beauty that moves

nature ~ home ~ friends ~ woven together

What a story I had to share about how these little weavings came to be, and the friends that joined us as we worked the afternoon away... typepad unfortunately has chosen to be difficult this morning. I've lost this post 3 times already! My time on the computer is now up as major Halloween preparations are calling me, it tends to be epic around here.

The photos will have to be a story in themselves today. A little snapshot of what is happening outside and inside our home right now. It feels good to slow down and observe the season so mindfully. At the same time it is difficult to not dream of what our next weavings will look like. After all, there is winter to capture, then spring, then summer... what a collection it will be.

Inspiration found here... isn't it wonderful?

I hope you are inspired to capture your home, inside and out, before the season slips away.

life rolls on

"When the world wearies and ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden."   

~Minnie Aumonier

Remember the 100 pounds of apples I was set out to acquire and all of your suggestions about freezing them? I began the process yesterday, setting up a little apple pie making station in the dining room. My plan was to get lost in these apples, to release worry and fear, discard it right along with the piles of seeds and peels, send every last bit of it to the compost. Allow it all to breakdown and manifest into something worthwhile.

I worked for a few hours on this while Emily was in school, as of this morning there are eight pie fillings in the freezer, more to put up today, probably another four pies worth. I also need to make some more apple butter. So far I've made and canned two batches (six pounds each), making a dozen 1/2 pint jars. I think I'll do a double batch for another twelve jars and that should hopefully do it for apple butter. The rest will be applesauce for Emily. Oh, let's throw a few cakes and some muffins in there too.

Last Friday, I called ahead to the orchard and inquired about gathering drops for a reduced rate. I thought of this after I read Erin mention she gathers drops for free... it turns out they can't offer this because they use them in the cider press. The owner did tell me in the little store on the farm, kept in the walk in cooler they sell 'seconds' for .65 cents a pound verses the $1.00 per pound for pick your own.  I know many of us are smack at the end of apple picking but ask your farm about this. The quality of their seconds was superior to anything you'd find in the grocery store. And I spent $65 instead of $100.

I wish I could've spent the entire day at my apple station, but I needed to head out for my little part time afternoon job at my daughter's school. I haven't had the time to tell you about this yet, I will soon. It's been a lot of fun for both of us.

On the way home we were gifted this beautiful setting sun (which my wimpy camera is incapable of capturing, but trust me) and a phone call carrying the news that my husband's job, the one that we were told he was losing last week, has been reinstated for the time being.  While we don't feel any long term security in this announcement, we are presently feeling a little steadier. The details of all that took place I'm not able to get into as his profession is bound by all sorts of confidentiality and ethical restrictions (ie... this wife can't shout from the rooftop what she is really thinking about it all...).

As we continued our drive home I listened to Emily's story about the major digger she took during a soccer game at school, how there is now a large bump on her head. I asked a battery of questions trying to gauge whether her belly ache and overall funny feeling were the result of a head injury. It turns out she's fine, nothing one huge apple off the pile on the dining room table couldn't fix upon returning home.

And so it goes. The sun finally set... this morning it rose again hidden behind rain clouds, but it is here. And it will move cross the sky until it releases into the horizon at the end of another day. This I know will happen. Anything else that may or may not enter our lives between now and then, I have no idea.

soup, to warm the soul

 

It's all about self-nurturing around here this weekend. Sitting down to a solo lunch quietly while my family was tied up on an errand, and being okay with it. They eventually arrived home. The bread was still warm, and my wine glass remained half full. We sat at the table together enjoying these simple pleasures, and one another. Emily's friend stopped by as we were finishing so now they are playing about the house, Adam has moved down to his workshop and is probably tinkering with a particular small engine whose repair has become one of great frustration and priority. A useless distraction really, as I know his mind is elsewhere. So much to think about these days, so many burdens to bare. Craving simplicity, wondering why life's web needs to be such a complicated, chaotic, tangled mess. Remembering to breathe.

Todays lunch, adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.

Cream of Tomato Soup

• 1 Tbs. olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2-1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• freshly ground black pepper

• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, pureed

• 3 Tbs. dry sherry

• 1 teaspoon honey, or more if tomatoes are more acidic than you like

• 4 oz. cream cheese

• 1 cup milk

• 1 vegetable bouillon cube or tsp. ( I use Frontier, found in bulk spice jars at our co-op)

• minced fresh parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, salt, herbs, pepper and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft. (10 minutes) Add the sherry and cook for a couple minutes.

2.Add tomatoes, and honey, bouillon. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes.

3. Cut the cream cheese into the hot soup and whisk until it dissolves. Add the milk. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

4. Serve hot, topped with parsley.

The bread is our favorite recipe, and the wine is straight from a box. Have you tried the newer boxed wines on the market these days? The quality has moved way beyond Reuniti and Franzia... there are four bottles in one box, the price is slightly more than you would pay for just a single bottle of the same brand, and each glass is as fresh as the last. No air in the pouch means the wine lasts for well over a month once opened. A couple to try... Black Box and Hardy's Merlot. Seriously, do just a tiny research and you will find plenty of drinkable and affordable boxed wine.

Thank you for keeping me (and my family) in your thoughts, I am sure at some point I will be able to discuss what has recently been thrown into our laps, now just isn't the time. Your good vibes and sweet wishes mean the world though.

breathe heather, breathe.

Things feel really intense right now... the weeks been busy, I can't believe it's only Wednesday... a lot of behind the blog kind of stuff. I'm going to take a day or two off, align a few things, and get on the mat. Actually, I may not get off the mat...

I've got a new post up over at the co-op if you care to come say hello. Do yourself a favor and take a minute to visit the comments when visiting. There is great dialogue and inspiration happening within. Rhonda's post, Home production of simple needs is a great example. And I love how Melinda asks "What would my grandfather do?" Beautiful words. Really good things are happening over there, thank you all for such a warm welcome.

Take care, I'll be back soon. Namaste

a question about apples

Thank you for your wonderful ideas and tips on my last post, I feel I've got a very clear direction ... finally.

As I write this, I alternate between typing and scooping up spoonfuls of warm, maple and cinnamon flavored oatmeal laced with a handful of blueberries and peaches from the freezer. I throw the fruit in just at the end of cooking and let the heat come back up just to the point of warming the fruit through. So good, peach and blueberry is such an incredible combination to me. Sadly, I was only able to pick 20 pounds of blueberries this year. Usually I try for fifty, but as I move more and more in the direction of looking no further than myself (as much as possible) for reliance an how my pantry will be filled... I now realize that I should get in the practice of picking at least 100 pounds of each type of fruit available in my area.

It has become part of my everyday to reach into the freezer for foods that I have deliberately stored in quantity, or to my pantry shelf that holds an ever growing assortment of jams, butters, and sauces as I prepare meals for my family. I am constantly looking for new ways to 'put by' and this idea brings me to a question for all of you.

I have already picked almost 50 pounds of apples this season. I'd like to pick another 100 pounds this week. That should come close to covering our pie, muffin, turnover, sauce and butter needs until next September.

I was thinking of preparing pie filling and placing a single pies worth into many gallon zip-loc freezer bags, placed in the freezer. I love the idea of making several pies and freezing them at the pre-baked stage, but I only have three pie plates and haven't had any thrifting luck scoring a few more.

My question... Do you think I could do this? It seems like a very do-able idea, but I've never heard or read of it. Could I fill a zip-loc with peeled, sliced apples, spices, sugar, a little flour and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice... shake it all up a bit and pop it in the freezer? If you can freeze an unbaked pie couldn't you just freeze unbaked filling? Has anyone had any experience doing this... results?

This feels like such a dumb question but I thought I'd ask before I sent 50 pounds of innocent apples into the sub-zero abyss. I'd love to hear you thoughts...