The Inadvertent Farmer

Drying Tomatoes, Dehydrating How To

We are simply being over run with tomatoes...and I mean that in the very best way!

I had so many hopes of canning hundreds of pints of tomatoes but alas they all decided to ripen just when we are starting homeschool, soccer, and swimming lessons.  Not to mention all the harvesting going on elsewhere in the garden, corn, blackberries, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, and more!

So I have decided to use to easy go-to methods of preserving tomatoes.

Freezing and Drying.  Today we're all about drying or dehydrating...

This can be done in warm areas outside in the warm sun under cheese cloth...unfortunately if I did this they would drown!

You can also dry tomatoes in the oven set at 200 degrees.  Either use a non-stick mat or spray cookie sheets so they will not stick.

But I'm going to use my dehydrator.

 

Start with fresh clean tomatoes...

 

Half or quarter (or smaller with BIG tomatoes) your tomatoes and place them skin side down on your oiled tray...

 

You can leave them perfectly naked or do what I do and season them lightly.  I use a custom made mix of sea salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  This takes them from delicious to simply heavenly!

Italian seasoning would be great too as well as seasoning salt or any number of spices you love with tomatoes.

 

Dry them until they are leathery but no longer tacky or sticky to the touch.  This takes a minimum of 8 hours in my dehydrator and up to 2 days if they are really big pieces.

 

I just throw them in a freezer bag.  You can also preserve them in olive oil in the frig for up to three weeks but I have no time for this...none!

All winter I will add them to soups, rice dishes, and pizza...perfectly wonderful and perfectly easy...

Just the way I like it!

 

KinderGARDENs the end Part 2

There have been some odd goings on around our KinderGARDENs...very odd indeed.

We have sent out secret agents to investigate...

 

It seems like our secret agent girl has found hidden around the chard and under the cabbage a sneaky late season strawberry!

The case was soon closed due to the evidence somehow being misplaced...errrr, eaten!

Every last one!

 

In other unsolved cases we have peppers being eaten by slugs...the criminal or criminals have yet to be apprehended.  Such an evil thing to do to a pepper!

Mr Blue Man Scarecrow needs a little visit from the fashion police...doesn't he know that country folk just don't wear their pants down like that?

And lastly are these cute little babies...

My little watermelon cuties...they very little hope of every ripening.

You see the rains are back.

Which also means all my garden photos will once again be soggy!

Make sure you put up a post this week that is a good overview of you KinderGARDEN this season

Then come back the first Thursday in August to see the winners...

Scratch that....

We are ALL winners!

 

 

 

 

 

KinderGARDENs The End... part 1

Hey everyone, I'm a little late getting the post up today and am splitting it into two parts due to the overwhelming amount of pictures I have to share about the end of the season here on the funny farm!

Next week I need you to do a wrap up post so I can send them off along with some of my favorite posts that I'll grab from your blogs to the judges!

So without further delay I'm going to share what's going on around here...

TOMATOES...oh my goodness I have been overrun!  My canner and dehydrator will be exhausted by it all!

But it does mean I have lots of tomatoes to play with!

 

We have our first Brussel Sprouts starting to form...

They will be so very good in our late Autumn dishes!

 

Our daisies are still blooming...

 

The morning glory in the maze had started to really bloom...finally!

 

The peppers are starting to turn from green to yellow to red...its about time!

 

The eggplants are doing their thang, which means...

Which means I can do mine...playing with my food!

 

In other words we have been busy as bees around here!  Make sure to come back on Monday for the second and somewhat crazy half of this installment!

How about you?  What does your late summer KinderGARDENs look like?

 

 

 

 

 

 

KinderGARDENS week 18 Perseverance!

Its September...whoa...how did that happen?

Enthusiasm for the garden can sometimes wane in the last few weeks of summer.

As KinderGARDENers we have had to deal with hungry bugs, large weeds, unusually hot temperatures, unseasonabley cold weather, drought, ...and even hurricanes named Irene! 

No wonder we are all exhausted!

But as gardeners we must persevere...for we know that there is fall planting to be done, clean up to commence, and spring to dream about! 

I love that about gardening, it is a dream that begins anew each and every year!

Speaking of perseverance...we finally just may get some corn this year!  We have never grown corn to actually get corn.  We have always grown corn more for the novelty of a corn stalk here and there.  Since I cleared more ground in the garden we had room for a corn patch and we now have tiny ears starting to grow...come on summer last long enough to eat our own corn on the cob! 

 

Squash I can grow...I am the queen of squash! They seem to have no insect pests here...knock on wood. These are our Sweet Meat squash that will fill our tummies with all kind of deliciousness as well as rock the freezer all winter long.  Long live squash!

 

The sunflowers were a little slow to start (due to summer being a LOT slow to start) but they seem to have finally decided to grow...and grow the most certainly did!  I love how they are like giants with big pouty heads! 

 

We have been eating a lot of these...simple summer salads.  This one is yellow snap beans lightly blanched with tomatoes, cucumbers, and purple broccoli in a garlic vinegrette...yum!

Speaking of tomatoes...

 Sweet Girl asked me why I always wear a skirt when gardening.

These would be hard to stuff in my jean pockets was my answer.

But then she asked me why I just don't use a basket!

That would involve me remembering to bring a basket now wouldn't it...and we all know me too well to expect that!

 

So while the sun is quickly setting on this gardening season lets not forget to keep up the enthusiasm for our gardens...we shall persevere against sun and slugs and even hurricanes!

Remember to come back tomorrow to see who won the recycled garden box! 

 

Life is Like a Tomato

Life is like a tomato...

Sometimes it is red and warm and perfect from the garden...until...

 

Until you turn it over and realize that a slug has eaten a hole in it and left slime in the crack...I for one hate slime in the crack!

As with life there is nothing to be done but to eat around the bad stuff and enjoy it to its fullest anyway! 

So here is to he very first (non-cherry) tomato of the season, imperfect but delicious none-the-less 

Kinda like Life!

 

Photo Editing or Straight out of the Camera?

Some people are highly edited.  They always have perfect makeup, clothes that are hip and modern.  They watch what they say and do and usually drive cool cars.

Other people don't wear makeup, have no clue what the is 'in'...and frankly need to edit what comes out of their mouths before speaking just a little bit more.

I will let you all guess which camp I am in!

Well photos are often the same...

Some are highly edited with flashy colors and high contrast.

Some are not...they are straight out of the camera.

I don't usually have time for dinking around with photos, so after a little tweaking of the brightness or contrast I'm done.

Today is not that case!

Today's are highly edited...flashy and highly contrasted.

 

Its fun to be flashy once in while!

 

Although I wouldn't want to make a habit of it...

 

 

 

 

So what about you? 

Are you highly edited or straight out of the camera? 

How about your photos?

KinderGARDENS Kids and Cameras your Assignment

Welcome to week 8 of KinderGARDENS 2011...on the right day this time!

This time last year our assignment was to hand over our cameras to our kiddos and let them loose in the garden. I loved the results so we're doing it again this season! This gives us an opportunity to see the garden through their eyes, to find out what captures their interest!

So come back next week and share photos that your kids have taken...and if you babies aren't old enough yet them let them direct you as to what they want you to take pictures of.  Make sure to share the finished posts with them!

I can't wait to see what they come up with!

*****

We finally had an 80 degree day here...it lasted one day and then we plunged back into the 60's.  The weather man is messing with my brain!

But we do have...

Pea blossoms...its about time!

Which invariable will lead to the invasion of...

the Pea Monster! 

Our beans are up...now to keep the crows and rabbits out of them!  Speaking of keeping things away...

Our scarecrow has gotten himself a new pair of boots and is doing a fine job just standing in the raspberry patch doing nothing!

The bees are enjoying the raspberry blossoms, we have three kinds of bees out in the patch, hubbies honey bees, mason bees, and some kind of big bumble bee.  The kids have been avoiding going out there due to the invasion...I could not be happier!

Sorry about the big alien finger in the shot!

Our tomatoes have a few green babies growing...my mouth is watering just dreaming of the first from the garden tomato this year...yummmmm!

We're growing purple broccoli for the first time this year and I must say the kids are completely intrigued.  This one is growing in their maze and they check on it every day!  We've also planted purple and orange cauliflower...can't wait!

Can't wait for these little guys to ripen too!

When my mom moved up she had lots cute little decorations from her garden that Sweet Girl has been having fun adorning our garden with!

Finally our beets are up!  I do not do well with root crops.  We have heavy soil that I have worked hard to ammend but still root crops are a huge challenge for me, which it too bad because I love them.  Hopefully this years beets will do better than last.

Do any of you have any tips for growing root veggies?  They seem to allude me...

*****

For a little KinderGARDENs housekeeping!  I am going to go to each of your blogs and grab your buttons to put here for the blogroll.  If you don't have a button not to worry I will put up your name as a link.

*****

 

 

 

Happy Monday a Word on Weeds

Roses are red,
Violets are blue;
But they don't get around
Like the dandelions do.
~Slim Acres

Plant and your spouse plants with you; weed and you weed alone.  ~Author Unknown

 

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.  ~Doug Larson

 

I always think of my sins when I weed.  They grow apace in the same way and are harder still to get rid of.  ~Helena Rutherfurd Ely, A Woman's Hardy Garden, 1903

And my favorite...

 

But make no mistake:  the weeds will win; nature bats last.  ~Robert M. Pyle

 

Happy Monday my lovely readers...may we see weeds in a new light today. 

Remember because we have weeds means we have soil, because we have soil means we have a place to garden, because we have our gardens means we have a little bit of heaven on earth...so I for one am going to be thankful.

Well except for the thistle...I still hate the thistle! 

Monday, Forgiveness, and Swimming Lessons

Its Monday, its raining and I'm slightly grouchy.

When I was praying this morning I was asking God to forgive the long list of things I always ask forgiveness for...

• Being impatient with the kids.
• Not being thankful.
• Being a slob.
• Annoyance with my spouse.

I know that God promises to forgive me if I ask but darn...I just want my faults gone, not just covered and forgiven, although I am thankful that they are both covered and forgiven...cause they just don't seem to be going away.

Anyway,

We have been neck deep in...

Swimming lessons!  Five days a week...help me!

Hahahaha...she hates water on her face, which if funny cause its hard to swim without getting your face wet!

He doesn't like to swim as much as he likes to jump in...adrenaline junky in training!

I cooked up the last 'sweet meat' squash from last year.  I made it into bread, what was left that is after Sweet Girl finished snacking!

We went on a May Day garden tour...

In a perfect world I would have a garden full of tulips...but since you can't eat a tulip it is not high on my list of 'must plant' plants.

In heaven I'm going to plant lots and LOTS of tulips!

And Bleeding Hearts!

And even a Fern or two!

Someday I will grow things that slugs won't eat and I will never lose patience with my family...frankly I look forward to that day.

Pretty sure my family does too!

But in the meantime I'll just keep trying...

And asking for forgiveness.

*****

Don't forget KinderGARDENS starts this week!

Come join us, bring your kiddos and old clothes cause we're gonna get dirty!

 

 

 

Gardening 101 Growing Great Soil

Hey all...I'm over hanging out with Laurie the Tip Junkie discussing the oh so glamorous topic of soil!

So if you like mulch, manure, and worms come join me!

 

This year's garden plan, Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a very important part of my garden planning each year.  It is yet another weapon in the arsenal of an organic gardener.

Each crop family has its own nutritional requirements and set of pests and diseases.

By rotating your crop on a 3 year (or more) rotation you will not deplete the soil of key nutrients and have disease organisms build up in the soil.

I finally put pencil to paper yesterday and drew out my garden plans for this year...

I've rotated my tomato/pepper/eggplant/potato family away from where they have not been for at least 3 years

I've moved my cucumbers to another very well amended bed.

Peas and beans have been moved to fix nitrogen in a new area.

Corn is now where tomatoes were.

Potatoes and pumpkins are in brand new areas that have not been used before.

The kids' maze has a new home too...it was where the tomatoes are going to be this year!

My compost bins are either going to be re-built using straw or I'm going to go with a more permanent version...still deciding which way to go with this.

When I see the garden all designed and waiting for planting I just about can't wait for the weather to clear so I can get out there and get my hands dirty!

So what about you?  Do you plan your garden ahead of time?  Or do you just fly by the seat of your pants and plant where the spirit moves you?

*****

Come back tomorrow when we will discuss our kinderGARDENS series for this year!

 

 

 

People's Choice Award and the Last major Garden Harvest

Well you spoke...many, many of you in fact!  The voting was brisk and the outcome is in.

The winner of the People's Choice Award goes to...

Ta-ta-da-da...Faith*BuSS.  Congrats on being the favorite of our readers, I'm quite sure it had everything to do with those two adorable little ones you had the privalege of gardening with!  Great job!

*****

As for me I have just spent today harvesting what is sure to be the last major harvest of the year...sniff.

Eggplant,sunflower seeds, peppers, potatoes, and loads of tomatoes!

It means I have these little beauties to snack on all day!

So stay tuned next week and you'll see just how far we've come on this disaster...

You will be amazed...I know I am!

 

Friday Funnies Praying...Mantis for You!

When hubby was out checking on his hives last night he brought this little guy up for the kids to look at!

These are among God's more interesting creatures for sure!

I love to see this little beneficial insect hanging around the garden...even if it looks like an alien!

I would welcome him to my garden but in reality his kind were here way before I was...so thanks little guy for sharing your space with us!

We really do appreciate your hospitality!

So do you have praying mantis in your garden?  Any other strange or interesting creatures?

Whacked Out Wednesday & Hand Dancing

Sometimes my mind seems so completely scattered that I cannot post anything that is readable.

Then I look through my picture files and realize that although I'm a pre-occupied and flighty I do indeed have something worth sharing.

Even if its just a few picture from our maze.

Then when I put them in a post it dawns on me just how very, very blessed I am to live where I do.

To live in the country where my kids can run around barefoot in underwear.  To live where I could run around barefoot in underwear if I wanted...not that I would mind you...really.

To have sunflowers that I can see from my kitchen window.  To see the clouds that will bring the rain I hate go scuttling by.  To just be home with my kids... 

Yes I might be a scatterbrain but I am indeed a very blessed scatterbrain.

So I'm going to go kick off my shoes and strip down to my skivvies and go sit under a sunflower...

Just kidding about the skivvies part...really.

*****

Note: The following has nothing whatsoever to do with today's post.  But I like it and since I do I thought you might too!

These people are Irish dancers that have known each other since they were kids.  I find it ironic that Irish dancers don't move their upper bodies yet in this video that is all they move...hmmm maybe when we step out of our comfort zone and try something different magical things can happen!

Enjoy...

And if you're in a terribly perky and chipper mood after listening to that music I take full responsibility

 

kinderGARDENS we have Dinosaurs and Rain!

Before I get to my update I wanted to let you know that next week is the last week to post about your gardens.  Make it a post that combines all the best ideas and most wonderful things you have grown over the kinderGARDENS series.

Make a post that pulls it all together for our judges to take a look at.

Remember there will be the following categories...

Best over all (decided by the judges)

Readers choice ( I will set up a poll for everyone to vote their favorite)

There are also 4 sub-categories (if applicable)

Best re-use or re-cycle

Best use of veggies

Best use of flowers

Most whimsical

And I will also pick the winner of most for the one of you that has been the most involved in posting, commenting on other's post, etc....the best cheerleader!

The following week winners will be announced!

So put together the best of the best of your children's garden posts over the last 23+ weeks!

*****

OK folks we have...RAIN!

I know living in the Pacific Northwest that must be shocking to you but we have rain and will probably have it for the next say...9 months or so!

In spite of the rain our little maze is going great!

Although it is about time to take down our 'summer' banner before it starts to mildew...darn weather.

Oh and look at my chicken house...I painted it purple!

I must send out a HUGE thank you to Susan Morrison (one of our judges) for giving me the inspiration and courage to pick up a bucket of paint called 'blackberry wine'!  Without out her post on purple in the garden I never would have even considered it.

And I must say I love, LOVE it...so thanks Susan!

LOOK...we now have a roof covered with gourds!

Too bad the little guys don't have a hope in the world of ripening...sigh.

Sunflowers are drooping under the weight of ripening seeds and drippy weather.

We have begun harvesting and drying seeds for roasting later this month...yum!

I'm not holding out much hope for corn to ripen either...but it has made a fun addition to the maze whether we get fresh corn or not.

Our beans are still going strong.  And I must say are even more lovely adorned with little jewels of rain!

As are the gourd blossoms.

And one last very, very good thing about all this rain...

It means its time to break out the dinosaur boots....grrrrrrr!

*****

So do tell...

What have you been up to in the garden this week!

 

Evening Blueberry Picking and Tantrums

A couple of years ago we built a retaining wall...ok let me re-phrase this.

A couple of years ago my husband built a retaining wall, I supervised, advised and generally made a pest of myself.

Sometimes I use the term 'we' rather loosely around here...ahem.

On top of the bottom level...as opposed to the bottom of the top level which would not work at all... we planted blueberry bushes.

They have simply thrived in their new home.  The soil we back-filled with had lots of organic matter and tons of wood chips which make for the perfect acid environment that blueberries thrive on.  Add to that a drip irrigation system for plenty of water and they have just taken off!

In just 3 years they have grown taller than our 3 year old!

Who takes he blackberry picking very seriously.

Each evening when hubby gets home from work he and Baby Boy go out and pick blueberries together.  I sneak a few berries between photos too.

But it is hard for me to concentrate on berry picking when the sky is putting on a show for us!

Which is a much prettier view than the this...

Which is the look I got when I told the little man it was time to go in and start getting ready for bed.

Yeah he loves it when I tell him that.

But I guess it is better than this...

I suppose pouting is progress from a full blown tantrum at the thought of bed.

*****

So do you have any summer evening traditions? 

Maybe a romantic walk or a game of hopscotch. 

Or sitting together on the porch swing or reading a book?

Sunflowers. Call me Officially Obsessed

Stick a fork in my I'm done...

I'm completely utterly obsessed with the sunflowers in my garden.

My hard drive is overflowing with photos of bright yellow flowers.

Photos of yellow against blue...

With honey bees...

In all different stages of development...

Even macro sunflowers!

I've even gone so far as to adorn my only daughter in them...

 

Yep...I'm pretty much a goner, there is no hope for me.

The only remedy for what I have is to plant them again next year.

Only more of course!

So do you?

Do you grow sunflowers?

Or do you grow something else that completely captures your imagination?

 

 

 

Hobbits and Giant Zucchini kinderGARDENS 21

Wow...its September already!

I cannot believe that we have all been doing this for 21 weeks now...we're down to the homestretch.

We've got 3 more weeks then the winners will be announced at the end of the month ...whoo hoo!

I was thinking this morning that the biggest winner of all has been the children.

When I think of the kids of 40 different families getting to have a say in their own little gardens it actually gets me all teary eyed...you guys rock...seriously!

Ok enough sappy stuff...

Onto my garden update.

Our largest sunflower are begining to open, the gourds are climbing across the roof, pumpkins are tucked everywhere in the maze, and picnics are a regular fixture of each day under the smiling faces of our sunflower friends. 

But...

We had a little adventure in forgetting where everything was planted.. 

Yes folks this is what happens when you forget that you tucked a zucchini plant in the back corner of your garden...ahem. 

There were 5 this size...ack!

We scraped out the seed cavity...

Shredded, and froze for this winter's zucchini bread.

*****

And just to tease you all...

Here is a peek at what is coming next week!

I must have one of these.

I will have one of these...

A hobbit house!

Next week you will get a peek at a field trip to the Oregon Gardens and the wonderful ideas found there! 

*****

So do tell...

What have you all been up to this week?

 

 

Garden Rainbow

I you are a gardener you know this to be true...

Rainbows are not always just in the sky!

 

 

 

 

 

And sometimes there are colors in our gardens that even the most brilliant rainbows don't have...

We are lucky to have to go no further than our gardens to find our pot of gold!

Yes very lucky indeed...

 

 

Summer Sunday Sunflower Celebration

Nothing says late summer around here like sunflowers.

We planted various different kinds around the kids' maze.

While they have enjoyed them for hiding in...

I have loved having them to photograph!

From bud to fully opened glory...they are simply the most fun of any flower to watch grow!

And of course they are fun to play around with in my photo editing program!

I hope your weekend is a sunny and bright as these late summer beauties!

Purple Love Poem

  Purple

Purple is the color of love,
 Purple is the color I dream of.
Purple is the color of passion,
Purple is the latest fashion.
Purple is the color of glad,
Purple is the best color they had.
Purple is the color of laughs,
Purple is what he said on my behalf.
Purple is the color of me,
Purple is the best, you see. 

Luna Moon

 

 

 

Learning from Mistakes & Successes kinderGARDENS week 19

This is the time of year I start thinking about what I have learned from this year's garden. 

There are things that I love and will repeat...

But there are also those that didn't work as planned that I will either scrap altogether or modify before doing again.

I keep trying to find a way to support tomatoes that I like better than cages.

I LOVE cages for support but HATE having to store them.  If you plant 50+ tomatoes, storing that many cages is a hassle.

So I've been experimenting with other things.  This year it was to support the rows instead of the individual plant.  Frankly it has been a unwieldy mess...

Some branches have gotten to big and heavy that they lay all over their neighbors making it hard to see what is growing beneath.

Next year I'll try something else...maybe staking each plant.

Although the maze has been a huge success I have also learned from it too.

I made the path just too narrow.  I wanted them to be child-size but I have noticed my kids have to turn sideways to get through the jungle of gourds. beans and sunflowers.

I want them narrow enough to feel 'hide-out' like but wide enough that they can actually run around the maze without worrying about breaking off plants.

I have also decided that now that the gourds have started growing across it I like having a roof...until now I just bonked my head on it.

I'm thinking next year I should make it arched so I can stand up under it!

This week I have started my plans for next years garden based on what I've learned this year.

What about you? 

Have you had some things you would do differently? 

How about things that have been great triumphs that you will do again next year?

And what is you favorite way of supporting large amounts of tomatoes...I'm getting desperate out here!

Master Gardener demonstration Garden Tour

Did you know that the Master Gardener Program started in Washington State?

I did not know until I did some research for this post...I must say I'm very proud that such a wonderful program came from my home state!  It started in 1972 and now has grown to include programs in most states and also internationally.

Tucked in the back corner of our county fairgrounds is a scrumptious little garden.  It is the demonstration garden for the local Washington State University Master Gardener Program...it is fabulous!

Each garden area is labeled.  Every plant within each garden is labeled with its common name, Latin name, and cultural requirements and growing habit.

They have done some lovely apple espaliers...

Cordon...

Belgium fence...a wonderful diagonally crossed espaliered pattern.

I found this to be a rather whimsical way of training a tree!

They were nice enough to hang a photo of their inspiration for this design!  Notice how they are protecting their fruit?

The grape arbor is a perfect spot for a cup of tea...or as Sweet Girl said "this would make a perfect hide-out!"

Ohhh I love clematis!

Especially when it is grown up a support wire for a telephone pole...yes lemons into lemonade!

In the shady back corner of the garden beauty gives way to pure practicality.  Compost bins are compared and contrasted.

Beside the compost bins is a little lath house...any guesses as to what might be in it?

It is the vermicomposting area...

Yep worm bins!  The lath is to keep the little guys cool and comfortable.

I want to personally thank the Master Gardeners for the hard work and dedication to helping foster the love of gardening in our community and all the communities they serve around the world.

THANKS!

(note:  I myself have been a WSU Master Gardener, I am no longer active due to the fact I keep having babies...but I hope to be active again someday in this wonderful and worthwhile program!)

Summer Flowers Silent Saturday

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Sunflowers and Ladybugs kinderGARDENS week 18

After a generally overcast and cool (highs in the upper 60's low 70's F) we finally are enjoying some sunshine around here!

I am hoping that the sun will encourage my woefully behind warm season crops to hurry up and ripen.

Our sunflowers are beginning to open their pretty little faces which makes for some lovely photo opportunities...

At first I was sorry that I hadn't planted all of the very large varieties of sunflowers around the maze.  But I have come to enjoy the shorter ones because the kids can more easily see them... and I don't have to get a ladder to photograph them!

We do although have some mammoth sunflowers growing around the inner circle.

Soon they will be over the top of the fencing, the kids love to go and sit in there and eat lunch or just hang out under the big leaves of the fast growing flowers!

Sunflowers are stunning from all angles...try looking directly down on one and see what you can see!

We have also spotted lots of lady bugs on them.

 

Notice something in the photo above?

I didn't until I downloaded these because I was so busy trying to get a good focus on the ladybug...

I wonder if Mr. Spider was the reason our little red beetle friend was hiding so quietly in the sunflower bud?

We've also been busy doing this...

Gardens are so much more than planting and watering!  The harvesting and putting up is what consumes us this time of year!

So until next week I'll be chained to the canner or dehydrator while the kids chill in their maze!

*****

Public service announcements...

Someone asked last week how long the contest ran.  I actually had to go back to the first post and find out myself...kinderGARDENS is running through the end of September.

I was also asked if I'm going to do it again next year...you bet!  This has been so much fun and you guys are soooo inspiring that I cannot imagine not having this to participate in next summer!

Finally when you click on the kinderGARDENS button in the right sidebar it now takes you to a page that has all of the past weeks of our contest.  So if you want to remember what you did on a specific week just go to that page and find it!

*****

All right then...your turn!

What have you all been up to this week?