Friday, October 21, 2016

My Day

Stayed up a little late last night with good company, conversation and laughter along with a bit of sipping of lovely liquid libation.  (Dare I say more than a bit of sipping of said libation?)


'Twas a slow start this morning, but I did manage to get our first batch of my mom's holiday fruitcake baked.


After lunch, Papa Pea begged and begged and begged (he's so pathetic) for a slice, so I cut into one loaf even though I knew it would be crumbly.  The fruitcake needs to be wrapped in foil and stowed in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before it "firms up" enough to slice easily.

Then it was out into the garden for the continued clean-up operation.  Because of our warmer-than-usual weather (no killing frost yet even), I've let things out there go much longer than I should have.  Of a normal year at this time, the garden would already be put to bed for the winter, and I would no longer have to give it a thought.

My experimental fall plantings were mostly a bust.  The edible podded peas and shell peas put forth lovely green vines, but not much else.  The edible podded peas blossomed scantily but formed only one or two (that I could find) pods that failed to grow any longer than about 1".  The shell peas made pods but very few plumped up.  I taste tested the few that did and although the peas inside looked normal, they had an old, stale flavor.  Yuck.

The cauliflower started from seed in a raised bed in July never even came close to forming heads.  I gave up on it and threw it to the poultry.  They said thank you very much and gobbled it right up.


 A lovely head of lettuce


A "bouquet" of arugula

The fall planted bed of salad greens did do well, I'm happy to report.

We had an end of the season plethora of fresh, crispy Swiss chard, spinach, mizuna mustard, arugula and several kinds of lettuce.

So today I picked one last big bowlful of the assorted greens then yoinked out all the plants and spread them out in the poultry pasture.  The ducks, geese and chickens came as a group for lunch, they all dined at the salad bar (hold the dressing, please) and said it was yummy.

Then I started pulling the sad looking pumpkin vines (all stronger, longer and tougher than one would think), but had to quit to make a run to town for a few errands.  One errand was to drop off at our second hand furniture store a lamp we no longer wanted or needed.  While there, I spotted a lovely swivel desk chair they had recently gotten in.  Since I've been kinda sorta looking for another chair to replace this one . . . 


. . . that I've had for so long I have no memory of where or when I got it, I decided to bring this new one home with me.


It has an adjustable height feature, and I think I'm going to like it very much.

I got a little more done in the garden after returning home from my other errands at the hardware store, recycling center, and library.  Popped some chicken turnovers in the oven which were waiting in the freezer for just such an occasion, heated up some left over gravy and served them with frozen (cooked, of course) green beans from the garden.

That was my day.  Just another slow one on ye ol' homestead.

33 comments:

Kim said...

will the fowl pick at the pea vines? if not then they will make some good nitrogen to till back into the soil.

Vera said...

Love your 'new' chair, but would have make myself a cushion to sit on as my rear end has got very 'sensitive' as I have got older!

Sherry said...

I like your chair also. My whole garden was a bust this year. Like all garden people thinking of next year,lol

Sue said...

I need to get some poultry so I don't feel guilty about pitching greens and such. I do take an occasional batch to the neighbors, but for the most part I have to tell myself--COMPOST.

Susan said...

Chicken turnovers? Have you shared this recipe???? Poultry sure comes in handy. We are back to summer, but wait! We're back to fall! Your mom's fruitcake sure looks delish ...

Laurie said...

Oh my, your cakes look good! Fruitcake is a Christmas staple at my M-I-L's home.

I planted a few fall veggies...so far so good. Collards, cabbage and some lettuce. I'm still getting a few pods of okra and a few tomatoes. I'm quite pleased with my little garden.

Your chair....nice find. It was meant to be yours.

Have a great weekend. The weather is awesome here in SC. NO HIMIDITY! Holler!

Mama Pea said...

Kim - You betcha! All the fowl have been receiving a glut of garden leftovers as I've been cleaning. I'm thinking the pea vines must be like candy for them. And the lettuces, Swiss card, cauliflower plants . . . all of it!

Mama Pea said...

Vera - I must carry enough of my own "cushion" around with me as I've never minded sitting on bare wood. But I have thought of making a cushion for the new desk chair this winter as I think it would just make it look "softer."

Mama Pea said...

Sherry - Sorry to hear you garden didn't come through for you this year. And, yes, even though I'm not wanting to get back out there and start planting immediately, I'm already into plans for next season.

Mama Pea said...

Sue - There's nothing wrong with tilling in or composting garden leftovers . . . but I can't help but think all the garden rejects are so good for the animals . . . plus it saves on feed we have to purchase for them!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - I don't think I've shared the recipe. I'll e-mail it to you.

Can't believe your high temps! What's with this c-r-a-z-y weather?

Mama Pea said...

Laurie - You should be very proud of your little garden! Just goes to show you can grow a LOT in a smaller space!

South Carolina in the fall with no humidity. It must be wonderful indeed. Enjoy!

Kev Alviti said...

Pea shoots taste nice if nothing else! Sounds like my days at the moment. I sowed some stuff for autumn, my carrots never germinated very well, whereas I did plant some winter (cooking) radishes that are a total success, they're huge and I cant wait to try them. I've got a big bed of leeks, parsnips and chard in for winter and some huge purple sprouting broccoli plants for spring. Going to plant more for winter next year as hopefully won't be building quite so much

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Our fall peas failed. We got about two to come up and that was it. Bugs are getting my green beans, and we failed to fall plant anything else. Tomatoes just took over. Then again, we bought that motorcycle, ha ha. We joke that we don't get much done now-a-days. Sounds like you got a lot done.

FoxyLady said...

I find it interesting that your cauliflower didn't produce. Ours didn't either. The plants were lovely but the heads barely formed and they were short and icky. They just didn't do it this year ~ a first. Someone else I talked to ~ forget who ~ said her cauliflower didn't grow decently this year either. So, I guess we can all be thankful it wasn't "just us." Rest of the garden was amazing tho! Never had such large potatoes. The two of us can't always even eat one. :)

Pam said...

That fruitcake looks yummy! Would you share the recipe?

Grace & Peace,
Pam

Mama Pea said...

Kev - You get an awful lot done, a lot more than most people, and I'm sure you will plant more for winter next year when you're not so involved with your BIG building project!

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - Anyone who has processed 500 lbs. of tomatoes cannot say they don't get much done! :o}

Mama Pea said...

FoxyLady - As usual, I planted my (first) crop of cauliflower in early spring because it likes to mature in "cooler" weather. With our warm (hot?) summer, every single one of them bolted. That's why I tried planting a fall crop . . . but to no avail. So I think you're right and we should all just chalk it off to not a good cauliflower year. Bummer!

The white potatoes I've "stolen" so far (we still haven't dug the main crop) have been HUGE like yours. All the cauliflower mojo went into our potatoes???

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Pam - I'd be glad to share my recipe. Go over to my right hand side bar and scroll waaaay down until you find a "search" box. Type in "My Mom's Fruitcake" and the post, with recipe, from 2009 should pop up for you. Enjoy!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Sounds like a great day. I did notice that Papa Pea asked for one slice - and there are two slices cut-hmmmm. How did it taste?

Pam said...

Thank you!!!

gld said...

You had a very productive day. I need to re-look that recipe. I hope it is heart healthy!

Lettuce is beautiful. Bet the chickens and other fowl enjoyed that feast.

Fiona said...

I just printed your fruitcake recipe. It sounds very much like my mothers, she did add a cup of fruit peel to hers though and then added a bit of brandy to the liquidy mix after it had cooled and set out overnight!

ahh fruitcake is under appreciated!

Mama Pea said...

JoAnn - I don't think that man has ever eaten just one slice of fruitcake! It's a favorite of his and he pronounced this batch, "Delicious!"

Mama Pea said...

Glenda - With you expert baking ability, I'm sure you can tweak the recipe to make it heart healthy! (If it's not already. :o})

Mama Pea said...

Fiona - Oh, I never thought of adding a bit of brandy to the unbaked mixture! I've wrapped it in cheesecloth and poured some brandy over it and put it in the pantry for a month or so, but I like your idea better!

Can't say this fruitcake tastes much like the hard, dry ones loaded with preserved fruit (!), but it's the one I grew up with and that we like. I like that your mother's recipe is much the same! :o]

Leigh said...

Oh gosh, those greens are making my mouth water. I am so hungry for some fresh garden-grown greens. Good score on the chair too.

Dan isn't keen on fruit cake so I never make it. Maybe I should try again.

Fiona said...

I never mentioned the one time my mother got tipsey after adding the brandy ;). She also made brandy butter to top the Plum Pudding.

The funny thing is she rarely drank even wine!

Mama Pea said...

Fiona - Too funny! ;o}

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - I think you would find that this recipe for fruitcake isn't anything like the typical fruitcake which usually has so many "preservatives" in it that it never molds! Even though mine is chock full of dried fruit, it remains soft and moist.

Rain said...

I'm going to print out your fruit cake recipe too. My bf loves it once a year, so I'll make it for Christmas for him. I'm happy to hear you had a nice evening and libated well, I think I just invented a verb? :)

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Yes, I libated! (Gotta remember that . . . ) ;o)