I love this picture. It's pure October right down to that colorful leaf lying by the pumpkin:) I even see the shadow of a mountain beyond those trees. Wish I could say this is the view from my porch. But our house is in the woods and those tall cedars and alders block our view of the mountains. We do have a fine view of our garden but I forgot to plant pumpkins and sunflowers this year, two of my favorite things. We've been eating a lot of corn which I take off the cob and fry in butter with a little sugar, salt, pepper, and cream. A Kentucky specialty:) The boys love it. In the past I did a great deal of canning - jams, soups, vegetables, applesauce. I love to can but don't have time anymore. Now I make jerky and help with cider. Randy and the boys have made one batch with our old cider press and now our apple trees are hanging low with nearly-ripe fruit. We had 11 record-breaking days of heat this summer so everything ripened a bit early this year.
I've been thinking about seasons in my novels. The Frontiersman's Daughter opens in spring and ends in spring several years later. Courting Morrow Little opens in June, 1778 and ends in winter two years later. Not sure why time is so short in The Locket. A mere eight months! I think I skip autumn altogether, sadly.
Here's another wonderful quote by one of my favorite radicals, Martin Luther. He wrote, If you want to change your world, pick up a pen. He certainly did!
Happy Tuesday!
Laura,
ReplyDeleteWhew, you're making my head spin with all you do...on top of the writing. I did make zucchini relish this summer! And when I get home from work this evening, I'm determined to add "hair" to the pumpkin I painted for Pryor's teacher...and I WILl get the other six pumpkins painted next week when I'm off recuperating from Homecoming.
Hi Laura, it's wonderful when someone cans and preserves summer's bounty! The photo is so beautiful! We don't have trees that change to such wonderful beauty in my area. We are surrounded by ranchland that is covered in Mesquite and also cotton fields. Our home is surrounded with Mesquite trees, and I love walking through our thorny woods. Although they don't give a lot of shade, they still grow rather large, Our home cannot be seen from the road because of the trees. I planted a late garden this year, because the dirt blows so bad in the spring. I am now getting my harvest. I picked peas for two hours this morning and have been spending the rest of the day shelling them and putting them away. I still have onions and tomatoes as well as pumpkins. When you say you don't have time...I can understand! Enjoy the fall days ahead! blessings,Kathleen
ReplyDeletelove that picture... beautiful!!
ReplyDeletei've been busy today canning apple butter. A neighbor down the road has an apple tree that is just loaded with huge apples ready for pickin' right now. The boys and I loaded up with 2 big bags this last weekend, so now I'm having to do something with them. It sure smells good in my house! ha ha
We had corn and sunflowers. THe sunflowers are looking pretty sad right now. And the last bit of harvest from our corn became a meal for some coons the other night! uuugggh!! Those critters like to cause me stress!
I hope you are enjoying your Fall day!
Patti, Wish I could import one of your painted pumpkins out here - my boys would love that:) We love relish of all kinds. I miss my chow chow - lots of fun and very colorful but WORK cutting up to can.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you get some much needed time off! Enjoy every blessed minute!
Oh Kathleen, I want to come and live at your house - tomatoes, peas, heat, and mesquite:) But I bet you have snakes which I am terrified of. Maybe they don't bother you? That is so interesting you are having peas this late but I know you can plant them for fall harvest. I love your blog header for EIMP as I think that is your house among those wonderful trees!? You are a blessed woman, indeed. I love your blogs as they satisfy my cooking, farming, handwork side (somewhat lost beneath all this writing, but still so appreciative):) Bless you for stopping by again!
ReplyDeleteThe BEST part about apple butter is the aroma! Am wondering if you put it on biscuits or toast? Bet your kids love it, Lisa. Makes me want to get busy in the kitchen again. And isn't this sunny weather wonderful?
ReplyDeleteSorry about the coons. I used to watch them out our windows growing up in Ky. They would take the lids off the garbage cans and feast. I can just imagine what they'd do to a garden. Here we just worry with deer and rabbits for some reason. But I know they're out there somewhere:)
Laura, that's an apt quote from Martin Luther as Reformation Sunday is in October.
ReplyDeleteI love the way that fried corn sounds. I'm definitely going to "fix" some to see how it tastes!
It's interesting to hear the growing seasons that everyone experiences in different parts of the country. We have apples to the north and mostly just cotton around here now with the last remains of stuff like field peas in people's gardens. Our sunflowers are done by August.
I like it when you post every day. I love to read *everything* that you write!
Mary, I had no idea about Reformation Sunday - things like that are so interesting to me! That's one of the things I love about your blog - you are always writing about things that are unique, honest, heartfelt. I'm so blessed that we can play blog tag with you in sunny SC and me in rainy WA:)
ReplyDeleteWish I had some of those field peas!
Thank you so much for coming by here today and telling me you like my rambles. I know you are busy, especially this week!
Um, I want some of that fried corn NOW. LOL!
ReplyDeleteWish I could FedEx you some, Ruth! We had it once again last night. Won't quit till they beg me, too. Bet you didn't find any of that in NYC:)
ReplyDelete