Several times all through the night I heard a rumbling of thunder and so I would get up to see if it was raining. The forecast had predicted rain north of us and only a very slight chance it would move a bit to the southwest. Finally about daybreak a few sprinkles and by the time I left for work it was raining that nice soft summer rain that refreshes the grass, gardens, trees and crops. Then the heat came and with it the humidity. I remember when we finally had a furnace on days like this my dad would lay on the floor after dinner in front of the register to take advantage of the furnace’s fan. I don’t remember if we had a fan other than that and it did provide some comfort. In the evening especially after haying we put on our bathing suits, those of us that had them, Dad in his bib overall and the boys in their jeans (not cut off) and go to the lake and play in the water. Guess what, we also took along a bar of soap. None of us had learned how to swim but we surely had fun splashing water on each other and trying to float close to shore. Clean and refreshed we slept good when we got home.
Tomatoes, beans and potatoes from the garden this week. I planted heirloom beans similar to the Dutch beans we used to save seed for. They were the first to be ready to pick and looks like there will be some to share.
Thursday night there was a good crowd enjoying the home town talent of Maple Street for the Front Porch Music at the Dinehart/Holt house. The evening was beautiful and just enough breeze to be comfortable. Much of the music was written by the bass father and son that played and sang. It is good to see local talent. The Carney father and his son were other members of the band and the drummer was Logan Bengtson also a local person. This week, July 27, will be Roots of Oak Band – Glen Anderson and friends and on August 3 Kordal Kombat a barbershop group with local connections. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of good music. Popcorn and lemonade is provided and a free will offering taken to assist with expenses.
Fresh Tomato Salsa
4 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped (2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped ( 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 large jalapeno chile, seeded, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
Tortilla chips
Mix all ingredients except tortilla chips. Cover; refrigerate l to 2 hours to blend flavors.
Serve with tortilla chips. Cover and refrigerate any remaining salsa up to 5 days. 12 servings, 10 calories per serving.
Sweet and Sour Zucchini Pickles
11 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 3 pounds)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup canning salt
4 1/2 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
Place zucchini and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Add water to cover; let stand at room temperature 2 hours. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly.
In a large stock pot, combine remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Add zucchini mixture; return to a boil, stirring occasionally, Reduce heat; simmer uncovered.
Carefully ladle hot mixture into six hot l-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and if necessary, adjust headspace by adding hot pickling liquid. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. Place jars into canner with simmering water; ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
Crispy Lunch Pickles
25-30 medium cucumbers
8 large white onions
2 large sweet peppers
1/2 cup salt
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Wash cucumbers; slice thin as possible. Chop onions and peppers; combine with cucumbers and salt. Let set 3 hours; drain. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large preserving kettle; bring to a boil. Add drained cucumbers; heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Pack while hot into sterilized jars; seal at once. Yield: 5 quarts.
