Home and ready to work

We got back from vacation last night.  It was glorious to sleep in my own bed.  It was strangely wonderful to wake up and have a million things to do. 

Toby had been dropped off at the house by my parents before we got home, so he and I spent the morning doing our usual routine.  We went and checked on and fed the chickens.  He sniffed around to see if there was anything good to eat that they had left.  Then we went to the garden.  I picked the tomatoes and overflowing peppers.  The pumpkins are really taking off now and coming back to life, where I thought they were dead.  The broccoli is heading up nicely and sending out side shoots where I picked it before vacation. 

While I was emptying the car, the neighbors came for a visit.  Toby got to play with his best bud, Brutus, a 9 month old boxer.  I chatted and caught up while the kids and dogs ran around and played. 

Then it was into the house for breakfast.  I can't tell you how good it was to have poached eggs on toast with eggs from my chickens and my homemade sourdough bread.  Real food is a wonderful thing.  You don't realize how wonderful, until you don't have it for a while. 

I have so many posts and things to tell you.  The picture is of the Monticello gardens.  We attended the Harvest Festival and had a wonderful time meeting Sharon Astyk and seeing all the fabulous things they had to see and taste.  We went to a farm where they cure hams the old fashioned way, saw how peanuts and cotton grow and just generally had a blast.  I'll be giving away a book later in the week as well, so keep your eyes open.  Today I need to get things straightened, tomatoes processed, peppers dealt with, pictures looked through and many other things.  It's wonderful to be home.