Color on the Hills

I guess if ya want to see the beautiful leaves now is the time.  From last Sunday to this Sunday the change is amazing.  Every day or what seems like every hour more beauty is spattered across the hills, along the roadways, streams and ponds.  I left last Sunday morning with my friend Karen for Massachusetts.  What a beauty of a ride across central NY.  Hard to believe in all our travels I had never been past Albany.  Karen drove so I had the luxury of taking in all the scenery.  We chatted all the way out and back.  Odd isn't it that we never ran out of conversation?  Well we didn't and it was such a relaxing trip.  On the way home Karen took me to her families favorite barbecue restaurant, Brooks House of Barbecue  A great family eatery that had chicken, pork, ribs and beef, salad bar and many choices of sides, homemade desserts and ice cream.  Once we got to Worcester, Ma, Karen dropped me off at my grand daughters where I stayed until Thursday.   It was wonderful and quite a relief to see where lives, the area and UMass Medical School.  She gave me a tour of the school, the building is a few years old and beautiful, full length windows and even the elevators were glass.  The views were spectacular which surprised me.  I assumed it was all city but there are rolling hills and yes trees that were showing off their colors too.  We ate along a lake, fresh mussels to start the meal and chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella in  pesto sauce.  Another night we found the Smoke Stack Urban Barbecue in the "Old Town" of Worcester.  Again we sat outside and enjoyed people watching.  It's interesting for me since I only watch animals and the view at Cook'n by the Creek.  Young adults from work enjoying their time, older couples out to enjoy just because.  Then there was Kamrie and her gram.  There it is a simple pleasure of enjoying the time together.  We did "take out" a couple nights because she had studies to do.  During the day while she was in class or at clinical I worked on #7 quilt (all done) and picked out a pattern for a scarf to knit and got a pretty good start on it.  Four days flew by but it provided me with what I needed.  Back to Clara and all I enjoy.

Fire baked bread and bagels with hot pepper jelly.

Boiling bagels to be baked in the pizza oven.

♡My grand daughter♡

Enjoying the first pizza in the outdoor oven.  It's all
about family and sharing ♡

The busy season of garden has ended.  Today we actually sat in our lawn chairs with an afternoon cup of Jamaican Me Crazy enjoying the colors of the trees, watching the horses and chickens.  Along with a little talk on what we want to do this week.  One thing is get the garden ready for it's winter rest and the other work on flower beds.  I plan on going to Alma Pond, NY on Tuesday with a friend to see what kind of birds are there.  Hopefully we will see the pair of Eagles that live there and if lucky some birds migrating south.  It's a good place to see many birds and the bonus of the scenery.  Even in the winter I find it beautiful there.  When we lived in Shinglehouse it was our favorite spot to go and enjoy the peaceful solitude of the "wide open spaces".  We have our own "wide open spaces" now, we rarely go to Alma Pond.  I am looking forward to a few hours there.  I bet my friend will get some good pictures and maybe I can get a few to share.

It's been a learning weekend with the outdoor pizza oven.  Our first test run of pizza, bread, bagels and dry rub wings is a go.  Let's hope it is not beginners luck and continues.  I have been keeping a progress log with pictures and trying to organize a blog of it.  All my notes and ideas will be blogs now that I have time to do.  One thing I am good at, knowing when to say whoa Cheryl, time to step back, regroup my time and thoughts and "carry on"!  Sometimes I cut it close.

Take time, pass it on and enjoy the beautiful Fall days.

Wide Open Spaces

As the day progressed I decided to take Richard out for fishnchips.  It was only 11:30 but I knew there was no way I wanted to think of lunch/supper much less cook it.  So with that satisfied little grin and finishing up row 3 & 4 of #8 quilt I headed down to the pizza oven.  It's all in presentation on getting something accomplished.  Politely I asked him how much longer and lucky for me he was just cleaning up the tools.  He really is doing a wonderful job, it is looking so "old world" straight from Italy style.  I think, never been there but it is what I imagine their pizza/bread ovens would look like.  Years ago Bob Pratt from up the road tore down the old homestead house of his family.  At the time Dick got some of the huge planks from the house.  I wondered what would he ever do with them.  They were 8" wide and 4" thick and as long as 10' to 14'.  He built me a rustic narrow table that I dearly love.  This winter it will be used for my next adventure, painting.  Today he went to the barn and came back with 3 lengths of wood cut from the planks.  They are now framing the opening under the oven.  Perfect, just made the oven look even more original.
Well, after giving him rave reviews on his talent for building the pizza oven I mentioned taking an hour or two break for a ride and lunch at Kaytees in Coudersport (use to be Erways).  It was a go, he was just as happy to go as I was.  Car is dirty so up over Moffitt Hill we went.  A nice slow ride enjoying the "wide open spaces".  We checked out apple trees that we gathered apples from in years past. Taste test, still 'lipstickers" but hoping they will sweeten up after a frost.  On top of the hill is a beautiful farm owned by our Vet.  She comes to the farm for our horses and gives the dogs their yearly shots.  Just a tiny little gal, makes ya wonder how she does the big animals.  I watched her float Smokey's teeth and he can be an "ass",  she did just fine and got the job done.  Her farm is beautiful, surrounded by forest on all sides it opens to rolling green pastures with a big pond and nice barns.  She has quite a few horses to keep her busy.  When we walk the PA Game lands not far from her farm we always see horse tracks where she rides.  Wide open spaces, enjoyment.

On top of the world, actually on top of Moffitt Hill.

Moffitt Hill looking over the hills of Potter County.

Hard to see but 2 hen turkeys with their little ones all in
a line.  Where the two hills come together at the center
is a narrow dirt road leading to Camp Four Bears,
owned by the Watterson family.

After fishnchips, we filled the car with gas and back over the hill we went.  Of course I stopped to take a couple pictures of the horses, wild turkey and the beautiful views.  I also thought of the song from my childhood.  I always loved the song, now it really rings true on how I feel about living in Clara.
Oh, give me land,
Lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in,
Let me ride thru
The wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself
In the evening breeze,
Listen to the murmur
Of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever,
But I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.
What a nice ride today, even though I was the driver.  We try 
to take turns driving so each can enjoy the ride.

The Leaf

After chores, breakfast and a leisure second cup of coffee we headed up the 11 Mile to Wellsville.  Again I will say, color every where I looked and if you can take the time for a country ride it is the time of the year to enjoy.  From farm animals to wild animals, birds and just the beauty all around it is a relaxing few hours well spent.  Seeing an old fallen in barn , shed or machinery that has turned rusty with time, it all adds to the beauty of forgotten times.  At one time all of this was important to a families survival.   I saw apple orchards that have grown past their prime but still trying to put forth a few apples.  For thinking there wouldn't be apples this year they are proving me wrong (yes, I am frequently wrong).  The apples we have stopped to get a taste test are not so good, rather dry and what I call lip stickers.  That means so tart the upper lip sticks to my teeth.  You would think with all the rain they would be big, juicy and plump.  Worries me a little considering we like to take a couple weekends to press cider with family and friends.  Everyone that wants cider brings their empty jugs and a couple bushel of wild apples for pressing.  It is an all day pressing with good food provided by everyone, cool brisk fall air and usually warm sunshine.  I sure hope we find some good apples soon.Dick seems to think they will sweeten up after the first couple frosts.  Perfect match fresh cider and pizza from the outdoor oven!  It looks like we will be firing it up next week at low temperatures for a few days to cure it.  Too hot of a fire all at once could cause it to crack.....oh we will be cautious!

We saw a farmer working on his brush hog.  By the look of what he was doing and the look on his face it was not a good morning for him. Dick and I know all to well he was in for some tired arms before the job was done.  He was pulling on electric fence wire that he had run over with the hog.  I did that once and it is a nasty, frustrating job getting it untangled.  Usually wire cutters and bits and pieces at a time.  The other bad thing was getting a new strand of fence up before the horses saw the passage to escape.  Life on a farm, even a little one like ours can test our patience.  From animal care, lawn and field care, gardening and whatever else comes up we do it because we love it.  Move it, move it, is our motto ♡

 We have 2 Rose of Sharon Bushes, every September when they blossom I think of a very nice husband and wife that has passed from life on Earth.  Laverne and Anna Bella Sloan.  They are our DIL's grandparents and grand they were.  Country folk from West Virgina.  In the short time we knew them and only one visit to their home they stole my heart.  Mr. Sloan took Dick wild mushroom hunting which Dick had always wanted to learn and Mrs. Sloan told me of her life as a young girl, raising 10 children and her love for collecting beautiful vintage quilts.  People like the Sloans had so much knowledge of everyday simple living to teach.  Admiring their Rose of Sharon was all it took, we had two small bushes to take home.  They are a memory of wonderful people.

This afternoon I sat on the back porch watching the leaves fall.  One in particular took a crazy tumble pattern. I'm sure a little downdraft was the reason.  As I was watching it made me think of the importance of that little leaf.  It helped to feed the tree and give us oxygen to breathe.  The life span is but a few months but  it got the job done.  Finally it softly settled in my flower bed.  One more job, it will act as cover for the spring bulbs and mulch by next spring.  No matter how small the job or reason it is a big part of "Passing it On".  Like every living thing, there is a purpose.  The leaf. ♡

Hit and Miss

This is how it has been and will be for the next couple weeks trying to find the time and inspiration to write a blog.  I will say in the last few weeks I have jotted down many topics that have sent my mind whirling.  In fact I have even said out loud to some, "oh, good blog topic".  Life has been more than busy at Cook'n by the Creek.  I felt the need to cancel a lunch date with a friend tomorrow and didn't make the retired teacher's lunch  this week.  I usually stress not to give up a moment of enjoyment with family or friends but this week Cheryl would be stressed leaving so many projects in the making.  Good grief stress is not what Mr. B needs from me.  So the days seem way  short with way too much to finish before the end of these beautiful days.  All to soon I will be back in the kitchen trying new recipes that I have been collecting this summer.

The garden is endless for producing this year.  Other years the dry months of late July and August slow growth down.  This year lots of rain and cooler temperatures have excelled and extended harvest time.  We have had plenty to "pass on", the freezer is loaded and the shelves are full of canned veggies and sauces.  Tomorrow a few more pickled beets and dill pickles, just because they are so nice and the dill is perfect!  If weather predictions are correct and we get a hard enough frost Friday the end is near.

Down the valley, Old Baldy.

Gracie and Smokey, up the valley.

Dick picking us a wild apple ;)

Our suppers are always loaded with veggies from the garden.Tonight we had Rainbow Swiss Chard with potatoes sliced in it and cooked in beef broth. On the side honey glazed carrots with nutmeg grated in and crusty Italian Bread with butter.  Simple, rustic and delicious.

After supper we walked around the back fields.  It is beautiful out.  The older I get I am amazed at how much beauty I can find.  Really, goldenrod, scrub flowers, a tree, hill, just anything and everything.

So give or take a few days or week things will be on my side for time to relax and let the mind go to places I love and remember.

The veggie supper fresh picked from the garden ♡

A Cool September Day

This was the first day to actually change our daily routine.  In the summer we try to get the outside work done early morning or early evening.  If we need to go out for something it's in the heat of the day.  Air conditioned cars, how did we survive in our early years without air?   Now it seems like the main conversation is temperature and what is best for the day.  Since it was quite cool this morning we decide to go to Olean for oil and a filter for the old 1997, Chevy S10.  "Old Blue"  is showing rust and a couple holes but he still is our favorite ride.  With a hot little engine he has some spin in the tires and get up and go, just a fun old truck.  I love the fact we never wash it or clean the inside.  Dirt roads, no problem, same for taking the dogs, no problem, drop crumbs, spill coffee or drip ice cream, no problem.  Sometimes when taking "Old Blue" to a store we get some looks that make me laugh.  I'm sure they think, poor old people, dressed ok but can't afford a decent vehicle.  First impressions, like seeing a guy with long hair, earrings and tattoos only to learn he is a medical doctor.  We are all guilty of first impressions and hey, sometimes we are right.

The rain held off but the overcast sky and coolness stuck around.  Good day to dig the last row of potatoes and pull onions.  The cellar veggie room is getting full and the garden is showing ground.  Tomorrow will be pick the last of the sweet corn, blanch it, cut off the cob and freeze.  The half row of beets will have to wait for a few more days then I will pickle 8 more pints.  That leaves the Lima Beans, carrots and shell beans.  All of which are much easier than what we have already picked and put up.  I see some leisure days for fall heading our way.  Huh, once the garden is cut down and tilled for the winter and the flower beds cleaned out, then it's leisure time for me and hunting for Dick!  The four seasons, for a reason!

Today also made me think of a big pot of Chili.  That's what is Cook'n by the Creek. Cool or cold days make for some easy suppers that provide lunch or supper later in the week.  I try to put a container of soup, stew, spaghetti and meatballs, etc in the freezer.  Works great for days I just don't want to cook or if I take off for a few days.  It's always nice to come home and not worry about fixing supper.  How did we survive without a microwave?  Defrost and heat all with just the push of a button.  The cool temperatures also put me in the mood to make a batch of Eleanor Stavisky's buttermilk cookies.  Nothing better than the scent of sweet buttermilk cookies baking.  Ok, anything sweet baking is wonderful, cinnamon rolls, apple, pumpkin, fruit or any kind of pie, chocolate chip cookies, you name it they all smell the best!

Here's a picture of progress on the pizza/bread oven........chimney design has been figured out, now to mortar the bricks in place.  Just a few more steps to do and we will be starting the fire.  Dick will start the fire, I will be making the different dough recipes.  It's going to be trial and error without a doubt.

Harvest Sun

The last few days have been viewing the countryside.  From Shinglehouse, Wellsville to Coudersport the beauty has certainly been entertaining me, actually both of us.  Every few miles one of us will say, look isn't that beautiful?  Is it just us or are others noticing how brilliant the various green colors are more vibrant this year.  Maybe all the rain and nights of heavy dew has had something to do with it.  Usually come August things are starting to look brown and heading the other way getting ready for frosts and snow. Not so this year, the lawn and barnyard are spring green and lush.  I'm still mowing twice a week where other years maybe once every two weeks.  We ate supper on the porch tonight (we do all summer long) and was noticing the trees on the hills.  They are still green but getting muted with some deep reds and  brilliant orange and yellow.  The big question came up......will it he a good year to enjoy the fall colors?  Hard to tell,  it's something we look forward to with rides in the car or bike to our favorite places around the area.  If you want to enjoy a few suggestions here are my top picks.  #5. Kinzua area,  #4.  Benezette with viewing Elk as a bonus, #3. Pennsylvania Grand Canyon #2. Hyner Mountain with the bonus of watching hand gliders right up front and personal, awesome!,  #1. TaDa my all time favorite ride around the Finger Lakes, summer and fall are beautiful but fall gives the added pleasure of smelling grapes in the air from all the wonderful vineyards.  Great little restaurants on the lakes and wineries for tasting.  There is also the Wind Mill near Penn Yan, it is a huge Farmer's Market with anything imaginable.  Food vendors are plentiful with a few out of the ordinary treats.  Huge plates of deep fried ribbon potatoes with several topping choices.  We all split a plate!  Fresh roasted peanuts all warm and toasty, homemade fudge, specialty coffees and teas.  They have fresh cheese and meat shops, even local wineries are there and offer free tastings.  Of course local farmers and the Amish farmers bring fresh vegetables and fruits.  There are clothing stands, wood shops, material, yarn, you name it they have it.  It's a 2-2 1/2 drive but well worth the time considering there is so much to see and do in the area for very little cost.  Actually just what you buy will be the only $'s spent.  Looking is free.

Instead of a Harvest Moon I am going to say we had a Harvest Sun today.  After Dick worked on the pizza oven we headed to the garden.  We still had 2 rows of potatoes to dig.  Every hill has been giving us 10-12 Potatoes and they are huge.  This is the best crop we have ever had!  After digging and sacking 80 lbs of potatoes from one row we decided the other row can wait until tomorrow.  This year will give us 250 or more lbs!  We picked cucumbers and tomatoes, enough for one day.  It seemed like the sun was perfect, just right for harvesting.  What a beautiful day to be outside.  Once the sun went down it was getting a little chilly, the sky is clear and the moon is going to be big and bright.  It was a good day.

The weekend also brought our Canadian friends to their camp just above us.  A little visit and bottle of Chocolate Lab Wine on Friday night with Tracy, Saturday night we all went to Pizza King in Wellsville for wings and pizza.  It always looks so nice to see their camp lights on, that means a good visit with friends.  If their visit wasn't great enough our biker friends, Ken, Donna, Glenn and MaryAnn stopped for a visit this afternoon!  We love company!  Good times, good laughs and a few remember whens.  We all go way back, like I can't remember not knowing them.

We have plans for pizza bake offs when the oven is done!  It's getting very close and the weather looks like it will make progress move along this week.

For the last few weeks and maybe one more cooking for me is planned around what we picked from the garden.  Green Beans ended just in the nick of time.......enough.  Now corn is a daily side, maybe the wet weather is the reason, it just seems very sweet, tasty and tender.  A few more days and it will end.  Tomatoes and cukes are still plentiful.  Tonight we had BLT's and of course corn on the cob.  It won't be long and I will be fixing "fall food".  Boiled Dinners, roasts, stews, soups and lasagna.  Until then it's veggies from the garden.

The early morning tracks to the barn and garden.   A wonderful
way to start the day at Cook'n by the Creek ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

The Dirt Road

After a week off (blogging) while I finished up some canning and lots of quilting I see a light at the end of the tunnel.  Whew, this is getting to be work.  I did get away to chat with a couple biker girls one afternoon. Our "over the hill" friend stopped for a visit with a beautiful ceramic rooster that is a cookie jar for me.  Had the perfect spot for it.    Now to bake some buttermilk cookies to put in it.  The first cool day, promise!   Even a few hours can refresh the soul to git-r-done.  My long time Horse Run friend managed to come up one evening for a cup of Jamaican Me Crazy coffee.  She's hooked on it too.  I guess the week wasn't so busy that it didn't have a few relaxing and enjoyable times..  See, just when I was feeling over worked writing this made me realize differently.  Remember write a list of everything and usually pleasures will prevail.

It was grocery day a week ago Wednesday in Hornell, our route was the Eleven Mile, what a beautiful ride.  Colored leaves were falling from the Soft Maples and Cherry Trees and the sun was making them glisten coming down.  Just a simple pleasure that reminds me how wonderful nature is. When a car came along the leaves danced around making for a beautiful scene.  My favorite motorcycle rides are fall rides when the leaves are falling and we drive through them causing little tornadoes of leaves.  Of course we are always on the lookout for falling hickory nuts!  That gets a little tricky, we know where most of them are in our travels.  Fall has always been my first pick for the seasons, warm sun, blue sky, color everywhere and that detectable smell (I think it smells like Hickory Nuts)  that always arrives with the changing colors.  Since 9/11 it also reminds me of the feelings and shock that followed, the next day the sky was a beautiful blue with no jet streams.  It's odd, I never thought of them until they were gone.

Yesterday "The Dirt Road" took us to Coudersport and back, not to mention bringing back thoughts of a few that have left their mark in Clara.  Not far from our house is the land and home our grandson bought over a year ago.  Proof of the "circle of life".  We passed the pond the Mayberrys had built and where they lived for many years.  When our kids were little they spent a lot of time feeding the fish at the pond.  Across the road is the house Kenny and Linda Pease built.  Kenny has passed but Linda still lives there.  Kenny was the Road master for Clara Township.  He amazed us with his clean, crisp pressed dress shirt everyday and could run the backhoe, shovel dirt and still look good at the end of the day.  Kenny was one of the good guys that offered a pleasant conversation, always.

Farther up Moffit Rd. we passed the narrow little road that the Wattersons built their camp on.  The kids and Barb come to stay for long weekends and during hunting season.  Mr. Watterson, since he was our teacher in high school it is hard to say Bob, passed away this year.   He was also another "good guy" of Clara Valley that is missed.
 Next we passed the beautiful farm and the last residence of the Valley that Mrs. Graves and her husband owned years ago.  Mrs. Mabel Graves was also a teacher in our area, I had her for English in 7th and 8th grade.

Now the "dirt road" with no buildings and the only human intervention, signs announcing the Pennsylvania State Game Lands.  It is a beautiful, peaceful ride that sometimes offers the sightings of the wild animals living there.  We have seen deer, bear, turkey, coyotes and fox.  The leaves also showed color and blanketed the road.  On the dirt road we take the  seat belts off and roll the windows  down  to give that wonderful feeling of freedom.  God Bless our military for allowing us to never have experienced anything but freedom.

The "dirt road" has many wonderful memories for my family.  From hunting, trapping, fishing, hikes, building our home and our daughter and family building their home and family celebrations starting back in 1965. Clara just feels so right with the world.

The wood fired pizza oven is starting to look like the real deal.  Soon the smell of fresh breads, pizza and meat roasting will be filling Clara Valley, depending on which way the wind is blowing.  Today is the day the forms used to build the dome will be removed.  Dick is quite nervous and has had a few sleepless nights worrying it will  fall in when he removes them.   He keeps saying he is not a brick layer.  Not to worry, I have faith!   Thank you Dick!