Peas, Glorious Peas

Yesterday I picked another huge bowl of peas.  I wanted to take them with me to work to share.  I found a way to store them that keeps them crisp and delicious.  Straight out of the garden they go into a huge bowl of ice water.  Water first, then peas then ice all over the top of the peas.  It cools them down quickly if you don't have much time.  Then I got a gallon size zip lock baggie and lined it with two dry paper towels, put in the wet peas, and zipped it shut.  When I got to work, I put it in the fridge and ate out of it all night long.  They were fantastic.  This also works with lettuce.  I can keep lettuce out of the garden for  a week or more, and it stays crisp.  As long as the paper towel stays damp, the lettuce will stay crisp.

I have to say, I have never tasted peas quite as good as these.  Fresh from the garden they are indescribable.  I admit that I have had some darn good peas from the farmer's markets, but it must lose a bit of flavor after a day or so because these are just like eating dessert.  The minute you bite into them there is this explosion of flavor from the pod, and then when you bite into a pea, another burst of sweet freshness.  I cannot believe that I can get so excited about a pea pod.  Maybe I need a hobby or a life? 

 One thing that is puzzling to me is that the popcorn grew about 4-5 inches immediately after we planted it.  It has not grown another centimeter since.  Doesn't look like we will get popcorn.  The chili's are starting to ripen also....woo hoo.  There are quite a few tomatoes also, and they will hopefully be ripe soon.  I know nothing about potatoes because I can't see them, but the greenery is blossoming, and the bushes are getting quite large.  I read somewhere that the potatoes can be harvested as the bush starts to wilt and die.  I will watch and hope I get it right.

We have plenty of lettuce, and it also looks like we will have yellow onions.  I have no idea what happened to the green bunching onions, but they are not doing well.  I wonder if it is our soil.  It is really clay-like and heavy.  I maybe should have grown them in the green house.  I have big plans for that greenhouse this fall.  I am planning on planting more lettuce, and more bunching onions and some herbs.  I will be experimenting through the winter.

The sweat peas (flower) are blooming on the front porch.  We started those from seeds and they climbed up the trellis and are now sprouting a variety of colors.  They smell so good and beautify the front deck.  The geraniums are also in full bloom and since I have stopped feeding the raccoons and have been throwing rocks at them every time they come around, they have not eaten any of my geraniums.  I imagine this admission will bring down the wrath of animal lovers everywhere.  Be assured that the rocks don't hit their mark, (well maybe once in a while), and they are small and are accompanied by a lot of screaming and yelling.  I haven't hurt a raccoon yet, hopefully just scared the s*** out of them so they don't come back.

I don't know where the summer has gone.  Oh wait, we haven't had summer yet.  I just can't believe it is already August.  Soon the harvesting will be over.  Then I am going to be figuring out ways to store the food.  Then I plan to move on to my passion and talk about books.  There is no subject I love more than books.  I read voraciously and am always happy to discuss my latest find.

Until next time.

Karen