Show over, Harvesting, canning, drying herbs, getting caught up

Today we strike the show and then I am back to canning and chickening and..... Oh wait, I never stopped doing that stuff. I just stopped blogging for a while.  Something had to give and it was the writing.  I have tons of stuff to tell you about!  I made my first batch of soap!  I need to hone it, but , its soap.  Nice thing is... between the books I own and the internet, I know what to do to make it better.
Our beloved Hash is all grown up... well almost.  No eggs yet and so far, no more crowing.  She has integrated into the flock .  Hester and Prissy have also integrated well. Its relatively peaceful out there these days.  The older girls are watching the light change and are anxiously awaiting their freedom.
The garden was late getting started this year but once it did, it exploded.  I put up so many pickles this year that I am giving away cucumbers by the bagful.. Jimmy's tomatoes are beautiful.  We have been enjoying a steady diet of steak and tomatoes for two weeks now.
I picked up an old Hershey's recipe book at a garage sale this summer and it had the best cake recipe I have run into so far. Once things get settled I will post  it for you.  And now that the weather has cooled off, we will be moving our cooking indoors and Ida Bailey will get dusted off again. 
HERBS:  Banner year for them. I should get one more good cutting to dry.
I convinced Jimmy to let  a blackberry bush grow in one of the back corners.  In another week I should have enough to make a couple of fine batches of blackberry jam.  I traded  eggs for beets  this year  cuz I just didn't have enough room to grow enough to pickle. I'll be stewing and canning tomatoes next week.
We have about 10 more winter squash that I am leaving on the vines for a few more days to see if I cant get them just a tiny bit bigger.
All in all , not a bad summer.  Spent it with with smart, talented, dynamic artists and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Our artisan lifestyle did not suffer a bit for my absences.  But now that it is over I will be better about this blog. 

Rehearsal, backyard chickens, Leena's Cafe

I woke up at a savagely early hour today so decided to take advantage of it  and  do a blog update.  I'm in the middle of rehearsal for a show right now so getting things done is much more important than talking about  (or writing )  what I'm doing.   Our 'no summer' ..then ...'sudden summer " has resulted in the garden all coming in at once.     So, lots 'O canning and preserving to be done  now, or to be more accurate, NOW!!!!!      

The girls are doing well.  Everyone is integrating with minimal fuss.  Even #hashtage is  running-away-screaming  less.  He/she is still spoiled beyond belief.  And He/she still  still believes he/she is human.   My rehearsal schedule has kept me pretty busy  and Monday and Tuesdays  I'm almost completely invisible around here.  Last Thursday, on my extended chicken visit to the pen #hashtag crawled up on my lap and tattled on everyone for a good ten minutes before  she  laid her head on my chest and purred contentedly.  She really does have some un-chicken behaviors.  Or he does.  We are not sure  at this time  which way our little hash is going to go.   Twice in the last month, we have heard what sounds like distinct crowing noises.   If #  is a boy that could explain why all the girls treat  him like a pariah.   They know what is coming.  

Just a note:  Feral Jane and I went to Leena's Cafe yesterday and I couldn't have have scripted a better experience.  Perfect service and perfect food.  AND we were the youngest people in the restaurant.    We had the oh so yummy chicken fried steak.  Jane agreed...  it is THE best diner experience in the Seattle area.  Oh and very important.... Free, convenient parking. I hate having to add $20  onto my dinner tab for parking.