The Blessed Rain has come! We are in the middle of a beautiful lightening ,thunder and rain storm. We can now get the fall crops started, plant the tomato plants and finish plowing the strawberry field that was too dry and hard. As we went to the dairy barn to milk in the early light of dawn, the animals were frolicking in the pastures. Even the chickens were out bathing in the rain puddles. Thank you dear Lord for this timely gift. Rocky has asked that since it has cooled off a bit will he start getting a hot supper again. Explanations are in order. This home grown, corn fed, country bred, sausage and gravy lovin' man who lives on a farm that produces some the the best meat, milk, eggs, and produce in the county, in the summer time usually ends up eating chips and salsa or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for supper, or whatever can be cooked and eaten off of the BBQ grill, as the chief cook has much more pressing chores to do, other than cook meals. It is about supper time(in the summer that is when the sun goes down) when the temperature cools a bit that the canner, the steamer/juicer, the lid and cap sterilizer etc. are on the stove or the oven is turned on to bake the breads and cookies for the market. The soap pot is filled with oils and herbs for goat milk soap, not one thought is on meatloaf or lasagna. The boys at the fire station comment to him that it sure must be nice to have a wife that bakes goodies, makes cheese and homemade jelly, and all of that good stuff, Rocky just nods his head and silently tries to remember the last homemade cookie he ate! and hearing a voice in his head " Now don't touch those, those are for the market!" My sabatical from meal cooking is nearing its end, and tonight we will celebrate with country ribs, red beans and corn bread, creamed new potatoes, steamed squash, and some peach cobbler. Hopefully Rocky will forget all of the cold, quick, nightime nibblings. And for the record the salsa, and bread, and the fresh ground peanut butter and the jelly were homemade! From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!