Mustard Pickles, Mustard Beans...



The whole process starts by peeling and chopping
11 (yes, indeed, eleven) cups of cucumbers.

Our cucumber plants have proven to be some prolific little buggers. And even though the vines are now swooning like B-movie scream queens in this heat, they're still producing chubby little gherkins. Last week we made "crock" pickles. This weekend, thanks to an amazing new canning book we got last season, we're making mustard pickles. And since Michael picked so many green beans this morning, we also made mustard beans. Just below are pictures of the progress....so you have the full effect, wanna know what was on the CD player while we worked? This recording from The Skillet Lickers. 

Chopped cucumbers, onions, red peppers.



Us at the sink! :-D

Clearjel, sugar, ginger, tumeric, vinegar, and water

Michael fills the quart jars before they go into the

boiling water bath.

A close-up of the filling process...just cause the
contents are so purty.

Mustard pickles right out of the canner.
Aren't they beee-you-tiful?

We start to cut green beans, and Fred is Johnny
on the spot. "Why, excuse me, would you care to make
a donation to the Jimmy Fund?"

Bun, cleaning beans and imitating Fred's usual
dour expression.

Not just green breans, clean beans.

Beans and onions, destined for the mustard sauce!

The dish fairy was here. Again.

Jasper and his rubber chicken, the current love of his
life. We pulled his pillow to the kitchen entrance, so
he would stay out from under foot. It worked some
of the time. Right now, he's trying to nap. Trying.

And while all this was going on, our little bread machine
made a loaf of white bread for tomato sandwiches.
Mmmmmm.........

It's mid-July and the garden, she is beautiful!

Behind the fence that protects our berry bushes,

there is a small pig waiting to bite ankles. Watch it.

Our purple Grandpa Ott morning glories are the first
to bloom every year. Just goes to show that
grandpas are usually early risers.



From far to near: volunteer sunflowers, Country Gentleman
sweet corn, black beans, moribund garden door.



From near to far: black beans, hot peppers,
cantalope, watermelon, and cucumbers.



Bun's pole bean trellises



The blooms on our Scarlet Runner Beans are so
pretty, no?

And some winter squash shot a runner under the
pole beans and into the pathway.

We have a series of little watermelons. They
start out as little nubbins.

Zucchini on the vine...the next posting will contain
a picture of the cake I made with them.

Three kinds of beets and a variety of carrots. Tomatoes are furthest away.

Our Lady of Perpetual Watering watches over our
strawberries. She's not the best berry guardian, though.
The house wrens in the bird houses near the garden
are chowing on our little red beauties before I get them.