How many know what the above picture is, this was a common scene when I was a child. Beans strung and hanging on the porch to dry, for a mountain delight Shuckey beans. I love them cooked with ham and cornbread and a slice of two candy bar onion{ see Appalachian American story two candy bar onion} with a cold glass of milk. It has been a very busy spring and early summer here on the mountain farm, Tari and I extracted the honey yesterday from two hives about seventy five pounds it will be bottled in the morning, it put both of to bed early last night even to tired to fix supper. Beans and tomatoes are ready to start canning this week which is about right as they are calling for ninety degree days this week, we will be starting that between cutting firewood in the mornings , and finishing the nest boxes in the chicken coop for the hens should start laying in the next couple of weeks. Kenny Ray will start picking blackberries tomorrow they are big as nickel this year and are plentiful. We had a storm here last Tuesday and the wind blew my sweet corn down and the heavy rain beat it down even further, I though it was a lost cause but Kenny Ray and I spent Wednesday evening trying to stand it back up, and as of today it looks great, sweet corn will bless the table by the end of the week. We had our last fire the first week of May and Uncle Ken, Kenny Ray and I have been cutting wood in are spare time ever since trying to get ready for winter. Kenny Ray and I have also cleared some ground around the house for more garden and pasture for the chickens , the whole farm has been carved out of the wilderness a little at a time from Uncle Ken ,Dad and I to Kenny Ray and I now. Kenny Ray got a case of poison Ivy after clearing around the driveway area for the farm sign. Next week we have chickens to slaughter as the broilers will be seven weeks old Kenny Ray has done a fine job taking care of them, hopefully he will be able to help with the process of cleaning them. I have had some doubts over the last couple of weeks about life here on the farm but every time I get down God and my family bring me back. Last week when the corn was blown down for the second time this spring I was down on myself and Kenny Ray asked me, Dad do you know the story of Job from the bible and I said no , he then begin to tell about Job and how he lost is wealth his children and his wife but his faith in God remained after all his problems. I got out my bible and read Job and my sweet corn was no problem at all. I then also remembered the sermon from church that pas Sunday Luke 16: 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much , and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. I have to learn to take care of what I already have before I can take on more I have always thought if had more pasture or more garden space the farm would produce better , what I have learned is I most meet the problems that I think I have without losing faith and thank God everyday for the weeds the corn that blew down and is now standing once gain the blight on my tomatoes for all of these he has taken away except for the weeds I am still battleing them, as I have attempted to be faithful in the least of things and being rewarded with a bountiful harvest.
