Shed Looks Good!

The external construction of the shed is almost completed.  Now I need to think about how to organize the inside.  I want some shelves and hangers to hang up my garden tools.  Yesterday, I picked my first watermelon and it was fully ripe and delicious!

Roof is On!

Today Allen and Pat put the roof on the shed.  Dave drove out to do an inspection and I spent the morning pulling weeds!  The much needed rainfall has brought new life to my crops and to the weeds!

Installing the roof!

Dave looks on!

Taking shape!

Building Progresses!

The shed building continued today.  Pat, Adrian and Allen put the walls up and added the roof trusses.  The garden continues to be dry but rain is promised tonight.  It will be most welcome, if, in fact, it comes.  Despite the drought conditions, my melon crop is progressing nicely and my tomatoes are starting to ripen.  Oh, and yes, the tomato horn worms have arrived.  I took some pictures which I will use in future science lessons related to habitats and adaptations.

Up go the walls.

Taking shape!

Roof trusses are added!

Summer Sunflowers!

Cantaloupes

Watermelons

Caterpillar Camouflage!

Tomato Horn Worm!

Garden Shed!

While my crops progressively get drier and drier, something else is blossoming on the family homestead property.  Pat, Adrian and Allen Barkley have commenced work on a new shed to store my garden tools.  

The base is done!

Pickling Time!

The cucumber crop is doing well and we are unable to keep up with the harvest through simple table use.  I made several batches of dill pickles and one batch of mustard pickle to use up the bounty!  I have been making dills for years using a recipe modified from Kate Aiken's cookbook but had never tried mustard pickle.  An inquiry sent my mother's direction brought out Grandma's old handwritten recipe book.  This age old recipe is still a good one!

Grandma's Mustard Pickle Recipe

Dills on the left, mustard pickle on the right!

More Blueberries!

Friday was spent back in the blueberry fields.  Bob and I made the drive north and picked for over three hours on the hottest day of the year.  After cleaning, I had another 30 cups to freeze for muffins and pies this winter.

The garden continues to grow.  Right now I am harvesting cucumbers, beets, peas, zucchini and swiss chard.  Dinners feature lots of fresh produce and canning has begun.  I made 5 quarts of dill pickles and this week will make more as the cucumbers are coming on fast.  What we really need now is a good rain!

Blueberry Picking!

On Monday, July 2nd we celebrated Mom and Dad's 57th wedding anniversary at my brother Dave's in Prince Edward County.  We had a BBQ and also served produce from my garden (beets and swiss chard).  It was a lovely afternoon despite the occasional rain shower which forced us to take cover in the house for a few minutes at a time!

57th Wedding Anniversary in the County

The next day, Tuesday, I took my Uncle Doug and a family friend, Bob, up north to go blueberry picking.  The berries are plentiful and in their prime.  I picked 37 cups of berries, enough for 9 pies.  We will be enjoying the first one tonight!  Yum!

Yummy Blueberries!

Uncle Doug and Bob enjoy picking!
http://youtu.be/wVEasil556M

Yes, it was hot!