Autumn Gardening

I enjoy Fall gardening far more than summer gardening.

“There are not as many vegetables,” my husband tells me. Correct statement, yet it does not change my opinion over preference. I enjoy the cool temperatures, magnificent blue skies, and no bugs.

I worked in the garden over two hours today and never broke a sweat! Ahhhhh, such joy! In summer, ugh! So much sweat and bugs.

The garden officially has been ‘put to bed’ for the season. All planted in winter rye that is coming up beautifully, covered with leaf mulch.

The garden has been ‘put to bed’ for the season.

However, I decided to plant onion and garlic. I am anxious to see how they turn out. I may even plant beets.

No sweat nor bugs with this planting
of onion and garlic.
The winter rye can barely be seen, but it is coming up beautifully.
See it clearly now. The hoops are for covering the onions and garlic. Garden cloth will be added when frost arrives.

Other fall crops could be planted, but I’m going to pass on them this year, i.e., lettuce and leafy greens. Perhaps next season.

Russian Sage is happy.
So i know which direction I’m facing!
Garden decorations are in all the gardens.
This pretty peach tree was grown from a seed by our son in Idaho. He brought it to us earlier this summer. Looks very happy, don’t you think?
Busy summer garden. Fall garden is not so busy.

I am sure by the time Spring comes around I shall be all ready for the hot, lush, summer gardening.

How about you? Do you garden? What do you like grow?

Baby limas making an entrance.

Open Hearth Cooking

Have you experienced open-hearth cooking? Either by participating or watching demonstrations? What did you think?

We cook in our cabin that is part of our Abram’s Delight Museum at least a couple times of year. In the hot, hot summer and the cold month of December.

This year because of our Country’s 250th Celebration we have cooked on several additional special events. Have you celebrated our wonderful country’s 250th birthday this year in one way or another? It has been a busy, joyful year here Virginia celebrating. But I digress.

The cabin at Abram’s Delight Museum, Winchester, VA
Our cabin draws lots of attention.

Built around 1780, our cabin originally stood in downtown Winchester. Doomed for demolition the Historical Society purchased it and moved it on the property of Abram’s Delight Museum to give tourists a real life look at homes on the frontier.

Our kitchen work space where delicious meals are prepared.

It is fun demonstrating how our kitchen is able to perform every type of cooking a modern one can, sans the microwave. That is we can broil, bake, fry, simmer, boil and roast.

Our busy oven/stove at work.
Hot coals are placed under cast iron pots and for baking, coals are placed on the lids as well.

It takes a good amount of time for a fire to build good coals, which is what is needed for cooking. So, it can be a bit troublesome for us since the fire is started the same day as the event. Good dry wood is always helpful for coals.

We cook some real delicious food. In the forefront is a yummy Apple Pie. Behind it is Macaroni and cheese!
Brats are frying to perfection here.
Folks enjoy watching us cook, and ask many questions.
Getting a badly needed new roof this year!
It is hot work in the summer and enjoyable in the winter.
Heating a cup of water by the fire.

You are invited to join us should you be in the area in cooking day!

We would love to have you join us!
Happy Semiquincentennial, America! AKA: 250th Birthday!🇺🇸

The Real Feel of Retirement

My husband retired this past February. We are nearly 70 years old, so I would say it is time to end that phase of our lives.

What I would also say though is that it has struck me in ways I never really thought about. Such as, how do I describe my husband when people ask me about him? For nearly fifty years I would say, He is in Telecommunications, in Sales. Now what do I say?

The usual remark, He’s retired suffices, I suppose. He was so good at his job that that answer just does not seem enough. Is that what it is? Too simplistic? I’m not sure I know yet.

We purchased a couple rental properties years ago. Because he traveled so extensively, I managed them. By Gods good grace, they both were vacant this summer, and now my husband is the Property Manager.

I stay out of them entirely. He seems to enjoy this new responsibility, and I am grateful. They fill the void retirement created, as one of the properties needs a good deal of fix-up.

The other issue is just being retired. How odd it is to simply say that. The paycheck has stopped, period. That is big. Life is different in retirement. It is a whole new ballgame that I am still trying to figure out. We both are for that matter. Filling our time, paying bills, how to manage our household and farm, are just a few of the big questions to answer.

I recall a finance man I listened to for years over the radio, Dan Celia, who passed away in 2022, saying that retirement depends on what one has built over the years, because eventually the paycheck stops. Boy, does it. It is what one has built and saved that carries into retirement. I am thankful, so thankful we took his advice. It has made all the difference in these, our retirement years. I believe we shall get adjusted to this new phase of life just fine.

Here is an adage to surely live by:

Prepare for tomorrow today.