A Working Kitchen

Years ago, I was visiting with a friend about how some folks decorate kitchens.

She told me that hers was a "working kitchen."

I've always remembered that.

And I've evidently followed suit.

I don't really decorate the kitchen.

I don't do themes anyways, and I like things that are useful.

Maybe I don't decorate because at any given time,

you can almost tell what the season is

by what my kitchen looks like.

(See the entirety of my decorating~ the oil can with flowers and pumpkin.)
Right now,

it's rather easy to detect autumn 

by the bucket of spuds, collection of winter squash, the miscellaneous hunting gear, and tailings of canning tomatoes.

It's been slim-pickins for hunting season this year.

Between last winter and wolves (and cats and bear,) the game has suffered.

We even stayed a night up on top 

to see if being up high at dawn would show us anything.

We got snowed on during the night - yowza!

Not ready for that yet.

Anyways, on the way home, I asked Mr.LB if he would mind if we stopped at a little produce stand that's on the way.
It's quite a ways from anywhere, and I like to support such folks if I can.

We did and what a bounty~

For $28 we got: 2 huge spaghetti squash, 1 huge mystery squash,

3-4 lbs. plums, 17-20 lbs. of tomatoes, 5 lbs. red spuds, 1/2 gallon of fresh apple cider, and a peanut-butter cookie for me (yum.)

I went up for a hunt this morning and made it back many vertical feet later

about 12:30 and went to work on the tomatoes.

They are now sauce and cooling in jars on the counter, 

and there is a spaghetti squash in the oven. 

I saved some seeds - hoping to grow some of these biggies myself next year.

Those seeds are in a bowl on the table to dry.

The kitchen is where we seem to congregate when there's company.

Some of my fondest memories growing up are of peeling spuds or cleaning string beans with extended family in the kitchen.

I think that's something that's missing in many families today.

There really is a role for everybody.

The older folks can still chop walnuts and show the little ones how it's done.

You've probably gathered by now that we live along old-fashioned lines.
Years ago, a significant amount of ones time was devoted
to the growing, gathering, and preserving of food not only for the family
but for any livestock as well.

The value of working with your grandparents or great aunts and uncles rather than just seeing them at parties or holidays is unmeasurable.

We use our kitchen.

And if you happen to stop by about meal time, 

you'll of course be welcomed to join us, 

but don't be surprised if you are asked to chop carrots or slice tomatoes. 

You see, it really is a "working kitchen"

and that's all the decor we need.

If anybody knows what kind of squash the mystery squash is,

please do tell.

Anyone up for an Avalanche?

Oh my, it's been a crazy week!

Monday being a holiday, I didn't have to go to work.

Tuesday morning, we awoke and got ready just like any 'normal' day.

Mr. LB typically leaves about an hour before me.

He left and was right back.

He asked that I contact his boss and let him know that he would be late.

There was an avalanche right at the end of our property.

It's was about 6 ft. so he spent an hour digging through it with a shovel

so that a rig could get through.

We said our morning good-by's for a second time.

By this time it was almost time for me to go so I went out to start the bronco.

I came back in to get my lunch, stoke the fire, make sure lights were off, and all those other little pre-leaving the house for the day tasks,

when in walks Mr. LB with the keys to my rig.

He handed them to me and said, "We're not going anywhere."

The avalanche he dug through was just a little teaser.

Mr. LB standing on the first one we came to.

From on top of the first one looking down the "road."

We called the county road crew 

(actually co. sheriff since road crew wasn't awake yet.)
We also called our employers to let them know we wouldn't be in.
Then we went to take a look.

Road crew worked on the roads all day

Many more slid in the time they were up here.

By the end of the day, they had the road "passable."

Then about an hour after they left,

the big-boy slid.

So again on Tuesday, we were stuck.

They broke through it just before noon.

It was at least 14 ft. high.

Just being on the road to get the picture was eery.

 As they were breaking through.
We later discovered there were a couple more the other side of this one.
We just couldn't see them.

Just for scale.

The thing is. . .

other than not being able to go to work, we were just fine.

We manage our home/pantry etc. in such a way

that we had plenty to eat, kept the fire going, and were safe.

(Forgive me, please. "Manage" sounds so formal, but I don't really know another word that encompasses "just the way we live.")

We aren't "preppers" by any means.

But we do live in a more traditional way.

If we were trapped for an extended period of time,

we would eventually have run out of milk and cheese.

Our meals might have become increasingly "boring," but we would still eat.

For us, living where we live, living the way we live is important.

For others, living in other areas, with other possibilities,

perhaps it doesn't make much sense.

But being "trapped" is an odd feeling.

Knowing that as long as we stayed home we would be okay

was an enormous comfort.  

On a little side note:
The evening of the larger avalanche was a neighbor's birthday.
They had a party scheduled, but only the half dozen households
above the snow were able to attend.
We said a prayer of thanks for our safety, the enormous amount of food
we had there to eat, and the company of neighbors.
Two days later they spent the entire day on our road.
We now have huge walls of snow on either side of the road,
but we can pass through pretty easily.
Sometimes, the wisest thing to do is simply stay put, eat stew, and be safe.

                                               

Autumn Checklist

What a beautiful and busy time of year.

As we are pulling in and processing the tail end of the garden produce,

the leaves are changing, and Mother Nature is preparing for a change.

Isn't it peculiar how when the temperature begins to dip down to chilly

at night our nesting instincts kick in and give us 

that little boost of energy we need?

I'm not sure if we are ever really 100% ready for that first snow.

We always seem to forget something.

I am notorious for leaving hoses out until the snowfalls.

Then I have to go out and try to make sure they are drained

and put away while it's snowing on me.

Since I work best from a list and I know quite a few others

who share this same 'quirk,' 

I thought it might be a nice thing to share.

Of course, depending upon where you live and your situation,

your list might look a little different.

This might contain an item or two you forgot to add.

And if there's something on your list that you don't see here,

please share in a comment.

This is meant to help all of us.

In No Particular Order:

* Take stock of pantry~ What do you have in abundance, and what are you short on?

* Critter Feed~ Weather it's bunnies or beef, do you have enough feed (or a dependable source,) tank heaters, power  cords, anything needed for birthing (which will always be 2 AM of the coldest week of the year.)

* Heat Source~ Is the wood in? Propane tank filled? If electric or gas, do you keep a back up source?  Is your chimney clean?

* Equipment~ Lawnmowers, weed-eaters, chainsaws and any other form of small engine should be serviced before storing it for winter.  Why are we so good at this for our cars but not for smaller items?  My small engine repairman suggests using "seafoam" so that's what we use.  I don't know if there are other similar products of different brands.

* Tools~ From hammers and screwdrivers to pitch forks and wheelbarrows, how are the handles?  Is the metal clean?  Are they where they belong?

* Garden~ Put the garden to bed or plant your winter crop depending on where you live.

* Hoses!~ Geesh, I almost forgot to even put it on the list.  Drain, coil, and put them away.

* Blankets and Winter Clothes~ I don't store seasonal clothes, but if you do, you might locate, air out, iron if necessary, and ready them for wearing.  I like to either hang my blankets that have been folded up all summer on the line for an hour or two or give them a tumble in the dryer.

* Automobiles~ Have an emergency kit in each rig.  Check your tire pressure and the condition of the tires, antifreeze, fluids, wipers, etc.

*House~ Check windows and doors.  Are they sealing properly?   Are the leaves off the roof and gutters clean?  Do you wrap certain pipes for winter?

* Barns, Sheds, Fences and Gates~ In good repair? Is there a broken board that would be easier to fix now?

* Christmas~ Don't shoot!  I put this here, because if there are certain gifts you are making, you probably don't want to put it off until Dec. 1st to get started.

* MOST IMPORTANT~ How's your fire pit? Don't forget to take time to observe the beauty around you, jump in the leaves, roast a marshmallow and drink some hot chocolate or apple cider.  If you make it through even a portion of these things, you're ahead of the game.

Is here something you do each fall that's not listed here?

Let us know.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches