Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Garden Harvest

Our garden hasn't done as nearly as well as we had hoped, but we have been able to get a few good pickings out of it. This is the harvest from last Tuesday (6-14).

A few cucumbers, okra, and cherry tomatoes.

Squash - - there was about twice as much already in the refrigerator!

Some of the zucchini were HUGE! I was able to get about 5 cups shredded out of each of the bigger ones.

Mess of green beans

Grandma snapping the beans.

A few of the really long green beans.

Heaping pile of black-eyed peas.


Grandma shelling peas. She couldn't ever remember shelling peas (which she's done all her life) and wasn't sure if she would be able to do it. I showed her how it was done and she got to work on her pile. After she had been working on the peas for a few minutes, I asked her if she was doing alright. "This is the easiest job I've ever had!" she said.


At the end of the day...2 quarts of boiled squash, 10 quarts of shredded zucchini, 10 bags of raw zucchini spears, 2 quarts of green beans, and 1 quart of black-eyed peas. We ate the okra for supper that night.

My first-ever batch of bread and butter pickles! Chris and Grandma gave them the stamp of approval. I don't care for them, so I'm working on some dill pickles as we speak (or write)!













Friday, June 17, 2011

Mississippi Trip...Friendship Tree

Part of our drive along the coast was to visit the Friendship Tree in Gulfport, MS. We have visited this tree since I was a little kid. It's always so fun to go see.



Interesting history..."I was a sapling when Columbus sailed into the Caribbean and was fully grown by Napolean's reign."

The tree is absolutely HUGE!

Grandma Kate, Heather and Chris.

I kind of like him. :)

Grandpa Lester is one handsome man!

Mom and Grandma Kate.

Throwing acorns...

At me...

Grandpa Lester and Grandma Kate

Why is it so difficult to get a good picture?

Mom and Dad

Yes, he rang it.

Mississippi Trip http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Chris and I were able to travel to Biloxi, MS over Memorial Day weekend to visit my grandparents. My parents also came down from Illinois and my brother and sister-in-law came down from Indiana. We had a lot of fun together! I didn't bother to pull my camera out for a lot of the visit, but I did a few times.

We spent a lot of time just sitting around visiting. My grandparents have a beautiful home with a nice patio. It was enjoyable to just sit outside and talk.


Grandpa Lester talking with my cousin, Alec.

My aunt, uncle, and cousins live right next door to my grandparents. They have two beautiful cats. They let the cats out every evening and the boys have to chase them around the yard to get them back in the house. It's quite entertaining.

Alec is waiting for the perfect moment to grab up the cat.

Grandpa and Grandma just live about 5 minutes from the coast. One evening, we took a drive down along the coast.

For someone who claims to hate the beach, he sure was quick to walk on out there!

Grandpa Lester wants nothing to do with going out on the beach!

Isaac and Heather taking a nice walk through the sand.

Had to do it....


Mom and Chris out in that nasty water. (Pardon the awful picture, my camera was having some issues.)

Dad, Mom, Chris, Isaac, and Heather.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the coast, an artist came through and created carvings out of trees that had fallen down.

Another carving. I really liked this one.

Chris out in the water.

So pretty!