Fall Begins

Despite no longer having school age children, Labour Day, still for me, marks a change of seasons.
I spent the day reminiscing about our great summer  - 

 

Fred's big fish

 

 A summer party

 Abi mastered the Rubik's Cube

 Friend Ruby showed me her 'red-neck' fence.  Created from pallets.

 There was some knitting    -  the colourful shawl above and the monkey hat below

While I reminisced, I also made  spaghetti sauce.  Someone gave me the great idea to do this big job out of doors. I have a big turkey roaster, it held the entire half bushel of Roma tomatoes and  made a great sauce cooker.

No extra heat in the kitchen, so it was a great idea. 

The beach days are done.  My canning is done.  Time to get to the knitting.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

Back into the routine of Thursday Knit group and it feels great. Weather in Meaford this  summer was apparently much the same as weather in Hearst - wetter and cooler than normal.

Did that mean  - less beach time and more knitting time?  Or did that mean better gardening weather and so less knitting time.  You can be the judge of that.

Wee socks from Sharon and a 'don't know what it will be yet' piece from Ingrid knit with a very very fine Americo thick and thin cotton. A sweater for a grandaughter from Gail and a'condo' scarf from Doreen. Knit with a circular needle that has one big gauge tip and one much finer.  Produces an automatic drop stitch look with much less fuss. Doreen realized this summer  - long after she purchased the condo needles - that she could have created her own 'condo' needles from one of her several sets of interchangeables.  Oh well.

Wee things for the spinners and weavers sale,

a sweater from Carol,

and socks from Sharon.

I don't know about the beach or the gardening, but sure looks like lots of knitting to me.

Labour Day Weekend

My summers, for many years, have all been the same. First I go to  the trailer, then I  come home and do some  canning. This year is no different and so today started early with a trip to the market.

Locally, our most famous market is the Keady market.   http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.ca/2009/06/visit-to-keady-market.html

Each Tuesday year round, both local and far-away vendors set out their produce  in the Keady Market space.  Many of the vendors are Mennonite.  In addition to the great foods they produce, I, for one, enjoy a brief  glimpse into their very different way of life.

A friend and I go to Keady annually to get our canning supplies.  We leave home at 6:30 - first come, first served - get our supplies then wander and gaze at the bounty.

Back home by 10 with my table covered in produce,

I am ready to begin my annual canning spree.  Well re-begin as yesterday I did some dilled beans and some Strawberry Marmalade.

You will notice in the top photo a new appliance.  Thanks to Sandra of Curlerchick Blog, http://curlerchikparttwo.blogspot.ca/ who tipped me off to how helpful a food mill can be to the home canner. When I stopped at the store for jar lids they had very cleverly displayed the Food Mill right beside the lids. Too easy.  Hopefully it will shave hours off my home made spaghetti sauce. Thanks Sandra.

I  hope to have a year's supply of Chili sauce, Spaghetti Sauce, Peach Pie Filling,  Canned Peaches,  9 day Pickles, Dill Pickles and Salsa ready for the cold room shelves by the end of Labour Day Weekend. They don't call it that for nothing.