Harvest Jewels

It is just possible that Autumn weekends are the best.

This being the first full weekend of Autumn, we had such a good time. Yesterday, when at Amy's, we not only got to see her dogs and cats and chickens and sheep, but she was gracious in giving us some of her produce.


This is a special present for Russ, in particular, for he drives her precious cargo to school. Amy and her husband braided some of their garlic for 'special presents', and we are fortunate to have received one. We love garlic and I use it frequently in cooking. It's hanging by the sink for right now. I love garlic braids and chili ristras.




She also gave us some of her beautiful canned goods. Just look at this beautiful color! A jar of pepper relish, one of spicy pepper mustard and a jar of salsa. We will be enjoying these so very much.





Can you see and virtually taste these beautiful fresh peppers out of Amy's garden? Four of them, one of each color, are in the crockpot right now with potatoes, garlic, lemon pepper, chives, parsley, cream of mushroom soup, and round steak. Surprisingly enough, jalapenos, green chilis and other spicy peppers grow quite well here.

Thank you so very much, Amy and family.



For the past two years Russ has been saying we would take Tawny to the county park nearby along the 1.1 mile brick trail. We have not made it to walk the trail until this afternoon. Others were also walking, fishing and walking their dogs there. Northmoreland Park has a lake around which the trail meanders. Often there are many Canadian geese there, but there was only one flock of mallard ducks by the boathouse this afternoon.

The leaves are just starting to change color and some are dropping. We've had two week dry periods jolted by 1-3 inch rainfalls in 24 hours, then back to warm dry weather. (It's Autumn and this pattern is to change this week.) The path was damp from yesterday's 1.1" rainfall yet it was cool and pleasant walking the woods part of the trail with Tawny. Since this was Tawny's first walk in the park, we didn't want to get him too overly excited. By the time we got back to the truck, Tawny was more than ready for his bowl of water at home and his place under the glider.


Tawny had never walked a brick trail or any kind of a trail, before. He seldom even wanted to leave the groomed, wide pathway. That was good for manicuring his claws, but Russ kept wanting him to 'be a dog' sniffing all the new smells! Tawny was very good, even when we met up with a father pushing a stroller, and 3 other leashed dogs. He was pretty curious about what the couple leaving with their fishing poles and coolers might have for an enterprising, handsome young dog.



At last we have a guernsey vest update as of this morning. The arm holes are caught in a kangaroo pouch with new steeks. new pattern bands are knitted up to the first neck steek;but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself and will be enjoying these pattern bands for a couple more inches.
(Click on any photo for detail.)