Once I finished mowing at the Ponderosa, I spent a little time in the kitchen preparing some homemade real vanilla extract to steep. I will be giving them as Christmas gifts, so I place three vanilla beans in each bottle…two cut beans into one inch pieces and leave one whole so it looks pretty. I poured a cheap vodka over them and sealed each bottle. I stored them away in a cool, dark cupboard in the dining room. Then, once a week, I’ll shake them up to keep things loose in there. By Christmas, the extract should have a deep, rich taste from the Madagascar beans and smell divine.
When I was done in the kitchen, we loaded the mower into the back of my truck and headed to my favorite place in the whole wide world….my grandma’s farm. I can’t believe how much the grass grew in just six days. I wanted to get it done before the heat hits today so I don’t have to work outside so much. Mr. FixIt is getting stronger and was able to do some weed-eating while I mowed. I still had to take a few breaks to cool off.
As I was mowing down by the road, I found these flags blooming under the elderberry bush. They are so delicate and the waning light set them off with a soft glow. There are blossoms coming on the elderberry bush so I am hoping to harvest some berries for syrup. It’s an excellent natural immune booster.
When we got home, I transplanted my pepper plants and three of the squash plants into the two large containers I painted yesterday. The bunnies are back so I don’t know if I’m even going to bother planting beans this year. They just eat them off at the ground once they’re about three inches tall. Our tomatoes are abysmal this year. We bought them so early and they really needed to be transplanted in larger containers about a month before they went into the ground, but there was just too much going on to accomplish that. I told Mr. FixIt not to worry about it. I’ll just buy my vegetables at the farmer’s market this year. Next year, I’m going to build a container garden along the fence so I can have beans without feeding the bunnies. I was hoping the cat would keep them away, but no such luck.
And that was the end of my day. We have camped in our field several nights in the last week. Last night was the end of the really cool nights so we may end up back in the house…we’ll see. I love being out there and “pretend camp”. I see my friends starting to get out there and enjoy their campers and travel again. I hope there will come a time when I can do the same, but for now, I am content to stay here with my sweetheart while he’s still recovering and having physical therapy.
I may bake something yummy again today. It is my therapy.
❤️
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11 KJV