Yesterday was one of those comfy days. After reading your comments I was feeling well and cared for and worked all day in a little blog cuddle bubble. Daisy gave 36 pounds of milk in the morning and 26 in the afternoon. The weather was mild and the weeds pulled easily. 
The Tall Teenager found a frog in the pigsty, hiding under their filthy paddling pool and afraid that the big pigs would eat it (after our discussion about them being omnivores) he caught it and we released it into the frog garden where there is a pond under the path. 
Everything grows well in this little self watering garden but all the frogs disappeared in the heatwave.
I started some watermelon rind pickle. 
The recipe is here – foodblogandthedog. Natalie also has a beautiful feta and watermelon salad. I would like to say that these are my own watermelons but the plants have died, as have most of the zuchinni. So John came home with fruit from the store the other day. And miserably I think all my cucumbers are going to die next. Just too hot and too dry in those back gardens. But I am still trying very hard to grow the majority of what we eat. Soon we will be living off tomatoes!
Of course the zuchinni we just keep reseeding in a different spot in the hopes of it out running the bad bug and the drought. These butternut squash are doing well though but did you see that bug. They are my nemisis. 
I needed some heavy lifting help at The Old Codgers yesterday and so I took the Tall Teenager with me for the first time and out of the blue there was a little miracle. They struck up a friendship. Talking model battleships. These connections often jump generations. So tomorrow the young man is going to bike over to visit the old man (seven miles) with some of his models and visit again. How wonderful is THAT! 
Good morning. All the garden shots are tight because there are big gaps in the gardens now from the unusual number of plants that have died in the heat and dry. I cannot water every garden every day. However so far we are managing to feed ourselves. And we are much better off than many. After all I made strawberry ice cream yesterday with the last of the strawberry preserves. Every time I make ice cream I hide a tub of it in the big freezer for winter treats.
You all have a lovely day. I am going into the hives today to see about harvesting some honey as last years last jar was scraped clean a week ago.
celi
PS Here is what was happening on the farmy on this date last year. Housing the captured swarm. bees move house. We are much further along this summer. Last year we had piles of rain.
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Little miracles”
So sorry to hear about your garden, C. It’s a rough year for everyone, it seems. Having the Boy strike-up a friendship with the Old Codger soothes the soul, even if it does nothing for the stomach… 😉
Besides, you can live on tomatoes, cheese and eggs for a while, right?
Oh yeah i can live on tomatoes, cheese, eggs and milk for a long long time! as long as i can add an onion! c
Squish laughed out loud when I told him what you were using the watermelon rinds for. “Pickles? That’s silly!” He studied your photos with the eye of a farmer. “What’s that? Can that be a pickle, too?”
I hope you get ahead of the weather really soon!
Little Squish.. ! c
Hi Celi!
I’m sorry about your watermelons and zuchinnis…but the tomatoes and squash are looking good 🙂
I never thought of using the watermelon rind, I will take a look at this link when I come home.
Is great when the youngsters connect with the elderly, is not obvious, but they have a lot to share and learn from each other.
Have a lovely day you too!
G
Morning Giovanna i hope you are still having a fab time at the beach! c
What a lovely tour of your garden C. But so sorry to hear things have been so hot and dry your plants are not producing the food rush they normally would xx
Some years are good some not so good.. c
It surprises me that milk yield is measured in weight rather than liquid volume. I can’t imagine a pound of milk, but I can clearly see a pint, a litre or even a bucket. I have a little chart on the fridge door translating American spoons into a scale that I understand (metric or avoirdupois) which also mentions liquid in weight. Glad to see that you rescue frogs – we’re endlessly fishing them out of our swimming pool and returning them to the small lake next door.
A pint of milk weighs about a pound. So she is giving about 60 pints a day. 8 pounds is about a gallon. You might be able to remember that without putting it on the fridge.. maybe I will give you a test later!! c
A lovely, heart-warming story about young and old. I think that so many youngsters see it as ‘un-cool’ talking to the elderly. That elderly generation however have so much to offer, giving insight to a whole other world for our young people. I hope that they become firm friends!
Christine
I hope they do too. It is good for Dale to have a younger fellow about.. c
How lovely – a little blog cuddle bubble.
What magical news about the tall teenager and the old codger too!
We have had several warnings of flooding and below zero temperatures for this weekend- I am wondering if they have it right. I thought how much worse off your veggie garden would be here if that is the case.
Have a happy day C – hopefully another one in a little blog cuddle bubble.
🙂 Mandy
flooding and freezing sounds a bit dubious! that sounds like freezing rain to me..you had better stay i this weekend mandy.. c
I’m sorry about your beautiful garden my friend but positive side, those are some gorgeous tomatoes 🙂
Can’t wait to see your pickle rind using watermelon – wow!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
it is an interesting idea, we will see.. morning chip.. c
i can feel your veggie pain! my zucchini plants are done for i think. something has eaten them to the quick. same with my summer squash. my pumpkin plants are huge but no pumpkins have set. however, my container gardens are doing great though they only produce small amounts. something ate all of my grapes too. oh well, you never know what will happen with gardens in any given year!
I honestly think it this incessant heat and you have had it much worse, but something eating the grapes is a crime!! c
The true gem in this post is the friendship evolving b/n the Tall Teenager and the Old Codger. I hope it sparkles and shines and is treasured by both.
Crossing fingers! I had a pic of the barn swallow chicks to put up too audrey but they looked so damn scary that i took pity on you and did not.. you would have had nightmares c
I think my zucchini (courgette) plants are suffering from TOO MUCH rain – loads of leaves and no flowers. Why can’t the weather sort itself out more equitably? I’m glad about the new friendship – we oldies often get on better with the next but one or two generations.
Your little blog cuddle bubble is delightful!
Pity about your courgettes, you need sun! i shall blow some into a bottle and send it over! c
Glad yesterday was a good day for you. I saw the pickle recipe too – am intrigued by it. Will you eat it with some of your lovely cheese? Good news re The Tall Teenager and The Old Codger – heartwarming 🙂
My fresh cheese is getting better and better, probably because my yoghurt is getting stronger i will have to start again with a fresh culture soon! we will see how the pickle turns out.. c
Miracles are great, but miracleworkers are what always get my attention and thanksgiving. It was you who brought the boy and the man together.
It might be a good pairing.. c
Sorry you’re having a personal little Dust Bowl. But little miracles do ease the pain somewhat.
Little miracles, almost a contradiction in terms i suppose. But such a lovely idea.. c
What an awesome kid! 7 miles to visit and share…why aren’t stories like this all over the news? 🙂
I do hope enough of your garden survives to put a few things up for the winter.
J
He rides his bike (with the trailer and the dog) that far visit his grandmother, so it is only another mile to Dales.. all flat land and he rides very early in the morning, this is what happens when a house has no tv, or xbox .. kids get OUT SIDE! morning jess