34 this morning, some patchy frost here but other places in the county had a killing frost. A pretty day, very windy. Some light showers the other night helped but it is still very, very dry.
Well, every time I think I am back to blogging regularly I veer off course. Most days, I get busy and then when I finally stop for the day, usually about 7 or 8 in the evening, I am too tired to think well enough to post. But today, I decided to stop, at least for a while, and I actually have enough brain power remaining to write.
What's kept me so busy? Let's see. I spent Monday mostly resting and generally movng slow. I did get some cleaning done, and then in the afternoon we had the pleasure of a surprise visit from our son, granddaughter Hannah, and her two children. What delight it is when children come to visit! Our grandchildren are all grown up now; only Natasha is still in high school. So now it's the great-grands we have to look forward to, and we don't get to see them as often as we'd like. After they left I got the first coat of paint on a small table, and listed some things on eBay, and that was the day.
Tuesday I sorted out totes of items for our booths and got everything all priced. That doesn't sound like much, but there were 6 totes and it took a while. I had just finished up when Larry came in with a huge Chicken of the Woods mushroom.
And then he went back and got more! These were growing on a fallen tree, and Larry said he left about half of the mushrooms on the tree so that they will hopefully spread next year. So we worked together to get the mushrooms cleaned and canned, getting about 40 half-pints, along with a couple bags in the freezer. I saved the broth from where I had to briefly cook the mushrooms before canning, and yesterday I processed that to. It might puzzle the unsuspecting vistor to our cellar to see jars labeled COW broth.
After putting up the broth, I moved on to canning some pie filling. The freezers were completely full and we will need space for venison, so I pulled out most of the frozen cherries, blueberries, and some strawberries and made a mixed berry filling using Clear-Gel--which, by the way, I like very much. It makes a really nice pie filling. I also pulled out the frozen cranberries from last year and canned cranberry sauce. Now there is at least some freezer space, and I will work on making more soon by making strawberry jam.
Today I dealt with the pears.
They are really not fun to do for several reasons. Our tree is about 45 years old, a standard Bartlett that is about 30-40 feet tall. Larry has been pruning off the lower branches so he can mow under it, which means all the pears are well about our heads, almost impossible to pick. We use the apple picker to get what we can, but just have to wait for the rest to fall. And of course, when they fall, they bruise. This variety is very, very hard and takes a while to finish ripening after picking/falling, and of course the bruises spread and by the time the pears are ripe, there is a lot of bad to cut out. Some just have to be tossed, just too bad to use. It's so frustrating. Next year I think we will get some thick foam from a neighbor who works at a plant where it is made, and lay it under the tree to hopefully cushion the pears' fall. Do you think that will help? Or do you have any suggestions for picking the pears short of a bucket truck?
Tomorrow? Well, the last of the celery has to be cut and put in the freezer, and a good neighbor gave us a bushel and a half of apples. So I think apple pie filling and maybe applesauce is in my future tomorrow, along with taking care of the celery. I am working at the antique mall this weekend, so that will finish out this week. I declare, working might feel like a rest after this busy week. I told Larry that it seems like I have had little chance to get out of the kitchen! Which is fine really--the cellar is bulging with so much good food that I feel guilty at having such bounty.
I have been taking time to read, though, and have three really good books I am alternating between. The first is one I've mentioned here before: When Time Stopped by Ariana Neumann,
It is slow going, as there is little to no dialogue-it's all narrative, but so well written and detailed that I find myself reading it slowly to be sure I miss nothing. It's a frightening story, actually, one that fills me with dread as I read because it details the growing restrictions and inhumane treatment of Jews in Czechoslovakia under Nazi occupation. What cause my dread is that the author's family deal with each restriction as it comes, and yet their photos and letters tell of a relatively happy, normal life as this black cloud hangs over them--and I feel sure that what happens to them in the end will not be good. But the author has amassed so many letters, photos, and artifacts that her telling of their story is compelling and absorbing.
The second is a book I have had for some time, and dip into most years in the fall: The Autumn Book: A Collection of Prose and Poetry Chosen by James Reeves. I was rather stunned to see its prices on Amazon. I am pretty sure that 146.00 must be an error. It's a very good read, but not sure it's that good.
I browse through, picking and choosing what to read. One selection prompted me to order the third book: The Natural History of Selborne, by the Rev. Gilbert White. The selection that intrigued me enough to place the order was simply dates and details of weather, birds, gardens, etc, in the author's gardens and surrounds of Selborne, in Hampshire, England, in September 1779. Okay, that might sound boring, but consider such lines as "began lighting fires in the parlor", "Mrs. Snooke's old tortoise retired underground", "Vast condensations in the great parlor; the grate, marble-jams, the tables, the chairs, the walls are covered with dew".
You might notice that I have taken a leaf from his book and hae begun to write a bit more at the beginning of each post about the weather and other natural observations. I am thinking I may start another blog that simply catalogs such things as an ongoing natural diary, maybe starting on January 1 and keeping it for a year. To get back to the book, though--I have only just started it and am loving it. Rev. White begins his book with some beautiful poems, then goes on to describe the geography of his area, including the type of rocks, soil, trees and crops. Fascinating, considering this was written in 1779.
Off I go now to put yet another coat of paint on the little table--this one will be red, and I am liking it so far.
I guess you've been realy busy but look at all that food that you processed. Well done! When Time Stopped sounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteI read "A World Undone" about WWI. It sure opened my eyes about what the soldiers endured during the war. Made me think of our great-uncles.
ReplyDelete