Shelby

You guys are killing me. I cannot WAIT to play with this. Thinking about booking a hotel for our guest and Ronnie with meal reservations........

OMG it's Tuesday already. Yesterday I got the whole house clean all by myself lol. Took a shower and then started canning about 2 pm. Got that done around 5:30 then started on a big pot of venison chili so that I'd have something for a couple of lunches this week--and that's also what we had for dinner last night. I was too tired to remember to take pictures, but you've seen my chili a million times anyway. I just got in from the garden. The cats are sleeping peacefully beside me as I type. Little do they know the disruption that is getting ready to occur. They got a lot of time off from strange humans being in the house. Some of yesterdays canning This mornings pick You guys might not see anything but a bunch of tomatoes for a week 🤣

😳 😇

LOL it is like a maze. Every year I think I've planted them far enough apart and every year it seems like Twister trying to get through them. We caged them and then pounded two stakes--one on each side. Some are very top-heavy though and we've had to add more stakes. Oh the cats HATE their space being taken up. I catch Newman using his little paw to shove tomatoes off the counter quite often. 🙄

LOL yes, my arms are also slightly green from going through the plants--and yes, that spicy, tomato-y smell hangs with me until I hit the shower. Talking with you guys and taking pictures actually helps me feel more organized for some reason...or maybe I should say motivated 🙃 We went to the liquor store yesterday 😁I should have enough to get through, but if not, I can always start on the vodka.

I'm sorry about your tomatoes . I wish I could shove some through the computer to you.

No, I've never pruned them--that would have helped me out I bet this year had I known what I'm up against lol... and there isn't any mold. That might have happened had it rained more?? The tomatoes look like the perfect ones you see in the store only they taste like a tomato should taste. It'll probably never happen this way again.

Good morning! Well, I guess we're full steam ahead for our friend tomorrow. Time has been flying by. I've tried to squeeze in some cleaning here and there such as the lights in the kitchen, but I am (as usual) not as prepped as I should be. I made sandwich bread and put it in the freezer, but since then we've eaten it all 🤣🙄. Ronnie has been out working on blinds and scouting. Not many doves or teal around. Not sure how great the hunting will be. Weather is supposed to be high's in the 90's and there hasn't been any cold weather to send them down here. But, that's why it's called hunting right? lol. I did a little decorating over the last few days. Got the pumpkin patch picked. During the September visits the garden overlaps into the hunting so I guess I should have named the blog a bit differently lol. We've never had such a great tomato year. I've posted on the garden thread a bit. The weather must have just been perfect I guess. We even planted a month later than normal, but maybe that was what did the trick? A couple months ago a storm took out like 20 plants and I was so upset....I cannot imagine having 20 more plants worth of tomatoes lol. I took a few pictures but I'm not sure they show how tall and lush the plants are. Some are probably 5 and a half feet tall. Ronnie is in the middle there somewhere and he's 6' tall. I have been canning every day and I'll have to keep doing that while he's here for sure. I'm dying to try making tomato paste but it seems like it's a long process and I haven't had time--I really haven't even done much research but what I've read is it takes like 6 hours? This is this mornings pick and what I have on the counters as we speak. So. Yeah. Not complaining. I love tomatoes. But you can see I've got my work cut out for me. I've done some homemade Rotel (just jalapeños, salt and cumin), a couple batches of spaghetti sauce, juice.... At least I won't have to worry about if I have enough to make salsa for an appetizer.🤣 Well, I'm off to clean the house. My cleaning angel has Lyme's disease and she's having a really really rough time so she hasn't been here for a few weeks. If I don't come back, send help, I'm probably stuck under the bed in a pile of cat hair and dust.

I would LOVE to have some of that wine. Mental note to keep checking. That is if they can ship to KS. KS has weird laws.

Imperfect this week. My Misfits is two days late. Supposed to be here today....we will see what kind of shape it's in. I was able to get one more box of concord--or Thomcord grapes. They are SO GOOD. This was in the clamshell with the grapes

@JoNorvelleWalkerYour clam sauce looks SO good. In anticipation of our hunter coming I made some meat for gyros. Had to test it out. Will post more on the hunting thread.

SO SO MANY HUGS to you. Thanks so much for writing to us. I--WE are so sorry for your loss. We will always miss her.

Getting ready for our hunter friend.....I'm out of practice. Dragging up fall decorations from the basement. Felt the need to sit down and post here. Yes. I'm avoiding work lol. @shainYour zuke fritters are beautiful. I might need to make those this coming week. Fried fish with okra that's coming out of my ears Made another fig crostata --or galette....what is the difference...I dunno. Dove season started on the first. Not many doves around. Ronnie and Scout managed to get six. Roasted in the CSO I'm loving having shishito peppers in the garden. I'll probably never be able to grow them again--I'm pepper challenged, but really enjoying them while I can.

Wow. I knew there was a shortage but I didn't know the rest. Makes sense. I saw some off brand lids and jars at the store the other day but I was too skeptical to buy any.

Yes, not sealing. My first batch this year did great. All six sealed perfectly. The next batches had at least two fail. SO frustrating. And yes. Just tomatoes.

So sorry! I didn't see this until this morning. No specific reason except for it seems to keep the kitchen cooler and it's faster--25 mins vs. 45 mins in the water bath. I've since switched back to the water bath method. Too many failures using the pressure canner. I do great with green beans ....I don't know why my tomatoes fail at times.

Do you think they are not as meaty due to the longer shipping time and getting older or they just aren't as good this year

Both great ideas. I need to branch out and I would like some tomato paste. These tomatoes are very very juicy though. I'll do some research.

And to think I was upset earlier this summer when a storm uprooted about twenty of our plants. I am so happy that happened. 🤣

I'm eyeing the vodka as we speak. I need all the rooting you can give. It just quit pouring rain. I've already had my shower and need to get busy on todays tomatoes. I sent Ronnie to the garden to pick......I'm scared to see what he comes in with lol.

I've been lax about taking pictures. This was last weeks Imperfect. Tomatillos! Yesterdays box had a couple ears of corn that I was skeptical about, but it was good. Oh and Concord grapes. My favorite grapes.

@Kim ShookThe Silver Queen that I used to grow had the smaller kernels like you remember. Over the last few years I've switched to Nirvana--much bigger, juicier kernels. @Norm MatthewsI need to make some more of that China Coast dressing that you do. We loved it. It's still dark here at almost seven in the morning--it poured rain all night. The garden is going to be a slog. Debating on waiting until this afternoon to pick, but then it will be hot. I'm rambling. I want an iced coffee but I don't feel like making it lol. Dinners have been wedged in-between canning and cooking up tomatoes. Venison chili over zoodles with shishito peppers Every meal has a big plate of tomatoes on the side Turkey sandwiches Chicken strips Pepperoni pizza--basil from my plant on the porch Ronnie grilled beef steaks last night. Corn was pretty good--from Imperfect Foods.

Excellent year for tomatoes. I have them stacked everywhere lol. These pictures are from two days ago. I can't unload the baskets until I do my daily amount of canning. So, I've been doing six or seven quarts of just plain tomatoes every day and about every other day I've made spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce and frozen that. Thank goodness for wine. That helps lol.

Thank you Shai!!!! Enjoyed every bit of it.