We went to Michigan for a week and came back to a garden beginning to produce and flower beds that had turned suddenly into a jungle.

It is nice to get away, of course, but takes a lot of prep before we leave and produces a long to do list upon return. I felt a little overwhelmed walking around last Sunday evening when we got home. I sat down and began writing out my list, though, so Monday morning I was ready to begin tackling things.

First to do was wash eggs. Now that our flock is smaller, this is more manageable but still takes some time after a week away.

Tuesday I was really productive: mowing, weeding, trimming, tending the garden, pulling garlic, cleaning the fountain, freshening and filling the coop and feeders, watering plants, feeding hummingbirds, and swimming in between each task to stay cool!

So today I finally awoke feeling a bit more relaxed. There is, of course, still more to do, but it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.

After checking on the birds, I wandered out to just enjoy the garden a bit and see what was ready to pick. I love the early morning in the garden when dew wets the grass and the air still feels cool and heavy from the night before.

I was delighted to come in with the makings for my first batches of pickles: cucumbers, an onion, garlic, a jalapeño and some dill.

I don’t follow a set recipe for refrigerator pickles. Since they aren’t being canned, there’s no worries about food safety in terms of getting them salty or vinegary enough.

I made two jars: one hot, one not. The hot one got the jalapeño; that’s the only difference. To each jar I added several sliced garlic cloves, half an onion thinly sliced with greens, a few sprigs of fresh dill and several tablespoons of dill seed, two tablespoons of canning salt, and cucumbers cut into a mix of spears and chips.

Then I filled the jar about halfway with water. Finally, I topped them off with a splash of garlic infused white wine vinegar and the rest apple cider vinegar. I covered them and shook until the salt dissolved. Then into the fridge to sit for a few days and they’ll be ready to enjoy!

What’s your favorite pickle recipe?