These September Days

Today, Wednesday, was the first full day of classes.Yesterday was a soft start for new students only. And so begins another school year. 

On Monday evening we took a walk at Island View Beach. Light fades earlier and earlier. 

As twilight falls, shadows cast strong contrasts on sculptural driftwood. We walk in the sand where none of the sun's warmth remains. Gulls drift quietly on the water as if sensing the close of summer. 

In the garden, tomatoes ripen. Tomatoes, zucchini, and green beans play starring roles in dinners throughout the week. For a simple Sunday supper I roasted tomatoes - a mixture of plum, cherry, grape, and regular varieties with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lots of fresh garlic cloves. When the tomatoes began to caramelize just a bit, I sprinkle feta cheese and capers over, then baked it for a few more minutes, and finally tossed fresh basil over it all. Spooned onto crusty bread or whole wheat toast, it made a fine meal. 

I tried something different for a recent breakfast. Sauteed mushrooms and chopped asparagus, plus crumbled fried bacon, and a scattering of grated Cheddar cheese on the bottom of the baking dish, topped with 8 eggs mixed with 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk, seasoned to taste, fresh herbs - chives and parsley, topped with sliced tomatoes and baked until set. Delicious, and the leftovers are great! 

What I'm currently reading. I finished Once Upon a River in short order and have been perusing the two cookbooks with leisure. Literary Paris is a book to enjoy slowly; it's full of quotes and photos of that lovely city. Louise Penny's latest I'm going to save for this coming weekend, for I know that once I begin, I won't want to stop. 

Summer still lingers in my garden. I picked a lovely bouquet of roses - Bolero, Winchester Cathedral, John Cabot, and an unknown variety, and arranged them in a marble vase that once belonged to my mother-in-law. It's sitting on the fireplace hearth and petals are dropping, a lovely litter of pink and white.

Days are summer, early morning and nights are autumn. A sweater to begin and end the day, a light dress suffices in the middle. Golden light through darkly silhouetted trees. Change is in the air.

October Cozy

A pale, lack-lustre sun is peeking through the clouds today, most welcome after some heavy rain. The morning is still rather dark and dreary, making candles seem like just the thing. Here's the view from my chair - with my slippers visible in the foreground. The fire (gas) just went out. Drat!

Here's a bit of what I've been reading. I finished Black Rabbit Hall last night and am so pleased that it had a happy ending. In Farleigh Field didn't disappoint. I chose How to Hygge from the library to read what all the hoopla about this "new" word was about. My son-in-law had read it (or one similar) and commented "that's what we already do." I agree. 

In Late Winter We Ate Pears was quickly paged through and is already back at the library. I spent more time with Clodagh's Irish Kitchen. I saw her on a television programme and was completely charmed by her accent. She has a series of short videos featuring seasonal recipes. You can access Clodagh's Youtube channel via this link.    

I've just begun Life of Elves and look forward to the Killara Farm book soon. 

I was going to write that autumn is a good season for reading, but then I realized that every season is good for reading. During the school year, I manage 4-6 books each month, and more during vacations. Do you enjoy reading?

The area where we live used to be a farm. I'm pretty certain that there was an orchard here, for here and there, a gnarled apple tree still stands. Most were cut down during subdivision development, I assume. There are also two quince trees, on private property. Several years ago, I picked one off the ground, not having a clue what it was. I kept waiting for it to ripen and soften; of course, it never did. I thought it was some sort of pear, and eventually threw it out. 

Then I read about quince! During a walk recently, I spied these two on the ground and picked them up. They've been on my kitchen windowsill for a week or so, and I think it's time to do something with them. I think I'll poach them. Do you cook with quince?
  

All the tomato plants have been pulled up and green tomatoes line the rest of the windowsill. I see this one is ripe and will be good in a tomato-avocado salad for dinner tonight.

The fire came on again as I write this post. Alas, it's time for me to leave it and head off to school. Although my classes are not until afternoon, I go in early to prep and mark. Today is The Great Shake-Out Drill - a region-wide earthquake drill. All schools take part, as do government facilities, hospitals, care homes, and more. So Tim will be involved, too. It's good to be prepared. I hope it's not pouring rain when we evacuate the school this morning.