Our Garden in June

These are my personal favorites so far, maybe because they are so HUGE! These are our mammoth sunflowers. When I was a beehive I read a poem in church for a talk about how we need to be like sunflowers because they follow the sun across the sky everywhere it moves during the day. We too need to follow the "Son" like this each day.

That poem has been very visual this year as you can see the plants lean into wherever the sun is in the sky. In the morning they are leaning to the east, and even when it is almost dark outside they lean into the west. Awesome examples of following the light!





This is our other giant plant. THE corn plant. All the rest of our corn is relatively the same size, except for this one. Why? I don't know, guess it got the tall genes from mom and dad.


Can't wait for these little berries to be red! Our friend Sam helped us acquire these strawberries. They have grown really well and are sending out their runners to put down roots in other places.


Other plants we are watching:
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Lemon Cucumbers
Cucumbers
Radishes
Carrots
Pumpkins (probably need to pull some of them out, they may take over our sidewalk)
Tomatoes
Peppers
Green Beans
Cantaloupe
Peas
Spaghetti Squash
Weeds of every kind.... We need to get our hands to work

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Hay Fever

My poor, wonderful husband has a terrible time with Hay Fever this time of year! This is compounded because of his occupation: working on hay equipment. Not really ideal for combatting the allergies. He is a hard worker and continues on to provide for us. I feel so bad at night though when he comes home with red eyes and puffy cheeks. However, I have to say I love those puffy cheeks so much because of why they are there; that is Justin is a hard working non-complaining, strong, loving husband.

If anyone has any suggestions for helping with it we would love to hear them.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

I've Got A Lovely Coconut

On our Friday night grocery shopping trip, Justin and I came across coconuts for a $1a piece. Justin had never cracked one open before and I thought smashing it with a hammer could be pretty fun, so we got one.

Sunday afternoon we decided to open the little beautie.

Knowing that coconuts have juice, we decided to drill a hole first. The electric drill came in handy.


Justin said, "I know what you are thinking, you are going to now confiscate my drill for a new kitchen tool!"

My thought, "Not quite, but sure glad we had it for this escapade."



The coconut juice draining into our lovely John Deere glass. We both tasted it, it wasn't so yummy. A co-worker suggested next time we do it we cook some rice in it. Brilliant!



Used the drill again to try and get some flesh out. Don't want any chipped toothes...









Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Need a Little Fiber?

Lately, our ward, stake, and entire church has been focusing on self-reliance. It encompasses many different aspects in our lives, but is so beneficial to being at peace with the many crazy things going on in the world today.

I decided to improve some of my cooking self reliant skills and decided to cook with dry pinto beans. I am always nervous to try these things. Growing up my mom was excellent at cooking from scratch and her food storage, but you I never know if I am really doing it right.

To cook the beans, I first picked the rocks out of them(Very fresh straight from the field, Justin still found a rock in his taco soup though, I will do a better job next time). I soaked them over night in a large pot of water. The next morning I drained the beans and put them in a crock pot on high for four hours.

When I came home that night they were ready to go. I made a large pot of taco soup and still had some beans left over so I made homeade refried beans. It was a very 'high fiber' weekend full of beans. I really liked the refried beans, I thought they had more taste to them than the regular old canned refried beans.



I just read on a canning blog that you can also can your own beans. I may have to try this this fall. So, if you are nervous about cooking with beans, don't be! They are pretty simple, cheap, and really yummy!
Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Bragging Rights

So, I know that it isn't good to brag, but just for a minute I have to tell you about my amazing little sister. She is beautiful, smart, kind, a great listener, and had four tassles to choose from to wear for graduation. Rachel Corn is really an incredible girl and I am glad I get to call her my little sister.

We had the opportunity over labor day weekend to travel to Oregon to watch her deliver her Valedictorian speech and accept her high school diploma. I can't believe she is old enough, but am excited for her. She will be attending BYU in the fall and it will be fun to have her closer. I can't wait to see what she 'grows up' to be and maybe my parents will come down and visit more often with their three youngest in Utah?

The weekend was again a lot of fun and full of parties. One of the highlights was the hay ride my dad took all of us ladies and grandkids on Monday at our picnic. We traveled around the big KSD field on the highway with the old John Deere tractor pulling the wagon covered with straw. I told all of the grandkids that their were alligators that lived in the drain ditch, and some of them thought they saw them too.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

GRADUATION

Justin and I the morning of graduation! I get a kick out of the guy in the background.


My amazing in-laws and us. They brougth tables, chairs, and chips for our party and drove from Kamas, and have always been so supportive of us in whatever we need.


My incredible parents who I owe so much too! Thank you so much for your example and support.


These two ladies are only the two coolest grandmas I know! Thanks for coming to graduation and always spoiling me!


This is my oldest sister Amanda who is ten years older than me and also graduated from Utah State with her degree in Agriculture Education.

The whole day was busy, fun, and full of memories. We had a large party at our home and ate sloppy joes, lots of salads, and yummy desserts. It ended with Robbie taking my niece, my sister, and my MOM on a motorcycle ride. Graduation was great!





This made us all smile!







Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Why I Love John Deere

My grandfather recently passed away on May 4, 2011. My 'Papa' as we called him growing up was a huge example to me of honesty, hard work, integrity, taking care of what you own, where there is a will, there is always a way, and that family is the most important thing we have on this earth, oh- and that John Deere tractors are the coolest things on the planet. This last statement causes me to believe that he is partly responsible for me and my husband meeting and having so much in common.

You see, my grandfather loved tractors, old, new, and especially John Deere. If you have ever been to my home, you would quickly shake your head in agreement with the statement that 'I too love John Deere tractors.' Justin and I actually met over an old crank start Allis Chalmers tractor on campus one day during club activities and I know that if I wouldn't have had the grandfather I did, I probably would have never went and tried to start that tractor that day.

I remember going home one weekend and excitedly telling my Papa about trying to start the tractor and about the really great guy I met in the process. He thought that is was pretty cool and was really concerned that I needed to be careful because "Those crank start tractors can easily spring back on you and break your arm."

Justin and I both love John Deere tractors, and for Justin logging equipment. I am sure we will have to take a family picture once or twice in all John Deere paraphanelia.

You will notice in this picture that an old John Deere tractor and 3 Hollingsworth dealership service trucks are leading the hearse up the hill to the cemetary. In front of these (you can't see it because it is already at the top) was an 8530 (a big new) John Deere tractor. This was really an awesome moment as I watched the tractors drive up the hill, it was like my Grandpa leading the whole way.



I will miss my grandpa terribly, but I know that I will see him again someday. I am so grateful for the life he lived, the love he shared, and the lessons he taught. I also know that I am part of his legacy that will carry on, and my children will be and so on. I hope to teach them part of what he taught me.

He loved trees as well, and so in memory of him we planted a baby pine tree along HWY 201 to Nyssa, OR. This is our family.


Justin and Ruth Blazzard