Fall, Tea, and Comfort Food

The leaves are still here, gorgeous, falling. I love the fogy mornings, the earth wearing a mantel of shrouded mystery. Soon the color will be gone, .....on the ground for me to rake. Fall......
it's time for comfort meals, cozy quilts, hot chocolate, spiced cider, crackling fires, and tea with friends.

Comfort foods aplenty here. The Oregonian featured this Bacon, Onion, Upside down Cornbread last week. Baked in a cast iron pan.

Very yummy! And pares well with soup. I made a Split Pea soup.

I started a new project. Using recycled wool, wool and cotton scraps. In the style of Maggie Bonanomi, who designs 19th century-inspired primitive projects, I made a Tea Cozy.

I made openings on each side of the cozy. One for the spout, and one for the handle. Tea may be poured without removing the cozy and losing heat.

There is a different design on each side.

I'm also spending time snuggling with my newest granddaughter, Emery Abigail.

Looking at the beautiful, bright warm tones of leaves gently swirling to the ground, I'm reminded of how rich and warm life is. I hope you are enjoying your fall.

Debbie

The Simple Pleasure of Hydrangeas

One of my daughters has two beautiful hydrangea bushes. When the nights turned cool, she harvested a box full of blooms and brought them over.

With a salvaged straw wreath and some hot glue, I fashioned this wreath to enjoy till we see the new blooms next season. Simple pleasures.

"Fruit" From the Waiting Room

What do you do in a waiting room? From what I have seen the last several years, most people read, talk to other people waiting, watch T.V., or knit. I've done my share of reading. I mostly do a lot of handwork. This summer, just before Father's Day I started on a table runner. When I knew I would be hours in hospital waiting rooms and doctors offices, I grabbed the project, thankful that I had something started. I finally finished. I kind of like it on the back of the couch (the couch is another story and soon to be recovered).

The base fabric is natural linen. Old washed wool scraps were appliqued on in an overhand stitch.

Bound in homespun cotton. Here and there some embroidery stitches are worked into the design.

A reminder of warm summer days.

The Break Is Over

Summer has been crazy! I know.....summer has been over for several weeks.....I'm not sure.......Well, it's Fall now, but let me tell you some of what summer was for me. The biggest news is our new grand baby. Emery is a little doll. Grandma gets a little spoiling time two afternoons a week, while mommy is at school. Lucky me!
I told you about Gerry breaking his ankle on Fathers Day. He is still walking with a brace because of nerve damage, (still trying to figure out how that happened....), so I have to drive him everywhere. Because of the driving time, about one hour to the office, an hour back, then again in the afternoon or evening to pick him up,I didn't have much gardening time.

Despite the neglect, the dahlias are gorgeous. We have had a cooler summer in the northwest, so many flowers have had a much longer bloom time. The veggies have taken much longer to arrive also. I'm really glad the corn season has been longer or I would have missed out. I was finally able to get some today. Yum!

Luscious organic corn, grown on a historic farm near our home.

We will enjoy this summer sunshine all winter.

Hopefully, I'm back to blogging now. I'm starting to be able to reclaim some time for myself. I've enjoyed visiting your sites for some relaxing moments. Thank you for sharing your lives with all of us out here.

Debbie

Birthday?

Really??? Today???? Oh yeah! It is.....my birthday. Family came over last Saturday. We had a fine celebration. So, I kind of just forgot about it. My mind has been centered more on doctors appointments and pain medication (that doesn't seem to be helping much) for my husband. In between that I was harvesting some broccoli that was starting to bolt.

Finding the last of the season's rhubarb.

Chopping it up for the freezer.

Mmmm....pies, crisp, jam, chutney........what about roasting some for a savory sauce?......

Taking a walk in the garden for a few moments.......breath.............

Marveling at the first raspberries.

Being amazed with the hydrangea bush. Last year this bush grew 3 blooms. This year......Well, whatever happened....it liked it!

Then pausing to look back, just a quick glance, before I go back to thinking about those things crowding my life right now. It is a happy birthday.....It's my life. Sometimes unfortunate things happen. But in the middle of it all I am blessed. I thank God the the last of the rhubarb, the first amazing luscious raspberries, and for special people who bring me garden fresh flowers.

Unexpected Father's Day

I've had to re-arrange my kitchen area. It has taken on the look of an old world kitchen. Well, it has always looked a little that way, but now it has the traditional sick bed off to the side. This space was my little sitting nook off the kitchen. For now, it will be a space where my husband will spend time resting, yet able to look outside, and keep in the hub of the family.
Saturday night we had been sitting by the fire in the back yard, just taking time to relax. My husband went to get a piece of wood and fell over a spot of uneven ground. His ankle didn't twist with the rest of his body. He had broken both bones by his ankle and dislocated the ankle joint.
We spent most of the night at the ER. Now he is wearing this.
Thankfully, we had a family dinner planned at our home for Father's day. Although we were tired, the BBQ went on as planned. We still ate strawberry shortcake for dessert. It seemed though, that the spirit of the celebration was a little different. We were thankful for and honored the fathers in our family. We were very thankful that this dad was here, yes, looking forward to surgery next week and a long recovery, but here, with us.

Finally Here!

Usually...........a term that isn't happening here in the Northwest this year regarding weather. Usually, we are picking strawberries as soon as school is out, or even before. Strawberry festivals abound the first part of June. Usually, strawberries are part of graduation events, part of Father's Day celebrations. We have a hard time waiting for the first sun -warmed, juicy, luscious bite. A sign that summer is really here. Picking strawberries is pleasant when thinking of shortcake, jams, and pies. This year......well.....yes we have strawberries, but late, and few. It has rained and rained, ruining and delaying many crops. We have had a few partly sunny days, so things are starting to move along. Today we went out to pick strawberries. The first field we went to, (they advertised picking this weekend) well, I didn't even see a berry. Several fields are not even letting people u pick this year because of so few berries.

This is where we picked. Yes there are berries hiding from the rain under the leaves. Luscious, juicy, berries. They were not as abundant, many were oddly shaped, but enough for us. I have to say that picking under the bright clouds, instead of the beating sun was a pleasant change. We filled the trunk with berries. The whole car was filled with the aroma, just teasing us all the way home.

Now.........I'm making jam.