Sunday Chores & Rewards

This Sunday was not one of lounging around and watching mind numbing TV and ordering take out- like so many oblivious Americans do now a days.  Perhaps we enjoy our simpler world, without television, working with our hands to create, build, grow and harvest.

 Jim & Stown

Waiting until 9 am before the hammering began (in consideration of the neighbors), the boys went to work on our new back deck.

Stacks of lumber await purpose in a new life as a deck.

I worked the garden beds.  I planted my spinach and lettuce starts.  In the ground a bit later than last year, but this fall has been quite a bit warmer.  Once sprouted and a few inches tall, I will cover the glass with cardboard and let them sleep under the snow.  I did this last fall and when the snow melted this spring I was able to harvest my first salad in March!!

The final harvest.... (clock wise from the top)

Cherry Tomatoes (will be wrapped to ripen inside), Radishes, Parsley, Spearmint, Catnip, Sage, Huge Green Onions, a Tiny Cantaloupe (I found it hiding under the tomato plant.) and Peppers (center).

Hanging Herb Bunches

Homemade Pecan Sticky Buns!!

They definitely kept us fueled for the day!

Hope you had a productive weekend!!

Put to Bed Just in Time

As I finished up my winter yard work the snow started to fall again.

Looks like I got everything done just in time.

Insulated with straw, Ms. Parsley will winter over in her plastic pot nestled in an old dilapidated oak barrel.

The S.S. Sidedish has been mostly cleaned out and docked for the season.

Packed in the straw under an old window still grows mixed lettuces and spinach. See the milk jug buried in the background? It has holes through out the sides and that's how I water them without weighing down their little leaves with heavy wet droplets.

New pine needles and scrub oak leaves on the path to the shed.

It keeps the ground from getting all muddy when we shovel away the snow.

(We need access the shed through out the winter.)

The last of the goodies for the year.

Flashbacks.....

All BEFORE a Day's Work

I had to be to work at 1pm that afternoon, but I had a ton of tomatoes and Serrano peppers that just wouldn't wait another day. So I made quick work in the kitchen and managed to get most everything canned or froze before I had to leave for my real job.

3 Qts. Tomato Soup Base (freezer)

1Qt. + 4Pts. Stewed Tomatoes (canned)

2 Different Batches of Salsa =

4Pts. + 8 1/2 Pts. (canned)

1Pt. in fridge for snacking (not pictured)

(Not pictured = 1 loaf of bread & 1 scalloped potato casserole for dinner)

Yummy chunks of fresh herbs and veggies!

Leftovers
The peppers got dried and the 'maters found their home in a fresh pot of pasta sauce.

I love getting so much done in the morning. It makes the rest of the day seem relaxed.

The Harvest Is Over

APPLESAUCE & WINE (not pictured)!!

Well, I am finally getting to all the apples that have been sitting in bag and a box in my living room. After the great pear preserving marathon, I couldn't peal another fruit for days. All I had was a brown paper bag of apples. I figured they could wait a while. Then a few days ago I was given a whole box of apples. I looked at my friend Ernie and exclaimed, "What am I supposed to do with these?!" He replied is his plain Texas way, "Make wine." Huh. I never thought of that. I was busy wondering how much applesauce my family could consume, considering Jim doesn't eat apple pie or apple bread. So curiosity got me and I started picking Ernie's brain on how to make wine. I have a wine making book but it seemed complicated and required materials I didn't want to invest in. However, if Ernie can make wine why can't I?

He explained the basics ... a 5 gallon bucket, apples, raisins, water, sugar and yeast.

I cut a bucket full of apples this morning and mixed in the restof the ingredients. Recording the exact measurements on the lid of the bucket, I stashed it in our spare room where it will stay cool. I have to wait 60 days to find out if this will be drinkable or not. Although, Ernie swears by it and explained that it will actually be closer to a brandy or schnapps than actual wine. We'll see.

Despite all my wine apples, I still had quite a few left in the box. I decided to make applesauce again. After my failed attempt in September, I did more research and tried again this morning. Much Better!! I canned 5 quarts and put 1 pint in the refrigerator for immediate satisfaction. I sweetened it slightly with organic cane sugar and spiced it with a bit of cinnamon. It tasted so good warm out of the pot I just wanted to eat it all. It was so easy I can't believe I goofed it up last month.

I still have about 1/2 of a bag of apples, which I am going to run through my juicer over time. As for now, the harvest is over. (Unless someone drops another box of apples on my porch!!)

Enjoy the changing seasons and colors...Winter will be here soon!

The Fall Harvest

Pears, Pears, Pears ... And More Pears!!

Wow! What was I to do when our friend Joseph called and said that he needed help clearing his back yard of pears? (He had to pick them up daily or the local bears would raid his yard.) Well, being the thrifty person I am, I offered to take as many as he would give me and figure out what to do with them later. So I asked around at work for jars or advice on how to can them. A lovely lady named Linda (I work with her husband, Ernie) offered me 8 dozen jars of assorted sizes, rings and a 1973 book on pickling and preserving. I was on my way to adventures in canning! After some reading, I grabbed my paring knife and went to work. I learned to can the fruit and make jam with the book and a few phone calls. By the end of the week, I had 6 pints & 2 quarts of pears (either plain in syrup or spiced with vanilla and whole cloves), 13 pints of ginger pear preserves, 3 batches of pear cinnamon fruit leathers. I had made two pear upside down cakes and given away a large cloth grocery sack of pears. Passing along part of this wonderfully sweet and juicy burden to my coworker and friend Sam, she produced two pies and numerous loaves of pear bread. Now, my computer/pantry (our smallest spare room which houses our deep freezer, 5 gallon bucks loaded with bulk flour, sugar, pasta, rice, cases of canned goods I find on sale, our tiny computer desk and an indoor worm composter) is overflowing with jars of pear halves and preserves. I actually ran out of shelf space and started putting them in the bottom drawer of our filing cabinet. Nothing goes with tax papers like jam!

In my over zealous canning excitement, I solicited a large bag of apples from another coworker. I attempted to make applesauce with a few of them but failed. More reading and research revealed my mistakes and I am in hopes of processing the rest of them within the next couple of days into a more successful batch of applesauce.

Overall, this was quite a learning experience. I feel as though I may be carrying on part of a lost art in my kitchen. I can only hope that in the cold months to come the pears bring my taste buds tasty treat.

Can On... But Don't Get Stuck In A Jam!!