T minus 4

After letting cockers and teens out (they are getting bigger every day) and chasing the three broodies out, I went to pick the garden.  I have discovered that early morning is the best time to pick, when it is cool.

done by 8 am

The okra snuck up on me.  I already had 4 or 5 pods that were monsters.  I will use them for seed next year.  The cukes are starting in pretty good.  Pickle time soon.  The trouble is that I can't get a mess all at one time so have to store up until I do, then the first picked, even in the fridge, get limp.  And I lost another squash.

I now have to decide what to plant at this late date in the areas left open by lettuce, collards and squash.  None of my eggplant came up so I would try that, but they take too long to grow.  Maybe more corn.  Or try the potatoes again.

I also harvested some of my dill yesterday and put it in the dehydrator.  I discovered that if you are careful, when you take the dill leaves, that the new growth underneath is left undisturbed, so I will get more harvests.  It seems that I learn something new every year.  If I could only get rid of the borers and the potato bugs.

Spent some time snapping and putting up beans, but I left enough for church supper.

The heat and dryness have really become depressing.  I just can't keep everything watered.  I went by the  dogwood I had planted last month and it was really thirsty.  I gave it a drink and it perked up.  My simmon tree is really sad, even though I water it every day.  It may not make it.  The pond is now lower than it was during the bad drought two years ago.  Course, I haven't helped by using it to irrigate.  I don't hear the frogs much anymore.  Their environment has shrunk so I guess the population has as well.  I also haven't seen many bats cause the skito population is way down.  Even the biting g nats are gone (sorry Sister Sister, no stories right now).  There is no dearth of yellow flies, however.  I have to put OFF on if I leave the porch.

And still no rain in sight.

And no walkies.  Muskett is getting fat.

My blogs have become boring through repedity.

bak bak