It's a Hot One!

Again I will thank Mother Nature for the cool days of last week and comfortable picking in the garden and canning tempertures in the kitchen.  Today as yesterday was a....... darn it was a muggy day in the kitchen. On days like this my nerves get a little wired and seem to sizzle a little.  If you believe me when I say "little"  I have some "Ocean Front Property in Arizona for sale" ;)  Just the way I roll, calm and not so calm.  Let's see, the floors need cleaned, the laundry needs done, canning jars need washed and yes let me not forget supper.  Breakfast and supper are the only 2 meals I think of at this time of year.

 By supper time I am ready to eat just about anything.  While jars were processing I made beet salad.  Remember the baked beets from the other night?  I had just enough left to use for the salad today.  Grate the beets and a small onion, a little horseradish, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  It is very good.  I never had it until my friend Robin told me how much she liked her mom's beet salad.  Hey!  I can google that and I did,  with a couple twists to the recipe I have a hit.  I never follow directions. Next I had 3 ears of cooked corn on the cob left from last night.  Ok, there must be something I can do with it.  How about cut it off the cob, 3 pickling cukes chopped, add a couple TBSP of grated onion, 1/2 a chopped jalapeno, clove of garlic chopped, a little canola oil, lemon juice from one lemon, salt, pepper and about 10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half.  Toss all together and refrigerate.  I had a sample taste,  sweet corn and jalapeno is a perfect combination.  Here is what's for supper, I will call it a "Garden Smorgasbord".  Smoked pork chops, sauteed green beans, beet salad, corn salad, cucumber/onion salad and whipped potatoes.  Everything from the garden but the chops.  Is it worth it?  You betcha!  Plus there is plenty for the next few days.  Free food.

This would have been plenty without the salads,
I call the extras food in the bank ♡

Left to right, cuke/onion salad, corn salad and beet salad.

Dilly Beans and sweet cucumber relish.

The Dilly Beans and sweet cucumber relish are done for another year.  Check two more items off my TaDo list.  What is left, potatoes (I always can 10 qts for home fries or to put in soups and stews when I'm feeling lazy), corn, chipotle sauce and maybe sauerkraut.  Mr. Wichert and his friends make it every year.  Between him and Pud they would make sure we got a few bags.  Good guys they are and not just because they gave us sauerkraut.

For the country raised kids in our area, from say more than 40 years ago, can you remember who your bus driver was?  Mine was Mr. Fenner.  He was a tall thin man with the nicest smile and voice.  I think he was tall ;)  at least to a kid he was.  After he retired Mr. Meacham took over the run, I think around 1965 give or take a year.  Back then I can only remember one kid getting in trouble on the bus.  It wasn't anything serious just a young boy picking.  Much different on buses now.  I probably shouldn't mention who the boy was but it's gonna make a few of you smile.  I love this guy (still see him often) and he HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH.  It's always a treat to talk with him and I think Dick likes to get him wound up (works every time).  He's a good guy and sure takes good care of his mom, they live by each other still on the Horse Run Rd.  We were also neighbors and I spent a lot of time with his sisters during the summer months.  To be perfectly honest he was a pain in our butts.  In fact a few times his temper and mine clashed, lucky for me he was a year or two younger and boys mature slower than girls.  Ha!  It was like a showdown at the "OK Corral".  Usually we would meet in the middle of the road, he lived on one side, me on the other.  Only once he crossed that line, lucky for me I had him buffaloed in thinking I was tougher.  Here goes folks if you are around my age.......Donny Leilous!
Sorry Donny, just one of my way back when, throw back Thursdays.  You are a good guy and make me smile.  Memories of growing up as neighbors couldn't have been better ♡

From garden, canning, supper, sauerkraut (made me think of Mr. Wichert) which  made me think of bus drivers, that made me think of my neighbor!  Talk about a wandering mind!

This is another joy of living where I grew up.  For most of my remember when memories and smiles I still get a chance now and again to enjoy a chat with a friend.