Monday, August 23, 2010

Pickles to Spare

I'm still on the canning/preserving merry-go-round and can't seem to get off. When will it stop? (I'm not really complaining; just getting dizzy!)

With the last batch of pickles I made this past weekend, I decided I had enough put by, so I could cross "Make pickles" off my list for this year. But when I wandered over to the pickling cucumber vines this afternoon, what did I see but another batch of perfect pickle sized cucs taunting me.

Before I dared even contemplate making "just one more batch," I ran to the telephone and called Patty (Let's Get Real) to see if she might want them. I caught her just at the right time as she was ready to head in my direction (she's a half hour away from me) and said she'd be glad to have the cucs to make pickles.

Here she is by the pickling cucumber trellises. Her helpers aren't her own girls but rather two friends of her girls who had been visiting. Patty was on the way to delivering them to their own home in town. The girls were good pickers and we got a really nice batch of pickles-to-be for her in no time.

We moved over to the bed of dill so Patty could take some home for her pickle making. You can see one of the girls investigating a nearby garden bed and exclaiming over "the really BIG pickles" she found. (It was a bed of slicing cucumbers.)

Earlier today I promised myself I'd work on that last box of "stuff" that needs to be sorted through and fit into my new desk . . . but I feel so pooped now (a little after 8 p.m.) that I'm tempted to knock it off for the night. How many votes do I hear for a shower, jammies, a glass of wine and a good book? Sure sounds good to me!

12 comments:

Chicken Herder from Westville said...

1 vote!!

Leigh said...

And another! Great idea to pass those cukes on to another pickler. I love your trellis BTW. I should do that next year.

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

It is a hard decision to stop canning. I think I might go through withdraw when the season is over. Your cukes look great.

Mama Pea said...

Chicken Herder - Welcome and thanks for commenting! And especially for your supportive vote!

Leigh - This was the first year for our "cattle panel" trellises. I'm sold on them. But it was also the first year I didn't take the time and effort to tie up the cuc vines when they first started to grow. As a result, half of them headed across the ground for greener pastures (what a mess) while the other half had the good sense to climb the trellis.

jane - I'm ready for withdrawal! I'm starting to wonder what I did with myself all day when there was no produce from the garden to put up. ;o)

Erin said...

I have a cuke trellis like that... too bad I can never get out there in time to weave them onto it LOL! And remember the merry go round? Usually it gets stopped by someone grabbing it and everyone flies off it! Another great use of child labor by Patty, she better post some pickles on her blog this week!

Kaytee said...

I know how you feel! It just won't stop. I was about to cross pickles off my list yesterday too, then I realized I didn't make any hamburger chips, and we REALLY love them. So now I need to go on a hunt for pickling cucumbers!

Mama Pea said...

Erin - I think Patty mentioned she wouldn't be able to go into pickle making mode until Wednesday. [We're not putting any pressure on you at all, Patty! ;o)]

Kaytee - If you need more pickling cucs, come on over. Looks like I'll still have a bunch coming on! And we'd sure hate to waste them. :o)

Susan said...

I finally went out yesterday and ripped out my cucumber vines. It was such a relief! I made another 10 pints of pickles, so I now officially have enough pickles to last well into 2015. BTW, I will be emailing you about a certain little surprise that was waiting for me yesterday...

Mama Pea said...

Susan - What about giving some jars of your homemade pickles as lovely, little Christmas presents? I would think they would be much appreciated. [Then you can start all over again next year! ;o)]

My vines STILL have a gazillion blossoms on them so I won't tear them out unless I can't find some one who wants the pickling cucs.

Got your lovely e-mail. Thanks. :o)

Patty said...

Mama Pea and Erin- You can see my pickles on my blog now! I made three batches today. Fun fun!

Patty said...

Oh, and I'm late for voting, but I definitely vote for a well deserved rest any time! And, thanks again for the cukes. I'm totally thrilled to have all those pickles tucked away!

Mama Pea said...

Patty - Three batches! Wa-hoo! Glad you got so many canned up. Just let me know if you want/need more. Lots left out there.