Where Were We?

Have you been wondering where I've been and what I've been doing?

No?

Oh well, I'm going to tell you anyway.

For the past two weeks I've been watching lots of this:







4 of my 5 kids participated in Gymnastics through the Park and Rec program. I have been so pleased with the opportunities provided to our kids through our city parks and recreation program. Throughout the summer they offer tee ball right on up through little league, swim team, volleyball, golf, softball, gymnastics, dance, theater, and track and field. It is only $15 to participate in a program, and they cap it at something like $75 for a family. So for us- that is a great deal. The kids can participate in as many things as they want to, and the most it will cost us is $75. Not bad.

Julia and Kennedy also did the 2 week dance camp. Dance camp took place over the same two weeks as gymnastics, so it's been a little hectic around here.

Devon is also playing coach pitch baseball. Lincoln is his coach, so that has been fun for them.

I've also been doing this:



Thanks to some friends who gave me raspberries and rhubarb, I was able to make several jars of strawberry rhubarb jam and a few jars of raspberry jam. I just got some more rhubarb today and I'm planning to make a batch of rhubarb jam. I've never made just plain rhubarb jam before, so I'm excited and I hope it turns out.

You can also see in the picture that I canned my first batch of green beans this week. I LOVE home canned green beans and I'm thrilled to be off and running with those.

There is one lonely jar of pickles up there. My cucumbers have just started to come on and I didn't want to waste the few that were starting to come, so I made just one jar. I just used a seasoning mix so it was easy to do just one.


In between rec programs, canning, and gardening, we've been spending lots of time at the city pool. This heat wave has had us seeking relief in the afternoons.

And in the few moments of spare time that have popped up here and there, I've been working on redecorating the bathroom. It's not done yet, but I hope to have a post up soon!

We had a guy come this past week to give us an estimate on hanging and mudding and taping some drywall for us. We're anxious to hear back from him so we can get moving on Kennedy's room in the basement. We also have a friend who is willing to come over and help us put in a window in that room. As if all that isn't enough, we are also picking out flooring for our basement. Once we make our decision we'll have that to install. So, yeah, we're busy. In the middle of all this, we'll be taking a 10 day vacation to drive to NY to visit our families and attend family reunions on both sides. So if I'm not back to the blogging world again soon, I hope you'll understand why!

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

Here's how my garden grows:






When we first moved here there was no garden spot. I very much wanted to have a garden, so the following summer we broke sod and put in our first decent sized garden. It was so exciting! I LOVED learning to can the produce I had raised in my own back yard. I canned salsa that first year, and a few green beans. I ate delicious tomato sandwiches and Lincoln made a few quarts of pickles.



The next year, I planted more beans, and brother, did I get more beans! It was fantastic! I canned between 40 and 50 quarts of beans. I was also the happy recipient of extra tomatoes and cucumbers from friends. I pickled and canned and preserved like a mad woman. I was in heaven! In fact, I took inventory at the end of the season.

The following year, which was last year, I expanded my garden by a few feet. I tried planting a few potatoes and was excited for another banner year. But then my garden died. I went on vacation and by the time I got home, it was beyond saving. I froze a few quarts of green beans, made a stew with the potatoes and carrots and that was it. It was so disappointing.

Well, this year, I'm hoping to get back in the game. I have doubled my garden size by renting a plot at the Lands End garden. In that plot I have planted:

One pumpkin plant. This is my first attempt at growing pumpkins. This is an experiment to see how it goes.

One yellow squash

Two zucchinis

6 cucumbers

A row of onions

6 rows of potatoes

Here in the backyard garden I have planted:


A row of lettuce

A row of mixed greens

A row of carrots

green onions

cilantro

basil

20 pepper plants

3 rows of green beans

32 tomato plants

And this year, I am finally trying to grow a pea teepee. (And one row of peas in the garden.)


I am still very much a beginner, but hopefully the addition of some nice, aged horse manure this year will help provide the boost my garden needs. I am determined to get some mulch in there as well. I need all the help I can get keeping the weeds down!


A great pair of Wellies make rainy days fun!


So, fingers crossed! It's time to build up my green bean supply again! Last year my tomatoes did nothing...I really need those to produce well. Any tomato growing tips for me?