where have all the flowers gone...?

It's certainly been a strange summer in the Northeast United States. Record rain, flooding that many say topped the great flood of 1972. I am so tired of mowing wet, soggy lawns that look ten times worse than if you had just left them alone!

I love the heavy work-time of summer. It is when I am the most active out of doors. Clean-up, gardening, animals, porch time, walks...it is indeed a special time. Yet, I also look forward to the fall and colder weather setting in. I am one of those people who doesn't know when to quit. I work hard and wear myself out. The cooler weather brings a time to stop that. I am forced to stay inside (more at least) and tend to quieter indoor pursuits. It's time to prepare stitching projects for the winter months, plan Thanksgiving dinner, make Christmas gifts, catalog the food supplies we put up and/or prepared in other ways, and start getting the house in decent order. It's also time to sit down, read books, blog!

Sara and I have done quite a lot of canning this year. She has made a ton of jam, as well as a couple batches of applesauce so far, as well as freezing some fruits and shredded zucchini. I have done pickles, zucchini relish, candied jalapenos, and dilly beans. We've frozen corn, dug about a bushel and a half of potatoes, as well as harvesting numerous beets, carrots, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, greens of various ilk, and summer squash. Still to go are getting in the pumpkins and winter squash, and the rest of the beets, carrots and onions, but we will probably leave the root crops in the ground for awhile longer. Most of my herbs have been dried, although I did not get to as many of them as I would have liked to this year. This flood has thrown huge monkey wrenches into many people's plans. It's interesting to view people's lawns. Nobody cares! A well manicured lawn is the last thing on anyone's minds! I for one think they are quite lovely, since I actually am turned off by "well manicured lawns".

Well, grandkids will be here soon. We're going to go out for a walk and mark the trees we're planning to tap next spring, and then probably hole up inside, since it's looking like another bout of heavy rain this afternoon and evening. I am so thankful for water but really pretty tired of constant wetness.