Monday, July 11, 2011

A GREEN BEAN MONDAY

G-son arrived early this morning as his dad goes to the dentist in Asheville at 9:00.
After getting him breakfast and settled down eating I went outside to do the morning chores.
These are my newest additions, I gave them a piece of cool watermelon left overs this morning. There are still sveral eggs that didn't hatch and she is staying off the nest some now taking care of these 4 .

G-son was content to stay inside out of the 90 degree heat so I had green beans to take care of.
All the recent rains have been good for the beans as I had almost 3 bushels off this 1 row of Mountain Half Runners.
By noon I was ready to start canning.
I had no idea how many times I would run my old canner which only holds 7 quarts at a time.
As the afternoon turned into evening and I still had broken beans in bowls,my back and legs were feeling the effects of hours of standing and lifting canners full of jars. I was determined to get this job finished for the year so I persevered.
I crossed my fingers that my old canner which belonged to my dad's first wife would hold up under the repeated heatings and coolings. My mom had a more modern canner but it was a double decker and won't fit between my stove top and fan hood.
I can still buy seals for my old Mirro canner at Ace Hardware and it is a much heavier canner.

Finally , 40 quarts...
and 10 pints later, at 9:00, 9 hours of constant canning , the green beans are headed for the cupboard for winter meals. As Hubbie's granny always said, "they'll sure taste better than a snowball" when the gardening time is done and the bare soil is resting through the cold weather months.

Hubbie's heirloom tomatoes are starting to bear well and those BLT's are regular meals now around here.
The cucumbers are outdoing themselves also so my plans for bread and butter pickles are in the works for Wednesday afternoon.
I should have baked some cake layers tonight for the large camp order on Thursday but that didn't happen. After all tomorrow is another day!!!
Daughter got bad news today on her house loan, it seems the USDA appraiser won't pass the distance between the well and septic although it is well within state and county limits. She could get a conventional loan easy on it but would have to take all her money for down payment and closing cost and wouldn't have any left to do any repairs on the house. So it looks like we will be house hunting again!!! She is taking it very well,she has reserved herself to if it happens okay and it it doesn't then there must be something else out there for her. I would love for her to find something closer.

As I did chores tonight I looked up at the moon,which even though the high humidity was starting to layer a misty veil over the pastures along the creek, was so plain and bright with continent looking dark places on it.This photo doesn't do the beautiful clearness of it justice but it's the best I could do.
If you click on it to enlarge it looks better.
As I gazed up at this wonderful miracle in the sky my tiredness and pain seemed to float away and an accomplished feeling took their place as I came inside to take the rest of the night off.
God is gracious and wonderful all the time.
Good Night and God Bless.

3 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Marilyn, It's hot here also--almost too hot to go outside much at all. I changed my bird bath water --and am sure the little birds appreciate it.

Those beans look delicious. I love half-runners.. Also love Pole Beans... YUM!!!!

We bought some Grainger County TN tomatoes this past week---and they are SO good... Since we don't grow them ourselves, we pay the big bucks for these. Delicious!!!!

Have a great Tuesday and stay COOL.
Hugs,
Betsy

Hidden Haven Homestead said...

You just finished what I will be doing today... canning beans. I put it off yesterday so started early this morning and hope to be finished with this picking before it gets too hot. Love your grandmas saying! LOL Your daughter sounds like a very wise young lady. Am sure the right house is just waiting for her. Have a blessed day!

Gail said...

Beautiful garden produce and a fine collection of green beans ready for winter.