Third Time Raking

  When I came back from doing laps in the neighbor's lane, Tom was raking leaves on the north side of the house. It's a big project so I grabbed a rake and began to help. We've been at it for hours (we broke for lunch) and decided that that was enough for today.

 There's still plenty of leaves in the trees - though mostly the lower limbs - so our work is not done. In fact we'll  also be making more work on Thursday when we clean out the gutters. Why Thursday? It's supposed to be sunny and 80°. That'll be hard to beat. I'm usually fishing soggy leaves out of the gutter that are half frozen.

 The past two days have given us over two inches of rain and we didn't want to leave the thick mat of leaves on the lawn any longer than necessary. We've raked twice before this season but there always seem to be more in a day or two.

 After finishing the north lawn, Tom wanted to keep going so we moved to the south lawn nearest the house. The other south lawn, nearest the neighbor's lane, only has a hackberry dropping leaves and those seem to blow away on their own.

 Atop the kitchen roof are plenty more leaves. And the lower branches of the maple are surely not bare. But a leaf picked up is a leaf that doesn't need to be picked up again. These were wet leaves, heavy to move, but we carried them to the garden where we'll turn  them into the soil before winter arrives if the weather permits. They're great, free mulch.

 Here's a view of the garden. It's probably buried under a foot of leaves in places. In  the foreground is Tom's tree nursery. We have them growing in the garden until they're large enough to move to a final spot. We have them in wire cages as some protection from the deer.

 So our fall work continues and I suppose it won't be quite finished until the first snow flakes fly.

Bill's Cornbread

  I love cornbread and I often buy a box of my favorite commercial mix: Krusteaz Honey Cornbread. It couldn't be easier, needs very little added and I think the taste and texture are the best of any I've tried.

 But sometimes I want to make my own. If for no other reason, it's cheaper.

 I usually follow the directions on the box of corn meal. I buy Kroger's brand. I'm happy with their cornmeal but I've never been satisfied with the recipe. I wanted something cornier and something sweeter.

 So today I made a pan that I modified.

Bill's Cornbread

• 1-1/4 cups cornmeal
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

 I baked this in a greased 8" square glass pan at 400° for 25 minutes. During the final two minutes or so, I turned my boiler on high and rotated the pan half-way through. This browns the top better.

There's plenty of disagreement about what makes great cornbread. I've always preferred what's considered a "northern" version: sweeter and perhaps a little more cake-like. Here's an interesting discussion. Cracker Barrel's, in my opinion, is more of the "southern" variety.

This recipe is much closer to my ideal cornbread. I wanted more of a corn taste, a texture that is more yellow, and I certainly wanted it sweeter. This answers to all those desires.

Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings

  When Bob and I were kids, Mom always knew to make apple dumplings if she wanted to give us a real treat. I haven't attempted it since she died but with the apple season in full swing, I thought it was about time I gave it a shot.

 Tom and I stopped by Crossroad Orchard in Miamisburg a few days ago. Sadly they were marked "closed for the season". Not to be discouraged, we drove to Meijer's and found more apples than we'd know what to do with. We picked a variety of six beautiful Michigan apples (total cost $1.58). Each was tagged and I suppose I should have kept track of which apple dumpling was which ... but I didn't.

 The apples I used were Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Rome, Empire and Jonathan. Just chose tart or sweet apples according to your taste.

 I used the recipe in Mom's Mennonite Community Cookbook. It's posted on the web here.

 Before I even began, I invested in an Oxo Apple Corer. I'd highly recommend this model. The stainless steel "blade" cuts into the apple easily and the core just slides out without effort. Apparently Mom used to use a knife but I prefer not to handle sharp objects in this way (plus I'm a klutz).

 It's less than $10 and available at Amazon by clicking here.

 The core is small enough not to waste much of the apple. I suppose a few seeds might be left behind but they can be easily removed while eating the dumpling. I remember Mom missing a few seeds so it'll be like old times. As for the peelings, Tom ate those.

 This is how the dry ingredients look after the shortening has been cut in. It's a little crumbly. Then the milk is added and the mixture worked a bit with the fingers then poured out on a pastry cloth to roll.

 Note: I found 1/2 cup of milk insufficient, I ended up using 3/4 cup to get the mixture damp enough to clump together and work. I also used a whole teaspoon of cinnamon and that seems right to me. I did not use any nutmeg.

 Here's the cored apples in the greased pan (above) ready for the sauce to be added. Keep the openings to the core accessible since some of the sauce should be poured into them.

 Now, with the sauce added, the apple dumplings are ready for the oven.

 I baked them for 35 minutes but when I make them again I'll  use the 40 minute suggestion. These were large apples and while they are certainly baked, they're also a bit more firm than I would choose.

 The finished dumplings look beautiful. As you can see, the dough retracted a bit in spots but I like the rustic look it gives them. I wasn't striving for perfection.

 Upon serving, the sauce in the pan can be used to baste the dumpling further. I'll store them in the refrigerator and microwave them a bit just before serving.

Halloween Entertainment

  Tom and I walk the neighbor's lane many days and today we were treated to some Halloween entertainment.

 I first saw this dark object in the distance, black fabric dancing in the breeze. It's just good the day was well begun because I wouldn't have wanted to come upon this in the dark!

 Having completed a length and started back out the lane, this foot was embedded in a tree trunk.

 Pinehaven is in the distance on the far left among the stand of trees.

 Finally there was this witch, crashed face-first into a power pole. The white hair, moving in the wind, made it seem that much more real.

 Halloween decorations courtesy of the Erisman family. They had a final fall party last evening.

Fall Colors Peak

  I figured our extreme dryness (only 0.75" in the last 40 days) would put an end to any hope of a colorful autumn. It's been too warm. But I was wrong.

09/30

 By the end of September some promising golds began to show on the maples. This shot is of the late day sun shining through limbs of the maple nearest the kitchen window (north of the house).

10/01

 A look at the south side of the house showed equal promise, especially the large maple on the left.

10/01

 Here's a closer look at the  same tree. The top areas in particular were beginning to go gold.

10/08

 A week later and this same tree, now viewed from the second floor bathroom window, was awash with brilliant colors. Even without looking out a window, the golden hue permeates the house, as though there is a nearby fire. It is beautiful but it is also a bit frightening. How can anything so deep green suddenly switch to this shade? If we had never seen fall colors before, we'd drop everything and cry.

10/08

 Same tree again - now from ground level -  shows its carotenoid pigments. The chlorophyll is gone for this year. The colors are a science to themselves.

10/08

 As I start back the neighbor's lane for my daily laps. Pinehaven sits chilled in the early morning air while the trees all stoke the fire.

10/08

 The north maple - looking up from ground level - still holds most of its green and gold leaves. But not for long, I'll wager. Give them a week and the tree will stand bare until next April.

10/08

 This maple is at it's golden peak. It will soon darken and  drop its leaves, almost overnight. Tom and I will man rakes and complete our yard work for another season.

10/10

 And two days later, the darkening has begun. Of course the sky is cloudy, too, and that deepens the final shade. It is a hint of the short days, the darker days of winter to come. But for these few final moments, we attend a magic show, science doling out its hidden liquids that were there all the time.

 The rabbit was already in the hat.