Garden goodness

Drought.  We are in a bad drought where we live.  Supposedly, #3 of all times.  We have been very fortunate though.  We have rural water for the house, but the well is still functioning.  We spent so much time watering this summer and weeding and nurturing our garden.  We live off of our garden - through canning and processing all the produce.  We definitely enjoy it fresh as well!  Below are some pictures of what we have picked and a list of our processing so far. 

By no means am I bragging....I want to document the bountiful blessings that we have been given this summer....as a reminder when things get tough of the way that God has provided.  Even though the drought hasn't greatly affected our garden, our family has definitely been in a drought spiritually and emotionally.  We have been going through a few tough months.  This provision that God has provided for us physically is a good reminder of what He can do spiritually and emotionally.  To God be the glory in this time of drought.

Peas - 17 2ish cup bags frozen
Potatoes - almost 300 pounds - canned 28 quarts and saved rest to eat or process later
Peaches - 225 pounds put into 84 quarts, dried some as well and ate a lot fresh
Blueberries - 2 5 qt pails picked - several frozen into 2 cup bags and some dried
Beets - 55 pints and 7 quarts
cauliflower and broccoli - several bags (15 of various sizes?) put into freezer and much eaten fresh
mock apple rings made with cucumbers - 42 pints
lime pickles made with cucumbers - 12 pints
onions - 80 lbs
V8 juice made with tomatoes - 43 quarts
whole tomatoes with onions/peppers - 4 quarts
corn - 52 3ish cup bags frozen
Salsa made with 100% garden veggies - 50 jars varying sizes
carrots - 21 quarts
tomato sauce to be used for taco sauce - 4 quarts and 1 pint
tomato soup - 18 pints and 7 quarts
pumpkin - 6 2 cup bags frozen
zucchini - several 2 and 4 cup bags put in freezer (21 pints zucchini bread canned)

Cantelope.  They were absolutely delicious!

Carrots that we picked and ended up canning.

Our 4 children in the cauliflower leaves. 

Cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, tomatoes, banana peppers

Our 4 largest onions

Our onions all braided and shallots on the left going up and down

Miscellaneous thoughts....and pictures!

This is my chore charts that are now hanging in my "new" schoolroom!  I turned our cluttered crazy office into an organized schoolroom!  I am so excited about teaching responsibility to my children - and it is going to start with these.  They start tomorrow, so I will keep you updated as to how they work....

This picture was taken on my 32nd birthday.  The outfit is a size 14/16!  I am so excited!  Also, this picture shows me at 80 pounds gone!  80 pounds to never return!  I am at the same weight as I was at our wedding!

This is the youngest twin.  He is held by my father while we were camping for vacation!  I took all 4 childre and went camping with my dad and step-mom, my dad's dad and mom, and my dad's sister and husband.  This picture shows the youngest twins excitement as we were out on a boat ride chasing birds.  We would spot one and then drive after it.  He had so much fun and laughed so hard!  I think I laughed just as hard seeing the joy he displayed!

This picture was taken tonight at a local public pond.  The oldest twin is in the highlight of hte picture.  He caught his very 1st fish - a little sunfish, and was so proud of that fish.  I enjoyed my time with the four at the little pond, and I think they enjoyed their time as well!

This is "Joy" and she is holding a fish that she caught while on vacation.  She had so much fun catching minnows to put on hooks and catching fish.  She did great out on the boat and definitely had "big fish stories" to tell when we got back in to camp!

This is "Blessing" and she is holding a fish that she caught!  She finally warmed up to the fish she was catching and by the end of vacation was even catching minnows.  When we were fishing tonight, she was so patient and did such a great job casting and trying to catch those little fish.  She didn't catch any tonight, but was definitely a trooper - not complaining and actually not wanting to leave.  She is growing up way too fast!