I’ve been on the road a lot lately listening to oldies but goodies and enjoying Phil Collin’s old tune: “Just another day, another day in paradise…bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum bum!” I guess it depends on who you ask but I think we live in a kind of paradise here, especially this time of year. It is easy to take every day living for granted so I will share some of my delightful area experiences this past week.
I love the color changes in the fields as I travel the highways and byways; harvest seems to be upon us in some areas with things sure to pick up over the next several weeks. This goes for the changing leaves as well which I just love. I’ve got my eye on several big trees by the library I sat under and took pictures of last year when they were in their full fall glory. What’s with the inordinate number of birds flocking through the sky this time of year? I heard they form large groups this time of year while strengthening the wings of their young so they are equipped for the long flight south for the winter. Whatever the reason, it is a beautiful sight! Another gathering I saw this weekend was a group of grown men circled around a large burn pile that, I guess, needed tending while it burned; I also heard there was beer involved. This is something you wouldn’t see in many parts of the country due to drought and forest fire risk. Another country road site was that of a funeral procession; I guess there are still a few rural cemetery vacancies available. Only in a small town would we try to figure out whose funeral it was.
I went to visit my weaving teacher at the North Country Fiber Festival in Watertown this weekend and was in awe of the number of tristate fiber vendors represented who raise sheep/alpacas, shear their animals, process and dye the wool and spin the roving into yarn to knit, crochet and/or weave with. There was a lot of “uber cool” yarn available for purchase but I am still trying to come up with projects for the stash I already have. In support of other weavers, I bought a lovely hand towel along with a pair of heavy purple alpaca socks to keep my feet warm this winter.
I followed my friend’s lead and made stuffed green peppers for supper tonight which I don’t think I have had since I was a kid. I don’t know how they grow such large peppers; mine are misshapen and the size of crab apples. On the canning front this week, I borrowed my friends Vitamix which made fast work of turning all my misfit tomatoes, including seeds and skins, into 14 pints of tomato soup which is delicious. Next, I turned my attention to apples and pears again using the Vitamix to make chunky applesauce which worked quite well. To heck with all this peeling and just how did it take me 8 years of canning to discover this time saving appliance? Anyway, I’ve got lots more apples to practice with so it’s probably not all bad that my friend’s grapes didn’t produce this year! By the end of the week I will have become one with the apples and my house will smell like an apple sauce factory. Oh, the wonders of Fall!