Homemade Bug Spray

Just wanted to let you know that the homemade bug spray worked very well in getting the bugs on the run. (See previous post.) We didn't see any beetles or worms. I'm sure we will need to spray again before long as it wears off.
Hope you have a great day!
Nancy

Refrigerator Pickles

The refrigerator pickles we tried are good! I got the recipe at the Choosing Simplicity blog site. I wondered if soaking them in the salt and ice would really make them crisp, and it does!
I mixed up a concoction to spray on the garden for pests last night. I have never seen so many beetles at one time in my life. There is no way to hand-pick them all because they take off in another direction when you disturb them (and I definitely disturbed them). I have tansy growing and insects don't like it so I made a strong tea out of it, added chopped garlic and cayenne peppers after it cooled, let that soak a while, and then strained it. I poured in a little dishwashing liquid and vegetable oil to make it stick and smother smaller insects. We also have worms in the garden that we haven't had trouble with before and there are GOBS of them. They are eating the jalapeno pepper plants like crazy. Normally (did I say NORMAL?), nothing bothers them.
Well, it's always an adventure.
How's your garden doing?
Nancy
P.S. Thought I'd better mention that I diluted the mixture with water before using and that I sprayed right before the sun went down so it wouldn't scorch the plants. Early morning would be good, too. Don't spray when it's hot or when the plants are in full sun.

Pickle Making

Let the pickle making begin! I was able to make a half-gallon jar of refrigerator dill pickles today and three quarts of regular kosher dills. We haven't tried the refrigerator pickles before so we'll see how they are after they sit in the fridge for three days. The recipe says to wait at least three days and that they get better the longer they are in there. I hope we like them because they are super easy to make.
We weren't sure that we would be able to have a garden this year because of the weather so we are extra happy and grateful to be getting these.
This may seem so obvious that you wonder that it took me so long to realize it, but when I was working in the garden earlier this year planting seeds and plants, it dawned on me that we plant and God does the rest. It's all up to Him. We can't control the weather or anything else. We do what we can and then it's up to Him to give the increase.....or not. He gives life. Period. This is very humbling. And awe-inspiring. And freeing. We've worried and worked so hard in trying to plant around the difficult weather, all of the insects, and everything that wants what you plant. We think, "I'm just not working hard enough or smart enough. Or I've missed something that I should have seen." When I think about it, this applies to everything I do, doesn't it? Everything I do as a wife, mother, grandmother, or friend. I do what I can, planting the seeds, and He does the rest. It's all Him. They are all His. "But, Lord! I've tried so hard!" We can't give the increase. Only He can. And He will. He will.
My daughter-in-love pointed out that it is the same with birth. You do all you can to be healthy and prepare. To be informed and make good choices. And then..... the outcome is in His hands. His precious hands.
Keep planting those seeds and watch for the increase.
Nancy

Fresh Garlic

We dug our garlic last week and the bad news is that several of the tops rotted off when we had all of that rain. The good news is that not all of them did! I was able to make two braids and we have quite a bit without tops to use for food and medicine. There are so many things that garlic is good for. It really is a wonderful herb. And, oh so delicious!
I'll try to put a picture of the braids on here as soon as I get them hung up. They are heavy so I need to put something stronger up to securely hold them.
I hope you will think about planting your own garlic plot this fall. It can be as small (or as large!) as you want. Come next summer you will have your very own fresh garlic!
Nancy

Gardening Around the Weather

Wow. That's quite a feat these days, isn't it? We went from severe thunderstorm warnings and tons of rain each day to severe heat warnings and no rain each day. We put things in the ground as we could, thinking that something was better than nothing. I went out at 6:00 this morning to water before the heat really set in. I have to water at the roots because if there is water on the plant when the hot sun hits it, it will scorch the plant. So, I drag the hose around from plant to plant trying to give everything a good drink. This morning I had a ground hornet that kept coming in for an attack. Normally if I wave my hands around a little I can chase them away. Not this morning. If anyone was watching it must have been quite the sight. I would start out by waving my hand a little and telling it to go away. It would volley around me with intensive buzzing so I would step up the waving. When that didn't work I would take off the hat I was wearing and wave it around. He would start darting around me faster and the buzzing would increase. (Was it really louder or was my now-flowing adrenaline making my sense of hearing keener?) Not having any success I would start waving the hand holding the hose. He seemed to enjoy that challenge and stepped up his maneuvering. Now I am in an all-out attack mode. In order to save my life I now know the only thing I have left is to deftly aim a stream of water at him hoping (and praying) for a direct hit. It worked! He's gone! Hooray! Sweet victory!

Unfortunately, I had to repeat that scenario four times. I decided to add some vocabulary to what turned out to be my final counter-attack and just as things were really getting heated up my husband came around the corner of the house and asked what was wrong. "Don't worry," he said, "I'll get him." My hero.

Apparently, after seeing that the reinforcements had arrived, the little kamikaze rethought things, realized he was outdone, and didn't show up again. (Figures, doesn't it?)

Nancy

Eating Natural

People have asked about making the switch to natural and organic foods and I have found the best way to start is to substitute ingredients. Make what you make now so you will be eating what you like (and possibly head off a revolt from less than enthusiastic family members). Use whole grain flour instead of white flour, unrefined sugar, honey or maple syrup in the place of refined sugar, real salt for white, real maple syrup instead of the not real, and so on. Organic produce is easy to find now and isn't much higher in price than conventional. Naturally raised meats and eggs are also easy to find. Once you get started you may want to branch out and make your own bread. Pancakes and waffles from scratch are GREAT as are so many things made at home from real ingredients. After you get started you will find that you are actually spending less on food and, of course, reaping the benefits of good nutrition.
Hope you'll get started! You'll have lots of fun and be eating lots of good food.
Nancy

Celebrate Farming

Spent the weekend at a farming celebration and had such a great time. Draft horse pull, lots of old horse-drawn equipment, and good friends. There was plenty to look at and lots of things to do. We hated to see it end.
Nancy