It’s going to be a busy one! I woke up at 4 a.m. thinking of all I have to get done. As I tried to fall back asleep, my mind wandered .. back to my grandma and great grandma’s days, when thing seem to all happen at once and you need a clone.
Peaches: We picked the last of the peaches and I need to get them put up. Probably not going to happen today.
Pumpkins Roasting
Pumpkins: I didn’t make much progress with the pumpkins. I wanted to can them but they’re so hard to peel. By the time I had 6 quarts of pumpkin, I had two blisters on my fingers. Today I’m going to half them, scoop out the seeds, bake them and then freeze the pulp. Three are in the oven now and that’s all I can split open. Vince is going to have to chop a few of them in half for me at lunch and I’ll get a second batch done. I could put 6 of them in the oven at once . . if I could cut through them without my hands hurting.
Spaghetti Squash: There are so many of them in the garden. I’m going to start slicing them in half, scooping out the seeds, baking them in the microwave, scooping out the pulp and dehydrating it. Same problem with cutting through them.e Those skins are tough and even my knives sharpened, I struggle. Vince can whack through them with no effort.
Figs: Be careful what you ask for! The last two days, I’ve picked a lot of figs. I hope to get at least one batch of fig/strawberry jam made and canned today. I would love to get a batch of fig/rosemary jam done but that may pushing my limits.
Brisket
Brisket: I seasoned it over the weekend and every day there’s been a reason not to get it on the smoker. It’s in hte smoker! Dinner tonight!
Socks
Socks: Midnight tonight is the deadline for getting Tour-de-Socks #5 finished. I’m so close. I can do it! I can probably do it before lunch.
Pickles
Pickles: A small batch of Red Hot Cinnamon pickles. Day 3 . . my friend swears they’re worth the effort! 🙂
Now . . if I can just stay on task. I need blinders! If I walk outside, something distracts me and it’s hours before I get back in the house. Today . . I cannot go wandering around outside all day. Discipline!
I wonder how the garden looks .. or if there are more figs to pick. 🙂
Dottie N. says
I think I’ll take a nap for you – I’m worn out reading what all you’re going to get accomplished today!!! 🙂
Pat Peele says
use a hatchet to halve pumpkins! While living in New Zealand, a friend showed me how to use one with a cutting board. I can even do the large ones. I have one in the kitchen. by the way, she came down with an axe. Randy got me a nice hatchet. Good luck with your list.
pattilynn9 says
So, the old saying…when it rains it pours, applies to you today! I’m tired just thinking about your work load today!
Mary Carter says
Mmmm Red Hot Cinnamon pickles, use to make them as Christmas presents, they are sooooooo good, memories
Barbara says
I don’t have anyone to help with tough squash so I use a cleaver and pound it with a rubber mallet…a friend who lives alone told me she does it that way, so I tried it and it worked fine….not always even, but it gets it cut open or cut in hunks depending on what I need.
meredith says
When I grow spaghetti squash and pumpkins they last for months, can’t you leave them until you’re not so busy with other preserving? I’ve never grown the little pumpkins, but I have some that son Matthew grew last summer (4 months ago) just sitting on the back porch and they’re still perfect. He also grew over 30kg of tomatoes that he gave to me and it was so stinking hot I just peeled and froze them. I keep thinking I should make sauce, or chutney or relish and free up all that space, but I’m not in the mood just yet!
JudyL says
They won’t here. The ones I picked Friday were already noticeably less “fresh” than the ones I picked yesterday. I wish I could keep things a bit longer but it surely doesn’t seem to work well around here.
wanda j says
Ok here is what I do to my pumpkins. Put them in the crock pot and cook. Like you Judy I couldn’t peel the suckers at all. So I said ok we’ll try this. I put in crock pot with water and cooked them. Then the stuff just comes right off the peel with out one bit of problems. I put back in crock pot and cook and make Pumpkin (think apple butter taste) Butter and put up in jars. Oh it is so darn good all year long on bagles and toast and just about anything.