once and since the rain just fell that morning, they weren't playing with anything stagnant. Needless to say kiddo had a bath as soon as we got home.
Yesterday was a day of gathering stuff for the big yard sale even though forecast still isn't promising. Been nursing a slightly pulled muscle for a few days, but after moving and loading a few totes onto the garden cart it's now definitely pulled. One of these days I'll learn... maybe...
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Post by datgirl on Aug 1, 2024 8:38:21 GMT -5
Did a little in the garden yesterday. Pulled 2 tomato plants out. They looked pretty bad. It was hot, humid and buggy. Nothing is stopping these mosquito's this year. Trimmed around the garden gate and old greenhouse. Weeds and grass were getting pretty deep.
Went to lunch with a friend, the mother of the bride from the wedding over the weekend. Got to see some of the pictures. Later on in the evening went over to my sons house and the girls had water balloons and water squirt guns. Got cooled off real quick. This grandma needs to go buy herself a water squirt gun today so I'll be ready for them next time. Rained a little this morning, so I'm not going out for a while. Everything is wet. So far all I've done is open the greenhouse and wash dishes.
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