We a few weeks into Phoebe's pre-school year and my non-school year.  I'm feeling quite ok about not working at this point.  I think what occasionally creeps into my thoughts is how easy it will be to let go of work and stay plenty busy around here without going back to work.  My days are very easy going and being around all day does not provide me with any sort of mental stimulation.  But for now, that's totally cool with me.

 Today, Phoebe and I sadly pulled up the first of 4 rows of green bush beans.  It's sad to see them go.  It's been a great summer gardening here.  As we sadly start to pull the garden, the benefits roll in.  Last night, I brewed a Chinook IPA.  I'm growing Chinook Hops and the first year's yield is very slim.  So I plan to throw these in fresh once the yeast has done it's work.  This will give a very large aromatic boost typically not found in many beers since fresh hops are quite precious.

Chinook Hops: a few dozen cones--not enough to brew a whole batch, but enough to fresh hop with.

Picking Basil for supper last week

Last weekend I made salsa and canned 20 pints.  I still get quite nervous about canning, but the more I read, the more confident that I am about canning tomato products.  But there's always those warnings out there that make me a bit jumpy.  Beer just tastes bad if it goes south.  Canned foods can kill you.  Ponder that irony for a while.

We've been freezing quarts and quarts of applesauce (we bought a second fridge for the purpose of gardening--very nice to have another in the basement), lots of swiss chard, beans, and we got a great crop of sweet peppers.  In a future blog, I'll get some photos of the squash yield.  Should be impressive.

Phoebe loves pre-school so far.  Lots of new songs get sung around the house.  When I ask if she learned it at school, she just looks away and ignores me.  Now I know what those parents always meant when they said to me "I don't know what's going on here at school--he just comes home and locks himself in his room."  I'm getting the pre-school version of that behavior.

Carrot crop pulled.  We gather about this many sweet
and hot peppers every couple of days.  Things are slowing
a bit with the cooler nights, lower sun,
and shorter (but still hot!) days

Our squash and pumpkin patch.
Can't see em, but there's quite a few hiding in there.

Phoebe's new activity: Triking in the Grass