October Shades, Knitting & A Soup Recipe -

Goldener lights set noon asleeping

Like an afternoon;

Colder airs come stealing, creeping

After sun and moon;

And the leaves, all tired of blowing

Cloudlike o'er the sun;

Change to sunset colours, knowing

That their day is done.

. . . . .George Macdonald

Here today the sun is bright, the sky clear and blue, and it's warm.

I just did a little flower bed clean up and it was actually hot.

The knitting came out last weekend as we awaited the storm.

The clicking of the bamboo needles and the warmth of the yarn 

between my fingers was calming as all raged outside the windows.

This is the color for the first cowl of this new season. It will 

complement my ZARA brown wrap coat from a couple of years

 back, and a new cashmere sweater of a similar shade - the label

 named it Syrup - I'm thinking more Ginger Snap.

FYI - if you're shopping for new sweaters (also coats, jackets and other

 items), and have a T.J.Maxx close by which has a 'Runway' department, 

you too might find an amazing selection of items at deep discounts.

Even though the cashmere sweaters are marked Past Season they

are classic, never look dated, and are beautiful. 

The VINCE, NAKED CASHMERE,THEORY brands etc. originally

 $350+ were selling for $129+, and in my store there were dozens in

 all colors to choose from!

Yesterday I cooked, and cooked some more!

What started off as just using up a butternut squash for my favorite 

seasonal soup (easy recipe below - I just change to lo-sodium

 vegetable broth), ended with a complete meal including delicious

 roasted Halloumi cheese and veggies, and a dessert - apple

and blackberry galette.

A most tasty and warming meal for a cooler Autumn evening. . . . and

 of course leftovers for another day!

This could have been Bob cleaning up after Hurricane Ian, except

the leaves here are still mostly green. Of course they'll be many more

 fallen gold and brown leaves in the weeks, even months, to come!

We'll be traveling north soon and I know the colors will be advanced

 compared to here in the southeast.

Have a great week - I'm picking out clothes for New England and 

think I'll include at least one warm, cozy cashmere sweater!

 

Scribble Picnic. . . . . . . Crunchy

I'm traveling this week, and next, but was able to work on this for today's

 SCRIBBLE PICNIC theme before leaving town.  

Next week is the Independence Day Holiday and Michael is giving us a week off.

I started baking my own breakfast - or anytime - biscuits after having a

 fabulous crunchy crusted one in New Orleans last November.  

I love crunchy foods and although I've had some pretty good southern biscuits

 over the years, they've always been soft on the outside rather than crispy

 and crunchy. 

I found a great recipe and have decided this is the biscuit for me!

I bake a batch every couple of weeks and freeze them - defrost, a couple of

 minutes in the toaster, and they are just like fresh from the oven.

Here's the link to Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC where I'm hoping to see

more friends sharing something with a little crunch.

I'm on the road and hope to enjoy a real picnic along the way, perhaps

 somewhere in the countryside or at the coast!

Saturday, a foodie day and post -

Good fresh food, a necessity of life, is something we all enjoy, right?

Sadly, sometimes it's not healthy, and now and then it's downright dangerous!

The latest scares here in the USA are about eggs and Romaine lettuce.

Below you will see why I'm not at all concerned about my eggs. . . . . but

Romaine, probably my favorite leaf lettuce because I'm addicted to Cesar 

salads, will be missing from my refrigerator for some time. Salmonella (the 

egg scare) and E. coli (now covering all Romaine including whole heads as

 well as pre-chopped in bags) are both illnesses nobody wants to have - the

 latter of course being life-threatening in severe cases.

So, here's to ways of solving food contamination - we need to be sure what we

 eat is safe. Probably the only way to be 100% regarding veggies and fruits is to

 go back to growing our own - possible for some people, not so for others.

Today I'm looking for Romaine lettuce seeds and may give growing some

a try - I do have garden space so no excuses for me.

 Meanwhile, imagine my joy at finding these yesterday - freshly picked 

local North Carolina strawberries from just south of Raleigh. . . . . . .

. . . . . . and how delicious compared to the long distance ones transported 

and chilled for days before arriving at the grocery store.

The farmer selling these shows up each Spring at his 'patch' next to a 

nearby gas station. . . . . . and he told us this year's crop, despite a chilly

March, is going to be great and he will have fruits until early June.

Note he uses recyclable paper punnets, not those awful plastic clamshells.

Bob and I are back on a Muesli kick. I prepare it the night before with 2% milk

and a dash of orange juice and refrigerate.

We always enjoy this type of cereal on board ships - they seem to make the

 best (perhaps as the chefs are usually European where people love Muesli) - and

 we feel we are getting our daily does of goodness in this morning bowl. 

I usually add other things to my boxed mix (currently an excellent German one

with almonds, hazelnuts and raisins - purchased from Aldi), such as chopped

 dried apricots or prunes, oat bran, turmeric, chia seeds. . . . . and of course today 

the strawberries that taste like strawberries should, and Bob will always add fresh blueberries. 

A small dash of heavy cream just prior to eating makes it rich,

 but I never add sugar!

The beautiful eggs - oh how I absolutely love these.

Joan, a member of my Tai Chi class (and yes, I've just graduated from 

Beginners class and am now in Continuing) has chickens and sells 

these perfectly healthy eggs.  She brings them to class 'unwashed' but they

 are this clean so she must keep a fastidious chicken coop, and says 

this way allows you to use them for up to 2 months even if kept unrefrigerated.

One should always rinse eggs just prior to using, but of course you know the 

store-bought ones are washed as most people don't want dirty looking eggs,

something we've been brain-washed about in modern life.

Joan also told me the names of which chicken laid which color egg - and I

have to say they are the best tasting eggs I've had in a long time. 

Last but by no means least - pots of fresh basil are now coming into stores,

  I found this pot at Lidl on Thursday.  I've already cut several pieces and put into

 water to root on the kitchen window sill, later I will transfer them to a pot.

Soon I'll be planting basil seeds in large pots for my own harvest later in

 Summer. . . . .tomatoes, pasta, pizza, soups and salads all need to be

 enhanced by this wonderful Mediterranean herb. . . . . . and who can live

 without homemade pesto!!!

Here's to a wonderful weekend.

Anything special to share from your Spring kitchen today?

Eat your greens!

"Thank you California" for providing the entire USA with so many 

special things to eat! Driving back from the north to the Bay Area we

 passed through amazing agricultural landscapes. 

Orchards of fruit trees, olives, and nuts ran for what looked like

miles toward the horizon.

Fields of cabbages, Brussels sprouts, artichokes and more. . . . . . . .

the endless swathes of green fields interspersed with rich brown soil held

 so many healthy foods.

The workers in the fields waved when we stopped to grab a few

photos - even beckoned to us, laughing, to come help pick! They work very hard,

 it must be back-breaking day after day bringing in the fresh produce in its prime.

 We need to think of them and thank them when we shop in comfort for our

 precious vegetables and fruits.

. . . . . . . and look at lucky me!  

A fabulous Birthday gift from my granddaughter who 

knows how much I love my veggies, both to eat and cook.

I am over the moon with this amazing cook book from the 

English chef and leading food authority, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

It contains everything I would ever want to prepare in my own 

little cottage - beautiful simple, colorful, full of vitality, vegetarian

dishes.

Bring on the greens. . . . . and let's eat healthy.

And thank you dear Jasmin for always picking the perfect presents.