It's Been a Good Day

We went to bed to the sound of rain last night. Sometime this forenoon I awoke to the sound of rain. The rain changed the men's plans for the day. Austin went to his lawn care job later than usual. Instead of all the rest heading off to a job, Thomas went by himself to do some service calls.

It was Providential that the others were here. I had thought I would be okay going to my midwife alone but when it came down to it I was very weary! I asked Matthew to take me and also help me shop for the things he and Austin will want for their rafting trip which begins tomorrow.

We stopped first at a roadside market to look for some peaches. Got a half bushel of seconds for $8. Also a bag of apples to make applesauce. I'm about out of applesauce and thought my family from the south would enjoy some.

Then we went to Walmart for a few items. I hate walking that giant store for just a few things but I survived.

After that it was on to the midwife. Baby was breech at the last checkup so I was pleased that she had turned herself by this time. She has turned in more ways than any of my others did. Makes me a little nervous. Just hope she knows how to position herself for a good birth!

My blood pressure was a little low which may be why I'm tired.?? Nothing that the midwife was concerned about. 

After the checkup we went to Aldi and then home. Then it was time for the guys to prepare to go to Kid's Club. They were soon out of here and I put some twice baked potatoes in the oven that I had frozen ahead of time. Cooked some fresh green beans from my sister and cut up some cucumbers from a friend's garden. That was a good supper.

Now I'm ready to go clean up and call it a day! Oh, I did get my piece of furniture (for a changing table) emptied out this morning! Accomplishment! The boys did laundry from their room today.

And I discovered that my sister Joanna and her friend will be staying at a cabin so I won't have company just yet after all. That's a welcome break. (Although I enjoy company. Don't misunderstand me!)

Waldorf Salad Recipe

You will need:
7-10 Yellow Delicious apples, unpeeled
1 cup raisins (or more)
1/2-1 cup med pecan pieces
2 stalks (or ribs? What do you call it?) celery
1 cup mayonnaise

Dice the apples and finely dice the celery. Add the raisins, pecans and mayo. Serve immediately or within a couple of hours if you like chewy raisins. If you don't mind squishy raisins serve anytime, within a day. (My hubby does not like squishy raisins!) 

I don't have a written recipe and usually just dump things together so if you find these proportions are not to your liking, adjust them! I figure on at least one apple per person and then some because our family loves this salad. And some of us don't mind, and in fact, really like, leftovers.

So you don't like mayo? Maybe you will. I never cared for mayo in apple salad and was shocked when informed that it is the sole dressing in this delicious salad.

Today I am thankful for...
...apples.
...a clean pantry.
...rain.

Fall Bounty & Beauty

Our friends in Delray recently blessed us with apples, tomatoes and peppers. We picked them with their help.

 The tomatoes were turned into canned chunks, salsa, juice and soup with the help of my mother. 

 The tomatoes and peppers are so large and beautiful. Planted in wood chips as Back to Eden suggests.

 Watermelon crop from our garden. Obviously there are potatoes in the pail. The boys keep bringing me a bucket at a time as needed. About once a week. So nice to have food from the garden!

 The peppers (from our garden) were useful in making salsa. We also put halves in the freezer for four or five meals of stuffed peppers.

The onion crop has been a blessing. It is fast disappearing.

 A day's labor- tomato juice and applesauce. A friend taught me to cook tomatoes and then use the blender to make juice. I think she runs the final product through a sieve but I just put it in the jars, seeds and all, for a thicker juice. I make soup the same way.

 The Crepe Myrtle was filled with blooms this year.

 And this bush that I haven't yet figured out. A type of hydrangea possibly?

Have you had a bounteous summer/fall?

Do you expect a hard winter? 

It is sometimes difficult to just enjoy all these good things when people in other parts of the world are suffering from hurricanes, wars, earthquakes and fire.