Squeeeee!

I was so excited upon the trip to the mailbox today. My new harvest bible is here!  

I regularly order Ball's Blue Book every few years, just to keep up on the latest techniques, but this little beauty is making my mouth water and my hands itch to get started. I can tell you that I'm not going to be churning out just quarts of tomatoes this year!

Crimson Honey Grapefruit anyone?

Relaxed

Well, I have returned from my surprise vacation.

To make up for the fact that both of our vacations this summer were ruined by the weather and microbial interlopers, my husband surprised me with a weekend away in Pennsylvania. While he was out riding the trails all day, I spent my time reading, knitting and catching up on 'me' time. Clean towels, crisp sheets, great food, and I didn't have to lift a finger to produce any of it!

I also want to give a shout out to the great state of PA and all of her wonderful people! The scenery was gorgeous all of the way across the state. It felt like a scenic by-way instead of a highway. And your roads are so smooth! For someone used to the Swiss cheese that passes for roads in Ohio, traveling through your great state was pure bliss!

The Calm Before the Storm

 
 
 
  

Indisposition

I'm still here!


Things have been extremely surreal around here lately, but now I feel as if I can come out from under my rock.

We went on our family vacation to Myrtle Beach last week and things could have been better. I'm afraid that is wasn't very restful. Peanut refused to sleep anywhere except on top of either my husband or I. We only saw the beach for a total of two hours over the span of five days. And my husband contracted a nasty stomach virus.

Which he then passed on to the rest of us.

Due to Brian's discomfort, we cut our trip short by two days, and I am very thankful for that fact. No sooner did we finish unloading the van, than Peanut began to vomit (or to use her new word for it "yuke") all over the living room floor. And she continued to yuke all night long. So on top of a dozen bags to unpack and my mountains of sandy, wet laundry I now had mountains of smelly, wet laundry.

And then I got sick.

This particular bug was not content to ravage our stomachs and leave us be. It felt the need to party in our intestines also. It was a good thing that no one felt like eating much, because no one had the strength to go to the market for groceries. Things were pretty bleak.

Then, as if my figurative plate wasn't full enough, I was scheduled to host our family's annual ladies' Christmas in July party on the 15th. Which meant that I had to cook and prepare Christmas crafts for 20 people, all while feeling less than well.

In the end, everything worked out and we are getting back to our normal routines around here.

Now, if I could only find out how to get rid of all of this sand that I keep finding all over the house...