she gave a girl some figs.

My friend and coworker brought this girl some figs last week. I brought them home and let them sit almost too long before eating them. But when I cut them open and ate them...they were delicious. Perfectly ripe and sweet. And so, so good.

Would you believe I'd never even tried a fig until I was about 25? I lived in this little ramshackle apartment out in the country. It was funky, but I loved it. Noni came out to my place one day and looked at this ugly tree in my front yard and said, "You have a fig tree? I love figs!"

I didn't even know what a fig was, let alone what a fig tree looked like. But there it was, a gnarled fig tree right next to my parking spot. Noni made me promise to let her know when the figs began turning purple.

A few months later the figs began to turn purple so I picked a bunch, took a drive to Noni's and she enlightened me to the goodness of the fig. From that moment on...I loved them, too.

If you've never eaten a fig and you think you want to give it a try just make sure that the figs are very ripe, almost too ripe. And you can eat the skin, or not. I do not. Not that I wouldn't. I guess I don't because Noni didn't.

We went to a bible study one night years ago and the hostess made figs stuffed with goat cheese, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with chopped pistachios. Oh my...are you kidding me? They were amazing.

My coworker brought more figs in to work yesterday and I shamelessly grabbed (more than) my share. They are ripening on my kitchen island as we speak. Not everyone at work was excited about the figs...most of them went for the tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers that she brought instead of the figs. Apparently, figs are one of those things you either love or you don't.

I happen to love them...yes, because they taste delicious, but also because they make me think of Noni.

Oh, and I found some recipes on Pinterest that look awfully good...

Fig jam.
Fig jam on a sandwich with bacon and brie? Yes please.
And who doesn't like a fig newton?
How about this wedding cake just because it is beautiful (scroll down).

craving good food.

These beauties are from the farmer's market.
I need to grow more varieties next summer.

I have been craving good food lately...greens and beets and tomatoes and onions and mushrooms and beef and fresh fruit and cheese. Especially greens. I can't seem to get enough of them.

Admittedly, my diet hasn't been the healthiest lately. Especially while working full days, I eat too much fast food at lunch and then get lazy about dinner because I'm worn out from work and eat too much fast food then. And if not fast, something quick and easy and...processed.

So when I start craving good food, and when nothing else will satisfy, I know that there is a reason for it...my body needs nutrients.

If you listen, your body will tell you exactly what it needs.

When my body needs Iron I begin to crave oatmeal and greens and whole wheat quesadillas with mushrooms, spinach and onion. I am always a bit deficient in Iron, apparently.  I learned this when, for the third time, I was unable to give blood because it was Iron deficient. So when I need it, my body tells me, loud and clear.

Lately I've been craving onions, greens (like crazy!), mushrooms and beets. I am drawn to them at the farmer's market. I can't stop thinking about garden fresh tomatoes. I am making sure I have a big Costco sized bag of broccoli florets on hand at all times so I can steam it, stir-fry it or mix it up into a tasty salad. I've had a mixed green salad for lunch and dinner for the past few days. And do you ever get those slaw kits at the grocery store? I especially like the Asian kit and make it often, making sure to add extra cabbage.

Because I was craving such specific foods I decided to see what nutritional quality each of them contained, and do you know that everything I've been craving contains Vitamin C? Here I was thinking that my body needed Iron (and I'm sure it did, it always does), but apparently it also needed Vitamin C.

I mean, of course, our bodies always need all of this good stuff. But when we don't eat well, our bodies need it even more, crave it in my case (and probably yours, too), and won't be satisfied with anything else.

Do you ever notice that? You're hungry, and you want something, you just can't quite put your finger on it. So you eat whatever is convenient, or fast and you walk (or drive) away feeling unsatisfied. Full, maybe. But unsatisfied.

I hate that feeling.

(I just had a thought...I didn't include it specifically, but I'm going to add something to my manifesto...listen to my body. Feed it what it asks me to feed it...within reason, of course. I'll have to be careful because I'm pretty sure my body thinks that ice cream is a balanced meal. We'll have to work on that...)

Here's a list of foods rich in Vitamin C as well as all the reasons our body needs it. Scroll down for the complete list.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure there will be times when my body will tell me that I need a bacon cheeseburger, or a yellow cupcake with chocolate frosting. And I will listen then, too. What? Those are good foods, too. Maybe just not good for you. Ahem.

I like to think of it as balance. Or as my grandparent's said...all things in moderation. (And they lived into their 90's so they must have done something right!)

*wink*

happy accidents.

So the peach jam I made the other day was a bust. It never set. But I didn't want to waste it so I had the idea to give it a second chance by boiling it down and adding apple peels (natural pectin) to see if it wouldn't thicken up to a nice consistency for jam.

Well. It didn't. It was just as runny as when I started.

Determined to not let the gift of delicious peaches go to waste I gave the mixture a crack at a new life...as ice cream topping. Yes I did. I scooped two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream into a bowl and topped it with some of the peach jam that refused to gel. And oh my goodness, was it ever go-oo-ood. Imagine peaches and cream on steroids.

I'm thinking this was definitely a happy accident.

Not bad for a Monday..

I made pickles on Monday.

 And strawberry jam.

Chris and I had gone to the local fruit stand on Friday and purchased some pickling cucumbers, fresh dill, local garlic and a few other goodies. I had plans to make pickles Saturday morning.

Well, I don't know about you...but it takes me some "gearing up" to bust out that canning pot. Not to mention getting all the jars out...and washing them real good...making sure I've got lids and rings...and on and on and on.

So...in true Michelle form...I procrastinated. And the cucumbers and dill sat in wait in the fridge all weekend.

I woke up on Monday morning and I knew I had to either make pickles...or feed the cucumbers to the chickens. I decided to go for it and make the dang pickles.

Now, keep in mind, I don't have a great track record with pickle making. I've made them twice...and both times I thought they were gross. And those who tasted them agreed. :( They were too this or too that...not enough this or not enough that. This last time (last summer) I made the HUGE mistake of using pre-mixed pickling spice...YUCK. The pre-mixed pickling spice contains Allspice which is just too sweet. (At least I think that's the culprit.) I like a good puckery dill pickle. OR a nice, sweet bread and butter pickle. But I do NOT like a sweet-ish dill pickle. Blech.

(Picky much?)

Anyway...I was inspired recently to take one last stab at making homemade pickles. I was going through old recipes with my mom and we came across one that my great-grandmother used. It was so simple and straight-forward: cucumbers, vinegar, water, salt, fresh dill, garlic cloves, grape leaves. (I bought everything but the grape leaves...we had our own in the backyard thanks to our spring planting of grape vines!)

Simple enough, right? I went for it. I canned 5 jars and left one in the fridge for taste-testing the next day. And...I'm happy to report...so far they're a hit! They're very puckery...very salty...very pickly. So far we've only tasted the jar that did not get a hot water bath...so they're quite crunchy. I wasn't going to process them as I wanted them to remain crunchy. But I got nervous about long-term storage and decided at the last minute to give them a quick process (about 5 minutes) just to make sure. And from what I understand, the grape leaves (which contain alum) are added to keep the cucumbers a bit more crisp. So we shall see...I'll let you know when we open a jar...soon!

In the middle of my pickle-making frenzy Chris came home for lunch. He was having a hankering for a pb&j. Unfortunately, we've been out of "j" for quite some time. I kept saying I was going to make homemade strawberry jam...and since I was going to make it, I was refusing to buy it.

(Yes...picky and stubborn. What can I say?)

Seeing how upset he was about not having any jam in the house I decided then and there to whip up a batch. I mean, why not? I've got the canner out and full of hot water...I've got jars and lids at the ready...my kitchen is already a disaster. Not to mention the strawberry patch is a quick 1-minute drive away. Yeah...why not?!

About an hour later we had 5 pints of strawberry jam cooling on the counter along with the 5 quarts of pickles I'd made earlier.

Not bad for a Monday, eh?

a snail in the rosemary.

Fortunately, snails don't like rosemary. Neither do earwigs. But they like squash plants...and cucumber plants...and tender little seedlings...and soft leaf herbs like parsley and basil.

Maybe this little metal snail will work like a scarecrow...to scare off the real snails...and maybe the slugs, too. You think?

Well, just in case it doesn't...I scattered some Diatomaceous Earth around the innocent garden plants and as it draws closer to the time my seedlings should be popping up (I'll start checking in 5 days...I planted some beans, chives and sunflowers yesterday...definitely vulnerable) I'll scatter some more.

Diatomaceous Earth works like a dream. It deters snails, slugs, earwigs, roaches, ants...and it's organic...which I love. Because I don't want to cover my fresh, organic, homegrown food with poison. If I wanted my food covered in poison I could save myself some work and just go buy produce at the grocery store.

Oh...and another thing about Diatomaceous Earth, it's also good to scatter in your chicken bedding. It will help to deter those horrid, disgusting, nasty pesky flies.

And guess what? Chris got bit by the garden bug too (that bug is welcome in the garden!) and decided to plant a couple of mounds of cantaloupe seeds. We love cantaloupe. Well, Seth doesn't love cantaloupe. He doesn't even like it. But the rest of us do...so majority rules. And I have to say there is nothing like a fresh, homegrown cantaloupe. We've never grown them before...I've been told they're tricky and picky about their soil. But we went for it anyway...you'll never know until you try. If it doesn't work we'll just continue to buy them at Aliki's, our local fruit stand...they grow a delicious cantaloupe.

Today I need to plant some lettuce (it never got done yesterday) and maybe more beans. I also need to get the herbs we purchased over the weekend into the ground. And then I think we're done for a while. After that it'll just be about the maintenance, and watering and then...the harvesting and eating!

feeding my body and my soul.

I stayed home for most of the day yesterday. I did laundry and straightened things up and read my bible and wrote in my journal. I've got some things coming up that require a bit more of me spiritually. Fasting is one of those things.

I've not fasted before. So...in doing some research, I decided to start with The Daniel Fast. I decided to give it a practice run at lunch yesterday.

I started with the kale, garlic and leeks that were delivered in my CSA. Luckily D. over at this is my life made this same thing last week and shared it with us...so I was inspired! Or else I wouldn't have known what to DO with kale! Hers looked so delicious and warm and healthy and good! So I had to give it a try. Admittedly, this was the first time I'd eaten it. And I will say...I'm sold. Kale is GOOD. And knowing how good it is FOR me made it all the more enjoyable.

Not only was it good. It was EASY. And fast. I had some leftover rice so I put it on a plate and warmed it up. In the meantime I turned on the saute pan to medium high and tossed in a little olive oil. I sliced a bit of leek and chopped about 4 leaves of kale. Once the oil was hot I tossed in the leek and then pressed a clove of garlic in with it...and sauteed. Once it was all soft and translucent I added in the kale and sauteed a minute or two. I then added a bit of chicken broth to steam it a little and to make a bit of a sauce. For good measure...I added a palm full of dried cranberries!

A minute or two later...it was done.

And it was GOOD. Really, really good. I'm definitely adding this to my recipe file...and I'm definitely going to grow kale next winter! Remind me of this come October, would ya?

Meyer Lemon Marmalade...finally!

Something needed to happen with these beautiful Meyer lemons my Aunt Lisa gave me. And it needed to happen...uh...yesterday!

I'd had them for a while...just waiting for me to MAKE something out of them.

One day I was visiting Thomas' blog, A Growing Tradition...and there it was! A recipe for Meyer Lemon Marmalade! Perfect! Instant inspiration!

Well, as time would have it, I was running OUT of it. Time, that is. So I needed a quicker recipe for marmalade. After an internet search, I found one .

And...after much procrastination...I finally got ready. Canning pot. Check. Scrubbed lemons. Check. Clean jars. Check. Lots of sugar. Check.

I chopped the lemons...reserved the pith, the membrane and the seeds...and tossed it all in a big pot and set it to boiling.

Then I added sugar and boiled some more. In the meantime, the jars were placed in the oven set at 200' to get good and hot. Once the boiling lemon mixture was ready...about 25 minutes or so...I ladled it into the little jars, covered them with clean lids and processed them for about 10 minutes. Honestly, I don't know that the processing was necessary. Some say to just cover the jars and let the heat seal the lids. But...I processed them. And they don't seem any worse for it. If anything it may have cooked the lemons just that much more...ensuring that they were nice and soft.

Making marmalade was a bit of a process...more steps than, say, strawberry jam. Jam is pretty straight forward. Marmalade requires a few more steps. But I have to say...those steps are worth it. Because it turned out quite tasty!

Not to mention, quite pretty!

This was my first time making marmalade. And my first time using the seeds and membranes wrapped in cheesecloth as pectin. (Which I LOVE, by the way. How cool is it that pectin can be made naturally? God's creation never ceases to amaze me.) So each jar has at least one little seed in it. Oops! I'll chalk it up as a learning experience...next time, be more careful about the seeds and use a bit more cheesecloth. No problem!

Hmmmm...all this talk about marmalade has made me hungry...I think I'll go make some sourdough toast with butter and...yep...Meyer lemon marmalade!!

*If you want to make some marmalade of your own, you can follow the links to more detailed recipes. Give it a try!

must.do.something.soon.

My Aunt Lisa gifted me with a big bag of beautiful Meyer lemons. They're gorgeous...and they smell soooo good.

And...they've been waiting ever so patiently for me to DO SOMETHING with them.

I've had grand plans for them...marmalade... and curd...maybe some juice to freeze in cubes for later use...and of course, the random eating of one sliced in half and sprinkled with sugar. Or, if you're really brave, salt.

The only problem is...it's Christmas time. There's a lot going on. I've been busy. Right? And something like marmalade isn't something you can just whip up real quick. Well, maybe someone can. But not me. I've got to gear up for an endeavor such as marmalade making. I did get the jars washed. Does that count? I got the cutest little jars at the hardware store. 4 oz I think...with brushed silver lids. So stinkin' cute.

Maybe someday I'll actually fill them with something beautiful...ahem.

Today is another busy one. I have an appointment to have my eyebrows done. As in waxed. Some of you don't know this about me, but I was a smoker, for years. Years and years. And about 5 years ago God helped me quit. (Thank you, God...I am forever grateful.) So...to celebrate...I decided that since I wasn't spending a million dollars on cigarettes every month, instead I'd spend a bit on having my brows waxed. I decided to do something to make me look pretty...and not ugly.

So...yes. Eyebrows at 10. And then, finally, I'm getting my hair cut at 11. Oh my goodness...my hair is way too long. It grows pretty fast...to the point that I've been able to give to Locks of Love...twice in the past 5 years or so.

When I was in junior high and high school my hair was down to my waist. And on into my 20's, too. But when I was 25 I needed a change. I decided I needed to cut the hair off. And I did. To my shoulders. And I loved it!

Since then I've pretty much kept it just below my shoulders...maybe to my bra strap. And that's a good length...it's manageable. And not too heavy. But since we've been pinching pennies so very tightly this past year, I can't remember the last time I had my hair cut! So at church on Sunday, I saw Kay, my hairdresser. And asked her if she had any appointments available for this week. She said yes...and that she had her appointment book in her car!

Kay: "Will Monday work?"

Me: "Tuesday would be better."

Kay: "Tuesday it is! 11 OK?"

Me: "Perfect! See you then!"

That was easy enough!

So...today at 11...I'm getting my hair cut. And I cannot WAIT! If I'm feeling brave...I may do a before and after. And I mean, really brave. So...no promises! You may just get the "after"...!

So what's on your list of things to do today?

What IS a persimmon, anyway?

I've been talking about persimmons lately...and several of you have commented and asked, "What IS a persimmon? What does it taste like?" So...I decided to do a "persimmon tutorial". (Am I the only one that thinks this is funny? I'm so weird.)

So, this is a persimmon. A fuyu persimmon to be exact. Isn't it beautiful? The color is amazing.

They grow on trees, like an apple. Ripen in the fall. And have the texture, in my opinion, of a firm cantaloupe. But maybe with a little extra slipperiness and then a bit of a crunch in the middle. Hard to explain. They're different...that's for sure.

The first thing you do is choose a ripe persimmon. It will be firm to the touch with a bit of give in the flesh. First step is to core the persimmon.

Then set the core aside for the chickens or the compost pile.

Then cut each half into four pieces.

Next, run your paring knife along the skin to remove it from the flesh. Set the skins aside for the chickens or the compost, too.

This is good stuff, you don't want it to go to waste!

Once all of your slices are peeled cut the persimmon into bite size chunks and place them in a bowl.
Drizzle them with honey.

Then finish off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

And then? Eat, of course!

I have to admit, I had never eaten a persimmon until a few years ago. I was helping my Noni at the time a couple of days a week. I'd go over in the morning, usually right around the time Papa was making her breakfast. She had a persimmon tree in her backyard and would eat them fresh, with a squeeze of lime, with her breakfast right around this time of year. She couldn't believe I'd never had one! She insisted that I slice one up, add a little lime (the honey is my own addition) and give it a try. So I did. And I couldn't believe how tasty it was! I was sold instantly.

Mom just brought over a bag full of persimmons from Noni's tree yesterday. Noni would be glad that they're going to be enjoyed. I wish she were here to share one with me. Isn't it funny the things that make us think of loved ones?

Persimmons are different...but that's one of the things I like about them. Not to mention, they are full of healthy goodness. Persimmons contain twice as much fiber as apples and help to keep your heart healthy. Persimmons also contain antioxidants and are good source of sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese and iron. (There's that iron thing again. Which has been much better since I've been eating oatmeal every morning. Who knew?)

Anyway, if you have a chance to try a persimmon, I would recommend it. They can be made into bread and added to salads, too, so I read. But I like them fresh...and lime-y. And the bonus? They're good and good for you.

rosemary potatoes...

These are the potatoes and onions I received in my CSA box last week.

As you can see, they're not perfect. And you know, I like that about them. Perfect produce usually means some sort of genetic alterations are involved. So imperfect? Yes. Did it matter? Nope.

I finally had a chance to cook 'em all up last night. I left the skins on the potatoes, halved them and tossed them into a baking dish. Then I cut the onions into small chunks and added them to the potatoes. I drizzled it all with olive oil and added a few pats of butter.

Then I seasoned them with garlic powder, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, a smidgen of thyme and last but not least, rosemary. Ahhh...rosemary. It blends with potatoes like no other seasoning. It's one of my favorites.

I tossed the potatoes in the oven set at 375' and left them alone for about 45 minutes. They were delicious. I served them with grilled chicken and a tossed salad. And it was GOOD. I even made some extra chicken to use in tonight's dinner...creamy pasta with grilled chicken and broccoli. I'm hungry already! I may have to cook a little early!

My first CSA box...

When I walked out the door to take Ian to school this morning I was surprised to see my CSA order had been delivered. Nice! It was just what I needed to give me a hopeful boost for the day...a box full of beauty in the midst of the chaos.

I immediately ran for my camera. Isn't that what everyone does when the CSA arrives?

As you can see, the box was full of fresh, local, organic goodness. Inside was kale (now's my chance to have a crack at this!)...red onions...mandarins...apples (that look beautiful)...new potatoes...a head of romaine...a bouquet of parsley...and a beautiful butternut squash. So exciting.

Originally I thought I was going to receive some leeks, also. And I even made plans to USE said leeks on Friday. I was going to take them to my aunt's house so she could show me how to make potato leek soup. But...now...I'm thinking I'm buying some leeks. Darn.

I am so pleased with everything I received. I love butternut squash and use Ina Garten's recipe for Pumpkin Squash soup...it is so yummy. And easy. Mmmm...I can't wait to make it! The new potatoes will be roasted with red onion and fresh parsley...maybe a bit of rosemary. The apple and mandarins will be eaten raw...perfect. Romaine...Caesar salad, of course. And the kale...well, I'm not quite sure. I think this new addition to my diet will require a visit to recipezaar.com. I'm having a feeling I may be the only one liking the greens...but we'll see.

I'll let you know what I come up! And if you have any recipes you'd like to share please do! I am always open to a new recipe!

The sun is bright and the air is cool. And I am happy. I love this weather the most.

The chickens are doing great. The egg laying is slowing ever so slightly...maybe down to one or two a day. But that's to be expected.

A farmer named Charlie came to the door today a little before dinner time offering a CSA delivery. I signed up for the sample box at a discount. They'll deliver it on Wednesday and then bill us. If we like it we can continue on. If we don't, we just call and say "no thank you". I guess the next box will contain leeks, peppers and chard, broccoli and spinach, apples and kiwi. Sounds good. We'll try it out. Do you know that I have never used a leek? Ever? I think it'll be a good excuse to make potato leek soup. Anyone have a fabulous recipe? Maybe I'll try my hand at homemade yeast rolls while I'm at it. We'll see about that one! No promises.

I went ahead and decided to try the CSA since I hadn't planted anything...still. I mentioned this to Charlie the farmer and he said that it's still not too late...especially in our area. So I'm thinking that I'll still plant some kale. I'm so hyper-focused on kale. And do you know that I've never even eaten it? Yet I'm craving it. And I finally figured out why. My iron levels have been low lately...I figured this out after paying attention to several food cravings over the past week or two...spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, chocolate, oatmeal...oh man was I craving oatmeal. And I pulled down my canister of oats only to realize they were "best by" November 2008. 2-0-0-8, people! Has it really been that long since I cooked them? No wonder I'm craving iron.

Anyway...I'm really tired tonight. And sort of rambling on and on...I think I'll get some sleep and come back tomorrow when I can make some sense!

Peachy.

On Friday night I felt like I needed something sweet to eat. Did you get that? Needed? Well, I did. And...I also wanted something sweet. Which in all honesty is probably more accurate.

Either way you look at it...want...need...I decided to make a Peach Crisp. Why Peach Crisp you ask? Because I had peaches. And I'm too lazy to make anything with a crust unless I've got one pre-made somewhere. And I didn't. So...crisp it is!

A crisp is the perfect dessert for people like me who aren't real into baking. A crisp is good because, really, there's no need for precision. I'm not into baking because I'm not into precision. I don't care to measure. I just like to toss stuff in a bowl and see how it comes out. With cooking, this works for me more often than not. With baking? Not so much. But...a crisp is very forgiving.

I used frozen peaches from last summer. I had purchased several boxes of delicious local peaches to can and to freeze. We ate all of the canned peaches. But I had some frozen ones left. So I defrosted them in a bowl of water while I prepared the topping. Easy, peasy....flour, oats, butter, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Seriously. How can you go wrong with that combination? I tossed the peaches in my trusty old 8x8 pan, squeezed in a bit of lemon juice, sprinkled in a bit of sugar and stirred. Then I sprinkled on the topping and baked it for 40 minutes.

While it was cooling Chris and I went to pick the boys up from the school's Harvest Festival. On the way home we stopped at the store to get some vanilla ice cream. Because if you're going to go to the trouble of making Peach Crisp, you really need to go the extra mile and get some vanilla ice cream to go with it. Right? And if you're going to get vanilla ice cream you may as well get DOUBLE vanilla ice cream. You know...why stop at just vanilla when you can go double? Sounds like, "If you give Michelle some peach crisp she's going to ask for some vanilla ice cream to go with it. And if you give her some vanilla ice cream to go with her peach crisp she'll ask for a glass of milk to wash it all down."

Everyone was in agreement....Peach Crisp is good. I'm thinking next time I make it...a little more brown sugar in the topping. I'm just sayin'.

So long Summer.

The season is coming to a close. Summer is officially gone. And let me tell you, I am usually very happy about that because I don't like summer. But things have changed a bit over the last few years. Finally there's a reason to look forward to summer...planting a garden.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is our last harvest of peppers from our garden for the season. We plucked them Tuesday night.

And then we made fresh salsa using the tomatoes I bought at the vegetable stand on Saturday. Tasty Romas. Close to the last of their season, no doubt.

The garden is pretty much dried up. The beans are scraggly. The tomatoes are gargantuan green plants without a tomato in sight. (That need to be pulled...yesterday.) The peppers are quietly and happily growing away and still producing little flowers and little peppers. (This may not be the last, actually...) The gourd has been long gone...the aubergine plants, too. (Why do I always feel the need to italicize aubergine? I guess I imagine I'm saying it fancy and with a bit of an droning accent...with a pinkie in the air...) (Does overuse of parentheses prove my self-diagnosis of ADD?)

The herbs in pots have been ravaged by my sweet, delicate, petite chickens. Ahem. The pecan tree is beginning to drop it's leaves...as well as my neighbors maple tree. Leaves, leaves everywhere. The only thing living are the succulents. And the rosemary...thank goodness for drought tolerance.

I'd mentioned before that I was wanting to plant a fall garden. At least a few things...just to try it out. But, as life would have it, I didn't end up planting a dang thing. I could make a million excuses why...or I could just be honest and say, "I didn't make the time to do it." And I could have. But I think I was done for the season. I think that my idea of "one new thing per year" was a good one. And this year it was the chickens. That was enough. Maybe next year I'll attempt some fall gardening. I'll do research over the winter and that way when it comes time to do it, I'll feel like I have some knowledge under my belt and will feel more confident in giving it a shot. (It seems that the more I read about something, the more I feel like I've actually done it. So researching over the winter has proven very helpful for me.)

Or, I'll be a full-time student working towards my Bachelor's Degree and will barely get a summer garden planted...! We'll have to see what life has in store come summer of 2010. A lot can happen in a year.

Either way, this summer is gone and winter is fast approaching. The air is cool and crisp...the leaves are falling...I can smell rain in the air every now and again...and I feel energized and rejuvenated. But I can't help feeling a little sad, too. It used to be that when summer was over I was happy and that was that. But when you garden there is always something sad about the season coming to an end. Endings can be sad. This is the end of a living, thriving garden. The end of a season. The end of another year, soon enough. (Where did September go, anyway?!) And with each year passing my boys grow bigger and bigger...and it's the end of life with little guys. Now it's life with teens and tweens...who'd have thought?!

Anyway...life. Endings. All good things must come to an end, they say. And this is true...so we can start all over again with fresh NEW beginnings. There's no time to be sad...it's time to start planning that summer garden!

choices.

This is the last of last year's dilly beans.

A few weeks ago, I canned four more jars. But I'm afraid...I need more. Note to self: grow more beans next year. LOTS more beans.

I've been thinking a lot about this whole gardening and canning thing lately. And I've come to a conclusion...canning and freezing is not really cost effective unless I grow everything myself. For the cost of a few packets of seeds you can really grow and preserve a lot of food. And that's a good thing. But what if I want to preserve fresh food for the winter that I haven't grown...like corn and beans for example? I have to go and buy it in order to do that. And not only do I have to buy it...then I have to come home, shuck it, remove it from the cob, blanch it and THEN freeze it...all so I can have fresh corn in the winter. Which is fine. And it's a good thing. But then I've paid for MY gas and MY time and the plastic bags I'll use...etc, etc. So all that when I can buy a can of corn for 79 cents on sale?

I don't know...I guess it's because finances have been challenging lately and I can't just go out and buy boxes of fresh, local produce to preserve that I am thinking of all of this. Sometimes you have to make choices based on circumstances. Of course, fresh and local is always the favored option...if life were always ideal, that is. But...sometimes it's not. And sometimes you have to work within your circumstances and do the best with what you've got at the moment. And I figure as long as I am doing the best that I can with what I've got, then that's all I can ask of myself. And when I am in a position to do better...I will. No doubt about it.

Well, isn't that just peachy...

I know...I know. I couldn't help myself. My pastor is doing a sermon series on the gifts of the spirit...and we haven't gotten to self-control yet. So...until then...bad jokes it is. Speaking of self-control...or lack thereof...I'm eating chocolate chips right out of the bag. Sometimes a girl just needs a straight shot of chocolate, you know?

So can you guess what I'm getting ready to do?

Yep. You're right. I'm getting ready to can peaches in light syrup. Yum. We just ate the last jar from last year's canning and they were SO good I just had to make more. And thank goodness I decided to do it today because the ranch where I purchase them is going to be done with peaches today or tomorrow! I was literally just in time! Thank goodness...I would have been so sad if I'd missed peaches this year.

I paid five dollars a box for these peaches...I thought that was a pretty good price. And they're delicious. This ranch has been in our area for years and years. The woman who sold them to me can't be less than 75 years old. She owns the ranch. And sells boxes of peaches and plums and nectarines every day. She also sells mandarins later in the season. Her property is beautiful with a gorgeous view of the hills and orchards all around.

Well...I suppose I should quit procrastinating and go heat up the canning pot!

Farmland: Supporting my local farms.

Last week I noticed a cute little button on my friend, Leigh's blog, Burbs and the Bees (isn't that an adorable name? I love it!) for Farmland.org. I clicked over and liked what I saw...so then I got a cute little button. Farmland.org asks that if you're going to display a button that you talk about local farms and farmer's markets and such on your blog...spread the word! I figured I could do that...chances are I would have posted about it all anyway!

Several years ago a local farm built a small fruit stand on the corner of their property. As long as I've lived here (31 years) we've never had a vegetable stand nearby. It was very exciting. It's only about a half mile from my house...walkable for sure. (Honestly, I'm usually in my car because I typically stop by on my way home from somewhere...but I could walk if I wanted to...and if it wasn't so dang hot. And I wasn't so dang lazy. But anyway...)

The owner, Aliki, and her family and friends are all SO nice. When you walk up to the stand it's like you're walking into a family members home. They greet you with big smiles and cheerful greetings.

Tomatoes and figs dappled in the sun shining through the lattice roof. Aren't they beautiful?

They grow just about everything they sell. Maybe even everything by now. But if they didn't grow it, you can guarantee someone local did. I told Aliki last week that the true sign of summer, for me, is when she opens up her stand each year. She said, "Not until the tomatoes are ready. Then it's summer!" And I have to say, I agree!

Look at this gorgeous bounty! Peppers and cucumbers and beans and okra...and not pictured are corn and potatoes and onions and garlic and melons and apricots and plums and cherries and...and...the list goes on and on! I asked Aliki last week when she was going to start giving farm tours. She laughed. Do you think she meant, "Never! I have enough work to do already!"??

Jars full of beautiful golden honey...harvested right there on the property.

They also dry and bottle their own herbs. And just this year they began bottling and selling olive oil...from the trees right on their property.

Every so often they've got big boxes full of "soft fruit", fruit that is ripe and is ready right now to either be eaten immediately or preserved in some way.

This box of peaches and yellow plums came home with me. So far they've been eaten straight from the box; cut up, sugared and served with vanilla bean ice cream and right now Ian is eating a bowl of them with sugar and milk with his breakfast. The other half of the box will be turned into peach butter later today...I can't wait to try it!