I saw that too, Kim. I don't know who it is.

I read everything. Good to see your picture, Glenda. Super tired. Made jelly after work and weeded the kitchen garden. Beautiful evening. I'll post more tomorrow. Thanks for starting the thread, Lynn.

Jennifer, I was gonna respond to your post on the other weeks thread and now I don’t forgot what it said so I’m gonna go back and read it

Jennifer, I would love to come up and get some elderberries and maybe some seed. I could come up Monday through Thursday. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are already tied up. I used all of my pea seed this year trying to get a good stand and oh do I have a good stand of peas. I am enjoying myself so much when I walk outside and bam the peas are ready and I just picked yesterday. My first project today is cleaning up the harvest out of my garden and processing it either into the freezer or into my pan for lunch. I am going to start putting okra up in the freezer. I slice it and I have quart size or smaller bags. I will put them in those bags and freeze it and keep adding to it until it’s full and then start the next one. I want 20 bags put up in my freezer And then I will start selling okra to the people. My okra is still only 3 foot high and starting to produce decent. I cannot wait until it gets 6 foot tall and completely surrounds my garden. It is going to be dreamy. I feel like this garden is as productive as the half acre that I had in Quitaque.

Kim, I am home this Wednesday. I'm having to cover for the office tomorrow which is the day my new (flexible) part-time job is working instead of Wednesday. So, I'll have Wednesday off. You're welcome to come pick elderberries and look through the seed packets. There's also Bodacious sweet corn. And the cover crop peas, if you're interested in either of those. They're in full sun during the day until late afternoon, but you're welcome to come anytime. (Not sure how you do with hot full sun. )

The house and shop are messes, but if that doesn't bother you, come on over.

I'll be back later with more comments. I'm the only one in the office today too.

I got 43 holes dug and amended, and 28 holes with sweet potato runners in them. I have more runners pulled and in a tub of water, I will try to get out and plant the rest of the runners planted this afternoon. I am really late with planting these slips, but I should have time for a few small potatoes to form. I like to have at least 120 days for the potatoes to grow, but these may have to do their thing in about 90 days.

It is a nice day here, I may be able to work out a little longer than I normally do. I still have a ton of weeding to do.

HU plus numbers seems to be a houzz thing, like a suggested user name or a replacement for a name you put in, the numbers will be different. No idea what HU stands for, human? Houzz unit?

Glenda, I don't know if it works, but it was suggested for ground nesting colonies of yellow jackets I think. You locate the hole and at night put a clear glass bowl over the top. The theory was that if their hole was blocked they just dug their way out, but that it didn't click with them that they were trapped so they starved to death. I'm just passing on something I read, no guarantees.

I lost a post. But, it was my fault this time.

Anyway....

Lynn, you have a lot of smokers and grills and all! I love rain! (obviously too much is annoying, harmful, and deadly).

Rain is usually so comforting to me. I like the atmosphere type of videos. One of my favorites is by ASMR Weekly. It's called something like "rainy day in the greenhouse". Very soft music, rain, a cat purring, windchimes. So relaxing.

Glenda, are those the Bodacious tomatoes you were talking about last week?

Larry, I can't wait to see pictures of your sweet potato harvest this fall!

My PEPH are popping up. Super happy to see that.

The tomato plants have nice sized fruit, so I'm pulling that off as soon as they break color. And grabbed another bag of green beans last night. Looks like the first Kajari melon is about ready to eat too.

We've started Whole 30 today, so they'll be good opportunities to eat a lot of our garden food. I did have to buy spinach for the Keema I'm making tonight. And ginger.

There's about a quart of blackberries left from picking on Saturday. I'm not sure what to do with them. I made two batches of jelly so don't want to make more of that. I'm not eating yogurt on Whole 30--usually I want eat them with yogurt.

Any suggestions?

Oh, one of my (slightly) raised beds is covered with weeds and tall grass. Got that one weeded last night and found Dawn's peppers. There's 3 of them and they have fruit.

Need to save seed from one of them.

My sister stopped by before I made the jelly. She has a house now that has areas with sun in the backyard, so we dug up some basil and lemon balm for her.

A neighbor stopped and talked to us as we were walking our dog last night before dark. She wants some of my marshmallow root. Tried to tell her that it was mallow not marshmallow. The funny thing is....how does she even know that I have that? She must have browsed in my garden at some point when I wasn't home. Which is fine. And used a phone app to identify the "marshmallow" which is mallow. You use the root of marshmallow, but (I think) with mallow, you use the flowers. She can dig a root if she wants, but it's not marshmallow. lol I'm not into arguing with people. They can believe what they want to believe.

She's supposedly going to pick some elderberries too.

After making the keema tonight, I'll head out to continue weeding. Getting so close to have the Kitchen Garden done. The side of the house with comfrey is awful. It's on the west side, so too hot for me to work in the afternoon/evening.

Kim, I'm so happy that you're garden is producing so well!

Jennifer, I just saw a video where a lady was making marshmallows out of mallow. She used the seed pod while it was still green, cooked it down and added whatever. Very strange I never knew that you could make it out of the seed pods. I thought you had to use the root

I'm not sure the type of mallow that I have, Kim. But, pretty sure I got all my plants from you. i know the oldest one came from you several years ago. Did you bring mallow to the SF last year? I'm pretty sure that these plants are not marshmallow.

But, you can use all the mallow plants for things. And that is so interesting about the seed pods. Pretty sure the neighbor will use it for medicine for irritated mucous membranes.

I've ordered marshmallow root from Mountain Rose Herbs and used it for different things.

I want to try the seed pod thing someday!

When you do come to my house, you'll have to check out the beautyberry you gave to me a few years ago. It's really growing.

If you got it from me it was Marsh Mallow from Mary’s Heirloom Seeds.

Okay! I was wrong then. That is exciting. I have actual marshmallow! I just put a picture of my plant on an ID app and it ID’ed it as marshmallow too!

I am super happy about that.

Here is a pic of mine in the kitchen garden.

She’s so happy too

My first bowl of the season of my peas is amazing. I think it taste better after you have to shell them yourself. Mine is a mix of Black Eyed Peas ,PIGGOTT peas, Texas cream peas, pink eye purple hull peas.

Jen ........... about my grills and smokers

Jennifer, I plan on taking a picture of my sweet potato harvest. I have already told the kids that they may be the ones that have to dig them, although I have laid my rows off to where I can mow them with the lawn mower, then plow the potatoes out with a middle buster if I have to. I had rather not use the middle buster because I damage too many potatoes, that is the reason I am digging holes with post hole diggers, and amending with compost and or potting soil. My soil is not the greatest soil around, but most soil in this area is the same way.

I checked Matt's garden this morning, and was proud of what he has done. When Matt came down to help me weed a couple of weeks ago, I suggested that he just take over the pasture garden. He was wanting to try to make a garden up on the mountain where he lives, and I told him that I already had one broke up, and had the tractor and tiller sitting by the garden, with seeds in the house. I sat a satchel full of seed on the porch, and told him where the gas and diesel was stored. I noticed that Matt's peas and sweet potatoes looked very good, but the peas were too thick, but I told him to plant too thick because so of the seeds were old, and it was better to thin plants, than to regret lost time that you may have because of poor germination.

Kim my favorite peas are mixed peas. My grandmother always had a pan of mixed peas, beans and green beans on the back of the stove. Anyone who came in the door was offered a bowl with a hunk of cornbread. She also usually had a pan of baked sweet potatoes too. We lived in SE OK - she was a tough woman - I wanted to be just like her.

Yes, Jennifer they are Bodacious tomatoes. Not all were that big but 85% of them would cover a slice of bread on a sandwich, and they make a lot per plant. I’m very pleased with them.

I think my purple hull peas are about done, if they don’t start blooming again by this weekend I will pull them out and give the okra more room. I have zinnias, peas, and okra all planted together. Looks pretty but I think maybe the aphids are worse because crowded.

My neighbors have found army worms in the fields and yards. I haven’t seen them here yet. Stay alert.

I am going to plant another round of peas and see if I can get them up quick. I do not want to run out of peas.

Rick liked to mix cowpeas too!

Glenda, love that about your grandma!

Larry, I'll wait patiently for a sweet potato picture. I have sweet potatoes in a 8 ft bed in the hoop house and in 2 mineral tubs. We seem to not eat them as often as we should. Usually if we get a good 2 dozen we're set for the year.

Lynn, that's funny! lol

Kim, peas fresh from the garden are the best!

Jen, and that's all it is, humor. Actually, she encourages my love of tinkering with smokers. She benefits with spending less time in the kitchen. It means we use the vac sealer and there's always quick and easy meals. And she likes the food it produces.

And I got a couple more that are out of the picture haha . One I keep is a sentimental keepsake. The others produce different flavors. And they have different ease of operation.

The grills are two Weber Kettles. Weber has made them since 1952 and they're still very hard to beat. Very versatile.

My tomato plants are done. Right now, there's nothing left to pick. I brought in 4 tomato yesterday. There's a lot of very small fruit set, but it won't make much.

We canned 8 more jars of salsa yesterday, we're up to 32 pints.

I tried grilling, and smoking when I was young, but I never caught on very well, but I have bounced around to different hobbies through life. I guess that hunting and camping fit me better than anything. For the last 30 or so years it has been pretty much gardening only, but I have to cheat now, if it were not for my tractor and tiller I would be out of luck because I just cant walk well enough to do much.

This is my north garden. It is so wet in this area, that I need a drainage ditch, or path around my gardens. This is where I am adding my last sweet potatoes, just behind that first T post, and to the left I have approx. 20 more holes dug and amended that I hope to get planted today.

I am so glad that I bought that tractor, built handicapped ramps, put in a handicap bathroom, and widened our doors, and bought a hospital bed, I think the time is getting much closer that we will be needing them, and I am not able to do that type of work anymore.

Lynn, that's a lot of salsa. Is it enough to last you for the year?

Tom's first smoker was one that he made from a drum. I think he called it an Ugly Drum Smoker. Then he got one of those electric ones that he still uses from time-to-time. He bought a raffle ticket to win an Old Hickory smoker....and actually won. It is a very large commercial smoker. He used it often for awhile. We cooked for nearly 300 people when we were the food coordinators for the West Moore band. At competitions...and West Moore hosted OMEA. We made a lunch for the judges. And other things. He also smoked turkey breasts for people during the holidays for a couple of years. But, it was a lot of work for not much of a profit as these people were friends and acquaintances and he didn't want to charge a lot.

ANYWAY, he gave the smoker to a friend who has a restaurant. He has another, smaller one now but I don't know what kind it is.

I don't love the taste of smoked food. But most people do.

I'm at my regular job today even though it's Tuesday. People are out of the office again today due to surgery and a new baby.

Probably won't have much time to work in the garden this evening. Maybe just a quick harvest of things. And look around.

I just came in from the garden. What a terrible time to go out. It was so hot but I had to go out because of loading the car for Market tonight and I thought I’ll just do a few things and water a few things 45 minutes later I come dragging in the house. I am determined to work in the garden about 30 minutes per day at least. Period I enjoy it so much. I don’t ever wanna come in but when it is hot like it is right now, I don’t have much choice. I am working on Mustang grapes and Rosemary today. I got onions in the dehydrator and some garlic. Did you know you can dehydrate garlic with their skins on. It takes longer, but when you put them through the blender and sift it, it will sift the skins out. So no peeling garlic for five hours for me. Since this came from a nice clean chemical free garden, I don’t mind the skins being in there. And then when I sift it and I have all those skins, I put them in a bag and use them for bone broth. No waste kitchen.

Jen, yes, we might go through a jar or so per month, but we've gotten other people addicted to the salsa. And plenty of tomatoes. So why not.

I don't cook barbecue for others very often. I smoke an extra rack of ribs for Mrs Dollar's dad, but that's about it. I tried T-Giving turkey's but too many in the family are like you and don't like smoked meats ( go figure, they don't like tomatos either ) And I did not like the stress of it , anyway. We just put a turkey in the kitchen oven these days.

I bought something close to a drum smoker last fall. It was a Pit Barrel Cooker, it had a MSRP of $500 and Academy had them on sale for $150. I could not pass that up. It was a chance to play with a different type of smoker and then sell it for what I paid for it. I've done that twice before. I watched the sales in the fall and winter.

I don't pay much attention to competition bbq, but I do know drum smokers are becoming very popular with those that cook those events. Its a different flavor, has more of a grilled flavor than pure smoked meat. And for those cooks, they like to cook fast.

I started grilling with an Hibachi when I was in college in the early 70's. Steaks and burgers. Then in the 80's, my FIL gave me a PK grill. Was a big upgrade. I added a Brinkman water smoker, that I never did figure out. And they were both stolen off my patio in 1989. I missed the PK Grill but they did me a favor taking the Brinkman.

I then bought my first Weber Kettle and have had one on the patio ever since. I grilled burgers and steaks and smoked whole chicken on it.

The internet changed everything in the late 90's. The amount of info new to me, on smoking meats, led me to a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker and my barbecue world got a lot better. It was a pure smoker. I still own it but no longer use it.

Was content with that till about 10 years ago and now my favorite barbecue is from an offset wood burning smoker. But that takes a lot of attention and decent weather. And I've added a smoker that's " set and forget " and can be ran regardless of the weather.

Its been a lifetime thing for me.

July 18 2025, I think this is the last of my planting of sweet potatoes for this year. This is the north garden, and I finish planting the slips/runners that I pulled 2 days ago. I did not go to the trouble that I normally do. Some of the runners were near 4' long, and I removed very few leaves, I just planted the runner an inch or 2 deep,and call it good enough. With these runners being so long, I did not get the plants as close as I normally do. I also crawled around tossing dirt on some of the older runners, hoping that I will get more smaller potatoes.

This is the view from the back porch. I still need to do more weeding, mulching, and spraying around the outside edge to kill the bermuda. If I can keep the bermuda from running into the garden, my weeding is much easier.

The new slips are planted on the far end, around the lawn mower. Till I get the RTV repaired, that mower is also my mule.

Looks good, Larry.

Lynn, that's a serious hobby. It's good for people to have hobbies. Especially ones that feed.

I'm home today and there's always about 2 dozen things I want to do on my day at home alone...and need to do. Slept until 7. Got everyone fed and the laundry started then put sprinklers on the kitchen garden. It was nice this morning. Even a bit of chill in the wind. Love it.

Elderberries. That's what I did. Had a lot that needed to be picked NOW. So, did that and sat outside a pulled them off the stems. When the sun rose above the tree, I moved indoors. Don't like to sit in the sun because of my skin. Ended up with a little over 4 lbs of berries. Now, what to do with them all.

Next year, I'll pull the flowers. Not all of them, but at least half. I would like to have the flowers for tea.

I might dry some of these berries. I'm wondering how syrup freezes....? But, honestly, the syrup held in the refrigerator for a year. I opened up the last jar last week and it's totally fine and good. BUT, if I dry the berries, I could make more syrup in the winter.

It's all a lot of work but everything I dreamed of 20 years ago.

The Survivalist Garden is slowly turning back into meadow. There's a few tomatoes on the plants that I'll pull by next week and then Tom will mow it all. So many feelings about this, but there's simply not time to handle that garden as well as all the other gardens out here. IF I could build those 4 raised beds that I've talked about, it would be doable because the crops in them would be things like onions and potatoes, melons, and okra and mostly hands off if they had soaker hoses. BUT, do I want to spend the money building those? I just don't know.

On to the next thing!

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Brinkman water smoker! That was our first "grill". We charcoaled on it and smoked. I should say Ron did. The older I get the less I like turkey (related to a horrible sandwich I got in a hospital cafeteria) but the smoked turkey from the Brinkman was better than the Thanksgiving turkey. Ron has a collection of outdoor cookers, too. Including a propane grill. But some things need charcoal. And he has a cast iron smoker. He also has a collection of cast iron pots and pans which started when he was a boy scout leader. Ah, those were the days.

Amy, if I'd known back then that y'all were doing so well with the Brinkman, I'd delivered the one I had to you :)

The Weber Smokey Mountain ( WSM ) was a huge improvement. Weber introduced it in 1981 but I don't recall ever seeing them in the stores. The one I bought came from Amazon.

But also, there were some cooks doing competitions in California in the 1990's, that figured out some temp control methods for the WSM that are still used today. A fella named Jim Minion, created what's now known as the " Minion Method " .

If I had to, I could get by with a Weber Kettle and a WSM, cause that what I did for about 15 years. Made a lot of good barbecue.

We got a good rain! It didn't rain for super long, but it's enough that I won't need to water tomorrow.

I made two jars of elderberry syrup and was able to give away most of the berries that were picked this morning.

Planted the Fordhook lima beans. That's about it.

Jennifer I would fry some for later use. Of course that being said I dry everything I am able. Some things don’t turn out great, like chicken lol but Sophie will appreciate it if get desperate and need to feed her. Right now at 5 AM I have two stock pots filled with Mustang grapes cooking down. After finding livestock in the grapes I went through them with a fine tooth comb. Don’t need any extra protein in my jam. Or my beans for that matter. I’ve got so much to do and I wore myself out yesterday. I think today I will just water the garden and pull some grass, get grapes ready to make jam tomorrow, and peel apples to go in dehydrator.

The Wunderground weather 10 day forecast says we're headed into summer. Today at 94*, will be the coolest day. Will hit 100's next week.

10 Day Forecast

Our forecast looks about the same, I am not looking forward to that.

I picked what looks like the last of the tomatoes, there are a few still on the plants, but the plants look to be done.

Kim, that still seems like a really busy day!

I do think I'll dry some elderberries. The ones that are in the refrigerator, I'll use to make an oxymel because I'm completely out.

Lynn and Larry, I'm also not looking forward to those temperatures. We've been spoiled this year. That type of weather is my least favorite.

Some of my tomatoes are about done. Some are just getting started. But, the extreme heat my shut them down anyways. Maybe I'll use some shadecloth. Those Super Fantastics are looking pretty good. Especially the ones around the chicken pen. I've seen some bites taken out of a few leaves that they were able to jump up and reach. But, the soil around the pen is probably very fertile.

We have an abundance of all sorts of birds this year. And I've noticed a few tomato fruit that is pecked. Looks like chicken damage, but my chickens haven't been out. The escapers are in the small coop/pen--It's the "bad girl coop". It's all enclosed.

Kim, I'm tired too today. I feel like I could go to bed. Sorta headachy and a bit dizzy. It might be from not eating grains. I'm on Day 4. It's tempting to just eat a couple of bites of bread just to see if it helps. And to get me through the day. I really like to finish what I've started, tho. Twenty-six more days to go. Lol

Jennifer you probably need more protein and fat. Nuts are a good snack.

Sometimes I get headaches when I don't eat grains. It's not unusual for me. And, I don't really eat that many just normally. But, I do like a slice of Ezekiel Bread in the morning. And sometimes I eat more than that. Especially during the weekend.

But, you're right about the nuts. I forgot my almonds today. I like to have a few in the late morning and a few in the afternoon when I'm doing Whole 30.

I did have 2 eggs and a tomato for breakfast. And had skip jack tuna on my salad for lunch. That can has 37 grams of protein.

Not sure what gardening tasks I'll do tonight. It's my later day to work so by the time I get dinner cooked it will near to 7.

The burgundy amaranth snapped last night in that little storm that came through. One little twig was left, so it will probably come back. BUT, I was able to make a huge bouquet with the part that snapped. It's so lovely. I'll come back with a picture I took last night.

I might just harvest anything that needs it, and pull a few weeds and water some pots that don't get the rain.

I get headaches when I do eat grains lol. And joint pain. I was off greens for a while and when I went back on, I noticed a huge difference in how I feel. That amaranth is so pretty. I have some and I am going to try popping it like popcorn.

I think some people get grain "withdrawal". It eventually goes away. Some people also have sugar withdrawal too, I think. Most of the grains I eat are pretty clean. Other than stuff from restaurants. The Whole 30 is more than just a eating reset....it's a mental thing for me too.

I sure do love food, tho. Really love it.

The amaranth pictures wouldn't show up. I don't know. I'll try to come back with my phone and edit this post with the picture. It's just lovely. Let me know how the popping goes, Kim.

So, the girl I gave the elderberries to....she admitted coming to my garden while we were in Oregon and shopping. lol. I really don't have an issue with that as long as you let me know. And, I don't know her. Not really until just the past couple of weeks.

But, I went out to check the elderberries and they've been stripped some. So, either she came back for more (I gave her nearly a gallon) or the birds are after them. I thought that it was birds, but then noticed that a nearly dead tomato plant that had blushing fruit was also stripped of all fruit. Anyway, something to keep an eye on. I totally love to share, but really want someone to let me know just in case I have plans for particular plants. Like, saving peppers from Dawn's pepper. Or a recipe.

Kim, I pulled ripe berries tonight. There's still a few out there that aren't ready. I hope it is enough for you to make the drive. Like I said, a lot had been stripped. BUT, I brought in a large bowl. They're in the refrigerator but not pulled off the stems yet. You're welcome to those. They'll keep for several days. IF you decide that it is not worth the drive or my work schedule doesn't jive with your schedule, I can freeze them and bring them to you at SF. OR we can try again next year, like you said. I can bring the seeds you want to SF too. They're labeled "sell buy December 2025", so they're new.

We'll see how things look on Monday and go from there.

Our dinner tonight was from the garden except the meat. Potatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, green beans, garlic. It was all so good and a good feeling. I'll try to share a picture of that too.

The Survivalist Garden is on my mind a lot. I keep thinking that I'll make those long raised beds. Then it hit me tonight. Why would I do that? Those beds wouldn't be Rick's garden or the way he liked to garden. AND it's in the far corner of our property.

IF I want production type of beds, why wouldn't I put them near my Kitchen Garden, closer to the house? He did amend the soil there for 5 years, but...I just don't know.

AND there is an area to the north of the Kitchen Garden that has had wood chips sitting on it (and breaking down) for close to 8 years. Maybe I should put a couple of long production crop beds there.

But is it disrespectful to just let Rick's garden come back to nothing? Maybe put a couple of fruit trees back there.

What do you think? I want all of your opinions on this. I really do.

Arent these cute.

Jennifer I see both pictures. I go through a withdrawal when I go off carbs especially sugar. It’s worse than drug withdrawal. Gardening keeping everything watered is a challenge. I desperately need to get drip set up. It will make life easier. Today I make jelly

Well, I don’t know what time I’m supposed to go outside but 9 to 1030 is not it. I am going to be setting my alarm for 5 o’clock next week.

Is this making pickles tooooo easy !

Mrs Wages .... a single step

Lynn, I saw that at the store the other day when I was buying Sure-Jell.

Kim, it's just incredibly humid and gross. When's winter coming? lol

For a minute last week, I thought maybe winter would be here early. Because I already have molting hens. And it's been coolish until now.

But, summer is here... and our luck it will be hot until November. Winter sounds nice right now. Coziness and all. BUT, there's still a lot to do before winter.

Didn't do anything in the garden except water a couple of things. I did meet Rick's nephew at the house so he could load up a couple of things...like R's generator and tools and stuff. No one wants his stuff here at our house. It's just another thing that I have to manage and decide what to do with.

Remember those drugstore beetles I had last year? They are back but seem to be in the utility room mostly. For now. We have sticky traps out, but I feel like we need to spend the day cleaning the utility room tomorrow and that is NOT what I want to do. It's gross, tho.

The way I talk, it seems like our house is a disaster, but we do keep clutter to a minimum. I just don't often have time to dust, deep clean and all. The Roomba helps keep the floors from being horrible. But the utility room is another story. It's where we drop our outdoor shoes. It's where the cat's litter boxes are located. And the freezer and canning pantry and so much more. It's mostly dirty because it's where we come in from outdoors and the garden and coop.

Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts to share about what I asked yesterday--what to do with the Survivalist Garden? Does it dishonor Rick to let it go back to meadow? I just don't know how to find the time to deal with it right now.

I do not think doing what is right for you in this season of life could dishonor Rick. Hanging on and stressing out would be a dishonor.

Jennifer, I think that honoring someone should not be stressful. I use to put more stress on myself trying to keep this place up to where I thought mom and dad would be proud of how it looked, but I don't they would be un-proud that I am no longer able to do as I use to. I wish my kids would love the place more, but we all have our dreams, and we have to respect the dreams of others.

The way I try to think about some that I have felt special about is to keep growing a plant, or seeds that they have given me, or I keep talking about a special memory that they have given me. A memory is so pleasant to have, and so easy to store, and they don't have to be dusted. Do something with the space that will bring back pleasant memories.

The Cherry Habanero Mrs Wages pickle brine interests me. I'll have to grow some cucumbers next year.

Jennifer I only knew Rick from the forum but I gathered enough to know he wouldn’t want to cause you anymore stress or work. That was a project you both worked on even if mainly his idea. Sounds like working it alone will only cause you work, stress, snd unhappy memories. Scatter wildflowers, lots of native flowers for the pollinators, hang a bluebird house or regular birdhouses, a birdbath, and a quiet place to relax. Nothing manicured that will require maintenance- just an old bench or couple of chairs. Sit there occasionally or just walk through and reflect on good memories. Thats my thought.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas.

I like the wildflower idea. There's an area that Tom "allows" me to keep unmowed until June or so. Maybe I'll pull some things out of the native bed and put out there. There's no shade, so a sitting area wouldn't work for me. We've thought of a tree. BUT, need to see what the toll road is going to do before we plant a tree or two.

It's not just me being lazy. As it is, I am outside until dark every day during the summer and I can't really even keep up with my Kitchen Garden and the others in the way that I prefer. I would have to work overnight with a headlamp to keep up with the Survivalist Garden in the way that Rick designed it. IF I didn't work outside of my home, I could probably swing it.

I also like the idea of a bird bath. There's two bird baths at his house in Norman. His nephew said I could have them. There's a cute iron bench too, but we'll probably put it something else. It might look weird to have a bird bath in the middle of a field, tho. But wildflowers and possibly trees would be good.

Thanks again for the ideas, Friends.

We (mostly me. lol) ended up deep cleaning the utility room. I found where most of the drugstore beetles were living. We have a metal bucket of horse treats--they were in that. Lots of them. And also in a box of dog treats. But, they were also on the floor, walls and other places, but feeding on the animal treats.

Everything in the utility room is in plastic or glass now. I just finished cleaning. Pulled out the washer, dryer, and freezer. That room just stays filthy for so many reasons. But, it's clean now. Normally I'll deep clean it once a year--sometimes twice, but always dread it. That room is hot. We should have put in another vent when we did the remodel. And, it's on the west side.

It's really time to store the garlic too. But, that room is hot and those beetles might get into them too. I just don't know. We'll put out a fresh sticky trap and see what happens.

What a pain they are.

I haven't been out to the garden today. There's still a couple of utility room tasks that need to be done. Shaking out the rug and cleaning the boot/shoe tray.

I can see from the dining window that the winter squashes are wilty. They were like that yesterday afternoon too.

Anyway....probably won't do too much out there this evening. Maybe pull a few weeds and bring in anything that's ready to eat.

Jen, My apologies for not contributing with ideas, but that's a difficult dilemna that I have no answer for . And nothing I can come up with, would be nearly as good as the suggestions you've already gotten.

I watered the pasture garden, and weeded the north garden. The watering I can sit on a stool and do that by moving a few times, but the weeding I have to do on my hands and knees, which is not a lot of fun for me or Madge. I don't mind being on my knees, but it sure messes my clothes up, and I don't like to cause Madge extra work washing them.

I want to mow the lawn after the sun goes down. I try to stay out of the heat as much as I can, but I am so slow it takes me forever to get anything done.

The kids are coming over tomorrow, so don't want to wear myself out too much.

It's okay, Lynn. It's a weird and difficult decision with lots of emotions and feelings involved.

But, it's becoming more and more obvious that I have to continue to scale back. I like working hard and feeling tired about working outside, but....maybe not this tired.

There's also the added situation of my babies. One has a baby herself and the other is far away. Being near, visiting, and with them is important to me. And, I'm lucky...my kids want me to be in their lives. I've been observing a weird trend that grown kids are pushing their parents out of their lives and almost re-writing their childhoods to include trauma that really wasn't there. It's super important for some people to find a way to have had trauma. It's not that we don't all have trauma to some degree. Because we do....and some have a lot....but some of this is so odd. I'm observing this from a very close spot in a couple of places. Very confusing. And, there will be regrets in the future. It's all so sad.

And silly me. On my last post I guess I had forgotten about watering. Good grief. There's some pots that were barely hanging on. And two hours later, here we are.

But, about scaling back. I feel like I have a handle on that. For example. Tom really doesn't like the pickles I make (so weird. Same with the salsa), so what's the point of making a lot of pickles OR growing a lot of cucumbers. I do like to eat cucumbers fresh everyday when available. And I like to ferment them when I have time to deal with it.

Anyway, scaling back can be done in a way that is still very productive.

Our neighbor has a peach tree with fruit that has white flesh. They shared a box with us. So grateful for that.

Jen, that really hits home about the grown kids re-writing their childhood. My youngest daughter is doing that very thing. Its impossible to deal with. IMO, it fits with a general theme of young people wanting to be victims.

I'll start a new thread.