What's cooking as the garden winds down?

 Before I get into what's cooking...
Today would have been my youngest brother's 56th birthday. Happy Birthday in the Heavenlies, Roger.

Our garden got off to a slow, cold start this year. It suffered neglect, and even abandonment at times, as we dealt with so much going on in tour family.
However, I did get a lot of tomatoes canned. We are still getting a few tomatoes, but for the most part, the tomatoes are finished. Today, I am squeezing one batch of the No Sugar Green Tomato relish out of the slim pickings the vines had left.
Our okra was slow in coming on, to the point we despaired of ever getting enough for a meal. In the past month, we haven't been able to keep up with the bounty! I have a number of jars of pickled okra in the pantry, plus several bags of cut okra to stretch through the long, okra-less winter and spring.
The peppers are what we are harvesting in force! I need another dehydrator to keep up... or perhaps just a bigger one. Currently on our second season with a $30 round one from Aldi Buys. (Pros: It DOES dehydrate! It has variable temperature settings and a built in, adjustable timer. Cons: there are only five racks, and the 'screen' spacing is so large that many things need a liner so they don't fall through.)

I have bone broth cooking. It has simmered for about 36 hours now. One of those 'stupid easy' things we like to keep on hand, as bone broth adds flavor and nutrition anywhere you add it. This batch has bones from an organic chicken we cooked on the grill a few days ago, plus the bones from one of the big rotisserie chickens the local grocery store had for half price. (You can't beat a half price rotisserie chicken for value. Not only does it have meat enough for two or three meals for our family, you also get the bones to make into broth!) ("Recipe": Pull the meat off the bones of a chicken. Place the bones in a crock-pot/ slow cooker. Cover the bones (and skin and such) in water, and as much more water as you can put into the crock-pot without an overflow as it boils. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on the pot. Turn it on. (I use high in the day, turn to low overnight. but it's ok to cook it on either setting. Let simmer until the bones dissolve. Strain the broth, pour into jars and refrigerate or pressure can... or use right away.)

I have green tomato relish cooking. It's a beautiful way to use up green tomatoes if you already have plenty of chow-chow! I like to use the green tomato relish in my chicken enchiladas.

I am just about to start cutting my jalapenos to dehydrate. The cayennes, tabasco, and Thai peppers are already on their trays, ready to go.
We are praising the Lord that He has provided such a bounty for us again this year.

First Day of Fall!

 It's a beautiful, beautiful day here in NE Oklahoma. The high is supposed to be 73* Windows are wide open for the cool breezes, laden with ragweed and the smell of burning chicken feathers.
Two days ago, we waded Flint Creek in 96* temperatures!
Today is almost too nice for school. Yet, here we are.

Nickole finished weeding Bandi's garden- a task she's been on for almost 3 weeks. Bandi's husband Terry remains hospitalized, on a ventilator... all prayers are appreciated. God hasn't brought him this far to lose him now.
Tom and I are still not back to strength after being sick last month. We get stronger, bit by tiny bit. This morning, I walked a letter to the mailbox . I did it with some energy... which is more than I have had lately.

The house has fallen so far into the pit of despair, I thought it would just have to stay there! But Sam invited guests for supper last night... so I pushed through yesterday. The floors are mopped! The dust was banished. Clutter was gone through, and put away (either in its place, or disposed of). (Ok.. I do admit some stuff was just relocated or stacked neatly.) But the place was, and IS presentable.

The garden is winding down. There are dry beans on the vines, waiting to be picked. A few scraggly tomatoes are hanging on, but no longer producing enough to can. The peppers about died from lack of water, but may bounce back until frost; I continue to dry those for our tri-pepper blend. The okra has finally taken off... I have been getting enough for a meal, or to freeze for later, on a daily basis. 

Since October 2020 marked the start of so much sorrow and woe for our family, I am looking forward to THIS fall being better. (Please don't say it could not be any worse than last year! I am not looking to challenge it!) My Mom and Ben both have birthdays coming right up. The Taylor Family Reunion... set to be Live and In Person! is October 2nd. (So far, ONE of my kids is supposed to come. My Mom, one of my brothers, and one other family of cousins have declared their intentions to attend. It may be the smallest one ever!

Until Next time, May God Bless You and Keep you!

 

Do- Overs, anyone?

 It's the day after Labor Day... the traditional day so many of us grew up with as "Back to School".
Nickole and I will be re-starting this school year today.
Our "best laid plans" went awry when both Tom and I came down with That Which Shall Not Be Named.
Sam was sick for a couple of days.
Tom came up sick on August 15. He was diagnosed on the 17. This was a few days after our neighbors let us know they had both been down sick with  TWSNBN. I came up sick on the 18.
This was like a bad flu, which we began to despair would never end! Each time we thought we were feeling better, it looped around and cut us down again. Tom and I were very sick for about 2 weeks. We are all recovering, slowly regaining strength. (Our neighbor is still sick. He was transported to the hospital ICU, and is now on a ventilator. Our prayers are with Terry and Bandi.)
So, Nickole pretty much had to fend for herself, eating whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Sam cooked some, or brought home take out. Zero schooling was done, though Nickole read a number of her school reader novels.

So, today we are starting over! Nickole began the day by going to help the neighbor. Nickole had asked repeatedly if there was ANYTHING Bandi needed help with. Bandi gave it consideration... and Nickole is helping her weed her fall garden. Since the weather is still QUITE warm, Nickole has been going over early and working awhile. We can school in the heat of the day, and work later on lessons.

Our garden has fallen into neglect. Nickole was sent out to pick a few times, but spent most of that time daydreaming... or something. Sam went out with her later and found a laundry basket full of produce she had missed. (She came in after almost an hour, with three or four tomatoes and a handful of okra.) We are now trying to salvage what we can.
The tomatoes Sam picked are in the freezer. I will need to thaw them and process them down to can. The okra mostly was composted- once it's as big as an ear of corn, you can't really eat it. Tom and I have been to the garden a couple of times. TWSNBN really takes your strength, and it took us each several trips out, resting between, to just get okra, peppers, and tomatoes.

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I was in the garden this morning and came really close to having an encounter with a pus caterpillar. I am VERY allergic to the poison they excrete, so God was looking out for me.

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Hope your day is blessed!

~Tammy~