The Harvest is Plentiful

It may be the middle of November, but I'm still getting a ton of these sweet, orange peppers. We've only had frost a couple of nights, and I covered the plant with a sheet those nights. There are probably still 10-15 immature peppers left, and they're sure to ripen with the 70 degree days we've been having.

Work and More Work

The folks at American Vision called me last week and asked for my help. For years we've been trying (without success) to integrate the online store with QuickBooks, the software that pretty much manages all aspects of the ministry (sales, inventory, donations, financials, etc.). The president and vice-president were in agreement that it was time to scrap all that, and find another way, which they asked me to do. I spent some time studying and testing options, then I went into the office on Monday, spoke with all the worker bees and explained the changes to the way the system would operate, and then set about trying to bring order to over two weeks (or ten months, take your pick) of backlogged chaos. In short, my work-at-home hours have been averaging 6-8/week. Last week, I worked 28 hours, some of them doing hard time in the warehouse. I don't mind, though, since I have my eye on a $1,200 sewing machine! Next week I will only go into the office on Wednesday. Monday is a holiday, Tuesday is babysitting day, and I'll need Thursday and Friday to get ready for the 90th birthday party on Saturday. I'll have another couple of months of extra hours, although a good many of them will be from home, until my work routine should settled down to about 12-15 hours per week of off site work.

So, not much sewing happened this week, although I did get the borders attached to the baby quilt. No pictures are forthcoming until it's finished. I still have to layer backing, batting and top, then quilt it and attach the binding. It's a good thing I still have three months to get it finished.


Finally! The peppers are starting to ripen. I don't remember what kind of plant I bought, only that they are sweet peppers and that they would turn orange when ripe. I thought maybe they'd go from green to yellow to orange, but nope. They're going straight from green to orange. It's hard not to pick them now, but I'm trying to wait until they're completely orange. We're now harvesting more tomatoes than we (I) can eat from our single plant, and that's with some critter still munching them. Fine. You have some, I have some, and there's still a surplus. BLTs on the lunch menu today.

Munching

In spite of all the fencing and netting, something is still eating my tomatoes! My gardening "helpline" suggests a couple of different insecticides, so I hope that takes care of the problem. Now you know why we don't do much gardening.

Growing, Without Weeds

Here's what my garden looked like about a month ago.
Here's what my garden looks like now.

I've picked one squash, and I sincerely hope a couple of his friends grow up this week or only one of us at the dinner table will have fresh summer squash.

The Week in Review

I was so busy this week with work and stuff, that there's only one post for today and I only wrote it last night.

I think this was all the sewing I did all week -- one postcard, and I already gave it away.Here's the detail of the ribbon border.My garden is making progress although I still don't think the pepper plant will make it. I have 4-5 small squashes and one tomato cooking out in the 95-degree heat. But they seem to like it. (Unlike me.)

Here's a new "sandwich" I've been making and enjoying for the last week or so. I start with a tortilla (130 calories) spread with onion-and-chive cream cheese (35 calories per tablespoon, but I doubt if I use that much -- it's spread pretty thin).Then I add lettuce (negligible calories!) and roasted red pepper (about 20 calories).I missed photographing the next step, but I cover the entire top of the tortilla with four very thin slices of deli lunch meat (40 calories) and 1/2 slice of Swiss cheese that doesn't cover the entire top (about 70 calories). Then I roll it up* and cut it into two or more pieces. The smaller pieces make cute little pinwheels.Yummy, filling, and under 300 calories!
*Note: Spritzing both sides of the tortilla with water and letting it sit between two paper towels for 10-15 minutes will allow it to roll without tearing.

Finally, a week ago we were on our way to the assisted living facility where my in-laws live when James spotted a purple desk chair sitting out as part of a yard sale. I've wanted a chair for the sewing room but haven't found the right thing at the right price (cheap). We stopped, and I went and checked out the chair. It seem to be stable and intact. The main problem was that the fabric part was really, really stained and dirty. I inspected the way the chair was put together and determined that it would be possible to replace the fabric, so I inquired as to the price. $5.00. When I offered the lady a $10 bill or four $1 bills, she took the four ones and the chair came home with us. This week as I was measuring the seat and back for new fabric, it occurred to me to try and clean the chair first. If it didn't come clean, there was nothing lost but a little time and effort. I wish I had taken a "before" picture. Here is the "after." I'm not buying new fabric.

Garden Update

My small garden is coming along. We had to put up a bunny fence after it was apparent that something larger than an insect had been eating the pepper leaves. The plant didn't look well, but it is now starting to put out some new leaves, so hopefully it will recover. I didn't intend to pick this pepper (not planning to pickle it either) so soon, but when I touched it, it fell off, so here it is... my first fruit of the garden. The next picture will give you an idea of the actual size.




(scroll down)

(scroll down some more)














(keep scrolling)













Impressive, huh?