As usual, I have been a bit remiss at updating the blog, and for that I'm sorry. Usually when things get busy I neglect the housework - that way only my family knows I am a flake. When I neglect this blog, however, all of you readers (notice how I have deluded myself into thinking there are tons of you) know it, and that's just plain embarrassing. Anyways, things HAVE been busy around here. Perhaps a more fitting word is "farmy." Things are very farmy right now, and I am loving it.
In addition to the usual watering of gardens, harvesting of and cooking / canning of vegetables, taking care of various poultry and training a crazy puppy, we now have Uncle David and his girlfriend Heather in town for an extended visit. If you know David, I don't need to elaborate on that, but for those of you who don't, allow me to explain. David is a beer-brewing, tomato-growing, extreme-sport-loving, caffeine-fueled scientist who spends about 13 hours per day doing experiments on mouse brains. Since arriving on the farm, he has shot and killed both jackrabbits that have been eating my dad's garden, as well as 17 ground squirrels. He has convinced my dad to plant ipecac (did you know that was a plant?) around the outside of his corn field to deter gophers, driven through In-N-Out Burger about 6 times, and basically become my oldest son's personal hero. It is all I can do to get Moses to come inside; he would rather die of exhaustion outside next to Uncle David than stop for one moment to eat lunch or even drink some water.
David's arrival was also the impetus my dad needed to "released the geese," who up to now were confined to an indoor area. They are now big enough to defend themselves against potential predators, and seem to be adjusting well to living in my dad's garden. Here they are: Hot Shot (the fast one), Bitey (the mean one), Lebron (the tall one), and Kobe (the other one). Between picking blackberries with Heather and doing experiments on the chickens, David also built the geese a new house and taught them how to swim in their "pond."
All in all, the "outside world," as Moses used to call it, is just absolutely fascinating right now. I have all kinds of blog posts planned for this week but might not get to any of them due to running around outside with my kids and the geese.
(Oh, and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but these awesome Incredible Hulk glasses are only available at the Modesto County Rodeo, so you'll have to wait until next year to get your own pair.)
One of my goals for this year's garden was to make pickles, so I planted tons of cucumbers as well as dill, and for once, everything thrived. I'm not sure if the pickles will end up tasting good - I still have to wait a few weeks for them to brine in their jars. Even if they are gross, though, experiencing the smell of freshly cut cucumbers filling the kitchen was worth all the work.
It was so fun making my own pickling spice, using dill from our own garden, letting Moses fill up the jars with cucumber slices. I enjoyed every step of the process.
And there was something SO fulfilling about stacking 11 jars of pickles in the cupboard. Man, did that feel good. Looks like we might make it through the winter...
