Jakes

These young fellas were hanging abound by the back yard Friday morning.
They did not seem at all alarmed upon seeing me. Short 3 inch beards on them, they are probably from last years brood. They certainly are not a handsome bird. God sure had a sense of humor when these guys were created! One can understand why the American Eagle was made the National Bird!

Turkeys!

This is the same group that I took and posted a pic of earlier. They are out in the far field. The sun was low as you can see the shadows from the tree. Maybe one of these will grace our Thanksgiving table this year! Go get em Matt!

Fall harvest

Well, we are expecting a Nor'Easter and it is the 25th of September! I went out to get the 'rest' of the tomatoes and peppers and found that my second planting of peas were just starting to put out. Then a few smallish onions surprised me, and romaine lettuce, some chard and I picked a few leaves from the rutabagas. I did hold off from harvesting at least one because they should really be hit with a good frost to sweeten them up. I pulled a few carrots for some stew over the weekend and found a bunch of red potatoes under the earth! In the foreground I took only 1 jar of each of my canning this year. I did not want to scare anyone from trying their hand at it! Left to right- Applesauce from our Early Mac tree, canned tomatoes with tomato sauce hiding behind. Corn relish, blackberry jam, seedless for the faint at heart one who lives here. Pear butter, apple butter, peach butter and spiced seckle pears in a simple syrup. I also have a ton of froze peach slices, canned peach halves in a simple syrup and more peach butter in the fridge that needs processing tonight along with tomato sauce that is on the stove, as well as the tomatoes on the tables which will just be skinned and canned. And there is more in the Garden!
A passion or obsession, you decide!
The beautiful hand towels are from a friend who just came back from Italy, one is Narciso (narcasis) and the other Iris.

another year...

well, it seems that summer just gets its start and whammo, its over! Since helping Susan with her peaches I gave it my all doing my own canning. We have peaches in a simple syrup, peach butter, apple sauce, apple butter, pear butter, corn relish, spiced seckle pears, blackberry jam,lots of tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce!
Then, gallons of green beans in the freezer as well as peach slices for pies or smoothies.
The peaches are still coming but what to do! I have 1/2 a cow coming next week, I might need a larger freezer especially if venison finds it way to our house! Chard is still going strong in the Garden as well as a second round of sugar snap peas. Carrots and few beets are left, rutabagas in the ground and onions, potatoes and brussell sprouts.
A few pumpkins are showing the orange globes amongst the corn stalks and old bean vines. I will harvest the dried bean pods and seed save for next years Garden. The garden seemed doable this year, not so time consuming and even spiritual. A place to get away and reflect and give thanks that one can still 'do' a Garden and hear that Still Small voice in the quiet. I think of that old hymn
In The Garden.
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses
and the voice I hear....

Peaches Peaches more Peaches!

This is Susan! She, her hubby Matt and friend Paul picked a little bit of peaches from their one tree. Her insane mom-in-law says, come over we'll do a little canning! YIKES!
You can see my corn in the background, I was starting to make corn relish but though I would lend a hand with the peaches, I did not want her to get discouraged her first time and all! Well, we put up 9 quarts and 2 pints of sliced peaches in simple light syrup, about 3 3/4 pints and 12 1/2 pint jars of low sugar jam. We still had bowls of peach slices, so we made 5 pies! The top pic shows this gal with her garden plunder! Matt asks the silly question, 'what will we do with the rest of the peaches', eat them silly!

Sunrise at Cathi's Garden

The start of another beautiful day. Cow pond just over the fence from my garden, coming alive. This day showed quite a harvest, though none have been posted yet. 15 pints of canned tomatoes, 5 quarts of sauce, one pot of sauce and meatballs and 20 jars of blackberry jam! I have already made some applesauce from some early fallen old heirloom type apples. And have tried my hand at spice seckel pears. Since hubby likes the recipe I used, I will do a bunch this Sunday. Hurricane Hanna is heading up the coast this weekend and I fear much of the peaches, pears and apples will be on the ground before its over. Sunday Susan will come over with peaches from their tree and try her hand at preserving summers bounty! I can't wait! We will also be making corn relish, yes I have a victim to shuck corn :-) This year seems to be very prolific in high yields, I wonder that we should put up as much as we can being winter is supposed to be very tough. I love it though, canning and putting up is very rewarding! Just open a can of tomatoes on a snowy winters day and take a sniff!
ahhhhh

Heading home

After a full fun day of fishing, we are headed home, here is a great pic of boat and truck with Dad and Dawn loading her up!

Fishing Lake Canadarago

http://canadarago.richfieldsprings.net/index.php?pid=41

Chain Pickerel, this fish was a fighter. He still is actually, we threw him back without question. Dawn said it was the largest she ever saw! What a blast fishing with Dad and Dawn and of course hubby! Beautiful boat, great folk, fabulous lake! What a weekend!