DILL PICKLES

by Robin

First off, let me say that this is my Uncle T's mother's recipe.  Grandma K made some awesome hot pickles.  However, today, I just wanted to make a batch of hamburger dill pickles.  

I searched various blue ribbon ones, allrecipes (which had sweet dill) and Better Home and Garden ones.  I mathematically calculated the ratios of vinegar to water, various spices, etc.  You wouldn't believe it, but I even went as so far to check the label of Mt Olive Hamburger Dill Chips!  There was something about that last batch I made that turned everybody in my family off from eating more.



So, in the end, I ended up back with Grandma K's brine, minus the hot peppers & garlic cloves.  Many years, she used alum and I couldn't find that for a long while.  I just saw it back on shelves.  I will have to pick up some for my next batch.  She would have added 2 tsp of alum to this brine too.

10 c water
4 c  white vinegar (apple cider vinegar is ok, but I use that more for sweet pickles)
1/2 c pickling salt
Peppercorns and mustard seeds (to taste)
(2 tsp of alum)
------------------------
Boil

Pack jars full of cukes.  The smaller, the better for dill chips.  We don't want to play with the seeds in our mouths as we are eating burgers and pulled pork.   Add fresh dill and your pickling crisp granuals (calcium carbonide (?)).    

Also, here's another tip.... I have tried pickling cukes for about 3 yrs now and have given up.  They come out of the garden like little disfigured balls with tails.  My plan this year was just to have a great Burpless Cucumber row and then pick those while they were small.  And, it has paid off in big dividends doing it that way.





The dill came fresh from the garden.  Wow, it was like packing in evergreen trees!

Pour brine over cukes and get out the air bubbles.  Then, seal up and throw in the big pot for sterilizing.



Anyhow, I liked that some of the recipes had peppercorns and mustard seed for flavoring the brine.  Toss those in the jar with the brine!




I sterilized my jars at a full rolling boil for 10 min.  (I saw everything from 5 min to 15, so I took the average.)    I can hear them suctioning down in the kitchen right now!   I love those purple lids.  I hope they offer a different color every year so I can keep my years straight.  Sometimes that sharpie marks wipe off.


Grandma K left notes saying to always allow your dill pickles to set for 8 wks before eating.  Bread-n- Butters can be eaten the next day but dills are better when they set up.

I will be seeing you 'guys' on June 23rd!

Happy pickling!
Robin

GARDEN LABOR

by Robin






Woke up and saw immediately that I had my work cut out for me this morning.


























So, I made a cup of coffee, bowl of oatmeal and had breakfast with my best friends.

Spend a good 2 hrs in the garden this morning with doing some much needed maintenance.  We've had a lot of rain all week and my tomatoes fell over.  Time to tie up again and cut suckers.




Also, I had 2 fences collapsing from too much weight ( a good problem).  I always keep extra stakes in the shed for mid-season assistance.

Found one caterpillar that needed removing and feeding to the chickens.



Now, I'm back in the house and the storms are coming early.  Time to get sleepy head moving and taking his test.  My other one should be coming in soon from college.

I also have about 30 something pickles that need slicing for making dill chips.

God bless,
Robin

GARDEN REPORT - CUCUMBER HARVEST & MORE

by Robin

Here are the pictures from today.

This is Garden #2.  It is one very happy, hot mess.  My okra didn't do very well because that drip line is having issues but there are drying beans, dill, kale, purple and green cabbage, Campari tomatoes, Big tomatoes, Big Mama paste tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos and cucumbers.  That's pretty much it left to right. Various onions were inserted where other things died out.



Purple cabbage.



Red Russian Kale.



Black Valentine (drying) beans - these are a small set mostly to provide me with replacement beans for the fall sowing season.




Campari tomatoes.  These seeds were originally saved on a paper towel.  The original seed came from Publix grocery store, but it grows great in the Florida soil.



This is an internal view from the beans to 3 different tomatoes.


The cucumbers!  Burpless variety.



I have not been getting many female blooms this past week and I was wondering if it was connected to the moon phase or evening heat.  But, then it hit me, I have so many loading down the plant, maybe it throws males until it is ready to handle more fruit.  So, I picked a good many of them.



Bell pepper bloom.  Time to spray down with my epsom salt fertilizer.



Garden #2 again, from the front.  See, I have open patches I need to throw more seed in.




This is garden #1.  It had a lot of winter broccoli that is still producing and blooming for bees.  I also have Mayflower (drying) beans in there.  I didn't want to do that but so many fell out from the last harvest, they replanted themselves.



This is the backside of Garden #1.  You can better see the pineapple and yellow squash (right) and zucchini (back).



Just another view.



Zucchini. I had my first bloom get fertilized today. Yeah.  This is the last year I'm trying these "Sure Thing".  They did not throw any female blooms last year and this year, very slow to produce.



I have mostly oregano in this picture.  Some sweet potato vines, creeping grass, zucchini (left).


31 cucumbers, 3 yellow squash.  Not pictured: 1 okra, broccoli and kale leaves.



I started my seed Feb 5th and so it has taken 2 months and a week to get this gorgeous harvest.

Happy Gardening!
Robin

HAPPY EASTER/ RESURRECTION DAY from our family to yours!

by Robin


Resurrection Sunday at our church.  I have so many great pictures but.... this is what I can share today.
   

From the front rose garden:

Pink rose


Orange rose


Peach Hibiscus

OTTB - RESCUE HORSES

by Robin



My son and I volunteered last year at this horse rescue farm and even though he's done with his volunteer time, I am not.

It reminds me of my childhood and when I had horses.   I want to just take this guy home with me.



After I photographed the lunar eclipse on the property, I walked around as the sun rose and took a good hundred photos of beautiful & happy rescue horses.




I have many more to downsize but they're in a folder waiting for the rescue owner to decide which ones she wants first.  Then, I'll use a rainy day to go ahead and clean some up for the blog.  These were my favorite two.

The little Arab (above) was taken in last weekend and she is shedding out from a brown baby into a gray mare.  She has such a gorgeous, refined head.  She really is a pet wanting attention.





I just love how peaceful it is out here.  My view this morning.  The moon went over those trees and the fog was rolling by.



Thanks for viewing my photos.

 Robin

BLOOD MOON - LUNAR ECLIPSE

by Robin



Ok, so I didn't have the best vantage point for my view being all the way over on the east coast.



Our lunar eclipse began about 6:15 and I'm thinking the moon disappeared by 7:15 or sooner.





I got a great picture last year and these will have to do with what God gave me this year.



This one (below) was taken later but I processed it where you could still see the outline of the moon in spite of the shadow of the earth.



Maybe the September blood moon / lunar eclipse will be better suited for the east coast.




Meanwhile, I'm not sure which one I like best.    Here they are in order of when they were taken.





Thanks,
Robin

YOUNG EAGLES - Free Ride for Kids!!

by Robin

This happened last weekend for our Merritt Island group.  My youngest was super excited to participated.

Did I mention that we were ALL FREEZING?



Mr Tony Yocono volunteered his morning and aircraft for the cause.  THANK YOU!












There is the Ms. Mooney



Can you see his curls??





Very cool float plane.



Back in...



There he is.... back seat.



Feeling like a boss .




Thank you to all the pilots who put this together.  What a memory. Because of this event, my son is now considering signing up for the Civil Air Patrol.

Robin