My kitchen is overflowing with freshness this morning.

So thankful for God's gifts!

So, I went into the backyard garden this morning. It stormed pretty hard last night and I wanted to make sure there wasn't any damage or craziness going on back there. And, there wasn't any damage, but there was some craziness going on... You see, I am a first year gardener, and I planted 3 zucchini plants not knowing that they are seriously nuts. My whole garden has been taken over by zucchini and squash. Funny, kinda. But mostly crazy. So this morning, because of the rain and storm I was able to look under more of the zucchini plants and to my surprise I found one ginormous zucchini that must have been hiding from me for days (maybe weeks?) and then after laughing out loud, I decided I better search for more in case there were a few others. I haven't dug too deep recently because I have been scared of their leaves because they like to bite you with a silly itch that will have you scratching for hours. So, I braved it today and decided to dig. I ended up finding 3 more huge zucchini that are as big as my arm. Crazy plants. They have a mind of their own. I know next year I will know how to plant and control them better. But for now, they are taking over the Laidlaw's yard.

I was also able to pick around 30 peppers the other night. Those have been diced and blanched to enjoy this fall and winter. Pretty excited about that. No more buying week old produce from another country!

And, did I mention I picked another 10 pounds of blueberries? (Not from my backyard...but hope to someday!) Well, I did and they have been getting washed, dried and packed into the freezer. They are so beautiful, and yummy. You can't help my munch on them while they are drying on the counter. Hopefully, we will have enough to freeze :) just kidding, I think we will have more than enough.

And the tomatoes. Ah, they are just gorgeous. I am so excited to pick more and more of these over the next few weeks. Today I was able to get a few more to rest on the counter and turn juicy red. These babies have been our pride and joy, and with a little help they grow so much more organized compared to those pesty zucchini. I feel like these beautiful fruits bring hope for a better future. So amazing and their stunning color stops you to just admire.

Well, that's what I got for you today....To be inspired and thankful for God's gifts of fresh food. And, I hope to return later to post a yummy recipe... I have a few ideas and dreams brewing in my head. Yes, I do dream about food.

Much love and light to you today!