November grew wings

"Cornstalks from last summer's garden now lean toward the kitchen window, and the November wind goes through them in a shudder.  Their thin tassels spread out beseeching fingers, and their long bleached blades flutter like ragged clothing." ~ Rachel Peden

Taking down those cornstalks is still on the  “to do list”.  Time is passing to quickly to get everything done.  The fact that Thanks giving is only two weeks away is astounding.  It will be a busy two weeks for sure but the weather is expected to get better which should help.  #2 daughter is jaunting off to Florida with her senior class so will be of no help for most of time….#2 son better step up and do more than eat to help out.

The chickens I purchased in the spring have started laying so I am enjoying the bounty.  The ducks even started laying again.  Thankfully there will be enough for all the holiday baking and eggnog.

 The Christmas cactus seems to be in line with the stores and is trying to rush the holidays…

My body is finally adjusted to the time change.  I appreciate the extra light in the morning while doing chores even while not liking the early evenings.  The ice on the water buckets outside the barn keeps getting thicker with each passing day.  The snow that made matters worse for the hardest hit areas of Sandy missed us entirely.  But it will only be a matter of time before the white  stuff pays us a visit.  I hope it is not a hard winter since there are almost no berries left on the barberry for the birds.  The acorns, while numerous, all fell during the storm and if we get snow with ice it will be hard for the deer to get to them.  I have held off feeding the birds for fear of the bear but they are flying into the barn and raiding the chickens bulk feeder during the day.

Inside the house I have knit a Thomas the Tank hat for a friend’s grandson and I have been spinning.  I got hooked on a book so fiber arts took a back seat until I finish it. 

And canning will be put away until after the holidays.  I just finished 9 pints of steak sauce and all the paraphernalia will go down into the basement and out of site.

For my own reference I will add this years list

Product                  Quart     Pint         ½ pint     ¼ pint

Strawberry/  

Rhubarb Jam                        7              3

Strawberry/

Apple Jam                              5              4

Onion Relish                         1              5

Mustard Butter                     7

Brown Mustard                     10

Apple Jelly                             19            5

Mango/Peach                       2              3

Strawberry Jam                    5

Mixed fruit Jam                    5

Apple/Currant Jelly              4

Taco Soup                      7      14

Chicken stock                        28            1

Kidney Beans                        11    17

Onion Soup                           11

Steak Sauce                           17            3

Chocolate Syrup                    5              5

Apple Pie Filling           19

Rhubarb/

Lemon Concentrate              14            4

Wine Jelly                              1              4

Sweet Tea Jelly                      5              1

Lemonade Concent.     1      9

Straw/Lemon Concent.        6

Black Beans                           12

Lard                               8      3

Blackberry Jelly                    29            4

Blkby/Lem Concent.             8

Rhubarb Pie Filling     15    1

Bottled Hell                           8              6              1

Green Beans                  15    50

Pickled Beets                         6

Salsa                               13    30

Cowboy Candy              2      15

Elderbry/Blkbry Jelly           2              1

Elderberry Jelly                     4              2

Tomatoes                       51    7

Mango Jam                           1              6

Carrots                           4      24

Blk Cherry Pie                1      4

Straw/Kiwi Jam                    2              5

Mushroom Soup                    12            1

Mango Chutney                    7              2

Grape Jelly                             2              3

Grape Juice                    11

Vege Mix                         19    2

Grape/Elderbry Jelly                            2              2

BBQ Sauce                             8

Tomato Soup                         11

Cuke Relish                            7

Pear Jam                                               6              2

Jalapeno Pickle Relish        2              3

V8                                    10    2

Carrot Cake Jam                   2              4

Pears                               1                      1

Maple Syrup                   7

Pepper Jelly                            4              5

Pinto beans                   7

Pinto W/ jalapeno        3

Red Raspbry Jam                  5              8              2

Banana Butter                                     8     

Green Tomato Relish            12

Pumpkin Butter                    7              6

Sumr Squash                         7      9

Grn Tomato slices         5

Butternut squash          5

Sauerkraut                    12    6

Baked beans                          19

Chili Sauce                            6              1

Chix dipping sauce      1      5              2

Swt Potatoes                  14

Apple Butter                          6              4

Cardamon Pear Butter        3              11            2

Salted Caramel

Pear/Apple Butter                 4              3

Along with all the frozen broccoli, corn, zucchini, rhubarb, and apples

I tried a lot of new things this year.  The kids love all the different lemonade concentrates and they are so easy to make.   I am trying to can the mundane everyday things like mustard, bbq sauce…just need to find a good ketchup recipe.  The convenience of buying dried beans and canning them is great and I will continue to do so.  I would have liked to have canned potatoes like I did last year because they came in handy in a rush situation…maybe after the holidays.

For now I best get moving as the kids will be home in less than two hours. I can't let them find me sitting idlely by after I tell them how hard I work!