37 Degrees this Morning

I suppose 37 degrees is better than the 36 that was forecasted.  Kind of a crazy week, ranging from highs in the 50s to one day in the 90s.
I finally found something to can.  Over the last couple of weeks I've been informed that two people in my family are particularly partial to apricots.  Teri has an apricot tree that's just ripe-ish now (crazy), so I made up some "Apricot Sauce" as Shawn decided to call it, given its general similarity in preparation to apple sauce.  It was inspired by a dinner at Karen and Ralf's, which ended deliciously with ice cream with boiled down apricots on it.  Makes me feel better to have at least something new in the root cellar.
New gopher issues have arisen in the melon patch.  One watermelon down, with some almost ripe melons killed.  On the cantaloupe front, none are ripe yet.  Some may have been close, but various creatures have gnawed their way in and hollowed a few out.  Cantaloupe are ready when they easily slip off the stem.  Usually you can tell they are close by color.  I am ever hopeful, but continue to be disappointed.
We actually are getting a few tomatoes.  I'm trying to decide whether we need more salsa or if I should can what will likely amount to 1 quart and maybe one pint.  Seems pointless, but perhaps I need to adjust my expectations.
We had a couple of requests for winter squash, so I think we'll take some next week.  I gave the acorns the fingernail test, but their skin was still soft and yielding.  However, if people are going to eat them right away, it doesn't matter.
We dug some of what are definitely Red Thumb potatoes and they were gorgeous.  These potatoes are in the best spot both in terms of soil and the watering system.  Shawn also dug some Norland Reds, which are in a worse spot and show it.
Garlic cleaning continues, mainly thanks to Teri.  I think we're done with everything except Chesnok, Inchillium, Polish, Transylvanian, Oregon Blue, and Zemo.

WARNING: Some (well, one) photographs may not be appropriate for all viewers.  But it's pretty funny.

Apricots on their way to becoming sauce.

I quite like my upside down canner.

Elephant garlic seed.

If you squint you can see last week's planting of radishes.

This is our seeder.

It has plates with different size holes for different size seeds.  It works reasonably well and is way faster than doing it by hand.

This week's tomatoes.  There are some Green Zebras, Aunt Ruby's, Anna Russians, and a peach-style.

Teri came up with this deer fence idea.  I wish we'd thought of it months ago.

This is what the deer fence will hopefully protect the cucumbers from.

There are pumpkins in there!

The garlic cleaning debris pile.

Karen and Ralf were taken by the carrots we gave them.  Apparently additional photographs will be forthcoming.