The Pumpkin Patch

McGuirk Farms continues to produce.  In the previous post, I showed a picture of my cucumbers.  Well those were probably half, if not less, of the total harvest.  I had close to 30 cucumbers this year.  What to do with them?  I decided to try my hand at pickling.  I now have close to 20 jars in the basement, all in the process of producing (what I hope to be) fabulous pickles.  I'll take some pictures of them when we get closer to eating time.  I'm worried they'll be horrible, and then I'll be stuck with a bunch of jars of bad pickles (Christmas gifts?)

Bode's soccer season is in full swing.  The team has won one game, and lost two.  One of the losses was a tough match--3-2, with the other team scoring in the closing seconds.  We won't talk about the other loss.  I think the boys are having fun and learning a lot (at least I have to keep reminding myself of that fact--it's fun for the boys, and the wins don't matter :-)  Ashley took a few pictures with the camera.  First, a team photo that she surreptitiously took while the photographer wasn't looking.

She took a lot of action shots, but no real ones you can tell that the particular player is Bode.  In the below picture, Bode is the kid holding the ball.

We also have a nice shot of the boys and me at half time.

Bode is also back in swimming, having moved up to Class 2.  He does swim practice twice a week, soccer twice a week, piano lessons once a week, and he joined the school orchestra and does the violin.  While I love soccer, I can't wait for 28 Oct, which is when the season ends, and Bode's (my) schedule will get much easier.

My pumpkins have gone nuts.  They've left the garden and are making their way through the yard.  Barkley also likes to keep an eye on them.

 

I have five or six good-sized pumpkins.  I had another one, but it was growing on the vine in a position such that its weight wasn't well-supported, so it snapped off.  Below is a nice picture--I can't imagine how big it would've gotten if it had continued to grow on the vine.

Not much else going on here...except that Ashley is UNEMPLOYED :-)  This was planned, as she has taken a new job with a different company.  Her last day with Harris/Peraton was Friday, and she doesn't start up until 2 October.  Thus, for the first time in over 17 years, she has no responsibilities whatsoever.  She certainly deserves the rest.  She plans to spend some quality R&R in Breckenridge this week.  Bode and I will keep the home fires burning.  Pleasant week to all.