We Loves Our Zucchini and Putting on the Squeeze.

I've been experiencing a sort of debilitating shock every weekend lately.  It happens when I get up in the morning, have my coffee and look at my list.  I freeze up.  Of course, some of that might have to do with the fact that it has not been over 50 degrees for the past five mornings.  I mean...

But mostly it has to do with the fact that I have had to try and squeeze two-days worth of work into one.  This is causing my frazzled brain to shut down and I sit, unmoving, unable to process it all.  Eventually, I can nudge myself into action, but I lose valuable time and it makes it even worse on Monday.  Sigh.  Not much I can do about it for a few more weekends.  It is what it is.  This Saturday was my dad's birthday (92!!) and I schlepped the granddogs north where we bustled around and grilled up his favorite - steaks - with fresh corn on the cob, a kale salad and doubly triple chocolate ice cream.  The kids were well behaved and Lovey was so relieved that she wasn't left behind, that she conked out on the way home and continued her snoring on the sofa.  As a matter of fact, they were all out cold.  It was very nice.

Sunday, after I managed to goad myself into action after six times my usual daily dosage of caffeine, I tackled the garden a bit, worked in the poultry yard and spent a delightful half hour with my friend, AnnMarie.  She is the Florence Nightingale of all things goats - getting dragged from bed in the wee hours to help with a difficult birth, an emergency.  She is something else.  She was the midwife for Sage and has provided Chickie with a wonderful home.  She is a bit of amazing and it is always so much fun to spend time with her.

I cleaned up the garlic that has been curing in the barn and it was a fair harvest.  The heads were a little smaller than last year, but last year I left them in the ground too long.  This year looks better.  I also stuffed two of my three (if I am lucky, there will be one more...) round zucchinis and made some zucchini fritters with zucchinis donated by my neighbor.  I absolutely love zucchini fritters - these were made with fresh corn, as I had two ears in the fridge.  I have them for dinner, I have them for breakfast (nothing like them topped with an easy-over or poached egg).  I am having them for lunch!

Fritters!

Down to garlic business.

Stuffed!

My tomato plants are in a sorry state, and I have been pulling any tomatoes off that are on their way toward ripeness.  The cherry tomato plant is in much better shape.  Peppers are growing, but not close to ripeness.  The beans are gone - plants donated to the sheep, who love them.  I am still getting 3-4 large cukes every other day. 

I harvested potatoes out of the potato bags (bintjes) and out of one tire planter.  The number and size were a little disappointing, but I think I need to water them more.  The bag allows a lot of moisture to evaporate and the smaller bag planter did better because it was tucked between a raised bed and a tire planter.  I learn something every year.  I learn many somethings every year.

P.S.  A series of giveaways is coming up...stay tuned....