It
has been downright chilly for the past several mornings, but today was
different. The smell of the air had changed. It had that crisp quality of air
coming from the north. Do you know what I mean? For me it’s a sign that fall is
here to stay. Yes, we will be hitting eighty again by the end of the week, but
for all intents and purposes, summer is finished. Bittersweet really, but hey,
at least we’ll have some good sleeping weather, right?
Yesterday
I did manage to get a pot of stuffed cabbage done, but I’m not overjoyed with
the end result. They no longer make the brand of tomato sauce my grandmother
always used, so I had to use a different brand and it just doesn’t taste the
same. It’s not like the company went out of business, they have other products
on the shelf; they just stopped making tomato sauce. Can someone tell me what
sense that makes? I even had the grocery store check for me and nope, it wasn’t
even available to order. Weird. If I had known, I would have stocked up last
Easter when I made the last batch. Oh well, what are you going to do? The next
several batches will be trial and error until I can find a good substitute
brand. If any of you have a favorite tomato sauce, please feel free to chime
in. Please keep in mind, I need plain canned TOMATO sauce, not spaghetti sauce.
I
also made two stuffed peppers which were a disappointment as well. I guess the
skin on the peppers was too thick in spots so the moisture did not penetrate
evenly and some of the rice was crunchy. The one thing that did come out good
was something I hadn’t planned on making. We have an old apple tree in the back
yard which is primarily a source of deer food in the fall. For years the apples
have been about the size of an average crabapple and were full of worms. I
haven’t been able to use any of the apples for at least ten years, so I usually
don’t pay the tree much mind. However, yesterday I was taking out the trash and
I looked over at the tree and noticed a fairly good sized apple – think Macintosh
size. I went over to inspect it and it was in pretty good shape. Then I saw
several others that didn’t look half bad. I picked the eight or so apples,
brought them in, cleaned and cut them up, and made a small batch of applesauce.
Although my cinnamon has gone mysteriously missing so I couldn’t put any in,
the applesauce came out rather tasty if I do say so myself.
Today
on my agenda is another batch of plum dumplings and then I may just try my hand
at making pierogies. No recipe, I’m just kinda going to wing it. I’ll let you know
if they are a hit or an epic fail. That is if I even get to them. I may just
have time to make the filling (I need mashed potatoes for the dumpling dough)
and leave the actual pierogi making until tomorrow.
I
have critique group tonight and then tomorrow night is back to school night. I
HATE back to school night at the high school; that is why I have gone to
exactly 1 of the last 8. It starts at 7 pm. There is NEVER enough parking. You
are in each of the classes for twenty minutes – times ten periods, you do the
math. You have 3 minutes to find your way from one class to the next. You end
up getting lost and frustrated, then late for the next class. There really is
no time to talk to the teachers, so what’s the point? Yet for some reason my
husband is insisting I go this year. I have been to every K-8 back to school
night for the past 17 years and the one year I went to the one at the high
school was my 3rd back to school night that year. I think I have
done my dues, especially since I know Wednesday night will be exhausting and
virtually worthless. I may still just not go. Maybe if I don’t mention it, my
husband will forget all about it. Think it will work?
OK,
off to cook. I hope you have a wonderful day and happy writing!
Your Last Challenge was:
The early morning fog still clings to
the ground as I climb my way up the rock strewn path to the home of Cormac
McCarty. The trek is slow. Not because of the significant incline, but because
I pause often to absorb the thousands of years of history surrounding me. Ghosts
of Robert the Bruce, the Earl of Leicester and even Queen Elizabeth I are
sharing images of their pasts with me.
I make my final assent up the weather
worn stone stairs and catch my first glimpse of the Stone of Scone. I pose for
the required photo, but know better than to actually kiss the stone, for I know
what the locals have been rumored to have done to it; and let’s face it, the
last thing I needed was a greater gift of blarney anyway.
The view from the top is breathtaking,
for at this great height I have risen above the fog and the sun is shining
causing the ground below to shimmer and sparkle. Through the trees to the south
I can see Colthurst Castle and I begin to dream what it would be like to live
there, to wake every day in this magical mystical place.
Your
Next Challenge is:
Something strange was about to happen at the grocery store
(Thanks to K. Fritz, friend and fellow author, for this
challenge)
You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong,
just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to
criticize what someone else has written. Go.
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