August is beginning and the mark of summer ending with the grandchildren preparing to start school in a few weeks. There will be no more visits with grandchildren until Christmas break. The softball season is over, and other sports practices been going on for a few weeks. The distance apart makes if difficult to attend any games, but we like to keep track on their achievements.
I have been putting the squash from my small garden up for later meals. We eat some and I freeze some. The work of growing food. The tomatoes and bell peppers do not produce fruit in the heat of summer. Once the temperatures start to drop, they will set fruit for a late harvest in November.
In the part of Texas where I live, people plant two gardens, a spring garden and fall garden. The spring garden has been struggling in the heat. Squash produces well in the heat as long as it has water. The tomatoes, bell peppers will produce when the temperatures drop. The brussel sprouts will begin to grow their fruits vigorously with the cooler temperatures arriving at the end of August. Pumpkins will continue to set fruit and grow until the first freeze in mid November.
In a couple of weeks I will plant radishes, onions and maybe some potatoes. These vegetables will grow well in the cool temperatures until we get a hard freeze in January or February. Cabbages do well in a fall garden.
The lambing for summer is done. Due to the drought, the sheep market is flooded with people selling their ewes and rams because winter feed prices are going to be higher than last year. People selling now, means there will be fewer lambs born in the fall. Less lambs born in the fall means fewer lambs for sell in February and March when the lamb market prices are usually high. I am currently breeding my ewes for fall lambing. I have faith I will be able to continue to purchase feed through the winter and hopefully make a good profit in February.
August is the time to settle down and do projects that were interrupted with visits from family. The grandchildren go back to school, and I go back to work building and repairing the shelters for the animals this winter. Projects that improve our place and home.
August is also the time to start the gifts for family and friends. Considering I did not plant cucumbers this year, I will not be making pickles and relish for Christmas gifts. I will have to make the Christmas gifts this year. One of my projects to get completed in August is the leather crafting work table. My husband wants to make belts for the grandchildren. I will need to have the leather work table done for him to be able to complete his Christmas gifts this year.
Another project is to finish some quilts I started last year for the grandchildren. I am going to set up my quilting frame in the spare bedroom, now that there will not be any visitors until Christmas. I hand stitch all the quilting on my quilts. A task that requires time and patiences of placing each stitch in the right place. When the quilts are completed, they are heirlooms for my grandchildren and future generations. Before I die, I want to have completed a quilt for each grandchild. Some have their quilts, but I have a several more to make and complete.
My year is marked out in months for certain activities and events. August is the beginning of work as the season for playing with family is over until Christmas time.
amtolle
Me, Myself and I 