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What a rainy week.  Good for the garden and getting things growing, but miserable to do anything outside.

Would you believe it…already have so many strawberries I have to dehydrate to preserve them for winter.  Wash berries, drain, slice them in half lengthwise, fill three web-type  trays,  set the temp to low, and off they go! Ready in about 6 hours. Then store in quart jars with caps and vacuum seal. Added rings…

Gone.  Hopped away, or cat got it.  So sad.

Planted 2nd patch of green beans.  First patch sprouted.

For some unknown reason, a sparrow  built her nest inside the chicken coop.  I have tried blocking them out and destroying early nests, but they somehow succeed in nesting there,  Trouble is, when the babies drop out of the nest, the chickens kill them.  One fell out today and I was able to rescue it,…

The heirloom yellow pear tomato seeds have survived the winter and 8 have sprouted in random places in the garden.  When they are 4-6 inches tall, I will transplant to the preferred area and stake them.  They grow tall, no , REALLY tall.  They are small but wonderfully flavorful.  They have tender skins and do…

First tomato blossom appeared today.  As the blossoms appear, I will go out and “tickle” them.  This means gently wiggle the blossom with my finger to distribute pollen.  Bees don’t.  Wind will, but I do better.

Picked the first of this year’s fruits.  Delicious!  Now every day I will pick, dehydrate for storage, sell to neighbors, or eat fresh.

Sweet potato starts sprouted from last year’s sweet potatoes in the planter in the kitchen.  They are now big and strong enough and it is warm enough to set them out in the garden.  Each start is planted separately (not the whole old potato like whites).  Each day, more dirt is heaped on top.  It…