How Do You Get The Job Done And Beat The Heat?

How do you get the job done and beat the heat? That is, simply get ahead of the heat!

Sol-Ra has visited us again this year. This time in all his fiery furry with three digit blows. Wow, how do we defeat him on our humble homestead? We beat him to the punch this time. Five o’clock in the morning and quit at high noon gets the job done.

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Benjamin Franklin

Mr. Franklin was right, although I may not be wealthy according to my bank account but I am wealthy by the love I’m surrounded with and the endearing memories of family and friends.

We found a way not to heat up the kitchen by using our outdoor kitchen counter cooking space. Last year we had a gas burner that just wasn’t working quite right. Ever tried to use a gas burner outdoor in a breeze? Doesn’t work too well. It seemed like the flames were so wild that it would singe your eyelashes off. This year we solved that problem with single electric burners from our local thrift store. A couple of bucks and they work great. I was surprised to see how fast they were boiling water for my canning jars.

Summer has kept us hustling and bustling, harvesting garlic, onions, and cucumbers. Heck, it isn’t summer without a fridge full of homegrown pickles. Preserving blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Half of the harvest didn’t make it to the house. It took a detour into the belly. Cooking up a storm with sun ripen tomatoes and succulent summer squash. Eating from the garden will turn you into a cook, even if you aren’t one already!

With canning season around the corner, you’re probably wondering what to do with all your fruit and tomatoes. More to come soon on my famous home garden fresh strawberry rhubarb jam with a hint of lemons.