O, Canada

We spent the past week in Hub's native homeland. Home with the folks, home with the fam. It was lovely. The cousins are decidedly bff's. They thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. Which us adults enjoyed, as well...for it was pleasantly quiet and for the most part rather uneventful. Just the way we like it.
While we were gone we had a good friend watch over the farm and garden. To which my father-in-law teased that the deer would help themselves to my corn. Which gave me visions of deer dining, buffet-style at my garden. Nightly. Horror of all horrors.
I'm pleased to let him know that we arrived home, garden still in tact.
All critters are accounted for. (Although one naughty little bunny did chew a hole through his hutch. We blame it on separation anxiety. Naughty bunny.) After a good night's sleep the girlies and I trompsed through the garden to begin the big purge. Veggies a plenty were awaiting us. We picked and picked and picked green beans. Then we snapped and snapped and snapped green beans. Then I blanched and blanched, strained and strained. And nine quarts of frozen green beans now happily reside in my freezer. Well worth the effort.

Even the crowned jewels of my garden were safe and sound...and still growing. I attempted watermelon this year. So far, so good. There's about five or six of these babies nestled within the bowels of the garden. Hiding from any critter that may get the notion to have a snack. I'm very protective of these juicy melons.

Life is good indeed.