Category: Front Porch Musings

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Another weekend gone a bit awry

Thursday, the first of this year’s Meyer Lemons from Lemon Ladies (www.lemonladies.com) arrived at my house. Good grief! – they are beautiful and one as big as an orange. But more important, the flavor is superb and Karen, the proprietress of Lemon Ladies emailed me that they will only get better as the season progresses. Hoo-rah!

My first use of one of the Meyer’s was in this Meyer-Lemon Rosemary Sourdough boule. I am very much loving the sourdough: everything – maintaining the starter, using the starter, the flavor the starter imparts. Starter has taken my bread to another place.

So.

Weekend plans included making a Meyer Lemon marmalade, finishing the raking/pick up sticks after last Tuesday’s storm, some cooking for the upcoming week and a visit with Sara – Sara who house and Bob-sat some years ago.

Then…I finished the week light in hours and progress toward a work deadline lacking.

A Winter Storm was forecast for Tuesday.

And then a plumbing issue.

I cancelled with Sara, gathered supplies and fussed with the plumbing.

This morning (Sunday), I headed to town and came home with a “Black Friday” sale item: a 16 gallon wet vac. My 4 gallon wet vac just did not have it for keeping up with the plumbing issue.

This vac did, but I was still unable to clear things up and with a holiday approaching and the thought of kids and grandkids descending on grandparents’ homes and taxing the plumbing … I called Roto-Rooter: 24/7 clearing of clogged drains.

All was cleared quickly and after 24 hours of the motorhome being in service as a high-end outhouse, the house Summers was back to business as usual.

Gah.

In the whole scheme of things and with the world seemingly in chaos, my plumbing issue seems minor…unless you are me. I am grateful it is resolved.

I hope to have 3 mega-work days and then a four day weekend during which I will celebrate, as is my custom, with Bear and Auggie and a turkey dinner of my own making. Meanwhile, I will keep in prayer: the world, those that travel, those that have fear and anger.

My peace.

My joy.

On a weekend that went a bit awry.

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Winter Storm

A high wind warning with mountain snow has been in the forecast for this afternoon through midday tomorrow.

I think they are correct.

It looked like the above, at midday today, along the road home. The wind was gusty and cold.

There is not a lot of snow forecast, but you never know. The snow thrower is ready.

I split wood and stocked the front porch wood stack and carry bag.

And I made bread! That is a loaf of Dark Rye Sourdough – hoo rah!

Extra hoo-rah because as I’ve been writing this post, the power went out.

But we have bread, battery powered candles, battery counter lights and all electronics are charged up, including the hotspot that gives me internet. And apparently the cell towers have power, because everything internet is working.

First Winter Storm: Winter 2015-2016.

**This post completed on battery power :)

***The power was out a bit over an hour at my house, but this morning’s news reports that 6500 are without power at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Lot of tree limbs are down in my yard and woods – a mess, but not near as bad as other spots.

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Treasured moments

Years ago, when it was Zack (part Karelian) and Gus (my first cat, a tuxedo cat) … they were both near me as I spent some morning quiet time before starting my day. Gus snuggled against my chest and hugged my neck. Zack lay on the floor near my chair.

Then Karl and Gus continued the pattern and when Bob joined the family, Bob took a spot on the ottoman by my feet.

Bear has mostly moved from his living room chair sleep spot to the bed when Auggie and I get up. But, occasionally he will join Auggie and I in the kitchen and it is a treasured moment.

All of us together: quiet in the early morning. I do not take these moments for granted.

Shortly after taking these photos, I read the following in a murder mystery book: The Thames River Murders (Captain Lacey Regency Mystery series) by Ashley Gardner.

… one never anticipates where life will lead. I knew that tragedy could follow hard upon happiness, and so I treasured the moment… I hugged it to me, and let it go only with the greatest reluctance.

Treasured moments of quiet and joy.

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Golden Light

The larch still have enough needles to glow with golden light, even on a gray day.

But, many needles have fallen and are on the ground…

…lining our walk paths, sticking to our feet and magically letting loose of our feet once our feet get indoors. Kind of a mess, but I refuse to worry about it too much and choose to enjoy their color and light.

And speaking of color and light…

The Fuschia! A few blooms still and the greenery is beautiful. It is November 1 in Northwest Montana for heaven’s sake. We have not had a hard freeze at my house and I can’t see dumping them on the burn pile while they look so healthy. It has been a record breaking run for front porch flowers!

Inside.

We are to the point where it is dark when I have breakfast and dark when I have supper. I spoke awhile back about new kitchen light fixtures being on my list to change. They are some way down the list of things to do.

It is not that their appearance bothers me so much as it is that in order to get light to the counters, the overhead lights must be very bright. For early morning they are brighter than I’d like for making my coffee. And for supper, they are brighter than is cozy to enjoy my evening meal. But I need more than the chairside lamp to see my food when eating at the island. I did add stick-on under counter lights when I first bought this house and those are fine for soft light and for counter chores that don’t require reading small print or measuring precisely.

Last week, I thought to look for a small battery powered lamp for the island – just enough light to eat by. I found some, but the first I found were all white and modern looking. And then I found these candles.

Battery powered candles with a remote. Hee.

I kind of love them!

The flames dim and brighten so that it looks like candles burning.

They provide a warm light on dark, dreary days and enough light to eat by.

I am now having candlelight breakfasts and suppers!

Tonight, it was breakfast for supper: sourdough waffles with walnuts and maple syrup and bacon.

By battery powered candlelight.

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Fire and rain

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end… James Taylor

Finally, rain! Real rain as in not just mist or rain that lasts 2 minutes.

It was dark and off and on rainy on Thursday.

Friday, it rained all day.

It didn’t pour, it was a nice gentle, soaking rain. I felt like things were damp enough that I could have a fire in the woodstove.

So I did.

First fire of this Fall-Winter season.

And as it was Friday and we had our Friday work session early, i.e. my time was flexible for the rest of the day … I had my lunch in front of the fire.

Not everyone was as thrilled as me about the rain.

Especially Auggie.

Oh, dear … seriously sad face.

But on the bright side, there was a warm fire to curl up in front of…

… or to be silly in front of.

And then today… more rain.

“Maybe if I don’t look, it will go away”.

I was grateful for an excuse to avoid yard work.

I baked – perfect occupation for a dark and rainy day!

Sourdough crackers – this recipe uses starter that is unfed and to be discarded. One of the things I find difficult about the maintenance of the sourdough starter is the “throw away half and feed more” part of it – particularly the “throw away half” part. I saw this recipe and not only does it use a good amount of discard starter, but it makes great crackers – YEA!

Usually Thanksgiving creeps up on me and then it is only 4 weeks until Christmas and I feel like the holidays are over before I have had time to anticipate, prepare and enjoy. But, this year, I am ready. It feels holiday-like already.

I wanted something molasses-gingery.

The biscotti jar has been empty for a good while.

Gingerbread Currant Biscotti. They are pretty good. They are especially good dunked in hot, spiced apple cider.

Fire and rain.