Tuesday, August 19, 2014

So Far This Week . . .


It appears I planted too many beans.
  Again


We're having some heavy
weather and rain.
Again.

It's not helping the continuing 
roofing project.


But I get a rest from preserving.

Raspberries are dropping off the canes
like flies though.


Two little adorable munchkins
(of the human variety) 
are creating enchanting havoc in our
house for a couple of days.

We're having to admit which summer projects are
 NOT going to get done this summer.


There's a marauding black bear
back up on our hillside.


A timber wolf has been checking out 
our chickens.
(Fence between thankfully.)


I have a real longing for dark winter
mornings and sleeping late.

I am reminding myself this super-busy time
of year doesn't
last forever.

24 comments:

Kelly said...

I like your bean problem :) My rabbits ate all my green beans :/ I'm going to repair the garden fence and try again this Fall!
The bear and wolf on the other hand sounds pretty scary, stay safe. Winter will be here before you know it and we will all be wishing it was Summer, lol!!!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Love that last photo. Yep, doesn't last forever. I really need to plant more beans. My plants are browning and shriveling up already.

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - Can I send you some beans? Like a 50 pound sack full?

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - I'll bet the rabbits think you're a very nice person to plant all those tender beans for them!

Bears and wolves are not uncommon in our area. Unfortunately, it's the domestic dogs left tied out that suffer. A pack of wolves will run down a dog, but if the dog is tied and helpless, they are like sitting ducks and a single wolf won't hesitate to kill it. Bears are usually more interested in destroying apple trees and berry plantings. Unless they go through a shed wall (yes, we had that happen) to get at grain.

Liz said...

Now thats a lot of beans! I hope the wolf stays away from those chicks! Enjoy your grands!

You Can Call Me Jane said...

I haven't had a chance to stop by here in forever...but oh, my lands!! You have a field of beans!! It made me start twitching to look at it as I have had a hard time keeping up with our modest (puny, compared yours bed) bean arbor. I think you should have a bean party- invite the townspeople to come help pick and snap and in return they can take a bag home (and you've gotten some much needed help) :-). Blessings, Mama Pea! I've missed reading you!

Susan said...

Just how many acres of beans did you plant (for your family of 12...)? :) I never plant enough, darn it. But I am trying to hold myself back from putting in a raised bed for every single vege that I grow. It would cover the front yard. Hey - no grass to cut! I may rethink my garden plan.

Tombstone Livestock said...

That looks like a commercial bean field enough to feed the world. Looks good. Wish you would stop hogging all that rain. Wild fire started yesterday at 2:00 in the afternoon in small mountain town 70 miles north of me, as of this morning it was already at 1200+ acres and no containment. Have friends in that area as well as the mill I take my wool too.

Mama Pea said...

Liz - I DID plant too many beans . . . but the picture is of a whole farmer's field of beans. Me trying to be funny. The fence around the chickens is electrified and the wild animals seem to have a healthy respect of it. Fortunately!

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Jane - Good to hear from you again. I fooled you! I actually have only two 16' long rows of beans . . . which are still too many, it's proving to be. I plant the same amount every year and always have to beg friends and neighbors to take my excess. When will I learn! :o)

Mama Pea said...

Susan - I can't believe you don't plant enough beans! I will take a picture (if it ever stops raining) of my actual two rows of beans in the garden. They both spread to 4' across and are bearing like crazy.

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - It IS a commercial bean field! I didn't think anyone would think I actually planted THAT many beans!

This year we could certainly afford to send you about half of our rain. We've had a few forest fires around here in years past so I know what that feels like, but it seems you have to go through it year after year anymore. Not good.

tpals said...

Hmm, how long would it take to drive up to your area for free beans? :) Mine were sad this year, only producing 4 quarts before giving up. I planted a second crop but don't hold much hope they will produce before it freezes.

Leigh said...

Well, you had me going there. I couldn't imagine any one person or couple planting all those beans, LOL. I'm getting enough to can a few quarts every so many days. Better than last year which produced none.

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

Love your bean garden!!! We had so much success with our beans the beginning of spring, we are on our second planting and are loving it. We've canned and froze all kinds of beans. We make bean meals all the time................I guess you could say were bean crazy.

I so remember the bears and wolves when living in upper Michigan. We would have them coming right up to the house banging on the door and walls. The bears always loved all of the berries on the property.

Living in Oklahoma, we don't really see bears in this part. We do get a lot of rabbits, skunks, squirrels, possum, and the bob cat.

Sparkless said...

But in the winter all you do is dream of your gardens and gardening.

Mama Pea said...

tapls - Boy, if you were closer you could have all the beans you want! Do we dare hope for a long fall before the first hard freeze?

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - On the one hand, beans are about the easiest garden crop to grow. But in the past few years, so many of us have had with bugs and/or diseases in the beans. I've been fortunate this year and my two 16' long rows are just lush!

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Hooray for a good bean crop! Beans are a good, staple vegetable, that's for sure.

I can tell you don't miss the wildlife of the north country! ;o) They're beautiful to see but sure can be bothersome when they lose their fear of humans.

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - The only time I get overwhelmed is when everything in the garden matures at the same time . . . which is almost always the case up here in our short growing season. I'm a real stickler for processing the food as soon as I pick it so when I have five things that need to be harvested and processed in one day, I get a little tired. If we could just figure out how to space the harvests all through June, July, August and September . . . good luck on that one, right? ;o)

Mollie said...

I thought for sure you must take your beans to a Farmers' Market when I saw all those rows of beans! Good one. And yes, harvest time is a busy time. Not that I'm harvesting anything myself. ;-) Glad to hear things grew well even though your winter was long.

Michelle said...

I love working my garden and canning for the winter. But by this time of year I am like you. I am ready for cooler weather and more down time. These last two months I have been living in my kitchen.

Mama Pea said...

Mollie - Farmer's Market? Heck, I could supply the whole county with that many beans! :o) It is amazing how well our garden is doing when I think it probably lost about 30 days of growing time (!) this summer.

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Yes! It seems like we get absolutely nothing else done except harvesting and processing, doesn't it? Tomorrow I'm freezing sugar snap peas, shell peas, green beans and canning raspberries. After that? I hope somebody will put me to bed! But I so agree with you . . . I do love doing it.