Lunch From a Can

Tuesday at Presque Isle on Lake Erie couldn't have been a more beautiful day .  The sky was blue, temperature in the 50s, minimal humans taking the bike/walk path and just the four of us looking for Cottonwood bark.  Our friend has taken up the hobby of wood carving since wintering in Fl. the pat few years.  With a quick google we found the Cottonwood tree grows in abundance just two hours from Clara.  They are huge trees with thick bark and to my surprise the thick bark is what the carvers use.  I just assumed it was the inner wood.  The guys ended up getting enough to last and even share with friends in Fl.  I'm sure there will be some mighty happy carvers when they get free Cottonwood bark.  Just a small carving about 6 inches tall cost $20 for the piece of bark.  No worries now they can carve away in the Florida sunshine. 

Ken and Dick gathering Cotton Wood bark
from fallen trees.

 I did get a chance to walk down a short distance on a winding road to the waters edge.  Lake Erie looked a little mad or just showing it's glory with white caps and little tiny waves splashing the shore.  There were duck blinds set along the lake edge.  I wonder what people going their to walk and enjoy the view think when they see ducks and geese being shot out of the air?  Some probably not liking it.  We were surprised to see how much water was seeping onto the land.  During past trips the land had been dry with not a clue it would fill to look like swamps along the lake.  My husband made the remark that the snow wouldn't fall and stay until the swamps are full.  They are full for sure.  As beautiful as the day was Tuesday, Wednesday we woke to snow flurries in Clara. It was also a beautiful day, just a little colder.   Let it fall, rifle season is but a few days away and the hunters will love snow on the ground and colder temperatures incase they shoot a deer.   The cold air temperature will chill the meat down with no worry to get it taken to the butcher in a hurry.

One more reason to love our colder weather at least for me, cooking the Thanksgiving turkey.  In past years when a warm spell moved in on turkey day the windows and doors had been opened to cool the place down.  Nothing worse in the North than a warm Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Besides it is much more tantalizing to eat all that food on a cold blustery day.  The next celebration will be the "Hunter's Supper" which is the day before opening deer season and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  This is pretty special to us, a time to enjoy past stories mixed with a few "tall tales".  Nothing better!  Baked ham, German Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, a variety of cheeses and homemade dinner rolls will be what's for supper on Sunday.  Let the Holidays begin.

What was for my lunch the day before Thanksgiving?  Well the husband went out with his buddies so I got to have one of my favorite foods that he absolutely can not stand the smell of.  My grandson stopped in after his morning hunt in NYS and was also hungry.  I fixed him grilled cheese and homemade French fries.  We ate together but he looked like he was ready to gag when I brought out my can of sardines and saltine crackers.  He will eat just about anything I do but sardines.....no.  Pickled or fried deer heart and he is my friend for lunch.

Great memories in a can of sardines!

I can not remember time going so fast as in the last few years between Oct. 1 and New Years.  Thanksgiving really snuck up on me this year.  Just last week I looked at the calendar and for the life of me I just stood there and stared finally saying to the husband.................did you know Thanksgiving is next week?   Well, he did but I sure didn't have a clue.  Thanksgiving means get yourself in gear because Christmas is but a blink away.  I don't decorate as much as when the kids were little but a few things I still like to set around.  Off to the woods to pick some greenery and ground pine.  I love ground pine, one of the blogs coming up I will talk about the love and stories of ground pine from my past. 

Today is a good day to bake some chocolate chippers as we call them.  Just Chocolate chip cookies with walnuts.  It puts the smile on a few faces around here.  Still trying to get my granddaughter's quilt done by Christmas and maybe start a new book series.  Ahhhh, winter rest has hit.