Sometimes letting go means just clearing out your closet and letting go of some clothes you will NEVER wear again, whether it is due to size or just not like the garment anymore! I just did this a couple weeks ago, hauled it all out, dumped it all out on the bed and went through it piece by piece. The local thrift store got three bags full and I am hopeful that someone will be able to make good use of my castoffs. I have, myself, purchased items at the thrift store and know you can find some good things there.

Recently, letting go meant retiring from my ‘day job’ after a lot of years of working. As my husband and I have been raising our little granddaughter I made the decision to retire and be home with her. Retiring also allows me more time to pursue my creative projects.

Letting go also means letting go of things that bother you, especially if they are things that really, in the great scheme of things, do not matter anyhow. Little annoyances are not worth hanging onto. You know the dresser drawers left open or the dishes not put back exactly where you might have put them, or your clothes folded in a different way. What matters is that your spouse, or significant other, thought to even fold the clothes or put the dishes away.

Hold on………..to the special things in life: hugs, kisses, loving family, good friends, laughter, tears, even the frustrations that you ended up laughing at!! Life is way too short to spend it worrying about things you can do nothing about so enjoy the good stuff.

And remember: “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain”, author unknown.

This photo is of flowers and grasses from our front yard just yesterday. The grass is (I think) called Zebra grass and has these lovely plumes atop the very tall grass. I am wondering how one can preserve the gorgeous fully opened plumes? Maybe hairspray?? If anyone knows I would love to hear your ideas.

I harvested the last squash and pumpkins from the garden yesterday and also reaped some more green tomatoes and a few more ripe Sun Sugar ones as well.

The gardening season is winding down quickly now and I must get out there and clean up the area in prep for next season. This cleaning up part is NOT my favorite part of gardening but is a necessary evil so to speak.
I know once I get started that it really won’t take all that long and I will love the results.

The grass in the yard will get it’s final mowing of the year a little later today – it is just a bit damp from cool temps last night and the damp grass clogs up the mower! I must go visit the nursery and see about ordering a Weeping Birch for our yard. I have just the spot for it and have wanted one (or two) forever! I know that they will grow here as there are several around town and they are beautiful trees to behold. They also make me think of my Mom (thought don’t need much of anything to prompt thoughts of her-yarn, flowers, trees, shrubs, sewing…..all provide great memories) as she grew one at her place in Halfway, Oregon that was just fabulous!!!

In just about a week and a half all four of us sisters will be getting together for our annual October gathering. We will report back on that a little later. Going rock hounding, exploring and just generally enjoying each others company for a few days.

Hope everyone is enjoying the fall colors and the crispness in the air!

From our front yard!

Corn Relish

Corn on the Cob

Whole Kernel Canned Corn

CORN!!!

Today I have made corn relish, whole kernel canned corn and also frozen up a bunch of corn on the cob to enjoy later in the year. We bought the corn from a local farmer in Hagerman, Idaho while we were down there enjoying some r & r in our motorhome.  This corn was picked fresh Saturday(yesterday) morning just for us!

Lemon Thyme Butter cubes – sorry they are a little difficult to see here but trust me they smell divine!

Yes it is the season for preserving, canning, freezing, and drying things from our garden.

Even though I have been at this pretty much all day long – it’s okay because I enjoy it. My husband helped with shucking the corn and helping find space in the freezer to put the ‘on the cob’ packages once they were all vacuum sealed! I put a pat of butter inside each pkg of ‘on the cob’ corn so when we want fresh corn, we just put the whole bag in the microwave and set it for about 3 minutes and enjoy.

There will be more to come from the garden as the squash are just about read to be harvested along with three or four big pumpkins. I need to go out and snip a few more herbs as well for drying. Oh yes almost forgot I combined softened butter with a couple different herbs and have them freezing into cubes so we can just throw them in with whatever we are going to fix for dinner and we’ll have a fresh flavor. Am going to try some olive oil and herbs in the cubes as well and will report on that later.

As promised pictures of my efforts in the Elfhaus Kitchen this weekend! There is green tomato/pepper relish and pear mincemeat!  Had an ah-ha moment when getting ready to simmer the toms/peppers – according to the recipe was to put 1 teaspoon of pickling spice in a cheesecloth bag and drop in pot with the veggies , well as I could not locate my cheesecloth readily I thought hmmmm why not use my little tea diffuser?  It worked like a charm so file that for future use.  The flowers are just because!  Poppies, Mexican Tarragon (yellow flowers) and German Basil for the greenery and awesome scent! The “vase” is actually an old aluminum glass with a cute design embossed on it, found this in some of our Mom’s things a few months back.

green tomato/pepper relish

Pear Mincemeat

Just for pretty

Summer is nearly officially over – sigh I will miss it! However I do love the changing seasons and look forward to them all each year. Honestly I can not imagine living where the weather stays the same all year round. There is such a renewal in the changing of the seasons. One must find different clothes to wear, there are different types of food available at different times (fresh stuff I mean, not the normal grocery store items) and different activities to partake in.

Our garden was awesome this year and has provided us with lots of fresh veggies and herbs. I am trying some new things with herbs and as of late have dried several types (so far – German Basil, German Oregano, and Hot/Spicy Oregano) and have more to go. Also have combined fresh herbs with olive oil and with wine vinegar and will see how those work out.

We have lots of green tomatoes, which sadly I don’t think are going to ripen as the weather just is not cooperating, so with that in mind I am researching different recipes in which to use the green toms! We love fried green tomatoes so will likely make some of those. Have found some recipes to try including green tomatoe jam, mincemeat, relishes etc.

If you don’t can and preserve, you oughta try it sometime! It is fun and so rewarding not to mention SOOOOOO good later in the winter when good fresh items are hard to find. Happy Fall everyone.

Check it out on Some of our Favorites ~ Random Recipes

It is a beautiful day in Southwestern Idaho. Just above 50 degrees, sunny, only a light breeze (that is a miracle in itself)blowing.

Bulbs are popping up all over and some brave little flowers are already blooming. Love this time of year.  My sis-in-love(law) and I bought some primroses a couple weekends back whilst on a shopping trip in Boise and they are looking lovely on our front porch. So bright and cheerful that they make me smile!

Treated all my indoor plants to some TLC today added soil where needed, repotted some, repositioned, etc etc etc. Had been needing to do for some time and today was the day, also cleaned off and reorganized the bakers rack in our breakfast nook area that could barely be seen for all the crud that had parked itself there – well yes I know the stuff did not get there by itself but you know how it goes.

Planning on upgrades to the garden area , thinking to put down landscape cloth everywhere there is not a raised bed and putting some type of mulch on top of so won’t have to mow in there anymore.  Considering the mulch made from old tires as it would last forever I think. Must research on price and availability and try to figure out just how much we might need.

We are going to put in at least two more raised beds this spring so must also get the materials for that project.  Yup its all work but is SO worth it when we are eating fresh veggies from our garden!!!

Might try the growing spuds in a box type planter with straw and dirt…..eldest sis is trying this and it sounds like a great way to have some taters without needing a whole garden just for them.

So off to outside for whatever strikes my fancy I think.

Hope everyone is having a super day, whatever you may be doing.

Sometimes you get some good deals you just weren’t even expecting!

I ordered some soap making supplies the other day. Some new scents to try and some new molds. You see my two elder sisters want some “manly” type soaps and some “lady” ones for some spring occasions they are planning.

So went on e-bay found some cool stuff and ordered. Few days later I received an email from one of the vendors saying they thought they shipped me the wrong order and would be sending the right one and for me to keep the wrong stuff. Confused yet?  LOL   So just yesterday I received two boxes from the same place and yup got what I ordered plus a box of other molds that I did not order. Yeah so cool, great molds and no repeats of what I ordered.

I will definately be ordering from this company again, just because of great customer service not because I received free stuff. I thought it was awesome that they emailed and let me know.

So now I will have some fun with them – well when get a bit of free time………………….. you all know how that goes. And just what is free time anyhow?  Well for me it is just time that is not already spoken for by work or housework, or my embroidery business.  So truly it is NOT free time but available time and goodness knows there is not enough of it.

Each time I boil eggs I think of my Dad! Why on earth you might ask? Well I always remember that he was the one to taught me that when the boiling time is over you then rinse the eggs (still in the pan) under cold water , dump the water, repeat and then shake the pan to crack the shells and then cover with cold water for a bit…………they are ever so much easier to peel! And he was so right and I always do it that way.

Cutting wood is another Dad thought provoker as it seems as kids we were always helping with the wood cutting chores. Dad did all the actual cutting -when the chainsaw was required – but we did lots of hauling and stacking.  I loved the sound of that chainsaw – heaven knows why but I did, perhaps because it meant nice warm fires in the heating and cooking stoves (note that sometimes those two were the same stove depending upon where we lived at the time) and yummy items for meals.

My sister Ruth carries on Dad’s woodworking tradition and whenever I am in her shop the Dad thoughts come rushing along as well.  Wood shavings, boards, nails, and all the paraphanelia and smells that go along with wooodworking bring back lots of pleasant memories.

Then of course there is the music! Dad and I shared many hours of making music. Dad loved to write poems many of which were put to music. I actually recorded two of his songs many years ago in Nashville on a 45 record! What fun that was.  Our whole family would sit around and sing along with Dad as he played his guitar and Mom played her comb. Ah the memories are priceless!!!!

Our youngest put a comment on FB earlier that said. “I think I will just get on the thankful train”    and then proceeded to tell some things he is thankful for.  Awesome!!!   We all need to board the ‘thankful train’ alot more often than we probably do.   There are so many things to be thankful for and I know they certainly outweigh everything else if we just think about it a bit.

I am very thankful for family, friends, a roof over my head, food on the table, and clothes on my back. I am thankful for the seasons, the changes in weather and the awesomeness of nature which never fails to have me in awe!

I am thankful that I grew up in a close knit family who cherishes the simple things in life and who are ever creative and so very supportive of one another.

I am thankful for my husband who is my biggest fan in whatever endeavors I take on, even though he may think I have ‘lost it’ at times. LOL

And last but not least I am thankful for the Lord who is always there keeping me out of harms way and leading me in the right direction. Yes I know I can be stubborn but he keeps nudging me along.

Choo choo choo the Thankful Train is chugging along, GET ON IT!!!