Smells of Fall

Yesterday was our first "cold" day this fall. When the forecast foretold temperatures in the low 70s after a week of 90s, I made a plan. Right after breakfast, the kiddos and I set out on our bikes for the grocery store. We needed just a few items to supplement our pantry and make it the perfect fall baking and making day. Halfway to the store, I realized Dave moved the bike lock from my basket over the weekend. This almost thwarted our plans, but the amiable security guard at the store let us park our bikes just inside the front door. With list in hand, we quickly made our way through the mass of aisles. Laden down with goods (and with small bellies full of donuts), we soon sped back home.

Once home, I opened the windows to let in the breeze and cooler air before setting to work in the kitchen. First up was potato leek soup. This staple in our household was Eamon's long-time favorite until recently. After much chopping and dicing, a slow simmer on the stove released delicious smells throughout the house. While the soup cooked, I began two separate recipes for banana muffins. For some reason, we have been slow on our banana eating and have a lot of muffin-worthy bananas. As those breakfast treats baked, I made some bacon on the cast iron griddle. Initially I thought I would just add those slices to our lunch salads, but then I remembered I had brussel sprouts from the farmers' market. I immediately chopped the brussel sprouts for lunch. Slow roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, they were perfect tossed with the bacon and a little balsamic vinegar. Last up was a batch of sugar cut-out cookies. We were going to make ghost and pumpkin cookies until I discovered our lack of cookie cutters. Apparently I donated them in one of my cleaning and purging sessions early in the summer. Set in the refrigerator to chill, the dough will be perfect for cookie making as soon as I borrow some cutters.

Throughout the day the kiddos meandered in and out of the kitchen satisfying their hunger and curiosity. The plumber visited to repair one of our showers and quickly commented on the delicious smells in our home. One friend came over, and two kiddos left to play at other homes. We made side meals together and shared our food with others. There were requests for poppy seed muffins and cakes as well as plans for more hearty, cold weather meals. There was bike riding, game playing, painting and crafting too. Truly it was a perfect fall day.

(I leave the cupboard doors open while I cook and bake. It drives Dave crazy. I am worse in this house because the cupboards are sometimes hard to open. Apparently my grandmother did the same thing when she was in the kitchen. I take that as a good sign.)

Mountains of Mulch

The phone rang at 6:21 am as I was tying my shoes before heading out the door for some exercise. I didn't recognize the number and was surprised when I answered. It was a local tree trimmer with a truckload of mulch for me. I found the company's information on our local permaculture website and had inquired about their free mulch. Apparently most tree trimming companies, as well as some utilities, will deliver free tree mulch, since it helps them avoid the cost of dumping at the landfill. When I had inquired about the mulch, I thought it would take a few days or weeks. I was quite surprised when the early morning call came just a day later.

The truck backed into our drive and emptied the entire bed onto the pad. It is a whole lot of mulch! Steam wafted off the pile in the cooler morning temperatures. The kiddos complained about the sweet, decaying tree smell. Dave wondered aloud where we would put it all. I had a plan. Initially I put a few wheelbarrows full around our newly planted desert trees in the front yard (another free program from the local utility companies). Then I worked on filling our backyard. It has been hard work. Dave hasn't been able to help, but Eamon has. Together we fill the wheelbarrow, dump and rake. There is still a large pile left, but hopefully the yard will be mulched soon and we can install our tree-less treehouse and a few raised beds. I think this yard may be coming together. Next up is ordering fruit trees.

RAIN

It doesn't rain here often, and when it does we celebrate. This weekend brought quite a big thunderstorm and downpour. On Sunday morning, the kiddos and I headed out into the rain and splashed in the puddles, ran through the water and generally enjoyed the change in weather. When the annual precipitation is less than 10 inches, you must soak it all in. With the rain came a drop in temperature, so Dave opened the windows throughout the house. Somehow 83 degrees seemed cool. It was nice to get a bit of fresh air inside and a bit of moisture in this dry land. Is it wrong to hope for more?
(and yes, the dirt photos that look like a vacant lot are of our backyard--ripe for gardens, treeless treehouse and chickens. In due time.)

Settling

Two weeks ago we closed on our new home and began the process of making it our own. The boxes have been unpacked and a few items hung on the walls. Rooms are still in disarray, but we are settling into our new space. Each day we notice a new corner to appreciate and enjoy. We have played games and built new creations. Art supplies and creating are in heavy rotation. This weekend we cleared off the dining table and can now enjoy our meals without possessions encroaching. The next phase is the kiddos' rooms. They are so happy to have their "stuff" back after a year in storage, which means many of their toys are strewn about the house. This has been a challenge, but after setting up the rest of the house, I think we are ready to tackle their spaces.

Purging

I have too much stuff. Truly I do. I have more yarn than a mother of three could possibly knit in 5 years. I have a few sewing machines. I have art supplies. I have kitchen appliances. I have stuff.

It is becoming harder to hide my stuff. I can put it into closets, cleverly display it in glass bowls, put it under the bed, use the sewing cabinets as tables, but in the end it is too much. This realization has been slow to fruition. I have preached simplicity. I sold or donated most of my books. I have made a concerted effort to keep our toy population reasonable. I now buy clothing in manageable amounts (prompted by the realization that my then 5yr old oldest son had 22 short sleeve shirts - but they were all on sale or thrifted). It is harder for me to reduce my "stuff."

A few years ago I gave away most of my fabric. I kept a few key pieces that I really liked. It was hard.  I had to accept the fact that I would not use it. Despite all the potential those piles of fabric held, I had to acknowledge my limitations. I would not use it in a timely manner (or I would hate it when I had the time to sew). In all honesty I don't miss the fabric. I like the cleaner look of my sewing cupboard. Everything has a place now.

This week I decided to tackle my yarn stash. I love yarn, and I love knitting. I just am the mother of three small children who homeschools. I don't have time to knit three pairs of socks a month. What was I thinking!!! Armed with my camera I took pictures of almost 30 skeins of yarn (and that doesn't include the 5 sweaters worth of yarn I haven't documented).  It is mostly sock weight yarn, and fingering weight yarn takes a long time to knit.  I posted the yarn on ravelry for sale. So far I have sold 7 skeins. Not bad. I feel lighter already. Some of it is hard to sell as I do love it so, but I know it is better off in the hands of someone who can actually use it.

Now on to figure out what else I can get rid of!

Pickling

I decided with all the canning I have been doing that pickles would be fun.  I think I was momentarily delusional spurred on by a friend.  I have canned sweet pickles(cucumber chips), dill pickles, kosher dills and hamburger dills.  Most of the recipes come from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving which I of course bought at my local Ace Hardware (thanks, Dad).  The other recipe comes from a friend's mother.  Her pickles are said to be the best.  We will have to wait a few weeks and then I will give a verdict.  For now, I have to figure a spot for all the jars.

Creativity in the kitchen

If you have extra yellow squash and no plan to use it, just slice it up 1/8-1/4 inch thick and dehydrate it.  It is good with hummus or other dip.  It has a slightly sweet flavor.  Delish.

No More Funk

I have been using a product called Funk Butter as deodorant for over a year. It works very well, but it can be pricey with shipping. I had heard of others making their own deodorant, so I decided to give it a try. My sister gave me a recipe, and it works great. It is so easy and cheap - equal parts baking soda and corn starch with enough coconut oil to make your desired consistency. I added a couple drops of tea tree oil as well. I really like it. I don't stink at all! It even stands up to rowing.