Some Like it Hot

Another beautiful fall day and another have fun day.  The retired teachers from Oswayo Valley School District get together once a month for lunch. From Olean to Coudersport it is a different restaurant.  Today was Katees in Coudersport.  This is the first one I went to this year and it was so nice to see everyone.  Of course it is  hard to believe that we are all of retirement age.  How lucky I was to work with so many great teachers.  At the table today I had the honor of Mr. Meacham, Mr. Wichert and Mr. Marzo, not only did I work with them but also I had them for teachers.  Mr. Meacham taught history and shorthand.  My all time favorite class, shorthand!  Mr.Wichert taught Science, he was great but science was not my "cup of tea".  Mr.Marzo the new young guy....well I soaped his car windows on Halloween and of course got caught, the punishment was wash his car.  Mr.Marzo and Sue Thomas Shall were our senior class advisers and chaperons on our Senior trip to Washington DC.  Two of them and I believe 40 of us.  I have some pretty good pictures of the bus trip and squirt gun fights, even the advisers joined in.  How about this, we were allowed to smoke!  How did we survive the 1960's?

Quincy had an exciting day out also, Dick took him squirrel hunting.  He is crazy about squirrels.  Another night he has not moved and not begging for treats.  Since Clara and I were alone we sat out at the barn while I  fed the chickens their favorite snack, leftover corn bread and white bread.  They are so funny to watch.  No they are not mean.  I have a few gals that are afraid of chickens and I always ask them, "how many have you heard bit by a chicken"?  The 4 eggs that hatched in May were 3 roosters and 1 hen.  Not good, the roosters have to go.  I don't like to get rid of them but soon they will be sparring and driving the girls crazy.  I have a Silky Rooster and he is staying with Mrs. Silky, a little luck baby Silkies will fill the nest next spring.

A little extra love for eggs ♡

We dug horseradish root this afternoon, cleaned, peeled and ground it with white vinegar and water.  That is a take your breath away job, so bad it has to be done outside.  The end result is well worth the tears.  I remember when we lived in town our neighbor Bruce Maxson had a patch and he would grind it outside, now we know why.  The longer you wait to add vinegar and water the hotter it is.  So if ya really like it hot that's the trick. Some like it hot, not me a little is plenty.   A beautiful snow white it was even better than store bought.  Of course, most things homemade are better.  We had some with our crispy fried potatoes for supper.  This is the first year we made it.  A few years back a guy up the road gave us some roots to start our own bed.  We will be making horseradish often I'm sure.   Amber gave us parsnips from her garden and I fried them in butter until golden brown.  It was a fried supper night, we all need one once in a while.  Maybe not need but want is more like it.

Peeling fresh dug Horseradish root.

Cut in 1/2 inch cubes, grind with white vinegar and water until
desired texture.  The fumes are more than I can stand.

The delicious horseradish, only 20 minutes start to finish.
Roast Beef on wick is in the weekend plans.

A Rambling Day

It was one of those days the points of interest were miles apart.  Going through Coneville and Oswayo we took a left onto Smoker's Road.  Like the Carpenter's song from 1960 something it felt like we were "On Top of the World"  and definitely "looking down on creation".  Very few houses and Smoker's big farm along the top of the ridge.  It is a long ridge and as Dick said, you can see why the tornado touched down and did so much damage.  This was 8-10 years ago.  Their house was completely destroyed but the family escaped injuries.  We could still see how the trees had been twisted and broken in a wide swath.  It is beautiful up there and they have a new farm house to enjoy their view.  I was all excited to see they are raising Oreo Cattle.  I have never seen baby Oreos and there they were!  They were all laying down but still  looked so little and cute.  Almost as cute as a Holstein.  Guess I'm fond of them because that is what our dairy farm raised.  Although the leaves are gone and the corn has turned brown along with the tall grass it is still a beautiful time to take a ride and explore back roads.

This is where the "awe how beautiful" took over.
♡The very top♡

Little Oreos,  nice cattle well rounded and clean.
Although the picture is hard to see the babies you
 can click on it to enlarge for a better look.

Once we went through Genesee we made another left turn on a dirt road, this one we had never been on.  For about 10 miles it was enjoyment of  nice views, just a few camps and at the end we came upon a beautiful big farm.  It was huge and so well kept.  Back to civilization and on to the Amish for hand rolled butter, chicken and horse feed.  From there we headed to Belmont and Angelica.  In Angelica we went to the Sweet Shoppe for a cup of Jamaican Me Crazy coffee.  Yes, I was in JMC Heaven, what a nice surprise.  The sweets looked amazing but I refrained and watched the hub eat a great big frosted cinnamon roll.  Tall skinny guy, just does not seem right!  We had an interesting conversation with the owner.  How nice,  she sat and talked like we had known each other forever.  For some reason in the conversation I mentioned Cook'n by the Creek , she raised her eyebrows and said....I read your blog and would love to try your chili sauce.  Small, small world!  Now I have another excuse to visit Angelica ♡  There is a great restaurant called the "Black-Eyed Susan"  my gal friends and I went to in Angelica.  Darn good with fresh homemade everything.  So good the gals and I have decided to take the "men" over.  How about that for an excuse to get back?  They even have live music that adds to the relaxed meal.  My new friend from the Sweet Shoppe told us they also own the Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe.  That's why it is successful, good people with a talent for knowing what is good and what the area needs. http://www.black-eyed-Susan.com/  The Black-Eyed Susan is also on face book, check it out and never a doubt it is an awesome, relaxing time, to enjoy their specialties.  Tracy (my very special Canadian friend) and I had lunch last Tuesday at the Black-Eyed Susan while the guys were hunting.  They have buy one, get one free for appetizers or dessert every Tuesday.  We did the dessert, of course!  The pumpkin cheesecake is by far the best pumpkin dessert ever.  So smooth, light, great flavor and I will say refreshing because it was not overtaken with too much sugar.  Pretty sure if it's still on the menu it will be my pick next visit.

The asparagus beds are finally weeded, stalks cut back and already for a winter of rest.  It was a perfect day to work in the garden.   After we finished it was just too nice to go inside so off we went on a walk with the dogs.  Quincy the young juvenile (his behavior is getting better)  and "ol'Clara" (12 yrs old)  love their walks.  Clara gives it her best for quite a while.  Today we wore them both out, that doesn't happen often but while we were gardening they had a rabbit on the run.   I love hearing a dog run a rabbit.  The rabbit always wins with these two.

Today is eat what is left,  boiled dinner or chili and buttermilk cornbread.  With my favorite saying....if ya don't like it, go to the neighbors.  So far he hasn't but there is always a first time so be on the watch Amber.

Ham Hocks!

Although they are not very pretty and not much meat these little hocks pack more flavor for soups than a great big beautiful ham.  I was so excited to find them at a store in Bradford for a great price of $1.87 for two.  As I type they are simmering in the pressure cooker with carrots, celery, onions and a quart of water.  In 30 minutes they will provide a very tasty broth for bean soup.  I will take the hocks out and blend the broth and veggies for a smooth base.  We had bacon for breakfast and of course the couple TBSP of grease will be thrown in along with a Bay Leaf, salt and pepper.  Remember, always wash the beans before cooking.  I have found little pebbles in the bags.  My kind of supper, bean soup (I use Navy Beans) and fresh baked Grandma's Buttermilk Corn Bread.  A day of laundry, quilting and the smell soup simmering. With the leftover soup tomorrow will be fresh salt rising bread buttered and bean soup pored over it.  That was a farm favorite that Dick now likes. .

smoked ham hocks

Ready to start pressure cooking.   They can be simmered a few
hours in a pot if you don't have a pressure cooker.

We had a nice walk this morning.  The sun was showing off the few oak leaves that are left on the trees, sky was blue with great big fluffy white clouds floating along.  One thing about walking on the dirt road in Clara, we also get a little break and good conversation when people stop to say hello.  It is tough to think soon it will all be gone for another year.  True saying, "the older you get the faster time goes by".  My best winters are when the snow starts in late November, actually Thanksgiving day is perfect  and doesn't leave until March.  Our winter walks are just as beautiful as fall walks, all white and fresh crisp air while looking for animal tracks.  It's always nice to see what has been traveling through the woods.  Hot dog roasts in the woods  on a cold day is something else we like to do.  I am getting way ahead here, never wish time away, enjoy the day.

It's turkey season now.  Larry and Dick went out most of the day Saturday, they heard turkey but those birds are smart and very evasive in the woods.  Of course they also know the days of the week.  Yesterday (Sunday) 5 big gobblers were hunting bugs in the back field.  They know there is no Sunday hunting.

Here is what I did while the guys were hunting.  Darned my grandson's hunting socks.  I had knit them last year and happy he has worn a couple holes in them.  That means he likes and wears them.  My mom had a basket with yarn, a variety of colors and weight for mending socks.  There was also an oval wooden darning egg she used to put in the sock as she darned them.  Now I understand why, it would make mending socks much easier.  My mission, start looking for one.

I read a folk lore today posted by the Farmer's Almanac.  "If the first snow falls on unfrozen ground the winter will be mild".  I'm keeping that in mind come spring we shall see if it is true.  Either way,  we will do our best to enjoy the great outdoors.  We plan on getting the pizza oven going a few times.  One thing for sure, the heat will feel good on cold days.   It was very hot on warm days to put pizzas in and out of the oven.  The temperature is above 700 degrees,  the pizzas baked in 30-90 seconds!

Pizza, bread and chicken wings in the outdoor wood fired
pizza oven.

A Sunday Smile

The shadow of the log home is the only snow left

Waking up this morning (hour earlier than usual) to the time change was a real downer.  Then opening the blinds put a big Clara "smile on my face".  That line is for the Toby Keith fans out there ;)  It really did make me smile, my winter mode kicked in at that very moment.  The stove looked so cozy (even though it's gas and not real logs) and Dick had already fixed coffee.  Sipping coffee, watching the horses enjoying the brisk fresh air and thinking, this is the life.  Smokey and Gracie probably feel the same way I do.  They spent quite a while running, bucking and chasing each other.  Just something about living in the snow belt.  I bet come the first snowfall I could move into a cabin far from roads and seeing other houses.  Weird I know but there is just something so peaceful and spiritual about the idea.  Today was one of those days to reflect on what I love and appreciate.  We made a batch of soft German Pretzels to go with homemade ring bologna, smoked Swiss Cheese and homemade spicy mustard Amber gave us.  It reminded us both of Germany and how much we would like to go back.  I'm sure in the last 25 years it has changed as much as our own USA, besides I don't want to miss winter.

After we finished our lunch we bundled up and headed to the back field and woods.  Dick has been setting out bait for the coyotes.  One of these times they will get a real surprise!  Lucky them to get the special overly ripe meat that has been setting in a special can in a special place and no not in the house.  While Dick set the bait the dogs and I walked around and finally sat down where the woods and field meet.  It has been a bit windy in the valley but even so it was nice to see the dead grasses blowing, almost like brown waves going across the field.   I was actually listening to the wind going through the bare trees on the hill and seeing beauty in it all.  The sun was starting to drop behind the hill casting shadows on half of the valley.  With the clear blue sky and bright warm sunshine the snow is still in places that never saw sun today.

We talked of fixing my x-country skis which is exciting to think I have the strength, mobility and want to ski.  Last April I thought I never would but thanks to my son's determination not to give up on me until I said, ok I'll strength train. For that I am forever grateful.  Dead Lifts, presses and squats have made me a believer.  I actually get  excited at the beginning of the week to add more weight!  Twice a week, that's it.

Here's the German pretzels/rolls because we rolled some to thick and they were more like rolls.  Either way they are delicious and not too time consuming.  I got carried away with the coarse salt!  Next time much less.

German Soft Pretzel Recipe:
1 pkg yeast in large bowl with 1 tsp. sugar and 1/4 cup warm milk, let it set for 15 min.
Then add 1 cup warm milk, 1 tsp salt, 3 TBSP butter and 2 cups of flour, add more flour to make a soft dough.  Knead on a floured board for 5 min.   Let raise 30 minutes.   Take hunks of dough and roll into thin rope about 12" long.  make a pretzel shape and place on greased baking sheet  This recipe makes 6 big pretzels or 12 small ones.  Let them raise for 1 hour.  Bring to boil 4 cups of water, stir in 3 TBSP of baking soda ( one at a time as it boils up quickly)  Place pretzels in soda water for 30 seconds, drain and put back on greased baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake at 410 until golden brown.  They are delicious and the real deal!

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!

R & R and SNAKE!

Not really R & R, I have been nonstop for a few days.  So much so that I have avoided the garden on purpose.  One more green been, cucumber or pulling weeds possibly would have put me over the edge.  As usual when I feel enough is enough I take a step back and evaluate what I need to do to keep in the safe zone.  99.9% of the time  it works, the other 1% look out!  Even Mr. B can see it brewing and side steps me at all costs.  Well I'm back in step and all is right in Cheryl's world for a while.....maybe.

For the last few days I have been painting the front porch floor and back deck rails and spindles.  I just love spindles (joke), we only have a few thousand (exaggeration)  but if you count each spindle that has 4 sides it sure feels like a thousand.  Normally the painting would have been done in June but with the frequent rain and my ankle it had to wait.  Back on task to get my outside chores done before cold weather sets in.  If you think Dick should be doing the painting it is one of those things I can do while he does more important ones.  Like building our outdoor oven.  He worked today setting the firebrick for the oven bottom and 2 rows up the sides.  Next he will be starting the round shape of the dome.

Setting the fire bricks.

Today was a finish the 6th of 9 quilts.  Face Book can be pretty terrific at times.  I mentioned this morning how much I hate binding a quilt and my friend from Austin posted a woman's name that made it easy for her.  I googled that name and there she was on YouTube.  Ha! How great she was and how great Jeannie was to "pass it on".   Thanks Jeannie.   Step by step I would stop the video and work along.  I no longer will dread binding!  The next 3 quilts will be a pleasure.

The first corner of the improved binding technique!
Much better way.

When I was on the back deck working with the quilt a car pulled in the driveway.  Yes, exciting when we get company.  Best of all today it was my niece Jeri, her husband Tim and my SIL, Natalie.  Jeri and Tim moved from Shinglehouse a long time ago.  We only see each other a couple times a year.  We are very much alike, we should be my brother is her father.  All three of us are quick to tell ya "where the bear $$$$ in the buckwheat.  One other thing we have in common..........scared to death of...........SNAKES!  When Jeri came towards me on the deck she was holding a zip lock bag towards me.  At first I thought she was learning to crochet, one more step and all I could say was.....Oh My God!  It was a SNAKE shed.  I figured out after Jeri left, she is one step up the ladder from me because I would never have touched the thing!   If that wasn't enough she had a story that is more like my worst nightmare or scary snake movie.  I truly can not believe she is a alive to tell.  At her home in NC she was mowing their lawn, it's a big lawn and the have a big JD lawn tractor. She was near a ditch and felt something rub across her foot!.. Yes, when she looked down it was the front part of a Big Black Snake!!  She picked her feet up, so much so the tractor shut off, if you don't keep your butt square on the seat it shuts off for safety reasons.  By this time she is all teary eyed and goose bumps telling the story.  I'm beyond words, just staring.  Kinda like when Dick would tell our kids and grands  about  Hide-Behinds, Hillside Moonies and Swamp Angels.  They would just set and stare, for years they feared them.   Right, the snake story.  Some how she managed to keep her head (can't believe it) and get the lawn mower started, the thing flopped to the ground and she ran over it chopping it up!  She was a mess but heart still beating (much faster I'm sure).  I can not imagine going through something so awful.  Pretty sure there will be flashbacks and dreams for her and maybe me.  I have been thinking of it all afternoon.  Tim went around their shed near where the snake was killed and found the fresh skin it had recently shed.  Ewwwww!  That is what she had in the zip lock bag....blahhhh!  Everyone that lives south of us say, don't kill Black Snakes, they kill rodents and dangerous snakes and are harmless.  Black Snakes grow to a huge size,  I'm saying 6,7 or more feet!  Thank the Lord we do not have them, size alone I would never live through seeing one much less crawling over my foot on a lawn mower.  We really didn't talk about anything but that snake...Poor kid!  She will always be a kid me ♡  

I think Jeri is close to 5'10'' (height we do not have in common)
This snake shed is 6' if not more, yuck!

Delayed Reaction

Done!
3 days to cure and then the dome of fire brick
will be layed.

This morning was an early rise, coffee and oatmeal.  Coffee for sure but not too much oatmeal.  Dick was nervous, hadn't slept good last night and just wanted to get the cement mixer humming.  So off we go to run cement for the top slab of the pizza/bread oven.  In the end it was 1,600 pounds of cement by the hub and I.  The first thing I am so grateful for, the strength to do .  The second is what I was thinking as I was raking the cement mixture in the tractor bucket to keep the load level and then into the slab form.....I had a great woman to learn hard outside work can be rewarding and still have the desire to clean up, fix the hair, a little make-up, relax doing what ever we enjoy.  We finished running and screeding the cement by 11:50 am.  Hey I felt like I could tackle the world.  Thanks Beau, 4 weeks of weight training is paying off.  I jumped on the lawn mower and got-r-done.  Still feeling like this is amazing my ankle is strong and no complaints, I grab the weed whacker and away I go, darn this lawn as not looked this good since.......last year!  Dick is a great help but I'm a "little"  fussy about my lawn.....maybe everything!  I need to work on my attitude that nobody can do it as good as ME!  By 2:30 I thought maybe I'll grab my quilting, set out back and  work on it, relax and enjoy the view.  Still feeling fine I decided to get some carrots and beans from the garden and make a beef and veggie dish.  The first step felt like someone had sprayed instant freeze on me.  My gosh I walked like a crippled old lady. Umm, yes I am old.  Dick wasn't doing much better.  We started laughing and I asked him, "What day did we turn old"?  I'm not sure, it happened somewhere between 1967 (year we were married) and August 24, 2014.  We made it to the garden and back, fixed the stew which I am calling rustic,  I was too tired to cut the carrots, potatoes, beans and onions!  Hunks that's what they were, big ones.  We didn't eat much, too tired.

The rustic, hunky beef stew with leftover biscuits.

Our view, me quilting and Dick whittling while we watched
11 turkeys in the new food plot.

Remember the old western movies where the cowboy rides into town  tired, dusty and dirty?  That was how I felt.  Usually my pick is a shower but tonight I needed hot, hot water in a tub just like that cowboy.  The only difference I have the luxury of a shower after to really get clean and refreshed.

That's my day and now time to hit the sack, Partner.  Happy Trails To You!