Saying Goodbye To Summer

I saw it coming, clearly, over the hill, in a few gently falling leaves, slightly crisp morning air, and in the first home fire.  What did I do? Embrace the Fall season with open arms? No! I ran the other way! I went on a lollygagging escapade. Daily jaunts along the creek, skipping stones and acting like summer was just beginning, if only in my imagination.

I wasn't remotely prepared to get in the fall mood, although I love all that Autumn holds, cozy warm sweaters, steaming mugs of Chai tea, the earthy smells of fall mulching. 

I'm thinking I still have time to scratch off a few fall "to dos" on my list. These few tips might just get my noggin aligned with the season. And if by some chance you're feeling un-fall like too and in need of a nudge, read on.

1. Garlic* If you will be planting a fall vegetable garden, have fun, the offerings of most seed catalogs are wonderfully laden with varieties for the home gardener to choose from, but in my opinion, none are as un-negotiable as the plump cloves of my favorite garlic for seeding.  A few braids of garlic store well for months in the pantry, or dehydrated and ground into powder, maybe roasted and preserved in olive oil. Garlic is a must have, AND the health benefits are too numerous not to consider that there may be a tad more fair weather yet to get next years harvest into the ground. Ever use garlic oil for earache or as an aid in healing an ear infection? In a pinch I will place a freshly sliced piece of garlic into my winter sensitive ears. Very soothing. LOL on the mental picture, but I said soothing, not lovely. More garlic love here.
2. Compost* Right now is the perfect time to replenish your composting system with an influx of garden debris, green, dried and brown, all will feed the soil food web now for deep, rich, garden goodness in one year. Where  to start? More compost love here.
3. Pantry* Yep, mines a mess as usual from tossing in stuff willy nilly all summer.  But now is the time to whip it into shape by organizing store bought staples, home preserved staples and by rotating expiring items to the front of your pantry queue. Be resolved to incorporate them into your menu to avoid waste. And do I hate waste? You bet I do!  What to do with that random can of tomato soup you dug out the dark recesses of your pantry? Epicurious is a great place to plug in that "can of whatever" and come up with an interesting recipe, one that might prove to make you the queen of culinary magic in your home.  While we have our pantry prowess thing going on, be mindful of family preparedness and add few consumables yearly that keep really really well long term.  Check out my little experiment to learn more about this pantry must have.

*For the newbie, here is a Beginners Guide to Pantry Pride from the folks at Organized Home.

Oh! before I forget, the promised lollygagging report.

Lazy days on the banks of Panther Creek and a farewell to Summer. 

Hello Autumn. I think I heart you.

What's at the top of your list of fall "to dos"? I'd love to know!

Festive Fall Fun

On a recent chilly fall day, the whole family came on out to Panther Creek Cottage for some festive fall fun. After a hearty meal of seasoned sausages from Carlton Farms, grilled onions and tangy sauerkraut, baked beans, and whipped cream topped Pumpkin Custard Crumble, with very full tummies, we made our way up to my little workshop in the woods.

Where young and old clamored around the wax pot making hand dipped beeswax candles. Oh how I loved the delicious scent of the warm beeswax wafting all about.

Next we stepped inside to warm ourselves with hot cider and cocoa and gathered around to make orange pomanders. With yet more delicious and Christmas-y scents of citrus, cinnamon, ginger and clove.

The head hillbilly stoked the fires and regaled us with legends and lore. He gets a kick outa makin' the youngun's smile as he spins his stories and made them roar when he juggled oranges and sang at the same time. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's a keeper!

We wrapped up our beautiful day around the fire pit where more reminiscing, laughter and a healthy dose of love was shared. And always remembered. And did I mention marshmallows? Flaming, blackened, gooey in the middle marshmallows?

Oh yeah, there were those.

Mish-Mash & Moosh

My thoughts on the happenings around Panther Creek Cottage these days are a bit of a mish-mash of home, garden and life. Be warned, moosh happens!

My first handspun

My lovely daughter and grand- daughter, the dual team of Meilleuereamie have mentored me in my pursuit of spinning and knitting. I am a blessed woman! Peruse their shop and see all the lovelies these two create.

The beginnings of my first ever knitting project. A hat, just in time!

I have no specific purpose right off hand for these dried hops I've harvested other than they are a sensory delight to me. I'm loving their soft green hue, all delicate and light. Taking in their green-y pungent aroma will help lift my spirits when the winter doldrums kick in.

HH rigged up this filter for the spring water that fills the hillbilly hot tub.

It does the job!

Go here to see where our spring water originates.

Hot soaks in my hillbilly hot tub are becoming a bit of routine for me. I crank up the burners and round the time I've finished working in the cool fall air, the greenhouse is all steamy. I grab some tea (or pinot), a book and rejuvenate.

We've eaten the last edible cucumber from the garden making me wince when I think of the ones that got away. But I'm reminded that what doesn't make it to our mouths or to the insides of farm critters, when consumed by the earth, feeds the hidden and miraculous world that resides under it's surface. Feeding and "uppen-ing" the very source that will provide next year's bounty.

Moosh is good!

Hearts of Stihl

The past few weekends, the Stihl chainsaw totin' head hillbilly has been up in the woods cutting firewood with his best friend. Their team work has formed a large pile of wood to warm each of our abodes sufficiently, and then some. They've been intense and focused in their endeavors, even if slowed just a tad when they got the bright idea to bring along their wives on a foray into the woods.

The connection to Jules cell phone was shaky as they traveled deeper into the Trask Mountain Range. But I managed to find out that she was bringing the red therefore I brought the white.

Part way however of loading firewood, backing up the truck, and dragging chain through the rain soaked and muddy ground we cracked open the bottle of Coelho Pinot Gris and I proceeded to slake my thirsty throat with it's crispy tart coolness.

Well, never mind the wood, we ladies became photographers and played propped and fiddle faddled with our bottles of wine as we traipsed among the forest flora of ferns, vine maple, and fir stumps.

This tasty bottle of Pinot Gris comes from the vintners of Coelho of Amity Oregon.

This bottle of Pinot Noir, from Laurel Ridge of Carlton Oregon was so delicious and made me glad we packed along meat and cheese to go with it.

A bit of a tipsy angle. It was the angle, I'm sure it was the angle.

Dusk came too soon! But the day in the woods, the fresh moist air and pitchy scented firewood, good friends and fine Oregon wine?

"woodoggie"

Summer's End

The Autumn rains have begun in earnest and the home fires are duly started, and we've put up in our memories a humdinger of a Summer.

May your Fall season be showered with blessings as abundant as the falling leaves.

Warm thoughts and well wishes from Panther Creek Cottage.

Sun keeps on slippin'

Lately, with the sun slipping ever lower into the horizon these late summer days, I've been pondering it's awesome power to grow, heal, generate heat and provide light. I've been busily preparing for fall and have begun to move plants into the greenhouse in an effort to capture a few more of the waning sun's precious rays. The sun, I'm missing it already.

I hope you'll be amazed by this short clip about "Solar Demi". His mission with the help of our sun is to bring light into the lives of hundreds ( and counting!) and his project is the embodiment of "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." It gave me goosebumps!

Heirloom Brandywine Tomatoes

I just picked the last of the Brandywines, in November. How can that be? When the frost has long been coating the proverbial pumpkin in most other parts of the country and gardens for the most part have been put to their winter beds. This splendid Oregon fall weather with all it's rainy days will have spates of glorious sunshiny weather. It's makes it so difficult to know just when to pull up the remaining tomato greenery and call it quits. But I did. Finally. And not without my doubts that perchance If I wait just a bit longer, I may see a few more blushing beauties to harvest yet. But the deed is done and I think that in a week or so of ripening inside, I might be able to keep them refrigerated for Thanksgiving. One can only hope.

Brandywine for Thanksgiving, now that"s a delicious thought. So I perused the net and found this recipe for Roast Turkey with Pipian Sauce from Country Living magazine. I have never heard of a Pipian Sauce. Evidently it is a tomato-y, spicy concoction that can be used as a marinade for roast turkey. And I could use three of my Brandywine tomatoes. I don't know. Somehow I don't think I could pull that one over the family without a revolt. Anyway, the recipe calls for wrapping the whole dadgum bird in banana leaves too before popping it in the oven. Hmmm..,I'm sorry, I think that would definitely be too much of a departure for the beloved holiday. Anyway, the whole meal preparation thing just wouldn't be complete for me somehow without experiencing the crisp sound of the Reynolds Wrap tearing across it's little metal cutting edge. A fitting canopy for any self respecting bird don't you think? I thought so. Hmm... maybe sliced Brandywines on the side.







The necessary cruelty I inflicted in Great Starts yielded a small but luscious harvest of Heirloom Brandywine tomatoes.



A joyous fall to you.