Day 67 - Big Day!

I'll start in the morning and work the way through the day - it was a big one!

This morning my guys and I headed out to the Berry Patch Farm near Nevada to pick fresh strawberries.  Grant watched us from his stroller.  Clark helped pick (and eat) berries.  We taught Clark how to just pick the ripe red ones and to wait to eat them until we paid for them at the front of the farm.  I know so hard for anyone to wait to sink into those nice fresh berries!  In a minor incident Grant ended up face first in some thistles - his poor little face.  No fears mom/grandma - he is all better!  A nice big strawberry and a spoon (Grant has a thing for spoons) cheered him right up.  Luckily no allergies to thistle prickles.

After paying for our 13 pounds of strawberries we cleaned off the stickies and berry juice and headed to Des Moines for lunch and to continue the search for Lemon Thyme.  Our quest was successful - found Lemon Thyme (unfortunately not the really pretty variegated lemon thyme but I'll take it).  Now I can complete my herb portion of the garden. And no that was NOT the sole reason for going to Des Moines - but it was the most successful.

Back home for nap time.  Alan worked on finishing tilling up the garden.  Meanwhile since little Grant messed up his nap time by sleeping all the way home we made some caramels.  Yummy!  Due to Grant needing a small mid-afternoon nap and a diaper change I took the caramels off just a little too early but they weren't bad. I didn't have a candy thermometer (not sure where it went - was sure I had one somewhere) so I used the cold water ball test.  A little longer would have yielded a little stiffer caramel but the taste was wonderful and they still held together (rather have them be a little soft rather than making toffee).

When Clark woke up we went out and planted the sweet corn.  Clark enjoyed helping with our little garden planter.  We ended up hurrying towards the end as a thunderstorm bore down on us.  Sent Clark to the house while we put everything away.  Made it to the chicken coop to lock up the chickens just as it started to pour. And became drenched on my way back to the house.  "Mommy all wet!" exclaimed Clark.  At least the sweet corn is in and we all got to see a rainbow afterwards plus it cooled down enough to open the windows and enjoy the cool breeze.

After supper Clark and I went back outside to check our sour cherry tree.  Looks like the cherries will be ready either this week or early next week. Some of the cherries are already red - seems early for the cherries.  Plus, the mulberries are ready - may have enough for some jelly.  After a game or 2 or 3 of tag we came in to put Clark to bed.  I finished our meal plan and grocery list for the week - including some of the food items I want to prepare for the ISF.  Then since we still had some buns left over from the boys' birthday party and lots of eggs I made up two egg bakes.  One for breakfast tomorrow and one for the freezer to thaw the night before the ISF contest.  I think it should freeze and thaw well.  One entry in the freezer!  Plus some yummy food for breakfast.  Luckily after years of making freezer meals I have a good idea of what keeps well and what will be a mess later - lots of experimentation (successes and failures).

And with that it's time to call it a day!