The Country Homemaker Hop #33

Welcome Friends!

May this post find you healthy and happy.  

I made another batch of watermelon jelly

I have been trying to stay busy in all this heat.  Which has been hard because I wilt at about 90 degrees F. Yes, I am a candybutt, but I can't help it.  I was born in the San Francisco bay area and the weather there is perfect almost all year long.  This mountain/high desert living is not for the faint of heart, especially when you factor in the high humidity we've been experiencing and the forest fires burning allover our state and all around us right now.  Of course, it all feels like earthquake weather to me.  On the positive side, I haven't had much of an appetite this week and I do want to lose that doughnut around my middle.  So, hooray for the heat I guess.

I've made lots of garlic dills and wedges, and some peach cobbler fixins.

I have been working indoors much of the time this week. I have canned lots of pickles from those armenian cucumbers I've been growing. (Nothing like our pal Dolly though, she can really put up food). She's my canning hero. If you haven't read her post I'm Excited to Show You My Canning Pantry HERE yet, you'll want to so you can get inspired to get some canning done too. Thanks Dolly.

If you were up late to then you may already know about my peach canning marathon last night.

 I survived.

And- I have lots of peach spice jam for layer cakes

and Jerry's favorite, peach butter.  It was time well spent.

I also managed to get outdoors during two evening thunderstorms this week that really didn't bring much rain or thunder my way, but covered up the sun enough to make it bearable to work the garden.  I fertilized veggies and trellised climbers, while my girls played in the grass and ate corn.  

They were afraid to try the Cherokee Red sweet corn at first... but that didn't last long

They love the corn right from the plant

Last night they were out on the grass

 It was funny.  We just put several bags of worm castings and grass seed down and the chickens had to investigate.   

 They walked up and down the lawn sniffing and pecking.  I suppose they were looking for worms, but they didn't find any.

 While they were on patrol, I was picking some more zucchini and a few yellow squash.  This is my first time growing the yellow zucchini and I really like it.  It's crisper and milder flavored and it holds up better in soup and stew.

I think the most exciting thing that happened all week was finding our first little chicken egg in the nest box.  My little sweet girl Ruby has been laying a cute little half sized egg every morning since.  

Ruby's first egg

I also started a few new lab experiments.  More homemade laundry detergent, a new powdered automatic dish washing detergent, a good gardener's handsoap, and a nice liquid dish soap.  I will post about them with recipes and my review very soon.

I wish you many blessings and lots of love this week.