Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Grass, rain, berries and
bread-and-butter pickles

It only got down to around 67 degrees overnight, partly because the clouds moved in to serve as a blanket. It was completely overcast this morning and threatening to start raining at any moment instead of the late afternoon that was forecast last evening. Sure enough, when I checked the radar on weather.com there was a massive rain system located to the southwest down by State College and heading our way. Based on the speed of leading edge of the system I saw there I estimated the rain to start around noon. Time to cut the grass!

Terry went off to Curves (aka The Gossip Center) and to get the mail at 8 AM while I cranked up the mower. An hour and a half later I was just finishing up when she drove back in the driveway.

A quick check of the mail and a cold drink and I was back out with my collecting bucket to gather raspberries and a few lingering blueberries and early blackberries from the hillside. I got about a pint total. Enough for a few days of cereal, pancake or ice cream topping if used sparingly.

While I was out picking berries, Terry started to make some bread-and-butter pickles from the cucumbers we had gathered over the last few days. She had 15 of the cukes on hand, a fact that surprised even her since we had eaten several in a yogurt and dill salad on Monday and Tuesday.

I got back into the house around 11 AM just as the rain picked up. (It had started drizzling a wee bit as I started out to pick around 10 AM.) I seriously think the 80 degree temperature forecast last evening will be a mere dream as the temperature topped out at 71 at 10:30 AM--just as the rains came.

So far, and it's now 2 PM, it's been a gentle, soaking rain that should do the garden and lawn good without washing out the newly raked and packed dirt road on which we live.

Well, the cuke and onion slices have soaked long enough. Time to process them into pint jars and seal the pickles up to age a bit.

Later.

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