Bon Voyage

It was with sadness this evening that the box of tomatoes (left) decided to move a few miles down the road to live with a new family.

Wait. What am I saying. I was actually jumping with joy as I carried the 40-pound box to Carol's car.

I was even happy when she emailed me later tonight with the news they found their way into pint jars and had been pressured into a winter foodstuff.

Unfortunately, our county fair starts later this week for a nine-day run and Carol and her husband Dale have a booth, meaning no more of the red vermin will be heading south for almost a fortnight.

In the meantime, the aunts, uncles and cousins of these pesky fruit will be once again overflowing our kitchen, house and yard.

Oh, well. When SisIggy asks me to plant tomatoes next year, hopefully I will remember not to plant 40 plants. I am sure 10 will be enough.

Salsa Time

Trying to winnow down our over-producing tomato stock today, I decided to make homemade salsa. Fortunately, we had all the ingredients on hand and I bought the Mason Jars Saturday night.

I started with the tomatoes - some yellow, some red, some German and a few Heritage ones thrown in for good measure. About the only thing that didn't go into the mix were the grape tomatoes.

I began by dicing them into small rectangular pieces and then bringing it to a boil for five minutes.

Next I cleaned and food processed five onions, diced cilantro and jalapeno peppers from the garden and prepped the jars by washing, scalding and then holding in the oven at 200 degrees until needed.

After tossing some salt into the mix and stirrring all to beat hell, I began adding everything but the hot stuff into the jars -- first, three Mild jars and then six Medium (peppers) and finally, three HOT (peppers and the seeds).

All that was left was boiling the filled jars for 10 minutes each and applying the labels so I wouldn't give a Hot one to someone who only liked Mild...

Who Said the Dog Days Are Boring?

Whoever said the Dog Days of August are boring never experienced one in Dirtmanland.

In fact, it's been hectic here since returning for our annual clamming operation in late July. So much so I have been unable to post anything here.

The garden and grass-cutting chores took a bulk of my time as I picked a ton of tomatoes. Some of it went for a fresh salsa made for Heir I's birthday bash; we tried every recipe that involved the fruit and made some up too. We forced maters on whomever showed up at the door and even tried to sell or give them away from a make-shift stand in the front yard.

Heir I's party wasn't until August 8th and according to SisIg's Facebook page, it will continue for another two weeks. Oh, to be young again.

Being sick of cucumbers and having pickled more than I'd like to remember, the neighborhood celebrated when I picked the last and pulled the vines last week.

I also started applying for jobs as several interesting prospects began appearing in the local papers but none came to fruition. Heir I, meanwhile, landed a job in Winchester, Sis, one in Woodstock and Heir II finished his year-long job in Strasburg as he finished packing for his trip to Salem to begin his post-high school academics this week at Roanoke College.

Sis and I took him Saturday, bidding him farewell in the parking lot that evening and I cried the better part of the trip home.

Sunday dawned to a sunny sky and more maters and after picking 40 pounds (which Heir I's better half's mother claimed), I decided I would attempt to make salsa to keep my mind off Heir I.

I think I succeeded.