No, it's not quite here. The cooler nights herald the coming, but, it's not quite here. Days are still in the heat, the humidity sending the four-legged kids into the shelter of shade or the nearest shallow creek bed to cool. I look forward to fall, and haunt my apple trees in anticipation of the harvest. Sadly this spring saw the demise of most of the blossoms, and we have one lonely tree blessed with a great harvest. We guard it jealously from the racoons, bears and deer that seem to have no fear of trespassing in the yard. Should the trees on the "outer sanctum" have been blessed with a full harvest, we might not be so lucky. The Maremma's are vigilant, spending long nights barking off the interlopers. They spend their time leisurely draped in the grass, taking turns keeping watch.
The garden seems to be going through a late spurt, with a bountiful harvest of kale, chard, onions and herbs. That being said, I also seem to have a prolific growth of purslane. I did find a recipe for pickled purslane, and briefly thought about trying it. We are pickling busily, with jars of dills, sweets, sandwich, hot, bread n butters and relishes filling the pantry. Dried mushrooms, onions and sundried tomatoes are constantly in the drier.
I love this time of year. I love the harvest preparation for the winter to come. It is satisfying to see and taste the wonders of our own land. Shortly, we will have chicken, and in November our pork will be ready. I know what we eat, how we prepare it, and the sustainability of our small holding.
So, I will have this lazy, hot afternoon to leisurely clean cucumbers, wash eggs and spend time with my favorite four-legged family, giving me the energy to go out there in the world.
