I'm pretty sure I fell asleep just about the time my head hit the pillow last night. 43 degrees and a breeze coming in the window works magic for a good nights sleep. Air conditioning doesn't do the trick. We haven't turned it on yet and may not need to. The sun looks beautiful coming up over the hill, coffee is hitting the need button and we are having our usual discussion of what is "tado" for the day. It's Friday which is no different from any other day. We do have plans to Go to Olean, pick blueberries, and stop at Scuff and Linea Simons for a bit. The old farmer habits and curiosity lives on. We have to check on each others gardens since there are no crops in fields and cows in the barn any more. The other reason is word got out that Scuff makes an awesome Mango sauce! The mission will be GET THE RECIPE! Mangoes are one of our favorite fruits from the store. Trader Joe's has dried mango, no sugar added that is delicious. It is the only store we have found them without sugar added and are thin chewy strips. There is a chance I will get to Trader Joe's next week which means stock up on my favorite picks!
Then there's the Kale to pick and get ready for the freezer. After yesterday's workout in the garden it will be the only thing we do. Both of us woke up saying, "my back". I can add "oh my shoulders". It's been a long time since they have had a good old fashioned workout. Feels great to be doing everyday jobs around here. By the way I am 4 for 2! Snakes that is. I have seen four and chopped 2 to pieces with the riding lawn mower, screaming as I did it. The last one to meet his death was big, very big and headed to my garden! It stopped coiled up and looked at me with those nasty beady eyes. One scream, full throttle and done. Yuck! This is a record year for snake sightings but why not the year from winter till now has been out of whack.
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| Break time with my favorite coffee. |
Even the dreaded Walmart turned out to be better than expected! They had Wolfgang Puck's Jamaica Me Crazy K-cups. Made it all worth going in. It was a nice surprise to see my cousin Mary, she looks so much like my mom. I love looking at her. We saw some friends from Shinglehouse and had a nice chat (about gardens). We told them we were stopping to buy yellow squash they had for sale in front of their house. We did and it is the perfect size, small and tender skin. If squash gets too big it is tasteless and tough. I always bring up connections to local people. The gal selling squash grew up on a farm that later my dad had bought and I spent part of my young life on.
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| Wonderful buying fresh from the garden! |
We did get to visit Scuff's garden. It's a dandy and lots of good garlic, beets, beans, cukes and onions ready to harvest. He has had plenty of problems with deer so the garden is now sporting a 9' high electric fence. We had a nice visit talking gardening and canning. I got "the recipe"! While Dick was chatting I ended up with one of my memory moments! Of course, I was standing on a lawn that my niece (Pam), nephew (Barry) and myself had run barefoot in and played for hours. Scuff and Linea live where Bob and Laurabelle Karr lived when we were little. Pam and Barry lived next door where Red and Nancy Haynes live now. I lived across the road on the farm. I stood thinking how much the little area has changed. In front of the farm bordering Horse Run Rd is two houses where nothing but fields use to be. I remembered how bad the winters were and the state would put snow fence up to avoid the road drifting shut. I looked at the little house that my dad and brother had built. I have pictures of it's progress, block by block. It has been sided but the brick is under it all. Day dream over back to the present and time to head home but not until I got to see one of the sweetest most thoughtful little girls ever! Who pulled in but the one and only Christi Steadman! What a treat and what a day to visit "Friends of the Valley". Brian McCleaft and Ed even took time to come out to the car and say hi (plus pick on me) when Dick made an egg delivery. ♡
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| Beets & Beans |
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| White Onions |
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Scuff, Linea & Dick. Middle far right, the house
George & Jim Gross built around 1954. |
Another good day has passed,the weather was perfect. Back to our garden in the morning. I might have to find another friend willing to let me take a walk through their garden. Especially when their "purple beans" are ready to sample!
