AUTUMN BEAUTY versus AUTUMN WOES

Maple tree -- unknown variety

Autumn is beautiful in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s also difficult in that it’s not quite chilly enough to be cold nor warm enough to be warm. My house is 66 right now, and that’s below my comfort level but not cold enough to turn on the heat. I’m wearing two sweatshirts right now and my hands are cold. I cope by baking or by visiting my sewing room and turning on the space heater. We’ve had a few morning fires in the little wood stove, and in the evenings we cover up while we watch TV. The forecast calls for a change in the weather – rain and cooler temps. Frankly, I look forward to it.

Euonymus (Burning Bush)

I started warming the bed with the electric blanket last week. Mike said his side wasn’t getting warm enough, so I set the dial to 5, thinking that was the highest setting. It still wasn’t warm enough for him, so I decided a new electric blanket was in order. Shopping Amazon, I selected one with 20 heat settings – much better than our 5. I pressed “submit order” – and then I got to thinking about those 20 settings. In previous years, we’ve only needed 5, but was I sure we didn’t have more? So, I checked our blanket, and sure enough – it has 20 settings, too! I quickly cancelled the order and now we’re fully enjoying the adjustments we’ve had all along.

 

Here’s my doll Molly in her new outfit from the sew-along project. The top is repurposed from a Walmart tank top, and her stretch capris are made of the stretch fabric from the mystery box. And that’s that for that fabric. In fact, I had to make the waistband of a different stretch fabric because there wasn’t enough. KW

 

STAYCATION GIFT ARRIVES

To my way of thinking, a staycation gift should arrive during staycation. In this case, I ordered during staycation, and it arrived today. It was two bundles of fabric remnants ordered from Etsy seller Lee and Pearl, who design and sew beautiful clothes for 18-inch dolls.

 Bundle #1 has a Halloweenish appearance and the dark colors don't show up well in the photo. The bright polka dot is a cotton fat quarter, while the purple polka dot under it is a larger piece of cotton. The orange piece is suede, and the bottom piece is a rich purple velour that seems to have some stretchiness. I don't know what we call the lighter chiffon-like pieces -- maybe chiffon. I just don't know. Bottom left is a stretch knit, about enough for a pair of leggings.

Bundle #2 -- In the top right corner of this photo is a good-sized piece of what seems to be a soft velvety corduroy. The purple with tiny flowers is cotton. You can see a piece of fake fur there, and the bright pink is suede. The whitish piece is a "shaper," and the lavender is again a chiffon-like piece. 

Both bundles contained embroidery floss. And in my box I found several elastics and trims.

It's a fun gift. It brightened my day. And now I'll see if I can use it. KW

ELDERBERRY FEST 2018, PART 2

We were both up early Saturday morning (Oct. 20), and Mike left for a half-day hunting excursion at 6:30. I admit that I was slow to start the jelly-making process. One can’t rush these things. Organization is key.

Here at the town house, I had to make due with regular kitchen utensils because all of my jelly-making equipment is in storage at the farmhouse. I did find pectin and lids there, though, and brought them back. I had plenty of jars in town, and also a large stockpot. It will have to serve dual duty for cooking the jelly and processing the jars. It’s tall rather than wide and works well on my flat-top stove. I’m glad I have it.

After preparing the kitchen, I went to the store for lemons. Fresh lemon juice is a must.

You’d think by now I’d know how to make elderberry jelly, but I don’t remember from year to year. I have made some notes, but those are also in storage. Looking over available pectin brands, I decided to stick with traditional Sure-Jell. I’m interested in the retro experience of jelly-making rather than modern experimentation with texture and flavor.

I added very little water to the berries when I cooked them, and in the end, I had about five cups of juice. I needed three cups of juice per batch, so I stretched it with apple juice concentrate and a little water. I could hear my mother saying, “Your measurements must be exact. Any deviation and you risk that your jelly won’t set.” Daddy was less careful, and she disapproved, but he knew – as do I – that you can get away with quite a lot of variation. And your jelly might not set even if you’re very careful.

Working alone, I took care to have everything in readiness – jars and lids clean and sterilized, sugar measured, ladle available, etc. Then I set to work cooking the juice according to the Sure-Jell recipe. I was impressed with how quickly it boiled here at sea level as compared with the farm at 2500 feet. I was finished in no time and loading the hot jars with the super-hot liquid.

Next, I had to wash the stockpot so that I could process the filled jars in a hot water bath. We boil for ten minutes on the farm – just five here in town. I hope it was long enough. I hope they sealed.

I did this twice, making two batches of five half-pint jars each. Mike and I sampled it at supper last night. It’s not easily spreadable, but it tastes like elderberry jelly. what more did we want?

“Look at all that jelly,” Mike commented. But actually, by the time I donate a couple of jars to the P.E.O. silent auction and give away a few, it’s not so much. If I had the chance, I might pick more berries.

Mike came home with a couple of pheasants, one of which we cooked in the crockpot and added to spaghetti sauce for supper.

And with that, the 2018 Elderberry Fest came to an official, if unceremonious, close. I took all the awards. KW

ELDERBERRY FEST 2018 – Part 1

Autumn at the Farmhouse

Friday (Oct. 19), Mike and I intended to start our day with our “morning stretch” group but learned through early messaging that our sessions have been cancelled for the next couple of weeks because the room is in use for a civic theater play, “Night of the Living Dead.” Looks like a “fun” Halloween presentation. We bought tickets for next week.

So, with yoga cancelled, we called on our farmhouse contractor, Big Mike. We were able to view the flooring and coordinate a laminate for the kitchen counter. We talked timelines, and if the weather holds, we might be looking at completion within a month. I’m finally feeling excited. Although it’s been a dry fall and this pattern continues for the next ten days, we all know the weather could be a factor.

Next, we returned the laminate samples to the cabinetmaker and reported our choice. He said our cabinets are built and ready for paint. I was pleased to hear he was that far along, but there’s other woodwork he must process.

Finally, we were ready to head out for the farm. It’s truly autumn now and beautiful along the Clearwater River. I think we’ve had prettier falls, but still, the sun shining on the aspens is a beautiful sight.

Haze in Little Canyon

It was 54 degrees at the farm when we arrived at about 11:00. Though hazy, it was a beautiful fall day and warm in the sun. Mike and Bess immediately readied for hunting while I prepared to pick elderberries. Together we walked behind the house to the usual elderberry bushes. Mike and Bess left me there and went on to walk the canyon rim.

We startled several whitetail doe, and Mike also spotted a buck, but we aren’t hunting deer this year.

Did not pick this bush

Picked these berries

So, here I was with my picker’s pole, celebrating our annual Elderberry Fest. I was able to access lots of nice berry clumps from a small bush near the edge of the field.  Since I was alone, I didn’t care to climb down the steep bank. The plan was that Mike would return to help me, but in 15 minutes or so, I had all I could reach and it seemed like enough, given that I’ll have to process them in my town kitchen, which isn’t the best for jelly-making.

Green

Mike and Bess saw only one covey of chukars on their hunting hike, but they flushed and flew before Bess scented them. By the time they arrived at the farmhouse, I was halfway through stemming the berries. Then Mike took over while I went into the house to check out the progress. Here’s a picture of the paint in the dining room, a brighter green than the previous shade – not as subtle.

We were back in town by 2:30, but did we rest? No! Mike finished setting up the drip system on the back of our lot preparatory to planting a privacy screen at the top of our bank. The annual infestation of blue aphids is at its peak now, making any outdoor activity miserable on these warm afternoons. I washed, cooked, and strained 21 cups of berries in two batches – about five cups of juice, which I will stretch into two batches of jelly. KW

Tomorrow – Elderberry Fest continues