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Jul 31, 2012 | 12:55 AM PST
even before the worms this time. Oh,well,check the e mail. The blueberry cookie {scones} dough is chilling in the fridge. Thats coming up soon,might as well,since I'm up. And its cooler to bake them off now too. The dough isnt real sweet like a cookie,so will sprinkle with a dab of sugar on top. Never made them before,so hope they come out good. After that is done,a cherry-blueberry pie. That should make a good dent in the fresh berries in the fridge. Myself has 18 quarts in the freezer. I'm using my small upright for my regular food, and the small chest freezer for all the fruit,as it wouldnt fit. I picked 4 small cukes for supper, just salt & pepper in a bowl. Sometimes I do vinegar. The radish are the size of small beets,pretty good size.Have to pick more today.Other than adding to a salad,I dont know what else to do with a radish,so I quess I'll have to explore that. Seems like on mondays it takes me all day to recoup from the weekends,but I did manage to get the living room vacuumed, and mostly dusted. Landon gets dropped off around 5:30 this morning,and since I'll be up cooking,I doubt he'll go back to bed. Hubbys gravel gets delivered this morning, but he'll only be able to work on that project for a little while.When we've got Landon here, we try not to be involved in anything to preoccupying. We might as well grab the fish poles and go fishing/swimming for a while to a different lake too,since the weather is suppose to be nice today. Yesterday a nice strong breeze,but hot. The humidity is down a bit,but hot enough for the japs to make another appearance on my bushes. Will pick again this morning,then spray. Tried laying the garden cloth,but it kept blowing off, but I've found my bag of clothespins,,so maybe it'll work better now. I estimate 4-5 more quarts will finish them up for the season. I wonder how blueberry-rubarb pie would be..?

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We might just hit 60,,

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Jul 30, 2012 | 2:30 AM PST
quarts,right now I'm at 54 quarts. The picking is almost done for the season. That is mostly from the first 3 rows. If the next 3 rows put out a good amount next season,wow. A good sale day saturday,nothing on sunday,but thats ok, I got more stuff moved around. And apparently this was stove weekend,as hubby worked & got the stove going into the living room completely apart,and all the pieces are up on the shelf,and got the wood stove out of the living room, with a quick phone call for some help,ready for a go-over before it goes up for sale. The stove going in, has quite a few pieces of trim,so he's been polishing them up first,one piece at a time,shining them up good. We cant afford to have them re-nickeled,so he's using a steel wool pad,which is doing a good job. Gone is the strawberry bed,as that was done producing from older plants,so now I'm changing it to a low bush blueberry bed. I have 2 bushes that need to be closer to the house,to get watered/weeded better than they are right now. I'll make their old bed into a flower bed. Dug up a couple of garlic bulbs,their decent size. Have to check the cukes today,as I know there must be another one ready to pick. The blooms on the Annabelle Hydrangea are absolutely huge this year. Daughter still in New Hampshire,and Landon comes again tonite...

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A record breaking 40 quarts

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Jul 26, 2012 | 2:32 AM PST
of blueberries on Monday. I refrained from picking after that,as I have a couple coming this morning to pick. I checked them last night, and there are alot more ready for them. Have no idea how many quarts they want-but I'll pick whatever they leave behind. I estimate at least 6/plus more quarts are ready. Landons dad is picking him up later this afternoon for the weekend.Daughter is still in New Hampshire. Possible rain sometime today,70's,partly cloudy. Humidity gone back down,nights are much cooler for sleeping. Hubby and I did some wacking/mowing this week again,need to check the garlic bulb sizes and see if their ready. Picked some radish last night,and the one cuke is almost ready to pick. String beans are starting to flower,but their size isnt big and full like a nomal year. Have some tomatoes,but not nearly as many,and there's still plenty of time left. The forecast says clear skies,but all I see is cloudy skies...

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Not a rushed day yesterday,,

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Jul 24, 2012 | 1:55 AM PST
and started off with the usual laundry-dishes routine. Then got out there early to pick the blueberries before it got way too hot. Humidity climbed up a little more,temps were 87*,and full sun. Put 3 more quarts of berries in the freezer,packed up 5 quarts for mom in the cooler and took that over to her. Checked out the garden beds,all is well,the baby cuke is now 4 inches long,watered in late afternoon. Rained during the night at least,so humidity is suppose to go back down. Will take a break from picking berries today and give them another day of ripening. Since hubby is home today,probaly taking Landon to the lake today,after a few chores this morning. The Pussy Willow had been weakened severely from the japs, and started falling apart by itself, hubby took down the rest of it,has grown back already,so I am going to shape it this time into more of a tall shrub. That way I can attend to it better when they show up.Dusted it all over with the organic stuff,now the japs are leaving it alone. I'll have to redust this morning,and might as well apply it to some other stuff like the roses that they like so much. A little more to cleaning out the freezer left to go,then I can clean it. Just a puttering day today....

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Another round of Landon again,

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Jul 22, 2012 | 5:01 AM PST
as my daughter was home for 2 days,then called back again to New Hampshire. Her dad is in his final days of life with cancer. A hard time for her I'm sure,dealing with the whole gammet. Landons being good,he was so glad to have the tv all to himself yesterday,but does miss his mom. But today,I already told him he has to come outside for a few stretches of time for fresh air and playing in the yard. I'm tied up with the garage sale,but we can have some rounds of "Fish", and probaly a round of chess in between. We had a chance for lobster yet again,but it wasnt suppose to happen till next weekend. Instead plans got changed,it happened this weekend,so last night was yummy again! We put an order in for 8 for us, 4 for the daughter. We ended up with 10 in all,so ended up cooking them all up,as they are in New Hamsphire still. I'll put the meat in the freezer, and make something this winter with it. Hubby installed a new ceiling fan that we had. Its brand new in the box, and havent been able to sell it-so I said the heck with that, we'll use it in the garage. It'll also help with air circulation when we run the stove during the winter. Well, we had a good 3 day reprieve from humidity, but I hear its coming back tomorrow. Last night temps went down to 50*,but back up again this morning, and climbing fast. Well, time to pick the berries now, the day is starting fast...

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Now gathering my recipes,

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Jul 19, 2012 | 2:23 AM PST
that call for blueberries. Made delish muffins yesterday,as it was just cool enough in temps. No humidity. Since the oven was already on,popped in a Mrs. Buds pot pie for supper,and ate on the deck. The breeze had kicked up late afternoon,which made it just right out there,so hubby and I gathered the push mower and wacker for the outback after supper. Whenever the cats got a mouse,or must be chasing one down cellar-it seems he talks to me constantly-letting me know-? All day yesterday he yacked to me, following me around the house,but I just figured it was nothing.Yup, I came down this morning, and in the darkness made out the outline of something on the floor.I knew it didnt look like his stuffed toys,even in the dark.Yup, he got his mouse.So that must have been it-why he kept yacking at me,letting me know. He's getting one a week at least. At least it keeps him active,but he usually takes a good nap in the afternoon.3 days ago, he slept almost all day after chasing/capturing the last one. I just wish he would leave them in the cellar,I really dont need to see it,but I think he wants to show me his prized trophy. While Landon was here, he brought one up & chased it around the living room,so Landon was able to watch all the action. The cat kept losing it of course,as the mouse would hide behind something,but always come out, and the cat would get it. The air is much cooler this a.m.,so more yard time today, and plant some more radish and lettuce.

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A round of soaking rain rolled in,

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Jul 18, 2012 | 3:51 AM PST
but without the adverse weather conditions they were spouting off about. So we ended up cancelling our swim/barbaque. Just a normal soaking rain from 6 pm into evening. I now have baby cukes finally,and the vines are making a good thick screen up the trellis,so I hope it holds up under the weight. Lots of blueberries,30 quarts to date-and keeping the japs at bay for the most part.Using an organic spray thats working,also picked up another jug just in case,but we will re-treat the areas with Milky Spore again this fall, and also will do an application of Beneficial Nematodes of different areas,before then if I get some-otherwise will wait till next spring. The first little bed next to the deck is almost ready to plant with some perennial,just have to add a little more soil. I really should chop up some leaves today if theres no wind. Sun/partly cloudy is out and no wind right now,and drier air. They said a cool front would be showing up today. I've sold a few quarts, gave some to family,and loading up my freezer. Having to pick morning and again at night,so the japs dont get them before me. A rest this afternoon,then back out there to putter some more..

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Wow, another humidity stretch rolled in,

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Jul 16, 2012 | 1:56 AM PST

plus the heat with it. It hit 100* in some places,with no breeze.Yuck. Up early this a.m. with a light steady rain,but think its stopped now. The cooler air suppose to come in by wednesday. As sis-in-law has moved into the bungalow now,its way smaller than the house in town. They brought a small load over yesterday,amazingly I got 4 boxes tagged and found a spot to put everything. Sold 3 quarts of blueberries friday- 2 more sunday. Will bring sis 2 quarts tuesday when we go for supper again. This time will take a jump in the lake. Have had Landon since friday nite,and he'll stay with us till wednesday,so he'll like going for a swim. Daughter is in New Hampshire seeing her Dad who has cancer. Landon misses his mom for sure. Her hubby will go pick her up tuesday nite.Tonite we'll take him for an ice cream. Loaded with flowers on the cukes,2 more green peppers almost ready to pick. Picking blueberries daily now, see album pic

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Once hubby gets cracking,there ain't no stopping him,

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Jul 9, 2012 | 3:04 AM PST
Tag: japs...
as this time he had a green light with no interruptions at all. Once the groundwork was done, he was off and flying on building the small grill deck. Well, now thats done! I just have to pick up some matching reddish cedar stain,similiar or the same stuff.. He was cruising on building that baby yesterday,and by 5:00, it was done! Not as hot,but still in the 80's,no humidity makes a difference. This deck lumber had been sitting on a utility trailor at my moms. It was my uncles, we ended up buying the little trailor,my uncle moved out,as he didnt have any place to store it,so it stayed there. Then he wanted us to sell the wood for him. Finally I said we might as well buy some of the good wood,as the boards were warping and twisting badly. People had looked at it,but no-one bought it. We used 22 of the 39 boards,hubby said the rest aint that good.I quess uncle lost money on that purchase of his,but at least he can say it wasnt a total loss. And we have a nice grill deck. I'll update the album. Have to check blueberries again this morning. Got 2 qts so far. And just in the nick of time, sis-in-law sold me her little chest freezer. My upright needs a defrosting before I can start freezing all my berries,and need another to transfer the food I have in there. I make my own spegitti sauce,soups,save the meat pan drippings,potato water,small meat orders and a few loaves of bread.Usually I can get the contents down far enough to fit in the small refrigerator freezer,but not this time. I didnt get it done last year,so its so ready. Had supper with sis-in-law last night at the new bungalow house. Outside grill steak time,Rosemary potatoes,and Avacado salad,and weather was perfect. I brought the lemon merainque pie to finish us off. She's had a penpal for many years {30-40}? from Norway{near Sweden}. And invited them over for vacation,so they are there for a week and a half. They have heavy accents of course,so you have to listen hard.,and good people. They are totally amazed at this country and all that we have over here. They say everything that we have here is on a large scale and abundance in everything. We had a rare day yesterday,and did no work here. Instead we went fishing at the nearby lake,and got lots of action but nothing to bring home,but thats ok. Had lunch-then a nap for me-hubby straightened out the bank,and then we went to visit. Dad arrived home with a washer in the truck and a few more boxes of goodies to sell.Lots to do today-tomorrow and friday before the weekend is upon us once again. We are in a very good weather stretch of no humidity-high 70's,middle 80's,full sun all the way. They saying no rain in sight till at least sunday and beyond.That means start watering today,but at least I wont melt out there while I do it. My cukes are stunted but I hope they catch up as they are flowering now,and wont be surprised to find baby cukes when I get out there. Daughter may be making an emergency trip to New Hampshire to see her dad,so I may have Landon this weekend...

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A wonderful time

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Jul 8, 2012 | 3:04 AM PST
on our coastline. A bit cloudy when we arrived down there,but that was fine since it had climbed in temps again. A strong ocean breeze,and thats the first place we went to when we got into town, just to sit and plunk our toes in the sand,and listen to the waves. By 2 o'clock the beach was no longer packed with people.A small beach with good sand, and clean,and water temp of 57*. Once your feet got used to the chill it was nice and refreshing. Fresh Haddock,waves crashing in shore,a nice 24 hrs get-away. We wish someday to have longer than just one night. Some sight seeing,more ocean time,picked up Lobster on the way home,hit 3 good junk/yard sales. Pretty sure all we will have time/money for this year is to get the roof on the deck,but thats ok too. Now have blueberries,ate 2 handfuls yesterday,and picked the 2 bigger green peppers for his sister yesterday. Having supper with them tuesday,at their new renovated Bungalow on the lake. Their selling their in-town house to live on the lake permanently. I should have enough blueberries ripe by tuesday to take her some,as long as I can stop eating them. One of the things I noticed about the coast,is the majority of houses had plenty of flower gardens,but much less veggie gardens.Most of them had big enough plots/areas to have them too,even though the majority had far less acreage than we do up here inland. A highly artistic community of writers and painters,and of course,fishermen. I've been taming the rock garden area,wacking-weeding,mowing. Now I can see my big clumps of Stella D' Oro's. That bed is getting a redo for sure. I hope we can till up in front of the long stockade fence in late summer,and move those Stella's out front. Hubbys still plugging away at the small grill deck,getting ready today to start building. I'm doing the garage sale,and I was busy yesterday with that also. Sometimes I have time to wack in between,other times I get nowhere with it..oh- and the lobster was heavenly last nite....

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I planted the Lambs Ears in the front bed,

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Jul 4, 2012 | 2:53 AM PST

next is the Rubarb, and the other plant. Started weeding last night, and got a good part of it done,hope to finish up today. Will also get at least one strawberry bed done today-pulling up all the old plants. I am determined to do it. Need to pick up some groceries. We're bugging out of here for one night for our anniversay,as he's on vacation this week. Back to the small beach on the coast where we went for the day when we got married. Bringing the cooler to bring back Lobster,as its plentiful this year as they have an over abundance of soft shell. The prices are, of course ,much lower at the coast than inland where we are. The weathers been good this week,an occasional shower,but the heat has let up for now and yesterday was about beautiful temps {79*} and a nice breeze. We're working on the small deck for the grill,and getting the beginnings of lumber for the deck roof. Mom took off her sunroom,so we're buying her windows and hubby will frame them in. We'll put them all along the bottom instead of solid siding,and still be able to see the gardens and have plenty of light. So I'm not sure if I would call it a back porch or a sunroom by the time we're done. I quess I would call it a Hybrid. Want as much light as we can do but still have it weather and bug free,and the roof has to be able to withstand the winters. It should be interesting to say the least. So far the veggies are doing fantastic, big peppers on spindlely plants, cukes starting to climb,tomatoes flowering. Have to reseed the lettuce as it was old seed I guess. got out the bubbling bird bath,we'll see if it still runs,and put it in the small flower bed or on the deck,as its near power. Cut the old flowers off,so the beds look nicer,and the glads and the other flower I planted are all up too.I'm having a senior moment and cant think of the name.....

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