Sunday, September 13, 2026

Garden Journal #9 - Let's make salsa! (Sept. 10, 2026)

 



Hello dear friends! It's been a bit since I last shared a garden journal. In this journal video I decided to take you along with me while I make a batch of salsa.  There is a bit of garden chatter, an adorable bee moment in the snapdragons, and chickens! 

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The chopper I use: https://a.co/d/0guJ05u5

Youtube channels I was watching or mentioned during the video:
Corrina @corrinaiscrafty 
Andrew @therunnerstitcher 
Heather @SageandStoneHomestead
Oline @norwegianknitter 
EJ and Sheila @SunshineStitchers 
Barb @barbolivieri-soshesewsquil4867 

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Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Season of salsa

 Last week I was busy with stuff, man, stuff. ... (Do you remember where that line is from?) 

The mundaneness of the harvest season.  I could tell you what I was doing, but ... well, it's all sort of a blur. When I wasn't working, I was working on preserving, prepping for preserving, feeling overwhelmed or tired, or thinking about hunting. Which is coming up right quick. 

I was also working towards an early deadline for work since we had Monday off for Labor Day. 

A three-day weekend looked really good by the time I signed off of work on Friday afternoon. 

The weekend was a productive one. 

Saturday we went to town to get some needed staples and once we got back home I did a quick tidy up before heading out to the garden, to give it some attention after ignoring it almost the entire week. 

Tomatoes! 

So many tomatoes were ready for picking, and I said to my husband "Salsa time!" Well, salsa time again. I've made a batch of salsa already and was waiting for the next flush of tomatoes to come in. 

Red and ready to be made in to something delicious. 



My husband came out to the garden and helped me harvest what ended up being five gallons of tomatoes. 

Some of the slicers were HUGE.


I saved these two for sandwiches. 


This is just the start. There are still a ton of tomatoes on the plants, waiting to blush red. 

I've made a few batches of salsa this weekend. Yum! 

When I started prepping for salsa I had an idea ... Oh boy did I have an idea. 

I decided to scrap my original garden journal idea and make a video of myself making salsa. 

Eeks! 

I've never done anything like this. I haven't looked at the video clips yet.  

It's coming soon, to a Youtube near you. I hope.  Unless the clips are dreadful.  Then I'll go back to my original idea.

Other aspects of the weekend included a foggy trip to town. I do believe this was Saturday. How dreary!


Then, on Monday (happy Labor Day) we got up at our usual time.  Well, my usual time, I don't know what time he got up. 😆 We made an early trip to Menards to buy some supplies for a project. 

Check out that sunrise.


When we were at the store I meandered my way over to the Halloween decor. 


I also saw one of those shelves that is in the shape of coffin. It's interesting.  Not for me, though. I decorate for just Christmas. Plus, it was $30. 



When we got back home my husband started working on his project.  Pictures to follow in a later blog post.  I went out to the garden and did something new-to-me. 

I've never planted anything in the fall.  My growing zone is too short to have a second grow season. 

However, it's not too short to try growing a second crop of radishes.  


Radishes and lettuce.  I forgot to take a picture of the container I tossed some mixed greens lettuce  seeds in. Don't worry, you aren't missing anything. 

I know I've said it before; my crafting has slowed way down. I've also been focusing on one cross stitch project. Mostly.  

"Love is Patient, Love is Kind," by Artful Offerings. This is a stitch-along piece I'm working on with Denise over at Black Ribbon Stitch Studio. 


I started a new vanilla sock. 

Toe-up this time. 


It's been ages since I've done a toe-up sock. I suppose I'll have to dig out my Wendyknits book when it's time to knit the heel. 

What else .... Oh, yes, I worked a few rows on my Porkie Island Shawl.  No photos at this time. The shawl was in time out for a bit because I messed up a row.  I had to rip back four rows.  It was not a fun time. I seem to be back on track now. 

Today was back to work. I woke up to rain. It started raining sometime last night and it helped me sleep.  I slept very soundly. 

My sense of time is a bit off, thanks to no work yesterday. This week is going to be a busy one, I'm thinking.  If I have a successful opening weekend, next week is going to be even more busy. Wish me luck on that one.  






Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Well, Hello there September ...

 When I was busy doing other things, August went by in a blink. 

That's how it seems, anyway. 

The garden bounty is starting to come in. Check out these tomatoes!


I've been busy with canning and fermenting. 


My fellow flosstubers were keeping me company while I was making sauerkraut and fermenting radishes.  If you haven't had fermented radishes, I encourage you to give them a try.  They are so good for your gut health.


I've also done some dehydrating. 

This past weekend I was able to participate in a zoom yarn circle hosted by the two women in the Yarn Over With Us Podcast.  It was so much fun! I wasn't able to participate as much as I'd like because I was busy making salsa. I had so much fun sharing what I was doing and showing off my progress.

Yup, I'm the queen of multitasking, or some such thing. But look at that salsa! 


I pulled some salsa out to check the heat level, before adding the cilantro. My husband tasted it and deemed it the perfect amount of heat. Yay! 


I probably haven't spent as much time out in the garden as I should. 


The tomato plants are still growing and producing. 


The marigolds are in their prime. 

I've been working on a garden video. I'm hopeful to get it out by the end of the weekend. 

What else ... 

Last week I had a work trip. I attended a meeting. Mostly to observe, but I did end up speaking for a few minutes. 

It rained after I made it to the destination.



I think we are pretty much ready for hunting season. I picked out yarn for vanilla socks to work on while I'm out in the blind. 

I may have already started that pair of socks ... *whistles and looking innocent* 

And then I broke into my snacks. ... I'm probably going to have to get more snacks for when I'm sitting out. Darn me for having such tasty snacks. 

It's still pretty green out there in the back 20. 


The first signs of fall are here. 


I've been crafting in between the things.  Not as much as I would like, of course, but enough that I feel progress on some things. 

One morning, before I started doing the weekend things, I crocheted on one of my Maeve Squares while watching an episode of Kinda Loopy


I did a cross stitch birthday stitch along with my friend Mair, and stitched "Picking Strawberries" by LumiStitch.  

All done!



I'll post the stats in the shownotes of my next flosstube. 

I'm back in PT.  For a short amount of time. I hope. *fingers crossed* 

In my last flosstube I mentioned going back to PT and trying a few new things to see if any of it helps what I'm dealing with. I'm seeing some improvement. 

I thought I'd never see this tapestry again. It gives me something to stare at in the waiting room, if I don't bring my knitting. 



So I guess that's brings everyone up to speed.  Works been busy-ish. Life is busy-ish, while we do the things. Oh, I just realized I forgot to write any kind of update of the garage remodel.  I'll save that for another day. It is super close to being done. 

Oh, one last thing.  Last week a friend contacted me and asked for my address. I thought she was sending me one thing, and she did send what she said she would.  BUUUUUUUTTTTT, she also included something else. 

Oh my gosh, isn't she precious? 


I knew right away where I'd put her.  Next to Furby Jr., of course. 

Furby Jr. is thrilled to have another hen in the house. She's got a friend to have girl talk with.  Furby's Boyfriend looks like he's not sure what to make of having another hen in the house. Or, he's getting ideas in his little pea brain. 😂


The new girl has a name, too.  Everyone, meet Miss Wendy.