Midwest Gardening, Canning and ART play...what else to do on a rainy day?

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I've really been slipping on posting Midwest Gardening this year. It's out there in it's  bountiful glory, well that's the weeds. LOL!

After years of drought conditions our garden is exploding this year in green (lean on produce though except for CUKES), and grass is crazy long and thick. Of course so are  are the weeds. We have big trash cans of weeds and branches every week. 

This morning I pulled weeds in one 4' x16' foot bed and filled a medium garbage can to the top. Hiding in that mess were 7 ripe Japanese Eggplant..NUM. Definitely on the menu tomorrow.

I've never had such huge Tomato plants in recent years. Hoping they continue to produce, tomatoes have been small, and I've been picking them at the orange stage before the critters sample and ripening them in the kitchen window.

This week Garden production was a bit of everything. 

Early in the week I did 4 pints of Yellow Banana Pepper Pickles with onions.

We had meals with tomatoes, green beans, sweet banana peppers, and yellow summer squash. I also did a huge jug of Overnite Refrigerator Dills, post and recipe HERE.

And a big container of slightly Fresh Sweet Pickles with onions for the refrigerator. Easy post/recipe here for refrigerator those Fresh Sweet or Dill easy Danish Pickles. 

Our Cucumbers have been large and firm, totally delicious, I hope they keep going.

        

This was just one day this week. I picked three times and about the same amounts, but add Eggplants (7) and one Golden Summer Squash, the first this year.

Some things are very late this year as the plants shut down during the very hot days.

So here's a tip for too many Cherry tomatoes. I lay these cut in half on parchment paper, shiny side up, and roast them at 220 until they are all curled up and cooked. Several (HOURS). I've tried to hurry them but you end up with some burnt and lots of weeping.

They shrink, but MULTIPLY in flavor, and I slipped them into bags for the freezer. These SO enhance the flavors and make great additions to casseroles, or with/on fish/poultry/chops. I've added them to watery tomatoes in canning, say a 1/2 cup to a pint and then processed...OMGOODNESS-- GOODNESS!

All the rest of my tomatoes were cooked down into this basic sauce, skins and all with sliced onions, seasonings, and fresh Basil and Oregano. I puree almost everything with my Immersion Blender...and oh, NUM. We only got five pints, but what a time saver and more delicious than buying a $4.79 jar full of sugar, color and preservatives.

I wash my jars and heat them up in the oven at 220 degrees one hour before filling, so they don't shock when you spoon bubbling sauce into them and are placed in a boiling canner.

Jar lids and rims are boiled to apply hot to the filled jars. This is your preservative  I add 1 tsp lemon juice for color  and 1/2 tsp canning salt (preservative) to my  tomato products in pt. jars and seal. Double for quarts, but then place in Boiling water bath canner for 30 minutes after it comes back to a boil. Remove quickly and cover with towels. Until they are cool enough to uncover. (This prevents cracking of glass from temperature shock). 

Here's my messy counter setup. Center is where the covered hot tray of empty jars goes. Left, the kettle of sauce or pickles, middle where the jars are filled, right, a soft place to clean glass edges and apply hot lids/rims. Back right cork is for the boiling lids pot.

 Our 36" x 62" island is perfect for just about everything. And, the stove is right behind me on the right and the jars are popped into the canner rack as I fill them.

Besides all this, I had 24 cups of cucumbers and 8 cups of onions, salted and iced were on the side counter. Hubby replenished our Mustard seed, Celery Seed, Celery Salt, and few others. I had cleaned the spice cabinet and turntable early in the week, which is now full again. We cook over 90% of our own meals from scratch and only eat out maybe, once a week. 

Here are the steps to making the Bread Butter Pickles.

Trim the ends of your cucumbers and slice them 1/8" or so. Here are the Salted cumcumbers and Onions  with the added Quarts of ice cubes mixed in....then covered and let sit for 3 hours and Drain.

Here are the rest of the cucumbers iced and salted waiting to be drained and then simmered in a combination with of sugar, cider vinegar and herbs and spices. NUM!.

Best Ever Bread and Butter Pickles (combined recipe from 3 different sources) makes 6-7 pints.

16 cups (4 qts) of thinly sliced cucumbers.

1 1/2 cups of sliced onions (about 2 medium)

2 large garlic cloves trimmed and cleaned.

1/3 cup of canning (non iodized) salt

2 quarts of chopped ice or ice cubes

4 1/2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 tsp of turmeric 

2 tsp of celery seed

2 Tbsp of mustard seed

1 1/2 tsp of white pepper (gives a tiny kick)

3 cups of apple cider vinegar

In a very large bowl or enamel pan, add sliced cucumbers, sliced onions, whole garlic, mix everything with canning salt. Add ice and stir one more time, cover and let set for 1 1/2 hours, stir again thoroughly and cover and leave for another 1 1/2 hours. 

Drain for at least an hour in large colanders or anything that will let the water drip off. 

Meanwhile, prepare the sugar, spices and apple cider vinegar in a large pot, put on low simmer, when all ingredients are blended and lightly bubbling. 

Prepare your cleaned 6-7 jars and heat them up in the oven at 220 degrees one hour before filling, so they don't shock when you spoon boiling pickles into them and are placed in a boiling canner. Lids and rings are boiled on the stove at the same time, this is crucial. Use a jar collar while filling jars, wipe jar edges clean with wet cloth and add lid and twist rims on snug. Place in boiling water bath canner and process 30 minutes after again brought to boil. Remove one at a time on waterproof tray, cover all the jars with at least two layers of towels on all sides and leave sit. You should hear pings when the lids cool and the rims shrink tight on the jars. 

Non-sealed lids can be kept in the refrigerator and used first or reprocessed again in a waterbath. (rare) 

Fresh pickles from your garden are so delicious, these make fabulous hostess gifts or fun little presents for friends.

The rest of this week found me in my totally trashed studio. When I'm productive it gets really messy in there. So many different pieces and projects going on at once.

I finally found a very old library book (early 1940's) while thrifting. Of all titles, Pollyanna...this is pre-Disney...in all it's original sticky sweet glory. How fun. Except if I open it anywhere, there is a quote...that triggers my imagination. I had this piece sitting there not knowing where it was going, and I saw an unknown world and a bit of a path to the light...perfect for Pollyanna,  so I deco-paged the quote, 

"Polly come---here!" 

Pollyanna's eyes widened a little.

"Would you rather go there?"

 

I imbedded the quote in layers, and tints, and bit of paper looking like a butterfly. 

If you look close in the piece...you can see golden footsteps on a road...a road to where? 

Maybe it is to THERE? 

. 

My Mather Creative Mindfulness class was structured with limited colors (3 in the same family) and filling in Triangles that have centers and lines to  the centers to create pyramids of sort, and give them a three dimensional effect. I used some crappy sketchbook paper and my watercolor gel sticks, did the edges and then watered the marks into the spaces. My hands hurt too much from pulling weeds to fill in with markers, and this was easy, scribble and water. I totally love waterbased-gel sticks. Like crayons, but they instantly break down with a brush and water, and they are so fun on wet paper, like sliding down a water slide IN COLOR!

It's an interesting exercise, I may cut a stencil of something similar which would be great for collage and other paper ideas.

My Acrylic Painting class was on week 5...and they were doing the foregrounds of a designated subject. I really finished my painting for that class two weeks ago...so I fiddled with some torn paper collage while watching. Our yard is full of Tiger Lilies and sunflowers. I had yellow washed the background on this watercolor paper and I worked on top of that tint.

I love tearing paper...even to actually fit certain spaces...It's messy though. I'm working on watercolor paper on top of the shiny side of freezer paper, which is a great surface for protecting the artwork and the table, if I plan on using some alcohol inks or markers. 

Here you can see a bits of acrylic paint on the watercolor paper, and tape at each side. 

The greens are bits of glued painted tissue. I'm using watered down Satin Modge-Podge as glue for this piece. When I finally finish it will be sealed with Matte Acrylic Sealer. 

I also worked on more collage papers. I had purchased some stencils and was playing with them and a sponge applicator...super quick way to stencil.

More about these collage papers in my next post. 

What have YOU been Creating, Growing, Cooking, Reading or DOING?

Encouraging Hugs and 

Thanks always for visiting, 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

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 Dills 

Midwest Gardening: Supposed Spring Gardening April 2022

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I know this photo looks like Spring, but yesterday was only one of two days in April that it was nice. Last week we had snow three times, and we have below freezing temps forecasted this week.

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A few Daffodils have actually poked their pretty heads out. No tulips and Iris are only snips sticking up.

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We have a NEW trellis for the Clematis. I relocated the OLD birdhouse on the play set. The grand is seldom here to play on it anymore. We will begin dismantling some of it and using the materials for projects.

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Only things up on our north beds are two rhubarb plants which are doing nicely, and of course mint, same mint I have been pulling for 38 years.

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We have a few chives here and there and I already made a delicious bacon/cheese/chive spread for Easter. My beds are still covered in winter yuck---but that is sheltering the bees and helpful bugs to keep warm enough until it stops freezing. Not to mention protecting tender perennials.

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Hubby started to till this week, but finding it so very wet with the recent rains. We have moss growing on everything as we have had so few sunny days. We are about 3 1/2 weeks behind last year, weather wise.

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I baked the last of the squash and gourds and froze their goodness last week. Two big ones had gone bad, so I dumped them in the garden, as they were really rotten.

Some huge critter left some big prints in the garden with no beginning and no end???just in the middle---An Alien Critter??

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This is my peas---spot for planting, which I had planned to do today---but it's too wet, we had near an inch of rain this AM. The hose goes to the garden sink, we can easily direct waste water from cleaning vegetables wherever needed.

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Inside the greenhouse it's starting to look GREEN! Some pansies I picked up for the backyard and another special pot full. My reused plant tags are being sorted here. I have to come up with a better system, for sure.

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I planted all this in early to mid-March---Cleomes I re-planted again yesterday, very poor germination. The tomatoes are ready for transplanting. Most tomatoes were in cups--but we ran out of room in the house for more big trays.

All the plants were moved out to the greenhouse Easter week, so we would have room to eat in the kitchen.

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These tomatoes in bigger pots look great and the peppers, too.

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Has anyone noticed how few seeds are in packets this year? 

Since when are they stingy on marigold seeds?

I've really kept track of how many seeds are in the packets and the germination---I'll post soon.

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The Chinese Eggplant will need to be thinned this week, they look great!

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This Dill/Cilantro tray looks miserable...so spindly---when the sun finally came out they baked in the greenhouse. I have them in shade now to see what survives. I really have bad luck with herbs from seed.

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Here's another really skimpy seeds marigold tray. 

I will start some more with my old saved seeds.

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The Kohlrabi look great, the planter holds Chives and lettuce. Normally they are on the front porch by now---but it's going to be too cold.

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Yesterday, I finally started cucumbers (3 kinds) Zuchinni, and yellow summer squash, only a few plants of each. Also some Waltham Butternut Squash our favorite and a good keeper, along with mini gourds, and of course pumpkins for pies and decorating!

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I have three planters of Nasturtiums going ---and they all look great!

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This is Radishes and onions. We usually have fruit for Mother's Day---not this year, it will be later for sure.

We got a notice from our community and county that serious Avian Flu has been found in the area, and we have been advised to turnover birdbaths and remove all bird feeders. So sad, it has hit the farmers in Illinois also.

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We love our little tweety birds, so I filled an entire huge garbage can with dumped out feeders-(feed went to the garbage) filled it with water and quite a bit of bleach to kill any bacteria or virus that might left on them. They will be rinsed and stored, and used again when we have the all clear. 

I'm sure the squirrels will be unhappy at not getting any 'leavings' on the ground, and the bunnies, too. Early AM I see a sweet bunny nibbling the thrown seeds and also the tender grasses created around our patio stones.

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The Bleach---will kill the virus, even though it's the NOT-Green thing to do. Birds are very important to all ecology systems and need to be protected.

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I can't wait for some Spring flowers...

My neighbors yard with the white Narcissus, so pretty. 

Tomorrow the electrical power stack, meter, fuse panel, main power line, and line to the garage are all being REDOne by contractors. This is something we can't do ourselves. Tuesday and Wednesday roofers install a new roof  and  gutter system. They are even going to hook up our rain barrels, and work out proper drainage for our 'on a slight hill house'.

That's if the weather holds!

See you on the other side...of lots of money spent on nothing pretty. 

OOPS---last minute addition

I got one long tray of Bachelor Buttons planted in the greenhouse and then....

WE HAVE TICKS in the GREENHOUSE---&#!@*!!!

More on that later!

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. Please do not use my photos without permission. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts, or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Sandi 

Midwest Gardening: July 1st after the RAINS

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After my last blog post, I went outside for entire day and clipped and deadheaded and surveyed the rain damage. Surprisingly everything was thriving because of the natural water instead of our calcium laden well water. 

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One thing we do is plant flowers around the vegetable garden and inside too. 

Remember my sunflowers last year...yikes, who knew. I only planted short varieties this year. These Nasturtiums are the bees favorites...so are great for around the garden.

We had our huge Silver Maple trees professionally trimmed this year, so we are getting mottled shade in parts of the garden. A blessing actually during the horrendous heat wave.

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Last thing I planted on a rainy day was this little flower garden in the middle of the vegetable garden, with our starts and seeds.  It gets the mottled shade and seems quite happy. The white Alyssum is huge and continous blooming.

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More Nasturtiums mixed with onions and herbs. Two large round pots of salad!

We have 4 separately fenced areas for produce. And, large pots keep nibblers at bay.

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One day just before our rains came, I filled in all the garden bare spots (where seeds were eaten or just didn't germinate. With the natural rain...the Hubbard squash succeeded with rain and moderate temps. I will pole these to  the fence for climbing when they are larger. 

We have spare pieces of trellis if we need them.

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I planted multi-coloredcarrots and some radish tapes which are still too thick. We are late on these also...the first plantings died in the heat.

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Before the rain, I had pruned all the tomatoes to  the basic yielding branches. You would never know it after 12" or more of rain.  Thick and sturdy and finally blossoming, but needing another clipping of excess greenery. 

TIP: Trim your tomatoes to encourage larger fruit.

NOTE: Plants won't seem to blossom during too hot weather, nor during extended gray rainy days. 

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The Green Beans are definitely climbing. This wall gets sun about half the day, and hopefully the beans will stay tender. Last year I planted them along the north wall, they did well, but were a bit dry even when young, due to our continuous winds.

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Something new for us---bush pickles along the ground, instead of up a trellis. We still have Burpless and Chicago Pickler going up the center garden trellis.

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Something else that is late are the Sweet Pod Peas and they were planted first. 

Peas don't like heat, so I plant them where they get a bit of shade. But, now they took off and should begin blossoming this week. At the base is a thick row of Ruby Red Chard...which I will thin for salads. By the time the peas are done...the Chard can take over this spot! Chard is super healthy and freezes well with a quick blanch and ice.  Again the shade should keep it tender.

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After struggling in the heat, the yellow summer squashes and Zucchini are taking off! And, looking very healthy.,

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Our green sea of tomato plants...and this is way less than last year.

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Turnips....something different.  We love roasted root vegetables in Fall. 

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Behind our lot, our neighbor is trying some sort of Grass that gets huge for a privacy screen. The rain sure helped them get going, as they were little sprigs when he first planted.

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I planted a couple of Holly Hocks back by his woodpile along the lot line. We have had a lot of mature trees damaged in storms over the last few years. Trimming or removal is a safety issue.

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Here are 4 o'clocks, a new clematis and a bunch of Zinnia seeds (and weeds), a Russian Sage and smaller version of Phlox under here. The dirt here isn't the best. Hopefully the clematis will grab hold, it is on the lower left. They are hard to get started.

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Along the north edge, I  have two HUGE Rhubarb plants which loved the rain. I'll be cutting back on the weekend.

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Only two Chinese Eggplant this year, but they are happy and blossoming. They are behind a fence, critters love them.

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All those weedy looking plants in the back are Chinese lanterns...which we usually forget about and pull out as weeds in Spring. I let the few that made it go to seed last year, and now I have an entire wall of lantern plants. They will be fun to decorate with in Fall.

We planted extra dill for the Monarchs and for pickles. 

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Sweet Peas finally started to bloom (almost a month late)

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More Holly Hock photos...they are gorgeous this year.

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but, we have to bug spray these or they are eaten alive.

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The white ones seemed to ruffle this year? I leave the stalks dry and sprinkle the seeds along the fence. It takes two years to get flowers...they are Biennials, so forecasting seeds every year ensures continuous blooms.

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These are my original ones...love the soft burgundy centers!

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Our very mature Giant Hosta. I keep saying I'm going to split and move...and in Fall we never get it done. Love the leaves, and this is a low spot in the yard for drainage so they get tons of water. It's early for blooms which they do when they are root bound, another sign I should split them.

My camera battery died, so that's all for today. I'll be taking more photos of what's growing in our plot...Besides Everything! 

What's Thriving and Not in your GARDEN? 

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