Not Quite the Same

Apple season lacks that bit of spark this year. In years past I would take over the kitchen with my bushel of freshly picked apples and endeavor to make apple crisps and unbaked pies for the freezer. One year I made 10 of each and that entire winter we were in baked apple heaven. I won't be doing that this year and it makes me very sad.

Remember this summer when I stopped eating wheat after a holistic friend recommended it to me? I worked wonders for my energy and weight. My husband was impressed and joined me. He soon found out, after years of elimination diets, food journals and excruciating pain that he has Celiac Disease. He has suffered (not so silently) for 16 years with major stomach pain, frequent bathroom visits and doctor visit after doctor visit. He was erroneously diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Sydrone a few years ago but never found relief from his symptoms until now. It's confirmed. Gluten is out.



Slowly but surely I am adapting. I am discovering new family favourites and converting old favourites if I can. It has been a big change for me who is used to baking bread and treats without much thought to anything but cost. Now these things, baking from scratch, are no longer cost effective and have, for the most part, not found a new place in our diet. A batch of rice flour cookies won't be on our menu any time soon because 1) it costs too much and 2) it's not the healthiest anyway.

That means those oddles of pies and crisps are out of my seasonal routine. As is bread baking, muffin making and most methods of stretching our budget with regard to home baking. I just don't do it anymore. I have however rev'd up my processing of fruits and veggies knowing that our diet consists mainly of this food group.



We went apple picking today but it just wasn't the same. We purchased half a bushel which will last a few weeks until we head out for another batch. I am getting used to this but it feels like all those years of getting into a homestead routine are for not, because I will have to rely on imported rice flour, potato flour and the like just to make a loaf of bread. I am hoping one day I won't notice the change, and that it will become second nature but for now I am finding it difficult.

Tomato Season

I came home from a 10 day vacation expecting my garden to be toast. I had canned 8 jars of tomatoes before we left so I figured I would be lucky to be able to do a few more once I got back. The plants looked a little worse for ware, all limp and brown with only a few tomatoes left on the vines but once I started rooting though and picking good (as in non-squishy, non-rotting) tomatoes I filled basket after basket. All the baskets were full and I had only gone through half of the garden.



So the last 5 days have been a flurry of blanching and canning. I processed 10 more jars of tomatoes and then I made 13 jars of salsa.I also picked another wicker basket full but I ran out of canning jars. I think I probably have enough for 15 or more jars.



This is very exciting. I have never had such a prosperous garden. Some things went wrong this year but a fair number of things went right. I still lost a fair amount when we went away and those tomatoes are waiting to be worked right into the soil for next year. I still need to harvest my carrots and parsnips. I am also happy to report 6 smallish pumpkins have turned orange.

My New Glasses

I finally got glasses. It took me a while to find the right frames and even when I found these and paid for them, I still was not sure. I think they suit me now that I have them.







My son said, "Mom, you look really smart."