Loooooong Day!

This was one of those kick my butt days.  Up at 6 am, coffee, see what is going on around the area, nation and world, breakfast and off the the garden.  We picked 2 grocery bags of peas and and the same for green beans.  Of course we couldn't leave the garden without weeding a few rows of lima beans and beets. Oh our achy breaky backs.  It's worth every ache.

Early morning and cool for picking peasw and beans.
How about all the beautiful green pastures and hills?

Beautiful peas for the freezer.

Now the relaxing part, setting on the back deck shucking peas and snapping beans and enjoying the view with a nice breeze.  While Dick finished the beans I mowed the lawn, it was actually dry.  I thought it would be days until I could mow.  Mowing is one of my favorite outdoor chores, along with brush hogging.  Once the lawn was done we were ready to wash jars, beans and start the pressure canner.  It is 9:32 pm and the last batch of beans just went in.  20 minutes for the pints and we can go to bed!  We canned 10 quarts and 7 pints of beans along with freezing 2 quarts of green peas and 2 quarts of green beans.  It's been a long day.  Breakfast and nothing until 7 pm which was worth the wait.  I fixed baked potatoes our favorite way.  Wash, dry, pat of butter for each potato, salt and pepper, wrap in foil and bake at 400 degrees.  I also picked a batch of Rainbow Swiss Chard, I washed it, cut in good sized strips (stem too), melted butter in a pot, added the Chard, small onion bulbs from the garden and a TBSP of concentrated beef stock, cooked until wilted.  Delicious!  Dick fixed NY Strip Steaks.  I am getting so much better sharing my kitchen and the cooking since I was forced to be at the mercy of not being able for 5 weeks.  I'm enjoying sharing (sometimes).

Then there was an exciting event.  The UPS gal pulled in and Dick carried a huge box from her truck. A Huffy Cruiser!  We had rode them in Key West last year and it was awesome.  Dick bought this one for me thinking it will help strengthen my ankle and leg.  I know it will because I rode it up to my nephews house and back.  Going up it was definitely like pushing on the weight panel I use at therapy.  I am so happy Dick thought of the Huffy.  It brought tears spitting out and the more I thought about it  memories  flooded back.  53 years ago my dad pulled in our driveway with my first Huffy, 53 sounds so........long ago, antique, ancient and were bicycles even invented 53 years ago?  For some reason I just can't grasp and believe 53 years ago!  I was 12.  If someone had said you won't get another Huffy until you are 65 I would have said, "Old people can't ride bicycles"!  Well one thing is for sure I won't be getting another one in 53 years ;)  My first one was blue and without a doubt built much better and probably cost about the same.  I rode that bike up and down Horse Run and to town when I was allowed in the the summer.  Remember me saying Scuff's  dog bit my leg riding by the Simons farm?  Well I said it was George and after  Scuff read my blog he told me it was Woodchuck that bit me not George.  Sorry George!

The Huffy Cruiser and so snazzy with my favorite
color, turquoise.  Reminds me of the ocean.

Tomorrow I leave for MD for a few days.  That is the reason we were in high gear trying to get the garden and lawn caught up.  Dick can have a few days to relax, enjoy our Canadian friends that will be at their camp and help the Rod and Gun Club at the fair on Saturday.  He's on his own.  Of course when I get back we will be pickling beets and canning peaches, both are a messy job but oh so good.
 I will be getting some much needed hugging, loving and giggles from our three little Bryant boys.  They are excited  and will have it all figured out on who sleeps with me what night.  Pulling in their driveway and seeing those little guys all grins and running to meet me is beyond trying to explain how wonderful they make me feel.  About the time I get to Harrisburg they will have their dad or mom call to see how much longer.  Happens every trip.

Try to take time to relax, take long deep breaths and enjoy what ever makes you happy.