I’ve been out and about for most of the summer.? I thought a random update was in order.
Thursday Thirteen #42 – Updates on Random
1.? The garden is amazing.? For a first year garden, we truly have bounty.? I am clipping and pulling up old plants and replanting soybeans as green manure.
2.? We have harvested a lot of tomatoes, broccoli, celery, herbs, potatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon.
3.? Cucumbers and zucchini are almost non-existent. The plants are healthy, but there haven’t been female flowers.? I noticed today that we have 2 zucchini.
4.? I’ve frozen a broccoli and made one batch of stewed tomatoes. We will feast on our garden this winter!
5.? I’m hoping to can some stewed tomatoes, but we’ll see.? I’ve never canned before and am a little intimidated by the process.
6.? The bees seem healthy. The problem with Colony Collapse Disorder is that the bees can seem fine then die over winter.? This time of year, this beekeeper says a prayer that her hives won’t die.
7.? We plan to harvest honey this weekend. We sold out of last years honey.? This year we have some comb honey, so we’ll see how that goes.
8.? We plan to requeen two hives this weekend. There’s a theory that the bees can out breed the disease and bugs by giving them ‘spring’ queens in the fall. We are testing out this theory this weekend.
9.? The L’Equip Blender issue has been turned over to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.? With a little luck, it’s off my plate!
10. Denver Cereal continues to gain momentum. I am going to enter a piece in A Dozen on Denver sponsored by the Rocky Mountain News.
11. Our energy conservation efforts saved us 300kw last month.
12.? The Democratic National Convention is done and over with.? Healing continues! 
13.? What is YOUR big update this summer? Add it to the comments and I’ll post it here with a link.
- “?I got the neuro stim implanted a few weeks ago, got it turned on yesterday and last night actually slept 7 drug free hours. AND no more accident related doctor appointments except for a bi-annual tune up. Not quite as tasty as yours OG but what the hey?I?ll take what i can get.” Mark the Walking Man
- “I?ve been taking tomatoes fresh off the vine and popping them as is in a freezer bag. When I make a sauce I run a couple under hot water till the skin peels off, toss them in the sauce and it?s summer again. They are watery but you can use a can of sauce or paste to counter that.?I?ve been making lots of pesto and freezing it in ice cube trays.” Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
- “In our Canadian east coast garden, we?ve had cucumbers galore. And they?ve tasted delicious – sometimes they can be bitter, but these ones rock. We?ve also had both glorious scarlet runner flowers and beans – yum. Strawberries – check. Blueberries – check. ?What I love most, however, are my roses, and this year one of my antique ramblers took over the world.?” – Julia at Mind over Matters
- “?Ive started my house renovations. Does that count? Look at my WW this week. That hole use to be my bedroom wall. Now, its a sliding glass door:)?” Lori at Single Parents Unite
- “I have been busy?finishing up the house.?I am so ready for our dining room furniture?then the house should be done!” Tommie at Tuesday Update
- “My son started first grade and my daughter is starting preschool next week.” Sarah at Puss Reboots
- “I TURN 50 ON SATURDAY AND I?M AN EIGHT YEAR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR” Yasmin at ApoooBooks
- “We just returned from spending a wonderful month in New England and reentry was a bit of a culture shock, but if you?ve been reading my blog then you?re probably already sick to death of reading about our trip, since I live-blogged most of it.” Robin at Around the Island.
- “We successfully pulled off a girls only camping trip, and I think this will become a yearly event?
” Sue at the Urban Zoo - “I worked up to be able to do 100 push ups w/o stopping” Marcia at Joy is my Goal.
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#10 Outstanding!
My big update? I got the neuro stim implanted a few weeks ago, got it turned on yesterday and last night actually slept 7 drug free hours. AND no more accident related doctor appointments except for a bi-annual tune up. Not quite as tasty as yours OG but what the hey…I’ll take what i can get.
Oh, how I wish I was a good gardener.
No, it isn’t laziness
Wow, You’ve really got a lot done this summer. How did you save 300kw on your energy bill last month? What’s your secret? We’ve been trying to save energy by going green. Great TT. I truly enjoyed reading it.
Stewed tomatoes sounds yummy! But when it coes to broccoli I agree with George Bush Sr.
I’ve been taking tomatoes fresh off the vine and popping them as is in a freezer bag. When I make a sauce I run a couple under hot water till the skin peels off, toss them in the sauce and it’s summer again. They are watery but you can use a can of sauce or paste to counter that.
I’ve been making lots of pesto and freezing it in ice cube trays.
In our Canadian east coast garden, we’ve had cucumbers galore. And they’ve tasted delicious – sometimes they can be bitter, but these ones rock. We’ve also had both glorious scarlet runner flowers and beans – yum. Strawberries – check. Blueberries – check.
What I love most, however, are my roses, and this year one of my antique ramblers took over the world. I’ll be showcasing my garden in a future Thursday Thirteen, but I’m waiting for the fall garden to have its day first.
Sounds like you’ve been busy. Ive started my house renovations. Does that count? Look at my WW this week. That hole use to be my bedroom wall. Now, its a sliding glass door:) Happy TT my friend.
Totally not surprised about #11. Our tint paid for itself in the first summer! And we did the entire house!
I would love to learn to can. Have you called the Extension Center? I think ours has classes.
I have been busy finishing up the house
I am so ready for our dining room furniture…then the house should be done!
My son started first grade and my daughter is starting preschool next week.
Re No. 6: If my prayers are any good, they are with you! What a year.
Wow, harvesting honey. How cool is that!
do you sell honey to folks that live in MA? Hmmm…
Growing things is miraculous. The wonder never fades.
I used to can tomatoes and make preserves but haven’t in many years. If I can remember the name of the excellent book I once had, I’ll try to find one and send it to you.
I am saying a prayer for your hives, too. Your bees make the absolute best honey on earth. It must be because you provide a loving climate.
I’ll trade peaches for honey.
This is a great list that says so much about you! I always love hearing about your garden and your bees!
XOXOXOXO
happy TT…hmm my big update…I TURN 50 ON SATURDAY AND I’M AN EIGHT YEAR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR…is that big enough…lol.
http://www.apooobooks.com/2008/09/04/thursday-thirteen-6head-class-school-supplies/
Wow, a bountiful garden AND you’re not overrun with zucchini – now that’s success!
I can’t possibly top Yasmin’s wonderful news, so I’ll just say that we just returned from spending a wonderful month in New England and reentry was a bit of a culture shock, but if you’ve been reading my blog then you’re probably already sick to death of reading about our trip, since I live-blogged most of it.
PS Probably won’t Plurk much. It was fun, but I found keeping up with the whole timeline thing too much for my small little brain. I seem to handle Twitter a lot better. Any chance you’ll come by over there?
what do you do with the “old” queens? i find beekeeping fascinating. thanks for always sharing it with us!
Let me ask you something. We had plenty of tomatoes but Braeden planted a green pepper plant and despite all the buds it has yet to grow a pepper. Thoughts?
I did not know you were a beekeeper! That must be so rewarding
My big update I guess would be that we successfully pulled off a girls only camping trip, and I think this will become a yearly event 
I am impressed I have frustration w/ gardens in 100degree plus weather –One of my least important / but hardest fought things to report from the summer is that I worked up to be able to do 100 push ups w/o stopping
This T-13 is making me hungry! Honey on toast is sounding really good to me right now.
No big summer news, really. It was a pretty laid back summer for us. But I do have a very special guest interview coming up next week with a very special musician that I’m really excited about. Stop by my 13 and see if you can guess who it is!
I wish we could keep the squirrels at bay long enough to have a decent garden. My grandfather use to put mason jars full of blue water around the perimeter of his garden, swore it kept the varmints out. Good luck with the hives this weekend.
Hello. Visiting from my Aunt Colleen’s. Hmmm this summer was quite the struggle for me – I guess my update would be making it thu!
My tt is up.
Hi Claudia! I have a few things: Going back to school is my biggest thing this summer (righ after building that fence ;o)
I also wanted you to know that you do not have an ec widget on your “cereal” blog so I cannot drop mine on you. Let me know if I can help you with that or if it’s intentional.
And finally, there’s nothing like a fresh honey. Yum! It’s also suppose to be really good for treating allergies and boosting your immunity system.
You reap what you sow…that so came to my mind while reading your list!! You did good.
What thing did I do for the summer that I haven’t done lately?
Wow…well, just a few weeks ago we bought a new dining room outfit…that was some accomplishment! I’ve been wanting one for years now, the one we had prior to the new one was in our house for nearly 30 years. It was time!
Happy Thursday, and thanks for stopping by.
Yum, all those fresh vegetables!
I ran six miles on Saturday and my kids went back to school! Good things are happening!
Mmmm…I love honey. I need to decide what to do with all of my basil soon. I’m thinking pesto.
My big update? Um…I may have my poor car back in time for my vacation. One and a half days left of work!
I would like to buy some of the honeycomb, please. That would incluse shipping, naturally.
I planted tomatoes for the first time and they have been fantastic….I grew green peppers for the first time and I am really pleased….I have actually been using the herbs from my garden in meals and I have also dried them ……I planted flowers by seed and they took bloom….I started a new job….
I too think I saved energy by not using my dryer all summer…everything out on the line or on the clothes line in the laundry room…..
I love honey….would love to have hives…is that what you call them…..but I am such a chicken when it comes to bees…..
Oh…garden AND bees!!!
But only two zuchinni….dang…..I’d be sad about that one…..
Thank you for letting me have a wander around your garden…it was wonderful!
Umm…work. And writing, which my editor will be happy to hear.
yumm..your garden sounds wonderful! Good luck with the bees-I’ll be sending buzzing good thoughts your way.
Updates for me…well our cross-country move plans are in full swing! Two more months in Miami…hoping we escape this state before another hurricane!
I adore fresh veggies from the garden!
Paris!!!! Oh, if only it could have lasted longer!!
But it’s good to be back with my kitty!
Congrats on all your accomplishments. I’ve learned lots this summer about PSE6 and am back in the advanced class as of last week … sharing what I’ve learned on both blogs … bit by bit.
Hugs and blessings,
Got my oldest child started in her first year in college. Whew! AND I still have two dimes to rub together….but not much more!
No big update, Claudia. Just glad you liked my post re Sarah Palin not speaking for me!
Your garden sounds amazing…
My summer update…? I started exercising every day (!) on the Wii Fit board.
Thanks for visiting my 40th birthday TT!
My summer update? I just spent a little bit over a month travelling back to Japan and the Philippines.
I came back to Dubai just last night and this morning, found a beehive in our plumeria plant in the balcony. I always think of you whenever I see bees and though I love you, I am allergic to bees and had to do something to ward them off and pray they never come back!