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Friday, June 21, 2013

Pickles and squash bugs

Some rearranging had to be done up at the garden this morning.  Just a day or so ago a friend asked if the deer ever bothered the Hosta.  I said "never".  Well...I couldn't believe my eyes this morning!!!  Nothing but nubs left in these pots!!!  What's left is now in the little greenhouse to recover.  I'm not sure if the leaves will grow back this season.  Anyway, now that everything is rearranged, it looks better.   Sometimes change is good!!!



There were a few large Hostas the deer couldn't reach, or were saving for tonight...The little greenhouse looks better with the plants back inside...



Being in the kitchen all the time is just "not my cup of tea"!!! I am no great pickle maker either...maybe good at getting myself in a pickle!!!  Anyway, I made a jar of pickles this morning.  There's cucumbers in the garden, but not for long.  The army of squash bugs is moving in even as I write, I've seen them!!!  Seriously, I love pickles and this is the easiest recipe...





Refrigerator "Cucumber Delight Pickles"

In a large Bowl:

Layer:  sliced cucumber
               sliced onion
                2 cloves garlic
                fresh dill

Boil        2 cups water
                2 cups white vinegar
                 1 cup sugar
                 3 T. salt 

Cool, and pour over pickles.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 days.  Put in jars.  These pickles will keep for 3 weeks.

To show you just how great I am in the kitchen, I realize now as I type this "easy" recipe that I did my pickles wrong.  I sliced and packed them in the "jar", not a bowl...I was supposed to let everything sit in the bowl in the frig for 3 days!!!  Oh well, maybe these will be okay.  If you don't hear from me again, you'll know why!!! :)

Speaking of squash bugs!!! :(  Where do they come from and how do you get rid of the pests???  Once upon a time, people could grow squash and cucumbers when nothing else would grow!!!  I can remember begging friends and neighbors to take home a bag full.   Now, as soon as the vines get big and beautiful those ugly bugs invade.  One day the plant is big and healthy, the next day it is wilted and dying.  Last summer we didn't get even one squash from the garden.  "Darn squash bugs"!!!

Oh, I was worried about the new chicks sleeping in the chicken house...well I went out to supervise (with my fly swatter) as the hens flew up on the roost and to my surprise, all six of the babies were sitting as close as possible on a roost.  There was very little fussing and fighting...thank goodness!!!



It's pretty hard to keep the inside of a chicken house clean...As you can see...(I could never swat a hen.  Just wanted you to know) :)


Thank you, if you're still there.

Love,
Henny Penny



 

2 comments:

  1. Dear Henny,
    Your pickle recipe made my day! I would love to have 'some' pickles, but don't necessarily want shelf upon shelf of them.
    You made me laugh with your take on the missing hostas. May as well laugh as get all bent out of shape over it.

    A friend just told me to boil down the leaves of rhubarb and then strain the liquid and put in a bottle. Spray around the perimeter of the garden to keep critters away. At this point, I'll try it! Have you ever heard of doing that?

    Have a great day.

    Love,
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jen,

      I'm so glad to hear from you!! I have never heard of boiling rhubarb leaves for a spray. It's sure worth a try. I set out a rhubarb plant a couple of years ago, but could not get it to live. I don't know if rhubarb will grow here. Let me know how your pickles turn out. I'm sure you will do a better job at making the pickles than I did!! :)

      Love,
      Henny

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