Although I'll get a nice quantity of tasty, tender chicken meat from them, that's all we will have to last all winter. (Which, of course, won't last all winter.) We're down to eight layers in the hen house currently (and sometimes getting eight eggs a day) so it's not looking as if it would be wise to cull any of them (and put them in the freezer) this fall. We have one rooster we could sacrifice, but that would leave us with no back-up should something happen to the other big guy.
Thinking of weather in your different necks o' the woods, I'm hoping you're all experiencing some lovely fall weather. Here we've been in the midst of several days of drizzle alternating with heavy fog. We chose yesterday to go to the Big City to do some heavy-duty restocking of miscellaneous essentials (we hadn't been since last April!), but had some not-so-comfortable driving through thick fog many times during the trip. Not nice driving when you can't see where you're going.
I can't seem to convince myself to go out into the garden to do any more clean-up lately, because it's so blasted wet. The moisture is good, but sunshine would be lovely for any of the outside chores still on our list.
Even though our weather might not be the (glorious) autumn weather we'd all like to have, it has put me into a mood for baking bread (which I have not done all summer long . . . shamey, shamey, shamey).
These are two loaves of Oatmeal Bread that turned out nicely. I also baked some rye bread which I didn't put in loaf pans but rather shaped into one (huge) long loaf on a cookie sheet. It rose beautifully (maybe too much?) and then fell down, down, down during baking. The texture and taste, I'm glad to say, is still good but slices look more like a piece of zwieback toast. It's hard to make a respectable looking sandwich with them.
Kinda pitiful, huh?
I planted a type of sunflower in the garden this year (Ring of Fire) that grows only 4-5' tall and was touted as being excellent for use as a cut flower. And it is! I've been bringing in bunches for a long while now. They stay fresh in a vase for ever-so-long. I'll be planting them in the garden every year now.
Apparently Papa Pea and I aren't the only ones a smidge bit on the frazzled and weary side at the end of this busy summer. Others seem to be suffering periods of brain fade, too.
Case in point: I came across a nifty little book entitled "Gentle Hikes of Minnesota" that listed and critiqued hiking trails (many in our area) under three miles in length. We sent for a copy from Amazon to have in our library and received it today.
Well. Not exactly. Even though the paperwork tucked inside the book cover listed the book we ordered, the book enclosed was "Walking in Grandma's Garden." Hey what?
Yep, seems as though many of us need some downtime . . . and are looking forward to a restful winter season. How 'bout you" Do you feel you have adequate time to "rest up" during the more inclement months? Or do you have a To Do List half an acre long of inside chores to catch up on after being outside most of the summer?
12 comments:
The sunflowers are BEAUTIFUL! I always tell myself that I will grow a cutting garden, but then feel sorry for them when I cut them! But seeing them on your table makes me want to reconsider my empathy for them next year. How about sharing your rye bread recipe? I haven't found a good one yet.
Oh I have written down the name of the sunflower. I hope we can get it in the UK! I love sunflowers.
Those are beautiful sunflowers! I am very impressed that you bake your own bread (regardless of the shape!). I'll bet your house smells wonderful during that time. -Jenn
Love those sunflowers, going to put them on my seed list to buy. Funny about the book. Maybe walking in Grandma's Garden is close to hiking those trails? Can't wait to get back to baking bread myself, oh the smells ...
We are getting to the point where we are glad the garden is finishing up, too. Our weather, which is usually fall-like by now, has been a two-week string of mid-70s late summer days. They are wonderful, but I'm kind of hoping for a real fall. Some years, from a weather perspective, we go straight from early-September to early-December and just skip over October and November. I love cool days and lots of fall color.
The sunflowers are beautiful!! Even better that they stay nice when cut for a long time. De is getting a hankering to bake, too. I expect there'll be some goody come popping out of the oven late today or tomorrow.
I love how you live! You remind me so much of a pioneer woman. I love that you garden and bake bread and harvest fresh cut flowers for your home. Hope you get a little rest, but look forward to seeing what you're up to next.
Carolyn - Ah, yes. Knowing enough to be able to plant a lovely cutting garden. That's been a goal of mine for . . . oh, about 100 years now, I think. Someday . . .
I'm going to make that same recipe for the rye bread very soon again but put it in the loaf pans so I get a decent looking loaf. When I do, I promise to post the recipe. Be glad to.
Louise - I hope you can find them, too. They're lovely!
Jenn - I don't know of anyone who doesn't simply swoon at the aroma of fresh baking bread!
DFW - I thought the title of the "wrong" book was kind of appropriate (in a weird way), too!
Mark - I was going to bake bread again today but ended up spending more time in the garden than expected. Know what finally made me stop? The MOSQUITOES that started biting me! What!?!?
Oh, Laurie! I don't feel very pioneer-ish now, but sure did when we first moved up here. No running water or electricity, a donkey, four horses, a small herd of dairy goats, chickens, huge garden, hay fields to plow, plant and maintain, no money(!), etc. Now THAT was hard work!
Post a Comment