We have a frost advisory out for tonight into Sunday! Ack! It's not time yet. I've still got things to do before frost. And the tomatoes and peppers are still producing. In fact, the bell peppers have finally started setting fruit. We have had exactly 2 peppers off the humongous plants all summer. Figures....
I13 is off at a camping retreat for church this weekend and J16, K10 and I will be heading down to my parents today since one of my sisters is in state for a few days. So, knowing that I was going to be out of commission today- right before the frost, I was a busy girl yesterday on my day off work. I weeded and planted and picked peppers.
I'm starting to feel a bit like Erin.
That basket holds about half a bushel!
V was off last night taking I13 to camp so J16, K10 and I watched old Dracula movies on TV and guess what I did while I watched? Seeded, diced and froze peppers. I've already got some halves for stuffing in the freezer but had realized that I was out of pre chopped ones that I use a lot in cooking. At least it kept me from eating too much popcorn during the movies. LOL! I only got through two thirds of the basket which gave me three quart freezer bags of diced hot peppers. I'm going to take the rest along today and see if I can pawn them off on my sister and BIL. I'm also going to take along a few pumpkins. My parents want one and hopefully my sister will take one or two. One of my nephews has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and they are trying a "real food" diet with him- no additives or preservatives, and organic since they have heard that it helps. I work in mental health and I've never heard that it helps, but the diet definitely can't hurt!
In all my weeding yesterday (We finally got the day lily and iris plants in the ground over the sand filter), I came across about a billion caterpillars of different varieties. This one was pretty cool:
Not a tomato hornworm but definitely related.
It was huge!
I'm hoping to get home early enough tonight that I can still pick a few eggplant and maybe throw a couple of sheets over the peppers. It look like tonight is a fluke and we should be back to typical temps soon. Of course, it has been a weird year. It is October and I picked cucumbers! Unheard of!
I just pulled all my tomato plants and stuff yesterday.....we're supposed to get to 25 tonight. No amount of blankets can save a tomato from that. I have the same thing with my green peppers-I only got four this year (kinda my fault, I didn't start the seeds till May). Every thing seems a bit screwy this summer, but I guess that's part of the fun of gardening-always a surprise in store!
ReplyDeleteI picked a alot of peppers to...and I also picked the tomatoes...even tho they are green I decided to pick them. I step out on the deck this morning and man oh man was I hit with some pretty cool temps...I was not prepared for it...I agree Iowa's weather sure has been weird...That caterpillar sure is beautiful..Lisa
ReplyDelete"Hi everyone, my name is Judy and I'm a pepperaholic"...
ReplyDeletehahaha! Sorry about the bells, those pepper strips are so nice to have in the winter. You might have a tobacco hornworm there, the two are almost interchangeable. I hope you get some more time before that frost sets in.
Also, sorry to hear about your nephew, mental health issues can take such a toll on the family and your family has had your share of stress this year for sure, they will be in my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWe are under the same warning. I'm hoping it doesn't frost because I'm finally getting tomatoes! Good luck!
ReplyDelete