“WHAT’S COOKIN’?”

Autumn is here! Special Time with Natalie & I Get my Car Back Friday!

The leaves are slowly turning and now and again, the wind shakes them loose, cascading them down to an awaiting landscape. Days are most comfortable and I hope that continues. It has given extra time to do outside chores which is soo welcome. The evening temperatures are cooler and some areas have already had a frost and the darkness is creeping in earlier. The atmosphere has a scent of fall.

I have been spending half my time at Joe’s and the other half at home, trying to get many chores done before the cold sets in. Some times I just don’t know where to start. The garden is at Joe’s so that takes much of my time when I am there. The tomatoes and beans are still coming and I have done many bags of them for Joe’s freezer. There are a couple of zucchini and five eggplants that are nearly ready. Cucumbers and broccoli are done. We are praying that a number of small winter squash will mature in the next few weeks. We still have to deal with the beets and Swiss chard.

My brother, Terry, came up for the Labor Day weekend alone as his wife, Maureen, had other commitments. Doc and Gail Wiener, our family’s close friends, drove up for a few days. They love it so. They left on Sunday morning leaving near Terry’s departure. Terry leaves New Jersey happily, to usually work most of the weekend on projects at the farm, but he loves the quiet and the fresh air. He called and invited Joe and I to come for dinner Saturday night. He said it would not be anything special, just a get together, but you should have seen the food, everyone brought something.

Terry invited our good friend, Natalie Fisher and she came early. We found her sitting on the porch. Andy and Laura took an enjoyable ride in the fields on the 4 Wheeler. Terry and Jim McGrath had been cutting the fields and came back to the house to get things started. When everyone got back to the farm, we all chipped in. Gail made salads, and Laura made a veggie tray with dip and I set the table and brought Joe’s Tomato Basil Salad and a delicious cake. As ever, everything was GREAT, but too short a time.

Joe had checked the elderberries and said, “We better go and pick them!” We did go and picked three big colanders full. I thought there is a lot of work to getting them cleaned and separated from the stem.” By the time we finished, which took a LONG time. We had five quart freezer bags full and one for the refrigerator. Those he could use in pancakes, muffins, on cereal or just for breakfast with milk and Splenda. I took a bag home with me for my freezer. Neither of us wanted to see an elderberry again for a time. A friend called and said she had ripe elderberries if he wanted to come pick them. Strangely, he said “No, I have plenty.”

Joe’s daughter, Missy, who just turned 35, called and asked for her Dad’s help. Her brakes were giving out and she needed to get them fixed. Of course Joe said, “Come on over. I got all my tools here”. In an hour or so, Missy and her four–year–old twin girls, and her 16 year-old daughter, Desere’ arrived. She entertained the twins during their stay. They all enjoyed Patchy and Precious, who ran when they felt threatened. Joe and Missy worked steady to get the job done. They were tired and dirty, but happy that their work had restored the brakes. Soon the family was in the car and on their way home with promises that they would return another time.

The bills are trickling in for “my surprise attack of a bad appendix”. I had no warning. It happened and I went to Bassett and they took care of it. Now, I have to ”cough up”, so to speak. I spoke to a very nice man there and he worked out a plan for me and hopefully I will be able to deal with it. I will give it my best shot. Just received three more bills since then. . . .

Natalie invited Joe and me for an evening meal. Joe and I had had a busy day dealing with the garden and freezing of bounty so it was great. In fact, Natalie too had had a busy day. She cleaned the fridge and made use of the fresh veggies and a little of this and that and it was delicious! As we sat at her table looking out over the landscape and it was so lovely. We chatted for some time until we realized that it was getting late. We said good bye and look forward to another time together.

Nature’s Scene: I have seen more deer in small groups over the last few weeks. They are dark in color and look healthy. There is an abundance of turkeys, but they seem to be young, no real big ones like I remember from past years.

There have been a number of skunks, raccoons and possums killed on the roads.

Martha Hefland sent an email to the effect that she and Elliot would be heading back to Florida on October 3 and wanted to get together with me. She also wanted to meet Joe. She invited us to their camp on Schuyler Lake for lunch and a boat ride! As it turned out, we were getting an extremely heavy rainfall and the boat ride was out of the question, but we had a wonderful lunch and Joe and Elliot hit it off just fine while Marty and I visited. We also meet their cat, which was not sure of us till we left. We will try one more time to see them before they leave.

I finally got a call from the body shop where my Altima was being repaired from the accident that I had coming home from New Jersey in July. “Your car is done and checked out and you can come and get it on Friday (21),” he said. I was so glad to hear that as it has been since July 23^rd. My brothers loaned me their spare car and for that I was very thankful. So tomorrow I will have my car. . .

I just got back from Cooperstown where after doing some errors, I walked down to Otsego Lake and sat on a bench near the water. Since I was there last, a wonderfully beautiful stone edged garden has been landscaped into the water’s edge. Wild like tall grasses and assorted plants are sparsely planted with red chips filling in the remaining area. It was so peaceful. For a time I was in another place and I felt the calmness of my surroundings. Soon it was time to head home and mow the lawn. . .perhaps for the last time. . .

Thought for the Week: Enjoy this beautiful Indian summer. Take time.