Feeling Fall

Fall is in full swing here in Texas complete with falling leaves of many colors, cooler mornings and nights, and the decor of Halloween gracing homes and public spaces.

It's true that I love fall. In the past I often found myself visiting western North Carolina around this time of year. Although I am not htere and won't be able to make the journey this time around, I can clearly see the South Toe Valley in all of it's Autumn glory clearly imprinted in my long term memory. As I sit here in NE Texas, I can dial up my favorite fall scene of crossing the Seven Mile Ridge Rd bridge over the South Toe River, trees a myriad of colors with leaves blowing gently on a breeze and landing on the rushing water to be swept away.

Unfortunately I can find a good picture to post of it right now, but I will keep looking.

As for being here in Texas, life is settling into a routine. Of course it's as fluid as that river I love and can change easily. For instance, today I was set to be at a Harvest Festival all day selling my wares and celebrating fall with life music and fun activities. However, the rain came in strong with gusty wind and tornado warnings. Given that I packed it up and headed home. It was ok, although I was looking forward to the event, I was just as glad to spend the time with my family at home.

I'm finding my way here. I'm appreciating that life is an adventure and that gifts and truth are often hidden in the most unexpected places.

a little snake we found in the backyard

Riley's cake

This week I had the chance to share in bringing a big smile to a young girl's face.


My friends Lisa and Doug made the cake and the buttercream icing in the morning. Then later on in the afternoon I showed up with Ian for fun and frosting. Ian and Riley played furiously while Will rotated between Curious George and chasing the others.

Lisa and I mixed the colors into the icing and shared in the decorating process. Riley came by and added her touches too and she was so excited.

Here's Lisa spreading on the strawberry buttercream we mixed up for the center layer.

I wasn't able to be at her party, but I was lucky enough to get a piece brought over for me. They did a great job on the strawberry cake. A delicious treat.

Settling

here, ian is participating in a nature class about butterflies and moths

So we've been here now for a bit and I finally feel as if I am beginning to be here. Ian and I have been schooling for a number of weeks now and he's is really rockin' it. He's also been playing basbeall with th elocal league and that has been a wonderful outlet for him to socialize with other kids and get some much needed activity. Plus the fact that he loves it and it having a blast is really what matters. During this season hitting has been harder for him but he has made some great plays in the outfield., In the last game he was responsible for getting two outs while playing left field.

here he is taking his turn as catcher, he's getter better at stopping the ball and the throw is really improving

As for me, I've just been keeping busy making new beaded flowers and items for the upcoming holiday market season. I think I'm looking at about 4 or 5 markets so that's plenty to keep me busy. Check out some of my newest works at www.thebeadtanicalgarden.blogspot.com

And in the interest of being here, last weekend we took a drive to the Dallas arboretum where they display over 40, 000 pumkins and gourds for the fall season. Oh my I have never seen so many cucurbits in one place at one time. I especially loved the landscape paintings they made using different kinds of pumpkins such as the "water fountain" you can see below in the yard of one of the pumpkin houses.

New Year's Challah

Kimchi = yum

After many years of admiring Sandor Katz, I finally got his fantastic book Wild Fermentation.
If you like to ferment foods and you do not have this book, you are completely missing out. It is well worth the price and will provide really good information as well as instruction. If you want to see more of what Sandor is up to you can check out his website
http://www.wildfermentation.com/

Over the past decade I have been present at many of his fermentation workshops. There have been times when I have made sauerkraut and pickles (although I haven't had the best luck with pickles) as well as kombucha, and I love to eat good fermented foods. For years now I've talked about adding fermenting into my life in a more regular and permanent way. However, life moves along swiftly sometimes and intentions get stuck in brambles on the banks.

Finally last week I felt like it was time to really get going. So I pulled the cabbage and carrots out of the fridge, the garlic and ginger from the shelf, and the wakame and dried peppers (which is all I had) from the cabinet and set to work following in the wise words of Sandor Ellix Katz.

The vegetables soaking in brine.

onion being grated for the spice paste

grated ginger for the spice paste

viola! the finished product packed tight into this wonderful lidded jar we received many years ago from some old friends.

We loved the finished product. It wasn't too spicy, but had a little kick and that was just right for us. In fact we like dit so much that it is now gone and a new batch is in the works. I couldn't believe how easy it was to produce this delicious treat that will surely become a staple of our diet.

side note*** If you like to ferment foods and have to grate things like onions and ginger a lot for pastes, I would highly recommend investing in a Japanese ginger grater. They are very affordable and they do a great job of completely breaking down whatever your grating.

death valley by night, a favor granted

On the heels of our journey i wanted to share some thought in the form of a poem.


in the desert
death valley by night
a favor granted to me
the air smells
of rock and earth
big old truck
sends a wave of exhaust
it disrupts my breathing
110 degrees at 9pm
it's dark and the temperature is rising
this is outside my realm of experience
my wild side perks up
with head out the window
the dense heat
fills me with life
the sweat drips down
my spine
the stars bright
above this awesome
and terrible landscape
my boy, baking in the back seat
begging for ice
brings me back from the reverie
i feel the strength
and majesty of
this old place
ancient white stone
huge old beings
wish me a safe journey

Day 24, Carlsbad Caverns to Denton