I write today with a heavy heart. (I bet you thought I used a computer.) My tomatoes have a disease and are dying.  I have a lot of tomatoes but I don’t know if they will survive the dying branches.  I am taking some leaves and branches to the extension office tomorrow to see if they can determine what is wrong.

Today I picked 6 cucumbers.  They are so sweet and delicious this year.  I took one to my neighbor across the street.  I know I cannot eat them all.  If anyone wants a couple of cukes just let me know.  (And no, I am not sending them across the country.)

I canned seven quarts of hot dilled beans today.  I had been making the jars and putting them in the fridge until I had a load to can.  I made three quarts today and had four in the fridge.  They are lovely.  I make them for the father-in-law who makes us such delicious Bloody Wilmas out of them.  (That is a regular Bloody Mary but made with gin instead.)  Since I discovered it, it is named after me.

I have three pints of raspberry sauce that I am going to can next.  I hope this works so we can have this at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I plan to give one jar to a very special raspberry loving friend of mine.

I picked seven green peppers and laid them out on a cookie sheet to freeze.  I’ll bag those up tomorrow to put in the freezer for this winter.

I am going out to gather sage to dry in the dehydrator.  It should be done tomorrow also.  I’ll start on some dried rosemary tomorrow.

Although I am struggling with my grief over the tomatoes, I will persevere.  I figure I will plant the tomatoes in the herb garden next year and plant the herbs in the regular garden.  I can give it a couple of years and see if I can get this disease or whatever it is to die!

I have beets out in the garden and I guess I will make some beet relish and can that this weekend.  There is no rest for the wicked or rather for gardeners who plant much more than they really need.  I just can’t resist growing things.