From the breakfast table I spy the young oak turning yellow. Its acorns are pretty well cleaned off now by the squirrels and jays. 
The squirrel has done his business furtively, quietly, scampering back and forth from stash to tree, day after day.
The jays, on the other hand, have squabbled and fought over their share,
leaving a mess of caps on the front walk…
Meanwhile I have done my own bit of squirreling things away– gathering pine needles for winter-time basket making. Presumably one day these foot-long needles will stop falling and winter will have come. I’ll be armed for long evenings…
I’m collecting dainty scotch pine cones too. Who knows, they might be just the thing for Christmas décor…
The air is cold this morning, the sun still warm. Plums and pears that will not keep I’ve turned to butter—brown and spicy…
And then there are those roadside apples I spy every time we cycle by. We headed out to pick them today after our ride. Yay! We beat the bears to this tree.
And we shall have pie (I’m actually gobbling it as I post this), and sauce, and apples to munch as we watch the days shorten and whisper that winter is coming…
There’s a hint of melancholy in this turning of the seasons.
Thank God for flowers boldly blooming still!
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Gen.8:22
–LS
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Eccl.3:1
Well, hi there! Love your photos and the sound of that plum/pear butter! I've been dehydrating our plums, but this sounds like a good alternative. (Is there a recipe??). I'm very intrigued by those foot-long needles, and hope you'll share pics of your projects. I hope you're still enjoying the interior. Miss you!
Hi Kathy–The 'recipe' is to Vita-Mix the pitted plums complete with skins and the peeled pears (fewer pears than plums) and to cook down the whole mash adding sugar to taste (I think I used golden brown; dark brown would be yummy!). For spices, ummm cinnamon, cloves, allspice and a touch of nutmeg in generous quantities. There. I think that recipe qualifies me as a bona-fide Grandma! (I used to marvel at how Grandmas never seemed to need recipes….)
The baskets are fun. I learn a little something new with each one. The four pictured are my first four, starting with the one on the right with bits of calendula blossoms in it (for making a skin salve)… These needles are amazing and smell so good. Such a happy tactile way to engage extra time.
We miss Powell River and we miss having friends at hand, like you. But we are well and assured that we're where we need to be for now. Thanks for the note. ( :
Amazing baskets!! What a great skill you have! And thanks so much for the recipe. I may try that with the many pears I have, and the few plums I haven't done anything with, yet ;).