i've been on the fence about this blog.
but i've decided to continue. you know what cinched it? the dark days challenge.
last year i rocked out about half of the required meals.
so i've even been on the fence about the challenge.
but i can't pass up a good challenge, so i am in.
i mean i can't pass up my heritage right? see exhibit a, b and c.
of course, neither u-pick or farmer's markets exist here at this temperature.
(but there just may be some farm stands open, and i will find out friday afternoon.)
dark days meal #1 is due december first, two weeks from now.
in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for a post or two—or five, about canning.
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
11.17.2010
9.27.2010
fall weekends
spent a weekend canning.
the applesauce came out pink, which tickles me likewise. the plums smelled heavenly as they simmered, and i think i can rest easy that i have put my green tomatoes to good use. my cabinet is filled with beautiful jars.
it was a weekend well spent.
- ginger garlic plum sauce
- plum chutney
- applesauce
- dilled tomatoes
- curried tomato relish
the applesauce came out pink, which tickles me likewise. the plums smelled heavenly as they simmered, and i think i can rest easy that i have put my green tomatoes to good use. my cabinet is filled with beautiful jars.
it was a weekend well spent.
8.23.2010
the fall garden
reading heavy petal, i remembered—fall garden!
thus far i have chard, spinach, radishes, broccoli and carrots in the ground.
it feels good. i'm looking at fall as my second chance.
next up? more greens. mizuna, mache, stir-fry. mustard. arugula.
then i'm thinking turnips, fava beans, onions, raab and cabbage. oh, and peas!
i've never done well with fall gardening before but after my half-assed summer i have a desire to succeed. and my watering timer puts me ahead of the game. (really, i swear you should get yourself one.)
in the not-too-distant past i had good luck with fall. feeling lucky.
11.27.2009
a quiet november
the cold days seem slower.
the 'lazy days of summer' are somehow action packed, the sunlight invigorating us. now it is colder, darker. when i leave work the sun has set making the three hours between work and my summer dinnertime (eight) feel like forever. i eat early, i settle in and i sleep.
so there has been little to talk about.
some applesauce made, a pumpkin baked, wines and ciders tasted, good meals eaten. the leaves are mostly gone but are still in piles for rupert to jump through on our walks, there is snow in the mountains and i've had one wonderfully toasty successful fire in my fireplace.
no bread under my belt, but one dark days meal on record.
(the dark days challenge is indeed succeeding in making the time go by faster—nothing like a deadline to make long days seem short!)
today, with the holiday looming, work was quiet and i left early.
the opportunity to go home when it was still light out was a present in and of itself, and i used it to the best possible end: tidying up the chickens and winterizing the bunnies (i.e., lots and lots of hay and water in convienent and protected areas).
the coop is now cleaned up and re-arranged, their food and water stores replenished and a light strung up to improve their laying. i've been lax on this last one and wow, you notice it real fast. two birds moulting, one injured and the rest in winter-mode leaves me high and almost dry on eggs. things should improve in the coming weeks. i also restrung the tarp along the backside to break up cold drafts. the girls should be in good shape for winter.
and so...back to that pumpkin...any ideas what i should do with it?
the 'lazy days of summer' are somehow action packed, the sunlight invigorating us. now it is colder, darker. when i leave work the sun has set making the three hours between work and my summer dinnertime (eight) feel like forever. i eat early, i settle in and i sleep.
so there has been little to talk about.
some applesauce made, a pumpkin baked, wines and ciders tasted, good meals eaten. the leaves are mostly gone but are still in piles for rupert to jump through on our walks, there is snow in the mountains and i've had one wonderfully toasty successful fire in my fireplace.
no bread under my belt, but one dark days meal on record.
(the dark days challenge is indeed succeeding in making the time go by faster—nothing like a deadline to make long days seem short!)
today, with the holiday looming, work was quiet and i left early.
the opportunity to go home when it was still light out was a present in and of itself, and i used it to the best possible end: tidying up the chickens and winterizing the bunnies (i.e., lots and lots of hay and water in convienent and protected areas).
the coop is now cleaned up and re-arranged, their food and water stores replenished and a light strung up to improve their laying. i've been lax on this last one and wow, you notice it real fast. two birds moulting, one injured and the rest in winter-mode leaves me high and almost dry on eggs. things should improve in the coming weeks. i also restrung the tarp along the backside to break up cold drafts. the girls should be in good shape for winter.
and so...back to that pumpkin...any ideas what i should do with it?
11.09.2009
one of the best fall weekends
after a frustrating week at work i took friday off to catch up at home.
what an excellent idea. got some nagging home projects done (closet cleaning, dishwasher repair, etc...) which then spurred me to clean. its monday and i am still excited when i go into my clean bathroom.
the rest of the weekend was spent getting the backyard into better shape after weeks of inattention. over-grown grass trimmed down, rabbit burrows and dog holes filled in, various garbage picked up and my shed tidied.
picked up a bale of alfalfa hay to supplement the rabbits diet this winter. they are now living under the shed, wandering around the yard during the day and snacking. trying to get a nice weather-proof feeding set up for the for the winter, we'll see what i come up with next weekend.
for the chickens i am switching to flock raiser, hoping the higher protein content will help egg production. will be running a light out to the coop soon too—the girls are already going to bed around 5, yikes!
using a potato fork i forked up the beds and then used the leaves from the yard as a mulch. its a haphazard attempt to do some re-invigoration of the soil over the winter months. in the spring i can till everything in, and do some hardcore weed recon before planting anything.
it felt good to get so much done and spend so much time outside. and if i can get some compost work done this week or weekend, and clean out the chicken coop, i should be pretty well set for the winter months.
fall has its benefits.
what an excellent idea. got some nagging home projects done (closet cleaning, dishwasher repair, etc...) which then spurred me to clean. its monday and i am still excited when i go into my clean bathroom.
the rest of the weekend was spent getting the backyard into better shape after weeks of inattention. over-grown grass trimmed down, rabbit burrows and dog holes filled in, various garbage picked up and my shed tidied.
picked up a bale of alfalfa hay to supplement the rabbits diet this winter. they are now living under the shed, wandering around the yard during the day and snacking. trying to get a nice weather-proof feeding set up for the for the winter, we'll see what i come up with next weekend.
for the chickens i am switching to flock raiser, hoping the higher protein content will help egg production. will be running a light out to the coop soon too—the girls are already going to bed around 5, yikes!
using a potato fork i forked up the beds and then used the leaves from the yard as a mulch. its a haphazard attempt to do some re-invigoration of the soil over the winter months. in the spring i can till everything in, and do some hardcore weed recon before planting anything.
it felt good to get so much done and spend so much time outside. and if i can get some compost work done this week or weekend, and clean out the chicken coop, i should be pretty well set for the winter months.
fall has its benefits.
11.04.2009
absence
apologies for being remiss in my blogging.
to make up for it, here is a beautiful fall sunset:
to make up for it, here is a beautiful fall sunset:
11.03.2009
falling into the doldrums
its fall and it continues to be so. some of my favorite fall trees are losing their leaves and i am sad. its dark when i wake up and its dark when i leave work now. i am thankful for a dog that i have to walk at lunch or i might just lose my mind. but once the leaves are gone?
working at ignoring the hibernation instinct that is kicking in but i am also lacking in some fundamental motivation to complete some of the projects piling up around me. all the zest and verve i had at the end of the season is spent and now i am just overwhelmed.
and not even with good tasks. sigh.
everything else seems to cost money. there is no more 'get out of the house and out to the farm!' there is just 'get out of the house and out to the wine bar!' which is fun, but spendy. however, this craft from sunset magazine intrigues me and it might help me keep my fall color high into the darker months. perhaps i can find a way to do it for free.
perhaps tonight i will make a fire in the fireplace and scheme (from the relaxed safety of my couch). that probably has the greatest chance of helping my mood.
working at ignoring the hibernation instinct that is kicking in but i am also lacking in some fundamental motivation to complete some of the projects piling up around me. all the zest and verve i had at the end of the season is spent and now i am just overwhelmed.
and not even with good tasks. sigh.
everything else seems to cost money. there is no more 'get out of the house and out to the farm!' there is just 'get out of the house and out to the wine bar!' which is fun, but spendy. however, this craft from sunset magazine intrigues me and it might help me keep my fall color high into the darker months. perhaps i can find a way to do it for free.
perhaps tonight i will make a fire in the fireplace and scheme (from the relaxed safety of my couch). that probably has the greatest chance of helping my mood.
10.30.2009
fall reds
excellent photos of fall foliage elude me but here is the gist of the beautiful colors i see around my neighborhood everyday. no wonder i love fall.
10.28.2009
fall weekends
spent the weekend in portland. wanted a low-key weekend in portland, no-strings-attached. wanted to hit up portland nursery for the apple/pear tasting (the week before, but fruit is for sale for much longer) and wanted to see how the pooch handled a trip.
the conclusion?
portland nursery was devoid of pears. and apples (mostly). all in all, i came away with nothing and i didn't hit up the farmers markets for any either. but i did pick up my favorite cider from the hillsdale market and some fall-themed groceries from trader joes (pumpkin waffle mix, un-crystalized candied ginger, sparkling cranberry juice).
my fall flavor was drank up in the trees and leaves all over town, i didn't do much in portland besides continually wonder at the beauty of the trees. how is it possible that i do not remember ever noticing them when i was in college? i don't remember paying attention to fall until two years ago. silly me.
and rupert? he did wonderful. fantastic in the car—spent his time sleeping or peeking out the window. one break for a run and to go potty, and off we went. we took walks, ran around in the backyard and he was lavished with love by my aunt and grandmother.
my only note is that he is easily excited in social situations and i need to learn how to train him to not jump. then we will be money. farmer's markets, downtowns, parks. it will be lovely. he's a lovely pooch, just learning.
the conclusion?
portland nursery was devoid of pears. and apples (mostly). all in all, i came away with nothing and i didn't hit up the farmers markets for any either. but i did pick up my favorite cider from the hillsdale market and some fall-themed groceries from trader joes (pumpkin waffle mix, un-crystalized candied ginger, sparkling cranberry juice).
my fall flavor was drank up in the trees and leaves all over town, i didn't do much in portland besides continually wonder at the beauty of the trees. how is it possible that i do not remember ever noticing them when i was in college? i don't remember paying attention to fall until two years ago. silly me.
and rupert? he did wonderful. fantastic in the car—spent his time sleeping or peeking out the window. one break for a run and to go potty, and off we went. we took walks, ran around in the backyard and he was lavished with love by my aunt and grandmother.
rupert, looking out the window
my only note is that he is easily excited in social situations and i need to learn how to train him to not jump. then we will be money. farmer's markets, downtowns, parks. it will be lovely. he's a lovely pooch, just learning.
10.12.2009
(un)manageable tasks
saturday night it froze. as promised i was at the farm sunday to harvest all the pumpkins. 'sure thing. no problem.' i said to sarah last week, and then thought to myself all weekend.
well, about three hours into it i realized—not a job for one person!
thankfully i was not one person for long. thankfully person #2 had a truck. so while we sliced up our hands on prickly stems, the dog worked off some energy barking at the pigs, chickens and cats.
at some point i decided to let the pigs out to roam—which in hindsight wasn't so bad but a 200# pig galloping towards you takes some getting used to (trust me, some very girlish screams took place.) the closest thing to a disaster was a pig trying to climb into my car. in the end, no one got hurt and everyone got back to their respective homes happily worn-out.
two lugs of tomatoes were awaiting my attention at home and i just couldn't do it. so i did the next best thing, sorting the remaining tomatoes into various piles: pristine ones for canning, imperfect ones for roasted sauce, unripe ones for ripening, and firm, ripe ones for immediate consumption and distribution.
hopefully my efforts will pay off tonight in some streamlined tomato activity.
well, about three hours into it i realized—not a job for one person!
thankfully i was not one person for long. thankfully person #2 had a truck. so while we sliced up our hands on prickly stems, the dog worked off some energy barking at the pigs, chickens and cats.
at some point i decided to let the pigs out to roam—which in hindsight wasn't so bad but a 200# pig galloping towards you takes some getting used to (trust me, some very girlish screams took place.) the closest thing to a disaster was a pig trying to climb into my car. in the end, no one got hurt and everyone got back to their respective homes happily worn-out.
two lugs of tomatoes were awaiting my attention at home and i just couldn't do it. so i did the next best thing, sorting the remaining tomatoes into various piles: pristine ones for canning, imperfect ones for roasted sauce, unripe ones for ripening, and firm, ripe ones for immediate consumption and distribution.
hopefully my efforts will pay off tonight in some streamlined tomato activity.
10.02.2009
my thursday: well spent
my thursday was well spent and has set me up for a weekend of productivity. that it is raining today makes the mini-break all the more sweeter.
spent the morning gleaning, coming away with six more winter squash, golden beets, peppers, tomatillos, dry beans, patty-pan squash and fatty carrots. took a break to sip coffee, play with children, and legalize the pooch.
the patty-pans
then some quick yard work to plant kale, beets, fava beans; pick a few melons and rip out my remaining cucumber plants.
in the the late afternoon i headed to the the farm. i have probably close to 100 pounds of tomatoes to show for it—plus beets, celeriac, mizuna greens, and potatoes. also happened to find the chicken's egg stash, which will be handy for the next few weeks (though i think they will move to sarah's for the winter).
half of the tomatoes i brought home
may i just say it was lovely at the farm. the sun was out and the clouds looked beautiful, i got filthy dirty right away and didn't have to be squeamish at all for the entire endeavor. the chickens were in the pig pen, eating scraps. it was absolutely lovely.
then i went home, cleaned myself up, poured a glass of wine and spent the evening scrubbing root vegetables, making stock, juicing melons and chatting with people as they came through the kitchen. tonight will be a repeat performance featuring eggplant, summer squash, tomatillos and peppers.
i'll hold off on the tomatoes until saturday, and i think applesauce may be on the menu for sunday. and plum jam. or prunes.
spent the morning gleaning, coming away with six more winter squash, golden beets, peppers, tomatillos, dry beans, patty-pan squash and fatty carrots. took a break to sip coffee, play with children, and legalize the pooch.
the patty-pansin the the late afternoon i headed to the the farm. i have probably close to 100 pounds of tomatoes to show for it—plus beets, celeriac, mizuna greens, and potatoes. also happened to find the chicken's egg stash, which will be handy for the next few weeks (though i think they will move to sarah's for the winter).
half of the tomatoes i brought homemay i just say it was lovely at the farm. the sun was out and the clouds looked beautiful, i got filthy dirty right away and didn't have to be squeamish at all for the entire endeavor. the chickens were in the pig pen, eating scraps. it was absolutely lovely.
then i went home, cleaned myself up, poured a glass of wine and spent the evening scrubbing root vegetables, making stock, juicing melons and chatting with people as they came through the kitchen. tonight will be a repeat performance featuring eggplant, summer squash, tomatillos and peppers.
i'll hold off on the tomatoes until saturday, and i think applesauce may be on the menu for sunday. and plum jam. or prunes.
9.30.2009
this years lessons
what i would do differently
- plant timely
- crowd my peppers closer together
- trellis my cukes and melons
- improve my succession planting
- trim my tomatoes sooner
- kill all the greenery around the beds
- more root and squash crops
- keep the berries watered
- don't skimp on the cilantro
- trellises
- corn
- tomatillo (more legitimately)
- dry beans (calypso, hutterite, tiger's eye)
- medicinal herb garden
cellars
as i did last year, i am once again researching root cellars and cold storage for the winter.
the fact is that i do not have a root cellar, nor the space or wherewithal to create one outside. i need to come up with a workable system that can reside in my basement.
already from my reading i learned the errors of my way with my impromptu carrot cellar last year: no air flow and i left it outside during a particularly cold winter. i will not make that mistake again!
i've found these two articles rather enlightening:
the carrots, beets, and few radishes and turnips have been doing well in plastic bags in the vegetable drawers of my additional fridge, so i think i will continue that trend. however, if i want to put more away (which i am seriously considering) i may make something outside of the fridge space.
i will get a crate set up for the potatoes and the winter squash can live in a basket or on a table in the basement.
depending on the load of apples and pears i pick up in portland (Portland Nursery apple tasting event is in a couple of weekends) they will either live in the fridge in brown paper bags, or i will pick up some luggs and store them alongside the potatoes and squash.
i'm taking a mid-week day off tomorrow to focus on harvesting the last of the summer's bounty—nothing like the threat of a frost to set one into motion. the next few days will be dedicated to preparation for the fall: canning, freezing, drying, saucing—and finding space for everything.
one big last hurrah before dark days (speaking of which...) set in and my energy is devoted to staying off of the couch.
the fact is that i do not have a root cellar, nor the space or wherewithal to create one outside. i need to come up with a workable system that can reside in my basement.
already from my reading i learned the errors of my way with my impromptu carrot cellar last year: no air flow and i left it outside during a particularly cold winter. i will not make that mistake again!
i've found these two articles rather enlightening:
- apple and pear storage article from the Oregon State University.
- winter vegetable storage article from University of Missouri.
- apple storage article from Purdue University
the carrots, beets, and few radishes and turnips have been doing well in plastic bags in the vegetable drawers of my additional fridge, so i think i will continue that trend. however, if i want to put more away (which i am seriously considering) i may make something outside of the fridge space.
i will get a crate set up for the potatoes and the winter squash can live in a basket or on a table in the basement.
depending on the load of apples and pears i pick up in portland (Portland Nursery apple tasting event is in a couple of weekends) they will either live in the fridge in brown paper bags, or i will pick up some luggs and store them alongside the potatoes and squash.
i'm taking a mid-week day off tomorrow to focus on harvesting the last of the summer's bounty—nothing like the threat of a frost to set one into motion. the next few days will be dedicated to preparation for the fall: canning, freezing, drying, saucing—and finding space for everything.
one big last hurrah before dark days (speaking of which...) set in and my energy is devoted to staying off of the couch.
9.28.2009
the fall garden
this morning i woke up at six and it was dark outside.
not, sunrise dark but night-dark. i don't think i am ready for fall!
nonetheless, i began getting my garden in shape for the fall.
last year i waited too long for cover crops, i don't mean to make the same mistake twice. so i pulled the beans and most of the peppers and am gearing up to pull out the eggplants, cucumbers and melons tonight or tomorrow—the high for tomorrow is slated to be 65 with a low of 45, so these puppies are as good as they'll get.
harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons and (a few) eggplant. then planted some chard, lettuce mix and radishes—beets, carrots, and kale to follow.
fall mornings and fall nights aren't so great, but the fall afternoons are treating me well. rain predicted for tomorrow though, so we'll see how long my sunny disposition lasts.
not, sunrise dark but night-dark. i don't think i am ready for fall!
nonetheless, i began getting my garden in shape for the fall.
last year i waited too long for cover crops, i don't mean to make the same mistake twice. so i pulled the beans and most of the peppers and am gearing up to pull out the eggplants, cucumbers and melons tonight or tomorrow—the high for tomorrow is slated to be 65 with a low of 45, so these puppies are as good as they'll get.
harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons and (a few) eggplant. then planted some chard, lettuce mix and radishes—beets, carrots, and kale to follow.
fall mornings and fall nights aren't so great, but the fall afternoons are treating me well. rain predicted for tomorrow though, so we'll see how long my sunny disposition lasts.
9.23.2009
anything is greener than my fridge
it is officially fall and it is official—i have no fresh greens.
last night i realized i had no green items whatsoever for dinner. leafies, beans, brassicas—zip, zilch, nada. it was devastating...
my successful beginnings of fall seeding in august were dashed by chickens, bunnies and most of all, my own carelessness and distraction. now its late september and i am without green vegetables to eat at dinner time.
uh-oh. fall's here and i am unprepared.
according to my planting calendar (care of portland nursery), i can still get some arugula, beets, carrots, fava beans, kale, mache, radish, snow peas in the ground. and that is exactly what i intend to do with my weekend.
i'm sad that i missed the brassicas' cut off, but its understandable. all i can do is hope for better next year (as always).
so this weekend is a big gardening push! rip out the past-their-prime beans and perhaps the finishing-up peppers, and do my winter work in those two beds while the remainder of the summer lovelies hold on as best they can during these chilly nights.
photos of the before and after are assured, check back for them over the weekend.
last night i realized i had no green items whatsoever for dinner. leafies, beans, brassicas—zip, zilch, nada. it was devastating...
my successful beginnings of fall seeding in august were dashed by chickens, bunnies and most of all, my own carelessness and distraction. now its late september and i am without green vegetables to eat at dinner time.
uh-oh. fall's here and i am unprepared.
according to my planting calendar (care of portland nursery), i can still get some arugula, beets, carrots, fava beans, kale, mache, radish, snow peas in the ground. and that is exactly what i intend to do with my weekend.
i'm sad that i missed the brassicas' cut off, but its understandable. all i can do is hope for better next year (as always).
so this weekend is a big gardening push! rip out the past-their-prime beans and perhaps the finishing-up peppers, and do my winter work in those two beds while the remainder of the summer lovelies hold on as best they can during these chilly nights.
photos of the before and after are assured, check back for them over the weekend.
9.21.2009
seattle
returned to a slightly chaotic home after a mini-break that took an additional two hours each way. let's just say that i am glad to be home.
local score's that i am especially proud of are some honeycrisp apple cider from Rockridge Orchards and some hazelnuts that i picked up at the Ballard Farmer's Market. the cider has a nice tangy-ness too it, a breath of fresh air to overly sweet ciders, the hazelnuts will be something to experiment with...!
the only other noteworthy purchase was the Preparas Tabletop mister that was recently reviews on the Apartment Therapy Kitchen blog. haven't put it in action, but i would say already that i don't find it to be all that heavy, as they mentioned.
seattle was beautiful—the end of summer on the west coast is always lovely and temperate. i ate delicious pirosky from Pirosky Pirosky, lamb sausage pita at the 74th St. Ale House and breakfasted on bennies (benedict) at Hattie's in Ballard.
in walla walla you can feel fall on our heels, it makes for lovely cool night walks with the dog. i am looking forward to a quiet week and a quiet weekend (in five days). fall always seems more quiet to me.
local score's that i am especially proud of are some honeycrisp apple cider from Rockridge Orchards and some hazelnuts that i picked up at the Ballard Farmer's Market. the cider has a nice tangy-ness too it, a breath of fresh air to overly sweet ciders, the hazelnuts will be something to experiment with...!
the only other noteworthy purchase was the Preparas Tabletop mister that was recently reviews on the Apartment Therapy Kitchen blog. haven't put it in action, but i would say already that i don't find it to be all that heavy, as they mentioned.
seattle was beautiful—the end of summer on the west coast is always lovely and temperate. i ate delicious pirosky from Pirosky Pirosky, lamb sausage pita at the 74th St. Ale House and breakfasted on bennies (benedict) at Hattie's in Ballard.
we just so happened to stop to snack on our pirosky with our backs to one of the more iconic photo ops in Seattle.
in walla walla you can feel fall on our heels, it makes for lovely cool night walks with the dog. i am looking forward to a quiet week and a quiet weekend (in five days). fall always seems more quiet to me.
9.18.2009
mini-break
one last weekend away before i get down to the business of fall.
this time, seattle. a very urban trip but i am hoping to hit up some farmer's markets, snag some local cheeses or meats perhaps? not to mention—trader joe's and cheap tasty wine.
when i return...some hardcore yard work action, canning and fall planting.
not to mention some serious dog training and quality doggy time.
and beautiful end-of-summer photos!
this time, seattle. a very urban trip but i am hoping to hit up some farmer's markets, snag some local cheeses or meats perhaps? not to mention—trader joe's and cheap tasty wine.
when i return...some hardcore yard work action, canning and fall planting.
not to mention some serious dog training and quality doggy time.
and beautiful end-of-summer photos!
9.16.2009
snapshots of the end of summer
the makings of a peach blackberry pie with streusel topping
(note: topping not yet applied. also note: three days later i still haven't tasted it. i forgot about it, cooked it 30 minutes longer than i should have, and am still sad. checked it today, the topping is soggy. started out so beautifully too. however, it can be breakfast tomorrow and perhaps there is hope.)
tray of tomatoes quartered and ready for the freezer
(the lazy man's way to preserving tomatoes, when you are tired or do not have time for saucing or drying)
my kitchen table.
(note the narcissistic pepper near the toaster.
also note the insane number of peppers and the beautiful tomatoes.)
11.18.2008
tonight i made first honey wheat bread. then apple butter. then chocolate banana bread. then tortellini with delicata in a alfredo sauce. and packaged up some dozens of eggs. and some cleaning.
all done within the toasty warmth of my fireplace.
these days when puttering around the house, i've been heating it with my fireplace. its surprisingly effective, more so than any other place i've lived—i can keep the living room at 70 degrees all evening long—not to mention, that it makes the house smell wonderfully like fall.
c'mon, wood fire, apple butter, fresh bread? that's fall.
i really enjoy the fact that when i'm on a roll, i'm on a roll. i like to make several cooking projects in one evening. you can clean while you wait, wait while you prep and have a cascade of successful completions. not to mention that it gives me ample time with my various house animals, cell phone correspondents and internet outlets.
all done within the toasty warmth of my fireplace.
these days when puttering around the house, i've been heating it with my fireplace. its surprisingly effective, more so than any other place i've lived—i can keep the living room at 70 degrees all evening long—not to mention, that it makes the house smell wonderfully like fall.
c'mon, wood fire, apple butter, fresh bread? that's fall.
i really enjoy the fact that when i'm on a roll, i'm on a roll. i like to make several cooking projects in one evening. you can clean while you wait, wait while you prep and have a cascade of successful completions. not to mention that it gives me ample time with my various house animals, cell phone correspondents and internet outlets.
11.12.2008
photo evidence
i've been overly enamored with fall.
i recall this from last year too.
and may i say, the only redeeming factor of the drizzly grey skies is that the colors of the fall trees pop so much better.
Also, a quick pick of my gorgeous and very simple carrot 'root cellar':
I'm a big fan of root cellars, I'd like to develop a larger one.
There was an article in the New York Times recently about it.
probably the most exciting discovery of the week was that a nearby feed store has some food grade plastic barrels for sale for about twenty-five dollars. i've been wanting a rain barrel to collect rainwater for the garden and maybe the chickens. unfortunately, rain barrels cost around $150. recently i found some for $75, but had shipping on top of it.
but for twenty-four dollars and perhaps another five for parts, i can make my own! i'm pretty excited. i'll have one out front, two by the driveway and maybe one by the chickens.
rain gutters on a chicken coop? silly but i love it.
i recall this from last year too.
and may i say, the only redeeming factor of the drizzly grey skies is that the colors of the fall trees pop so much better.
Also, a quick pick of my gorgeous and very simple carrot 'root cellar':
I'm a big fan of root cellars, I'd like to develop a larger one.
There was an article in the New York Times recently about it.
probably the most exciting discovery of the week was that a nearby feed store has some food grade plastic barrels for sale for about twenty-five dollars. i've been wanting a rain barrel to collect rainwater for the garden and maybe the chickens. unfortunately, rain barrels cost around $150. recently i found some for $75, but had shipping on top of it.
but for twenty-four dollars and perhaps another five for parts, i can make my own! i'm pretty excited. i'll have one out front, two by the driveway and maybe one by the chickens.
rain gutters on a chicken coop? silly but i love it.
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