what this summer has taught me...

i have been reflecting lately on just what all i have learned this past summer and how much has changed and what things still have not changed! first of all, and i think the biggest is my willingness to work in the heat! i used to run, well maybe not run, as i am not into running, but walk very fast to avoid it. i hated it. anything that was uncomfortable, i simply did not do. however, i discovered how good i can feel and the accomplishment i can feel after spending a day outside dripping with sweat (yes i enjoy sweating now) getting things done. i enjoy even more the reward of stepping back and SEEING all the work i've done. God has blessed us this whole summer with giving us a good rain atleast once a week so i have not needed to water the garden hardly at all as of yet. chris was able to get a really nice new weedwacker half way through this summer and so he is getting better about staying on top of that. and our wonderful discovery of straw. yes straw is a gardeners best friend! we were weeding forever every other week until we finally put down the straw and it has helped immensly. i will def purchase a ton of that wonderful gold at the BEGINNING of spring next year. our other wonderful discovery, for about a week, is mulch. however we have found even if you put the black landscape stuff or biodegradable paper down first the weeds continue to grow up through that and the mulch, but it sure does look good for about a week!
i also have finally learned, that my husband will usually do all he can to help me and keep me from throwing yard tools around the yard (happy wife, happy life)! i went out today to tackle the way overgrown bushes with the hedge trimmer, he came out and saw me struggling and laughed and took over. i DID keep helping, but it was sure nice for him to do that before i lost my temper fighting with the stupid things! he even called the kids out and had them rake and throw the trimmings in the trash.
another thing i learned, everyone thinks if you have extra vegetables, you should put up a stand and sell them. however, first of all, i don't have the time to mess with a stand, second of all, that would require keeping cash on hand, which i don't often do, and third, it makes me happy to be able to give my family and friends fresh veggies that i grew myself (with God's help ofcourse) and i feel like God blesses us when we share with others. if chris ever looses his job, then i may stick HIM out front with a stand, but in the meantime, i will continue to GIVE the extras away.
i also have learned many do's and don'ts about gardening again, which i will write down later, but i also learned how you can freeze everything when in the thick of harvesting so you can go back later when you have more time and can or make jam or salsa etc....
also, that my daughter, God love her, was NOT made to work in the heat as it aggrevates her eczema so bad and she ends up covered in a horrible itchy painful rash. we have decided in the heat of summer she needs to stick to indoor chores.
and last but not least, we learned how fast the summer can go even when you don't have specific plans, life seems to take care of giving you plenty to do.