Fallish

Getting ready to go pick apples at a local orchard here in a bit, but wanted to share a bit of the bounty that’s been coming our way.  I “put up” my first batch of pickled peppers that I did ALL BY MYSELF yesterday.  The tomatoes have been sporadic but the peppers, wow, off the hook.

I decided I wanted to do small whole peppers in a small batch.  I finall found a recipe that made 4 pints, which I divided into 8 half pints.  Really, this is easy.  You just have to make sure everything is clean, clean, CLEAN.

The final products are in the pantry now.  I might test them in three weeks or so, or let them sit a bit longer.  I’m thinking sliced on sandwiches, on eggs, all kinds of things.

The yard and gardens are winding down.  G of course has been out yanking and pulling and chopping and organizing.  I’m just enjoying the slightly cooler weather, the hint of fall in the air in the mornings and evenings and the changing angles and intensity of the light each day.  I watch the sun change where it rises day by day.  Standing on the back porch a few weeks ago, I pointed at a nearly 45 degree angle from my body with my left hand and there was the sun.  Now, I’m almost pointing straight ahead at the same time of day.  It’s so interesting to watch the seasons change, to feel the oranging of the light as it hits our little bit of the planet at a slightly shallower angle. 

Other creatures are getting ready, too.  The bronze fennel is now host to lots of critters:

We have about four of these big plants now and all of them have the swallowtail caterpillars and ladybugs on them.  The whole yard in that area smells like an Italian restaurant as the day gets warmer.  I should be able to pick my own fennel seed shortly.  Here’s a close up of another butterfly-to-be:

I love the colors and hues as the season winds to a close.  So much warmth.

The apples are picked, Jonathan, McIntosh (my mother’s favorite), Golden Delicious and Ollello’s Gold, specific only to a few orchards around here.  There’ll be pies soon, and crisps and applesauce.  And I picked about 5 pounds of the deepest, purpliest/blueish plums and I’m going to try my hand at crockpot plum jam!  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Happy Fall, ya’ll!

What I Did Today..

First time in 20 years!  The grill is getting ready as I type this…

Just A Puddle…

GS2 called me last night and asked if I’d pick him up from school today and take him to the skate park so he could ride his rip-stick there.  He was bored, he said, of riding it around the cul-de-sac where his apartment is located.  I said I would.  The spring gods smiled on Pueblo today and it was gorgeous, 70’s, sunny, perfect breeze in the air.  We got to the park and I parked myself under some trees so I could watch him but not be so close as to intimidate.  And then, I pulled out the camera.  Sometimes the magic happens when you’re not even watching…

And my personal favorite:

What unexpected magic have YOU seen lately?

Lessening – Half A Gallon

The following is an experience I had on a vision quest 5 years ago on Navajo land in northeastern Arizona:

Imagine a place.  Imagine a place that’s quiet–so quiet that when you don’t move and make noise it feels like you have cotton stuffed in your ears.  A place that is so still you can literally hear an ant crawling across the tarp you’re sitting on.  Imagine being there, alone, with only the few things that you can carry–a tarp for cover, a sleeping bag, a small bag for a little food and water and your journal, the clothes on your back, your drum and rattle.  Imagine when you find this place you have already been searching for it for over a week and when you find it you will be there for three days, alone, outside the reach and call of others, just you, the land and the silence.  Imagine the sun setting on the first night, after seven days of preparation and searching, seven days of sleeping in a tent, carrying your water to drink and brush your teeth.  Imagine stringing your tarp over a cord you stretched between two sturdy branches of an ancient, gnarled cedar tree, wrapping it under you and securing it to the other branches to make almost a C-shaped shelter, open to the east. 

Imagine spreading out your sleeping bag, settling your few things in place, close at hand, sitting down and waiting, watching, listening.  Imagine a tree a few  yards in front of the space you have chosen that looks for all the world like nature sculpted many-armed Shiva from wood, the tree’s natural shape.  Imagine the evening coming, cooling the intense heat of the early summer day.  Imagine the sunset to the west as you watch and rattle, watch and drum, walking your circle.  Imagine the coolness of night dropping over you like a dark blanket, pushing you deeper into the sleeping bag, making you happy for wool socks in June.  Imagine drifting off, finally, first startled then soothed by the soft shushings of creatures and aspen leaves in the night and imagine waking at some unimaginably early/late hour, before dawn, after midnight, time unknown, time left behind with your watch and your clock and everything mechanical that’s somewhere in another dimension.  Imagine getting up to move out of the circle to answer nature’s call and as you step out from under the tarp, there, in the east, so low on the horizon that it could be touching the actual tree tops, hangs the thinnest, hugest, most golden crescent moon you have ever seen in your life.  You can see the dark part of the orb limned in the brilliant illumination of that infinitely narrow, sharp curve.  You could pluck it out of the sky and wear it around your neck if you only stretched out your arm far enough.  All bodily needs forgotten, you stand, transfixed, riveted to the ground, in the enwrapping silence, your body connected to the earth, your spirit soaring into the heavens with the moon and the stars twinkling around it.

Imagine sitting outside your tarp, leaning into a just perfect spot on your tree, watching the sun rise a short time later, listening to the birds wake up, the land come alive, just resting there against the tree, nothing else to do, nowhere else to go.  Imagine closing your eyes and letting the sun warm you from the chilly night before.

Imagine deciding that ten days is just too long to go without water on your body.  Imagine setting your gallon jug of water in the sun as it rises and gets hotter.  After a couple of hours, imagine spreading down a scarf over the cedar needles to keep them from sticking to your feet, stripping off your clothes, and standing naked and alone in the hot June morning sun.  Imagine taking the water jug and sluicing it down over yourself, the sun-heated water feeling like the most luxurious thing you have ever experienced.  Imagine watching the dirt and sweat of ten days run off you in rivulets and the feel of the dry breeze flowing over your skin, sucking off the moisture before it hardly has a chance to make it to your feet.  Imagine drenching yourself with another couple of glugs from the jug, feeling cleaner in that moment than at any other time in your life.  Imagine, then, looking at the jug and realizing for that incredible feeling, that moment of utter delight and cleanliness, you have used exactly one-half gallon of water.  That’s all.

Then, imagine sitting down in the sun to ponder how very, very little we really need to live.

A Little Holiday Cheer

When we were in Vail last month, we found some really cool Christmas lights the night we arrived (Halloween).  It took us much longer to get there than planned because of a horrible accident on I-70 just west of Denver, that kept us sitting in traffic for the better part of 2 hours.  It was full dark by the time we got there, even though I left work 2 hours early.  So much for that.  Anyway, the hotel was lovely (a Living Social deal–do check them out) and the staff gave us a map and recommended a couple of places to eat.  When we stepped out of the hotel door, we saw these lights across the way and were both drawn to them like moths to a flame.  For lack of a better term, the store and the tree outside were covered in lights that seemed to “drip” down like liquid icicles.  When we got closer, we realized the lights were cylinders or tubes that had a vertical series of LED bulbs that lit in descending order, hence the drip effect.  The tubes were from about 7 to 14 inches and the entire set up around the store was just captivating.  The next day we went back and bought some.  They aren’t cheap, but they’re supposed to last damn near forever, so these things will be part of our holiday lighting set up from now on.  I like them just simple–across the front of the porch with another set of LED static lights at the top.  Enjoy!  Oh, and the photo at the bottom I took from the street looking toward the back with the fireworks setting on the camera.  Not bad for a point and shoot, I thought.

Merry Christmas!

Perfusion

Mornings in the garden are just the best. Watching the sun come up, listening to everything come awake for one more beautiful day, another chance to get it right–because you can’t get it wrong, right? The following were taken in the low morning light without flash. The camera makes it seem much lighter than it was, but really the sun wasn’t even up yet.  Managed to get a couple of photos of one of our morning visitors before his/her playmate came and they dashed off together.  If you want to come by for morning coffee, you’re welcome.

The large green mound at the bottom of the photo is a cucumber vine that G trailed up a small, slanted trellis.  We have gotten the most amazing cukes from this one!

Pumpkin in a pot:

I NEVER get tired of seeing them:

The goldfinches love this spot!

Morning. Glory.

When the hummies aren’t at the feeders, they’re in these trumpet vine flowers.  Almost got one, be he was too fast for me.

How can I be in a bad mood when I get to wake up to this every morning?

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Eight Weeks

It just hit me today as I sat here typing my fingers to the bone. My swim is exactly eight weeks from today.  Eight weeks!  Suddenly this whole crazy thing is becoming real.  In two days less than eight weeks, I will be on the streets of San Francisco looking out over the water I will attempt to conquer on Saturday, September 17, 2011.  Man.  That started a few flutters, let me tell you.

It’s all serious now.  I’ve slacked off lately, letting heat and new friends pull me away from my diligence.  I can’t do that any more. I’ve got to be focused and I’ve got to work on getting myself in the best shape I can before this thing goes off.  That doesn’t mean I have to swim every day, but I do have to train every day. This place is where I registered and they have a ton of great training tips for swimming, triathlons, cross-training, you name it.

I have to put my mind back into this.  I have to not let the fear conquer me. Oh, yes, there’s fear.  I think I’d be pretty stupid if there wasn’t.  But it’s not debilitating and I haven’t mentioned it before because, well, just because.  Maybe I don’t want to be seen as weak, maybe I didn’t want to let it talk me out of going forward, whatever.  I have to acknowledge that the pain I’m feeling in my shoulder is the result of fear–an “out” if you will. Oh, I can’t swim, my shoulder hurts too much, etc.  No. That’s not happening.  This swim is going on and I am damn well going to be in the mix of it.  That’s all there is to it. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything remotely like this, i.e. a competitive event with other people.  I’ve done lots of things that were competitive with myself, but always in a solitary setting.  Just being around a lot of other people is going to be unsettling, not to mention jumping off that damn boat.

But I will do it.  By God, yes I will.  So, in eight weeks, this will be me out there, and I will get to the shore in the allotted time, and then there will be much rejoicing!

Keep me in your thoughts!

GG

Going, Going…

Monday, 3:10 p.m. here in Pueblo. For me, that means its….FRIDAY!!!  Let the celebration begin!  However, after Thursday’s fabulous foodie indulgence, I will NOT be doing much drinking between now and September. That dinner really did me in.  I was a complete blob on Friday and did not even manage to get up early enough on Saturday for either a bike ride OR a walk.  Plus my neck/shoulder has been acting up again.  I’ve been babying it.  G has this wonderful moist-heat heating pad, so for the last couple of days I’ve been wearing it at work while I type and taking ibuprofen. I had a good massage on Weds. evening from a student at the local college and I’ve been trying to stretch without over-stretching.  The other shoulder pain I was feeling has diminished, so that’s good, I guess.  My trapezius muscle will be my downfall.

It’s also been very hot this week.  We all know how I feel about the heat. Plus, the swamper went out on us. The last electrical/mechanical thing that hasn’t gone belly up this year and, oh, sorry, HELOOO, belly up.  We have a window unit in the kitchen and G borrowed another one from a friend to see if we just want to go with a 2nd one instead of replacing the swamper motor or doing central air. I’m not a huge fan of central air b/c I love opening the windows at night when it’s cool.

So, after the major heat of the day (after about 6 p.m.), I’m heading out to swim this afternoon.  Tomorrow we’ll have the boys (or just one as the older one now likes to stay home) in the morning while my daughter goes to court to get her divorce finalized. Then I have an appointment at the eye doc. I MUST get new glasses.  My eyes are changing rapidly, especially the left one. I can hold my glasses about 6 inches away from my eyes and then everything comes together in great focus.  When they’re on, my left eye has a real problem.  Gotta bite the bullet. 

Wednesday the plan is for another morning swim, then I have to get my head together to plan my part of the menu for 4th of July at B and M’s place.  I’m off on Monday which give me a 3 day weekend, yay!  I’m contributing my grits and green chile casserole (yes I’ll take pictures) and a great napa slaw a la Bobby Flay (more pictures).

In the meantime I have to get some work done on my 2nd (first written) book and try to make a face to face meeting with a police detective to pick his or her brain.  One guy did answer some questions over the phone, but the more I write, the more questions I have. Our little writing group seems to have disbanded but friend G and I are going to attempt to be a group of two and see how that goes for a while.  If you have any suggestions or challenges you’d like to see me tackle here, fire away!

Now it’s time for more heat, another ibu and something to eat before I hit the water.

TTFN!

 

Hurdle Cleared

Yesterday, I took the plunge.  Had the wetsuits for a week, so I had to work up the guts and finally get into the reservoir also known as Lake Pueblo. After work, we took off to the place where friend Peggy showed us. Unfortunately, that particular place was full of afternoon fisher folk; not a great place to change my clothes, even though there was a blocked off boat ramp where I could have just walked into the water.  So, back in the car and drove a bit further.  And found the perfect spot–a little cove/inlet with a slightly rocky slope, leading into a shallow portion that quickly dropped off to deeper.  There were a few young women on the other side kayaking, so I felt comfortable at once. 

Parked the car and started the ordeal of dressing.  First, off with the clothes and on with the suit.  I wanted to start from the skin out, just to see how long it would take.  For the last week or so, I’ve been sticking pretty closely to 2000 calories a day or fewer, and I can say, even a week has made a difference.  Got my suit on as usual, then got the “hoodie” shirt on, pulled all the way down over my hips. Then started with the wetsuit, turned half inside-out the way the guy at the sports shop showed me.  That works SO much better because it gives you something to hold on to and you can get the whole thing pulled up higher on your legs before starting on the body.  This time, the thing actually went over my backside fairly easily!  I was psyched already.  Then the arms and getting it zipped up the back and viola, there I was! A swimming sausage!  G had some water shoes so I put them on and walked down the slope to the water.

I was nervous.  I won’t lie.  I’ve been nervous about going into the reservoir for a lot of reasons, but when I finally put my feet in (and it was COLD), and started wading out, I knew I had picked exactly the right gear.  I splashed the water on my arms and face to acclimate, and worked on finding my orientation in the water with the suit on.  It completely changes your buoyancy. I already have no trouble floating, in fact, I CAN’T sink no matter how hard I try, but the suit made me float in a different orientation, like a turtle on its back.  But eventually, I got situated and started to swim.  Everything worked!  The hood kept the water off my neck AND out of my ears. Having my arms free was great. I will need different goggles, but the ones I have will do for now.  I was worried I’d lose G’s water shoes, but managed to keep them on.  I swam back and forth several times, trying to figure out how to keep landmarks in sight, etc.  G is a great coach but she’s going to need a whistle because I can’t hear her voice even when she yells when my head is under water.  Most of all, I SWAM!  In the reservoir!  And the report from just a couple of days ago said the surface temp was 55 degrees which is about the same as the SF Bay, so I am GOLDEN.  I will be going out several afternoons a week now to swim in that little place.  I’m so excited!  Getting over that first hurdle was a big thing.  Now I know I really AM going to do that damn swim in the bay even if someone has to push me off the boat. 

Yes!

Happy Memorial Day weekend…

After The Storm

Tuesday morning was perfect spring, as you saw below.  After we laid all the soaker hoses and got pretty much all the garden planted, we went for lunch at our favorite pub for the best burgers anywhere. Tuesdays are 2-for-1 burger days, so even better.

By the time we got done eating, we left under rainy skies mixed with large blobs of snow/sleet which had morphed into a slow, much-needed drizzle by the time we got home.  Then it stopped and we just had overcast skies for an hour or so.  A couple of friends dropped by to get some veggie plants/flowers since we always have an excess and in the 30 minutes or so that they were there, the temperature dropped a good 20 degrees, the wind kicked up and the rain came down again.  Afterwards, the sun came out just in time to bathe everything in amazing light.

Whenever I am cross, upset, down, at odds with myself or with life in general, all I have to do is go outside and look around.  I am so blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  May I always remember this and follow my own advice.