Fall…Finally

Fall finally showed up here in Upstate NY. Fall is definitely my favorite season. I mean, I love all seasons. I love that we live some place where you get to experience all the seasons. But Fall. I love Fall. The colors. The smells. The light. The crispness in the air. The sky. You are putting things to bed and getting ready to bundle up for the winter. The knitting. I love it all.

Some of my favorite things about fall: pumpkins, butternut squash, pears, soups, stews. You name it I pretty much love it! So far I’ve picked about 8 pounds of pears. On the pear agenda are: Apple and Pear Chutney; Pear Ginger Conserve; Chunky Pear Preserves with Sage; Sweet Pear Caramel; and Pear Cranberry Chutney. Thankfully I have a free source for pears. Stay tuned for more details! I did learn that you have to pick the pears and then let them ripen inside. Pears always ripen from the inside out so by the time they are ripe on the tree, it’s actually too late. Interesting stuff!

I’ve already lined the porch with pumpkins. I’ve put out some decorations. I changed the front door wreath. I need to make a couple more fall decorations and then that part will be complete.

As I’m writing this I have a double batch of tomato jam on the stove which has cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. It’s smells very fallish inside. I also have enough tomatoes for a double batch of Spicy Tomato Chutney as well.

I’ve been knitting like crazy too. I have 3 hats finished and ready for the online store. I just need to snap some photos this week and then I should have them all ready. I sold another hat. Be on the lookout for a knitting update! I have so many things I want to knit now that the weather is cooler and it’s now ‘knitting weather’. Did you know knitters gauge things by ‘knitting weather’. It’s true. It’s a ‘thing’.

We changed the living room furniture and bought a new rug that has browns, blues, and greens in it. I’m calling it the clubhouse, but it’s actually very reminiscent of fall as well. I don’t have any pictures, but you’ll have to take my word for it!

Our fishing season is winding down here at the lodge as well. It’s time for vacations and then relaxing for the winter. I had a job interview last week for a part time job at a busy community college near us. That would be a fun gig for the winter (it’s only for the fall and spring semesters). The people seemed really great and the library was definitely very busy. I like that. I would be doing reference and some instructional stuff. I like it. As I said in my interview over and over, “I like a challenge”, and this is a challenge I could get behind 100%.

What else? Chickens have been free ranging a lot. That’s been good for them. They’re starting their fall molt. I’ve been using the tractor a lot which I love! The garden is still producing some tomatoes so I haven’t put everything to bed yet. We’re going to Cape Cod next week with stop over in NYC on the way back. That means I get to visit the LL Bean outlet too. And then we’ll pretty much be done with everything and can enjoy some quiet time for a few months. I’m looking forward to it! How about you?