Saturday
Suddenly Winter
Suddenly, the outdoor palette changes from golden hues to stark …nearly black and white… colors of winter.
But indoors…
Warm, golden hues.
Bear and Auggie napping.
While outside…
The forecast falling snow…
… falls.
Suddenly Winter.
Nov 1: srsly ??!!??
Much as I was happy to see Summer 2017 end, it is still a bit disconcerting to see November 1.
Really?
Did we have Fall?
We did have some Fall and it was gorgeous.
And maybe we will have some more as technically, Winter does not begin until December 21.
But…
Yes, we had a very snowy November 1.
AND!!!
There is a WINTER STORM WARNING!!! for November 2 at 6:00 a.m. until November 3 at 12:00 p.m.
Currently 5-9 inches of snow is forecast for that storm warning timeframe.
Winter!
Bring it.
Of pumpkins and figs and fall scenery
Sugar Pie Pumpkins in the Instant Pot!
For Sourdough Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread…
Perfection!
Figs. Bad photo but great figs. I hadn’t had fresh figs until this find at a local spot
I thought to make fig jam, but I kept eating the figs…
Sourdough Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread … French bread with figs!
The figs and the sourdough oatmeal pumpkin bread: good.
And out and about …
… Fall light…
Last CSA Box – a double!
Milestone Day: the last CSA pickup.
In this double box: Red kuri squash, Pumpkin, Acorn Squash, Winter Squash, carrots, the biggest garlic I’ve ever seen, rainbow Chard, cilantro, red beets, lettuce mix, the biggest shallots I’ve ever seen, onions!
The garlic, shallots and onions have been cured for long storage.
This week was a double. Because there was so much Fall long storage vegetables, Jay and Mandy (Lower Valley Farms) decided to combine week 20 and 21 into a double box. I say “YAY!!”. I love going to the farm and kibitzing, but there were some weeks when I’d loved to have been able to “transport” the vegetables right into my house versus the drive. A bittersweet thing of being glad that I am not required to make the drive, but sad that I will not see the farm and all of the folks.
BUT!! For an hour of the CSA pickup window, Mandy has been manning a “farm stand” selling extra items as well as items that there were not enough of for CSA distribution. I purchased some extras there as well as at Saturday Farmer’s market. Both the farm stand and Farmer’s Market will continue through October 21 pending there being produce. So, I may have another 3-4 weeks for local vegetables before *gasp* having to rely on grocery produce.
It has been a wonderful CSA experience with Lower Valley Farm, Jay and Mandy, their family and their farm crew.
Cheers to local and seasonal!
A shopping trip
With the exception of food, I do most of my shopping online. I don’t particularly enjoy going to stores and am very fussy about my grocery stores as well!
During the heat of the summer, I shopped early morning at my favorite grocery which also has morning shade parking AND a spot to get Bear in and out of the Jeep without taking the ramp.
One of the challenges this past summer, was that I cannot leave Bear home alone. He occasionally gets “stuck” and cannot get up without help. He is fine in the Jeep, LOVES to go in the Jeep and the only difficulty is when it is too hot to leave him in the Jeep which was most of the summer after 8:30-9:00 a.m.
We managed fine. And I don’t know if I’d done anything differently if on my own as it was tiring to go out and about in heat and smoke.
But now – we are free :) !!! With the very cool temperatures we were able to do several things Saturday morning without worry for either of us. And I even went to places not in my plan. AND, I was not in a race against the clock/sun/heat. It was rather nice.
I dropped off a leather bag that needed repair.
I made a quick stop at the grocery with a very short list, but I browsed the aisles to check any sales and just look.
I came home with pumpkin and squash from Lower Valley Farm as well as some fall cabbage from a different farm at the market. I walked the market and dawdled a bit looking at things and enjoying watching and listening to other shoppers.
I was on a hunt for some wine glasses having broken my last. After a fruitless stop at a department store, I hit an antique/consignment shop…
Ha… 4 etched crystal wine glasses for $28.00 – that is $28.00 for all 4!!! And everyone in the shop was pleasant and happy and it was a wonderful wrap up to the most relaxed outing Bear and I have had since Spring.
Another “YEA” for Fall.