I'm a Jolly Green Giant

I've been patient - prayerful and very very hopeful that we would find much success in this years garden. Well, the time has come for some harvesting of our hard work - mostly Del's hard work, but I have helped enough that I feel ownership in our efforts and success.
The chickens left most things alone for the first few weeks, but once they figured out there were more than just bugs to eat out in that there garden, they started picking it apart.  They ate the rest of our strawberries, but only after we had picked enough to enjoy and then freeze some.  Then, they found the corn.  Oh boy, did they have a hay day with the corn!!  They ate down the first row almost to stubs - and had started on the second row before we finally convinced them we WOULD shoot them if they continued.  The most interesting of all things is...they will follow me in the garden wherever I seem to go.  If I'm checking out the tomatoes?  Sure enough, they decide to check out the tomatoes also - then on to the potatoes?  They are right on my heels.  And they don't just tip toe through the garden...they seem to have a real plowing motion to them...just barrel right on through whatever might be in their way.  A little frustrating but I try not to complain too much as our garden seems to be almost bug and insect free.  Two edged sword.
Last week, Del did some picking of the beans.  There were a few that were ready but not enough for a FULL picking.  He picked enough and dug up some of our red potatoes for two nights dinners and they were so yummy!!!  I was excited for the green light for this week to do the initial picking on the green beans.
Of course, I've been sick for just about a week now.  Started last week on Thursday - head stuffed up, sinuses, ears hurt, throat...the whole thing.  Right ear infection, left ear bulging, sinus infection and ulcers in my throat from all the drainage.  An antibiotic and other helpful meds and I thought I would be fine.  Dr Henao went out of town this whole week and so I thought I would have time to get better.  I stayed in bed ALL last weekend - I mean - solid BED - slept all the time - ate hardly nothing at all, no church, no leaving my house, no anything.  Then I tried to go to work Monday and felt - BLEH!!!!  So the doctor decided to add MONO to the works...No wonder I was so tired.  But no new medicines as I was already past the contagious stage and I had been on antibiotics for 5 days already.  So, since Dr. H was gone, I decided to go ahead and take this week off also as a vacation week.  I hate wasting vacation days on getting better, but gotta do what ya gotta do.
So, this week, I have slept a lot, been doing a jigsaw puzzle, some Relief Society work, reading and finally today, I got up at 6:00am and for two hours, I picked beans.  It was great!  What an initial harvest we have!! Then for two hours, I snapped the beans, cleaned them, took some over to the neighbors and then put the rest out in the fridge.  Del and I will can them on Saturday - we should get about 16 quarts.  Del says we should get about 10 more pickings just like today's.  I was tired - probably did too much for my first day of energy but I don't regret a minute of it.
The potatoes are coming also - the onions - tomatoes will be a few more weeks and then the corn should be another month or so.  The neighbors chickens continue to lay their eggs in our coop but our girls should be laying by the end of the month, if we're lucky.
So, the Harvest has started.  And I have a very full and grateful heart.