October 24, 2011



JB's shop stove
warming it up!



Almost 6 lbs of rose hips



JB got his shop stove all piped in and working on Sunday.  It didn't take long for it to start warming up in there.  Meanwhile, I walked down the road about 1/2 a mile to start picking rose hips.  Didn't take long at all to get almost six pounds.  It definately took me longer to walk down and back up again than it did to pick them.  Half of the hips are the size of cherries!  The dogs thought it was great fun and so did I.  It was one of those days I really felt akin to my maternal Grandmother.  She was born in Germany and raised in Switzerland on the shores of Lake Lucerne surrounded by the Swiss Alps.  Her Father built hotels in Germany and Switzerland.  The one she grew up in is still a working hotel, Hotel Albana in Weggis.  She actually used to yodel for me and I loved it!  She passed away when I was only twelve.

I also had plenty of time to split all the wood stacked at the splitter which was two big loads.  I figure maybe five or six more loads ought to fill the woodshed.  JB was upset that I was doing anything with the wood on Sunday, but once we get it to the splitter, the hard part is done.  Splitting and stacking is not that labor intensive.  JB took a wheel barrow load of the short pieces of wood I had set aside for him to the shop.  He is all set now and just in time for our coldest weather of the season so far which is supposed to settle today in through Wednesday.  We will probably cut more wood today since it is supposed to be dry.  Sunday had a thin overcast most of the day with some sun breaks but the temperature did get up to 48.  It may stay in the 30's today.

JB forgot to put pieces of wood against the shop door Saturday night.  It was very windy and the door was making noises all night.  Next time he forgets, I told him he is going out, no matter how late it is, to make it quiet!

When I got out the booklet from the canning class I took last year, I realized that I have enough rose hips to make one half-pint jar of jam for every one of my friends and relatives, including all my cousins in Switzerland whom I've never met!  And there are so many more rose hips out there that I didn't pick.  There has got to be something else I can do with them.  Well anyway, last year I followed the recipe for raspberry jam, as was suggested, but this year I am going to make the specific rose hip recipe.  I don't have the lemons it calls for so today I will make the puree and then buy the lemons when I go Down There on Friday.

In the days before I actually when picking the rose hips, my City Mind kicked into gear insisting that it was much easier to just go to the store and buy jam.  Why to go all the trouble of picking and canning?!  Well, Mountain Mama overrulled, fortunately.  Just when I think I am completely out of my City Mind, it pops up again.

Thought for the day: First I was Young.  Then I was Middle Aged.  Now I am Wonderful!