EKjourney Backup

I will never tire of how amazing this view is and how beautiful the Willamette Valley is.   Our extended family is here and Phil has a good job here and Oregon is so incredibly beautiful...it would be hard to leave if ever we had to make that difficult choice either for employment or because it just got to be more than we could tolerate (provided there were better opportunities for freedom and jobs elsewhere). These pictures are from a little country back road that I take sometimes.

Well, Autumn definitely arrived in September.  It seemed a little early this year.  We had several good rainstorms and chilly nights and of course, darkening mornings.  I really like Autumn and I really hate Winter so Autumn is just a reminder that Winter is almost here and it makes it hard to enjoy.  Setting up the heater for the first time. I bought a kite at a garage sale for a few dollars. Enjoying the blooms before the first frost. The rain really beat the stems down. Now here is something you don't see everyday.  2 little bucks and a turkey, this is a few miles from our house and Phil spotted them on his way home. Love this late blooming kniphofia.   Dahlia Off roading Finishing the goat pasture fencing. Now they have so much more room! I can't get over these volunteer pumpkins.  They were huge!  Certainly a mix of "Cinderella" but I don't know what else.  We didn't have another big variety planted.  The pumpkins and squash th...

I think September might be the busiest canning month.  I bought another batch of peaches and they were terrible.  Same place, same kind, only this was the end of the season and they were already picked and on sale...and now I know why.  They were mushy, flavorless, and not juicy.  I make some peach syrup and ended up freezing most of them in batches to use in peach cobbler with the hope that cooking them with a bunch of spices and a little sweetener would make them more palatable.  The first ones I picked, right as the season opened, and let ripen up on the counter, were delicious!  Probably worth paying double. I discovered that I can combine my love of chutney with barbecuing and use the chutney with some added basalmic vinegar and avocado oil into a tasty marinade.  (Since the family doesn't care for chutney as a spread.) My tomatoes finally started to ripen.  I was getting a bit worried.  I am wearing an apron since that is an unidentifia...