Gardens and History

72°f again this morning, but overcast almost all day.  High of 93.

All around us people are getting rain. Some just get showers, others are getting drenched,  but here we sit,  high and dry. Ah me.

I went out to the garden today for the first time in over a week. Usually this time of year, I am in the kitchen canning, and Larry has to take over in the gardens. This year is no exception. The good thing is he loves to harvest, and keeps a steady supply rolling in to keep me more than busy. But today I needed some dill, so I ran out to get it myself. I have to say, I was more than pleased with what I saw. First off, I was sure the dill had dried out in the heat, but no, it looked great, with nice fresh flowerheads. Basil looked good too. I planted both of these under the cucumber arch, hoping the shade would protect them. That, and the fact that we have diligently watered the cucumbers definitely helped the herbs.

I was happy to see my late cabbages are thriving, the butternut squashes have many fruits, the turnip seeds all germinated, and the tomatoes are still looking good despite the heat. The cucumbers and rattlesnake beans are about played out but we got plenty from them, and the late beans, summer squash,  cucumbers, tomatoes and corn all are getting ready to start producing. With a lot of watering, that is--no rain in the forecast for the next week.  The kale is doing well and so are the Brussel sprouts.  I have to say, again, that I am so very glad we mulched so much this year of all years. Even the lettuce I planted a few weeks ago looks good, and isn't bitter. Lettuce will get bitter with too much heat and not enough water, but the mulch and regular watering seem to have prevented that. 

So, I am pretty happy about the gardens right now. They are a little weedy but not bad. Larry dug some new potatoes, which I cooked with some beans and bacon, and oh my, how delicious. The potatoes are not all large, but some are good-sized.

Today I made more dill pickles, and tried a new recipe called marinated salad, which is basically tomatoes, onions, cucumber slices, and garlic in a brine. It is supposed to be good as a pasta salad, but we shall see. I only did a few pints as an experiment.

Yesterday's trip to Huntington was uneventful, just long. Everything is so dry it just isn't pretty like it usually is. I didn't even take photos. The construction on the big NuCor steel plant continues, and on the way home we passed literally hundreds of construction workers, heading home. Itbis already having an economic impact on an area that sorely needs it, but itbstill makes me sad to see those beautiful river bottoms turn into factories and parking lots. 

I am sure there are probably Native American historical ruins and sites that are being covered up during this construction. Because when money is talking, history often means nothing. That valley was a well-used area in prehistoric times,  and there were many burial mounds, most of which were plowed under or leveled for farming. Artifacts are still routinely found. But all that will be pushed aside when there are thousands of jobs to be had. I sort of understand,  but I am sorry what will be lost in the process.

Tomorrow is booth day, so I need to get to bed. See you all tomorrow in blogland!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.