Many hands make light work

The best place to find a helping handis at the end of your own arm.- Swedish proverb

Or have your sister from Puerto Rico come visit! We kicked butt yesterday. Early in the day, I had my sister come look at the squash that is eating my garden. We found a guest in there and being a polite hostess with the mostest I took him and introduced him to the chickens. Then we strolled the other garden and picked all the cucumbers and zucchini. The man, kids and I went back out and picked another 9 pounds of blackberries. While we were washing the berries, the kids picked the broccoli and beans.

The cucumbers were sliced and onions added and set aside with salt for three hours. During that time we grated and froze 8 pounds of zucchini, 3 pounds of beans, washed the 1 1/2 pounds of broccoli for dinner and made 9 pints of blackberry pie filling.

Then we finished the bread and butter pickles and got 2 quarts and 5 pints of them.When we were done I came up to the house to pick some berries I have in my yard to use for cordial. I grabbed a container and walked toward the patch. The man followed a little behind and said "I am surprised you didn't scream". I knew without turning around there was a snake. I turned and saw that I had walked by this.... a six foot black rat snake. The black rat snake is officially one of North America's longest snakes. Knowing how much I love (NOT) snakes the man picked him up and moved him into the woods.

I needed some of that cordial right then! But we picked the berries and came in to find I have no vodka so I am trying to make wine. We shall see how well that goes.