Norman put out new Mint-X bags yesterday and they have protected the beans but those darn raccoons just walked around them.  I was afraid they would not stop the raccoons once they knew the corn was ready.  When we were feeding the stray cats and forgot to take the dish of dry food in at night the raccoons would come right up on the porch to get it and if we turned the light on they didn’t get bothered by it at all.  If we yelled at them or tried to go out they would lumber off across the drive or hid under the truck until we left but then would come right back.  So we were not surprised this morning to find three corn stocks down and a few other ears pulled off and eaten.  Norman had said they raccoons would let us know when the corn was ready to eat and sure enough they did.  We picked four ears for ourselves and had them for break.  They were very good but could have stayed on the stock a day or two more and be better.  So we will pick some each day and freeze some but do want to wait a day or two more if we can so it will be fully grown.  Tonight we will go down to the garden before we go to bed, the time they used to come to check for the cat food.  Norman will take his shot gun but I think the corn has more to worry about from Norman than the raccoons do, as he is blind in one eye and can’t see very well out of the other.  The eye he would use to aim a shot has no central vision so he will have to aim blind.  I have never shot a gun so I would be even worse.  It should scare the devil out of them tho.

Up and at ’em at 5 a..m. again today.  I put dinner in the crock pot and then got bread on to rise  and was in the garden by 6 o’clock.  Norman took his walk while I picked green beans.   I got  all most half a bushel basket full and after breakfast we canned those- got 6 quarts and one pint and some to cook for dinner tomorrow.  I got some more cucumbers to save to make pickles when I get enough.  While Norman was timing the canning and cleaning up the kitchen I went out for half an hour to pick a few blueberries.  I got a gallon and then had to stop to get dinner.  There are still more berries but it is now after dinner and getting hot out there so will wait until morning to finish picking the berries and I’ll get the black berries also.  I want to can the blueberries for Becca’s kids and make blackberry jelly with the black berries.   Have a great day.