My back isn’t getting better. It keeps hurting and limiting my movement, which makes even the smallest daily tasks feel heavier than they should. Today is another hot one — hot and wet, like being trapped in a sauna. I’m all sweaty, struggling to breathe, and honestly, I’m not a big fan of this kind of weather. I know I should go out and enjoy the last days of summer, but instead, I’m staying inside and saving my strength.
Still, some work can’t wait. Today, I decided it was time to harvest my string beans. Both from the raised beds and the field. The raised beds definitely did better this year – it was so wet!
One of my raised beds is just 120 cm x 60 cm, but I planted it tightly — beans, one pumpkin, some marigolds, dill, and of course a few flowers for color. A little jungle all in one box. Now it was time to clear it out.
When I preserve beans for winter, I like to pull the plants up by the roots and then pick the beans off. If I were making a stew, I’d only collect the ripe ones. But since these are going into the freezer for the cold months ahead, I pulled everything out at once.
It feels good to know that while the heat may be overwhelming and my back isn’t letting me do much, at least the freezer will be stocked with beans for winter. A small victory in a sweaty, difficult day.
Ilze
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a day in the life of a latvian mom 
Do be careful with the back .. but you have the best and richest yield in plump-looking vegetables I know, and you should be so pleased looking in the freezer – not some packets from Lord knows where grown with whatever chemicals poured over them for growth . . . but take care with that back . . . I know.. boo-hoo 😦 !!!
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Yes, 4 x 4L packages with my own string beans! Love it! I’ll harvest the carrots later—they can stay in the ground until October.
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What an awesome harvest, Ilze. I have chronic back pain too (sciatica.) There are some great stretches you can find online that really help 🙂
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Thank you! Yes, stretching does help — I try to do some gentle ones when my back allows. Sorry to hear you struggle with sciatica, that must be tough. Wishing you relief and many pain-free days ahead 🙂
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I have a bad back too, Ilze, three herniated lumbar. I feel your pain…
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… Oh, I stop whining… yours sounds terrible!!! I’m so sorry!
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No worries, ilze. They don’t slip out very often but when they do, I need my handicap placard in the car and my cane! 😢
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That doesn’t sound good… I hope it won’t slip out ever again!
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Me too!! I can’t walk very far before having to stop, it hurts!
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Great harvest. I hope your back will improve. Hey, after you told me from where you are I realized you are probably not too far from where my dad was born and raised in Ranka, My aunt Ruta Leimanis and other relatives are still there,
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Yes, I’m close to Ranka—about 30 minutes by car! Can’t believe I came across your blog 🙂 Latvia isn’t that big, so it’s rare to stumble upon someone who knows it!
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So sorry about your back. Take good care and what a wonderful harvest!
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Thank you! I will take care!
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Well done on growing such a bounty of vegetables!
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Thank you, Anne! This year was terrible, but at least I have beens 🙂
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Well done, but keep taking it easy
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🙂 Thank you, Derrick! I will take it easy!
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I’m sure you are doing everything you can to take care of your back, like gentle stretching and warm showers. Sometimes, we simply need to rest and let the muscles heal.
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