Autumn snacks

Here are a few of my efforts in the last few days. Pictured are pumpkin pie from the $1 pumpkins at Viking, chocolate chip oat bars, and jalapeno-cheese bread from Judy's big bag of jalapenos she harvested from her garden.

Afternoon nap

The weather is cold and dismal today, so everyone decided to take a nap. Notice that the cats "nap" with at least one eye open!

Apple season

It's the annual apple harvest and so that means apple pie season. So far I've made 3 pies this week, and today Dad brought over 2 buckets of apples from Ski Hi, courtesy of Katya-Kate's labors (they were windfalls). I gave him one of the pies (he loooves apple pie) and instructed him to give some to Katya-Kate also. The apples are mostly Cortland and McIntosh, I think. They should be good for both cooking and eating. Here's a picture of a "Siamese apple" and a few more from the bunch.

Today was a rainy and dreary day, so I took the opportunity to cook. I had bought a pumpkin for $1 at the grocery store, and I used half of it for pumpkin sambar, and I made a pumpkin pie with some more. There is still almost half a pumpkin left. If the pie turns out well, I'll make some more. It's hard to beat the price, per pound. I'll save some of the seeds and plant them next year.

Mazda3

Here is the newest member of our family. The Mitsubishi is destined to live out a quiet retirement in the great Northwoods with Cousin Dan and Uncle Jim.

One Last Shot

Ned tells Ani how much he missed him today. This nuzzling session goes on for about 5 minutes every evening.

Finished kulchas

Here is the finished product.

Channeling Grandma Daisy

Today I tried an old-fashioned recipe that my great-grandma probably made. We have a spiny flowering quince bush outside the front door and this year it bore several bunches of fruit. I read up on the quince, which is a relative of the apple and probably predates the apple in Europe. They are quite sour and hard, and require cooking to be used. It seemed that the best thing to do with it was to make jam. So I made a small jar of quince jam and harvested the dozens of seeds inside. I also posted the quince seeds on Freecycle and got a taker for them right away.

I also made some onion kulcha dough for this evening. Grandma Daisy never made kulcha, I'm sure, but Ani's ajji probably did;)

Cold Front

The weather has gotten cold, rainy, and very dismal in the last 4 days. It's been raining almost non-stop. I have succumbed to the yearly weakness of switching from the air-conditioner to the furnace, supplemented by the wood fireplace.

Ned is coping by snuggling on the extra quilts we have piled on the bed. He looks very peaceful and innocent when he is asleep, which belies his actual personality.

Colleen tries on my glasses

Colleen celebrates her second birthday with the clan

Colleen opens presents and tries dancing with her inflatable Pooh-bear from her Grandpa Wilson

Long Lake in Kettle Moraine Park

We camped at Kettle Moraine State Park on Sunday night. Long Lake is a rather underwhelming, eutrophic lake with dirty beaches, but I got this nice shot by the fishing pier.

R & R in Door County

Here are a few photos from our trip.

Tranquil scene from the ferry to Washington Island, Jackson Harbor on Washington Island, Lake Michigan from Rock Island

More Door County Photos

Here are a few more shots:

Green Bay from Peninsula State Park

Ani on the pier at Rock Island

Sandhill Cranes on the Eastern shore of Washington Island at sunrise