October 3, 2024 - A Good Day

There were birds flocking on my lawn just a few moments ago. It's supper time and I looked out the kitchen window to see a large flock of, I think starlings, on the lawn. There was also a black squirrel and a cottontail rabbit. It's like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom out there. 

The weather was so lovely today. I've been cutting back the Black Eyed Susans from the perennial beds in small increments (so I don't wreck my back - again). They self seed so prolifically, I want to get as many out as possible before the seeds start to fall. I had already dug out the last three potatoes, and the remaining small carrots and beets from the garden yesterday. I had also gathered up the last little tomatoes that had fallen off and were starting to rot on the garden and gave them to the hens. I also pulled out tomato cages and nested them all together for storage during the winter. 

Today I picked the last of the green beans and pulled the plants. I rototilled the garden so that it would be lovely and ready in the spring. I hardly ever do this, usually because I have plants in the ground and then frost comes and it's just too much and too difficult to get it all done in the fall, especially when I was working full time. But this year, it was not too bad and I'm glad I did it. I also did something that I NEVER do, but thought I should, which was wiping down my tomato cages and other wire supports with soapy bleach water to kill any spores and plant diseases that could over winter. Where I got the energy to do all of this, I have no idea because it darn near killed me and I had to stop the rototilling for a couple of hours, and then I finished it later.

As well, I just could not be inside on such a beautiful Fall day. I purchased one really big pumpkin from the Amish down the road for $8.00 because I had to have something bright and Autumnal on the property. I would like to pick up a couple of brightly coloured mums and maybe a couple more smaller pumpkins to finish it off. 

Son has been in his new apartment for one week now and has started his new job, but so far he is just sitting listening to power point presentations. He and I text usually once a day or a bit more depending. He's been out purchasing a few more things for his new home (mostly kitchen-y things, garbage cans, rugs, ...) and he sounds like he is settling in well. A big thing for him was shaving off his beard (he's had a beard since highschool, he's now 24). He always kept it neat and relatively short, but for his new job, he has to be clean shaven ( I think he can have a moustache, but I'm not totally sure), so big adjustment for him. He won't send me a selfie - ha ha. 

It's almost time to check my potatoes (from the garden today), and sit down for supper, so I shall bid you adieu (did I spell that correctly?) and I hope you all have a very nice Fall weekend! 

Catching Up...

 Blogging has not held the same interest for me lately (last few months). But to prove I am still alive, I shall do a quick catch up. We have been busy doing this and that to prepare for son's moving out of the house. He interviewed for, and got, a good job in line with what he went to college for (please note that in Canada, university is where you get a degree and learn to become a specific profession like doctor, lawyer, or you get a degree with which you can do nothing, like philosophy, and college is where you learn a specific skill and are more likely to get a job, but no guarantees). Anyway, he managed to find a one bedroom apartment in a city about an hour and half away from here and about a 25 minute drive to his new workplace. For interest sake, with housing the way it is in Canada, a decent (but not new, not fancy) one bedroom apartment will cost him $2,045 a month, all utilities included (except internet which I know is not a utility). It is insane. 

He has been purchasing some necessities like a set of dishes, a set of pots and pans (on sale of course at Canadian Tire), a set of glasses. He just bought a couch and loveseat (very used) for $150. I offered to strip off the cushion covers and give them a good wash. I'll be doing that today because I can hang them on the line in the sunshine. We have a toaster and microwave that he can have. He will take his current bedroom furniture. We have rented a small U-Haul to move him on the 26th. It's a three storey walk up. Oh my aching back! But of course, son will do most of the heavy work himself, or with husband. 

We are very happy for him. It has never been his life's dream to still be living at home at 24 years of age, (and he's been working steadily in construction - also not his life's dream, but still a good job), but now he can do his own thing, have his own life, be on his way to earning a better pay, have benefits... We will finally be empty nesters. We were for a while when he was in college, but then covid came and changed the world and screwed young adults out of a regular university / college experience and both of our kids came home from their places of higher learning and we were no longer empty nesters, but instead had everyone back together again. (Canada, especially Ontario, had extreme lock down measures). 

On other notes, summer has returned. It is gorgeously hot. I managed to process just a few bags of tomatoes (I just blanch them, so I can peel them, squeeze a bit of the seeds out and put them in ziplock bags in the freezer). It was not a stellar garden year unfortunately, but toasted tomato sandwiches have still been enjoyed, beets have been pickled, potatoes have been eaten, as well as carrots and green beans. 

I have taught three days now as an occasional teacher and have a few more booked for the next few weeks. I like being back. I will also like the pay cheque.  We have booked a week away later in November to someplace warm. This is an effort to also keep husband's seasonal affective disorder somewhat at bay, as well as just because it is cheaper to do in November. With son out of the house, we shall have to ask daughter to pop around to check in on the two cats and top up chicken feed, etc. She's very good to do that, and gets free eggs out of the deal! 

I've been trying to keep up with daily (or almost daily) walking. I am enjoying the newly changing leaf colours here and there. It is very cricket-y and a lovely time of year. 

What just happened to my blog???

 Where's my header photo? Why can't I find the background I've always had in "theme"? I'm not in the mood for this. Anyone??

Labour Day - a key day

 For thirty some odd years, Labour Day has been a poignant day for me. As a teacher, it represented everything from excitement, dread, regret, and a colossal gearing up and organization of a great number of other human beings.

Many years felt like summer had slipped away without really having enough enjoyment and relaxation. This was always due to our self-imposed routine of using July and August to accomplish projects that we were just too exhausted to complete during the school year. As you know, if you are a regular reader, husband is not afraid to tackle anything and will never hire anyone to do something that he feels he can do himself. That meant that I was chief cook and bottle washer ( and child wrangler and yard worker and cleaner upper after the project…). We are well aware that we created our own hell with this practice and ironically we still fall into this behaviour even though husband is fully retired from teaching and I pick and choose when I want to work.

Of course, there was always the excitement, anticipation, and general inability to sleep on the night of Labour Day ( just like the students themselves). Some years were better or worse than others depending on the grade I was teaching or the group of students I was getting or the administrator I was working under.

As well, as a mom of two, it was the usual getting my daughter and son ready to go back to school- new school supplies, new clothes, trying to back up bed times and waking times, and probably a hair cut or two thrown in there. Of course there was less of this as they got older, but then it was moving into dorm rooms or rental houses and all that entailed. 

This year, believe it or not, I’m already booked to work on the Thursday and Friday of this first week of school. Normally I wouldn’t touch the first week with a ten foot pole. Lord no, let their regular teacher get them settled and into some kind of routine before I step foot into a classroom!! However, these two days will be for wonderful teacher for whom I’ve filled in before and she will undoubtedly have everything planned to perfection, so I’m confident it will go smoothly. ( or not, but I can handle anything for two days).

The day here is sporting a brilliant blue sky and wispy clouds. The breeze is a bit cool. I sat in the sunshine and finished an Ann Granger book. But I’m still feeling some of those same old Labour Day feelings. Husband even said yesterday that he had had a “ school dream” which I think perhaps only teachers can understand. I hope I can sleep well tonight.

Processing/Colour

 Today I picked beets out of the garden, ripped the tops off and fed them to the chickens, washed the beets, cut them up, boiled them and ended up with this beautiful bowl.

Now, even if you aren’t a fan of the flavour of beets, you can’t deny their gorgeous colour. In hindsight, I should have chosen a different bowl, as the colours seem to fight with each other. 

I love cooked beets, served hot with butter, salt, and pepper. Husband prefers pickled beets, served cold. Son despises beets but will sometimes eat one piece to make me happy. 

Today’s efforts had to do with pickling beets. It’s a bit of a job, but not a difficult one. Here is the end result.

Please note the use of Joanne’s tea towel, an ever present favourite in my kitchen and something that has been in many blog photos over the years! Still love the colour choice!

Again- look at the colour with the sun shining through the jars. The lowly beet is a thing of beauty. ( The rabbit plate was a gift from daughter who always knows what to give people- and who also likes beets but prefers them roasted).

August continues - 5 questions

 Normally at this time of year I’m knee deep in tomatoes and such but it wasn’t a stellar year. I should pickle some beets. Apart from droning on about this and that, I looked up something like “ten fun questions to answer “ and ended up finding quite a few. 

I will start with five, randomly chosen from a big list that I found. Please feel free to chime in with your own answers in the comments. 

1. Do you prefer cooking dinner or going out? 

Now, I think my answer would be cooking dinner. It’s always less expensive to eat at home and what would be best is the whole immediate family together for a meal even something simple and informal. As well, I often have trouble deciding what to order at a restaurant and then question if I made the right choice! 

2. What’s an unconventional animal you wish you could have as a pet? 

We have two cats and I currently have eleven chickens. I don’t think people should keep exotic animals as pets for a lot of reasons, but I have an affinity toward alpacas ( have you heard the sounds they make?!?), I love and admire owls and other birds of prey (“ should have got a falcon”), and just looking at a picture of a capybara makes me happy! But I would never have any of them as pets.

3. Do you often give people second chances?

This is a tough one for me because it depends on many factors. The age of the person may allow for second or third chances because young brains are still developing and learning and figuring out limits. But if you are an adult and you’ve done something that you deliberately lied about, that hurt people, I tend to have the “ fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” attitude. I don’t easily forgive and forget big things.

4. Do you sing in the shower?

I’m a very private singer if I’m belting something out. Alone, in the car. Of course I’ve sung a lot in teaching ( yes, I can carry a tune and have a decent knowledge of music but I don’t have a great range). I’m just quite self- conscious about letting it all hang out.

5. Would you rather spend the day at a botanical garden or an art museum?

Such an easy one for me. The botanical garden would be my choice. I would be in my happy place, taking in the beauty and energy of wonderful gardens. 

Happy Wednesday everyone and comment if you wish!

How the birthday gathering went

 We spent a lot of time gearing up for husband’s 60th, including construction completion from him, details on the pool house. Son built corn hole boards, daughter ordered a fantastic cake. 

The weather did not, however, cooperate. We caught the tail end of Debby, I think, with wind, clouds, a little rain and a little sun. We started out at the pool house and the wind picked up and a bit of rain fell so we took a vote and moved everything into the house. I had only run the vacuum around and cleaned the bathroom, but everyone piled in and we still had a great time. 

I am terrible for not taking pictures at parties, but I did get a picture of the cake. Those shiny details are actually chocolate and everything on the cake has special meaning for husband. It was utterly delicious and even with sharing with guests, there was still so much that I froze some today for another time. 

We had burgers from a local butcher and I made pulled pork, coleslaw, macaroni salad, and potato salad for the dinner. For appetizers, I made deviled eggs ( those all got eaten!), Tostito chips and salsa, cheese and crackers, a big fruit platter, little mini sweet peppers cut in half topped with cream cheese and topped with Everything Bagel seasoning or red pepper jelly, and my first attempt at pickled eggs ( apparently they were good). 

We have lots of drinks left over likely because it wasn’t a hot day with people in the pool. The weather wasn’t conducive to playing corn hole either but we played just as a family the next day and that was fun. 

It was nice to have our family and friends together. I feel like I can relax and chill out now. I have a couple of books to read. Husband and I just started watching The Black List on Netflix and are loving it ( yes, I know we are a little late with it). My garden is only just so-so this summer but we’ve had green beans and some peas and lettuce. I just picked my first two ripe tomatoes ( yay!) but it won’t be a bumper crop. I’m not sure I’ll get any sweet bell peppers, but there are jalapeños. I’ll pickle some for son. There are carrots, beets, and potatoes, but I grew ONE zucchini!!! Who only manages to get only one zucchini?!? (me). Regardless, I still love to do it.

I hope August has been good so far for anyone reading this!