Summer Harvest

Spring came and went, now into summer! This is a particularily exciting one for me. We expanded our garden this year, and watched as our labor started to grow. In between the two gardens we have a small patch of blackberry bushes. This year a cardinal family nested in the berries and as the buds turned to flowers to berries I kept thinking I hope they move before it's time to pick! As I picked berries Friday night and saw the empty nest, I knew that mama cardinal had read my mind! Mr and Mrs Cardinal were friendly while we did our meandering around the garden, pulling weeds, and watching the garden grow, but they made it known they weren't far away from the nest, lighting on the fence posts, dive flying but never at us, chirping, and staying close to their babies. Then one Saturday while picking our first batch of beans I peaked into the tomatoes, and there planted on a sturdy branch was one of the baby cardinals...

I couldn't help but think this would be my best opportunity ever to get a closeup picture of a baby bird! And it was. I thought he was just the cutest, including the crest on top of his little head.

So with that said, back to picking berries. I picked enough to make a batch of jam. Skip trimmed the branches last fall and this year they're overflowing! Some have gone in the freezer, some in berry smoothies, some on cereal with breakfast and now yummy jam!

Today I froze summer squash, have made zuchinni bread, zuchinni cassarole and will again tonight for dinner, and even have given squash away this year. Today I'll also make my first batch of dill pickles. As we expanded our garden this year, things are more spread out, our plants are bigger than ever, they have more room to breath. I planted corn, have never done so before, and we are already seeing the cobs develop with their silk. Oh God must've known I'd be so easy to please as I play in my garden and prepare what I can for winter. Last year I made awesome dill pickles and salsa and never had to buy any this past year.

And - where does Johnny Green fit into all of this? I've begun submitting my manuscripts and first book to traditional publishing companies, so while I wait for any replies, you'll find me in my garden! Have a wonderful summer and do whatever it is that you find pleasure in!