Sprigs: Lemon cucumbers

The bees have been buzzing between the multitude of little yellow blossoms on my cucumber vines.  I kept looking for tiny fruit to form but could find very few. 

But the conditions must have been just right, because this week I've harvested a couple dozen of the baseball sized, yellow striped lemon cucumber.







Too many to eat fresh, I just started a batch of pickles. They're sitting on the counter right now.

They're delicious, and easy to make. They keep for up to two months, and in past seasons I have added new cukes to the old brine. Thanks to Cathy Johnson from Surry County for the recipe.

In a bowl combine:
6 cups thinly sliced cukes
1 cup each thinly sliced onion and bell pepper
1 Tbsp. salt

Let stand for two hours. Drain and rinse.

Add 1/2 tsp celery seed
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar.

Stir and refrigerate.