I'm a slave to beans

Canned 13 quarts of green beans last weekend. We're getting a big dishpan full of them every day now, so we'll be canning or freezing another batch tonight (and every other night). We figure we could use 200 quarts. Did more beet pickles last night, and some mixed-veggie pickles are in the brine right now. The tomatoes are starting to ripen, and we try to keep up with the squash (put a batch of stuffed zucchini in the freezer, pickled some, and sliced up and fried some with cashews for us, with scrambled eggs for the dogs). Below, C. and the Little Fellow pick pole beans (he was up to work on reroofing the garage). I usually do the bush beans.

Met this attractive bean-colored fellow while hunkered in the path picking – wait for it – beans. So I got the camera and sprawled in the straw path and watched him for a while. Look at those cool markings on his arms. This is why I moved to the country – this is how I spend my childhood. Sprawled in the garden watching our little brothers with their bones on the outside.

So back to the garage project. K. came up and we worked on emptying the attic of random ruined stuff and fallen shingles. Yes, hornets are an issue. Next we plan to square the building up using this method: hammerzone. Then, new rafters and metal roof. And Azul and the sheep and their hay can shelter there. Below, an old basketball hoop and a couple of the original steel-frame windows are tucked into the attic. We hope the windows can be salvaged so we can replace some of the vinyl uglies.

Below, the new chicks, two exchequer leghorns (sounds like Australian sailors) and a Rhode Island Red. They're staying out of the way while the male guinea patrols the area and Connie and Mrs. Davis lay eggs. The little guys are about 7 weeks old, and putter and scratch around the yard. The guineas mostly ignore them. We're planning to get more guineas (Connie is lonely without the other Connies). Maybe more chickens, too.