Thursday, September 06, 2012

September Energy



After complaining of inertia a couple of posts back, I've somehow found a bit of energy. Not quite like Little Miss A, above, running with wild abandon, her sweater flying wild, and sheer joy on her face. But enough to accomplish a few things.

  
The urgency of harvest is upon me. Everything seems to be coming ripe all at once. This week I've canned 11 pints of spiced plums, 6 pints of applesauce (more to come), a double batch of salsa, and I froze peaches. 

I don't like adding sugar to my fruit when I freeze it, but the peaches need something to keep them from turning brown. Orange juice does the trick. I use frozen concentrate, mixed according to the directions, and cut the peaches, blanched and peeled, directly into the juice. Strain them out to freeze them in containers and use the leftover peachy orange juice in a summer beverage. I use frozen peaches in cobblers, sauces, and smoothies throughout the winter.
 

Not all the peaches go into the freezer.  Peach Upside-Down Cake is a treat. Buttery, with brown sugar goodness, and that wonderful B.C. peach flavour. Nothing better on a late summer evening. We wait long enough for the peaches and we do enjoy them. Click on the link for the recipe.
 

This morning I mixed up a batch of cinnamon bun dough, then headed upstairs to paint the bathroom. When that was done (just the second coat - the first was done yesterday), the dough was ready to form. Now 6 pans of sweet buns are rising on the counter top. While they bake I'll put the bathroom back together.

One pan will be delivered later this afternoon to our son. It's his birthday today, and the start of what we call "birthday season." In our family of 10 (spouses and grandbabies included), 7 of us have autumn birthdays. We get together in September and in November to celebrate. Little Miss A will have her own party in December. 

Fun as those get-togethers are, for me, there's something about THE day. You know, the actual day of something. I like to make THE day a little bit special, so Travis will be getting a pan of sweet goodness from his mother today. 

What about you? Does THE day matter? Or not?

17 comments:

  1. Yes, THE day matters! =D But those joint celebrations are mighty fine as well. Oh to have the energy of a child. Love the description of your granddaughter.

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  2. Your picture of Little Miss is a perfect poster fro unlimited energy! But I'm thinking you have managed to accomplish a lot...for someone with a limited supply:) I spent my morning taking my dad to appointments...and now am off to the dentist. Not much energy required for this kind of a day!

    I like the idea of 'birthday baking' gifts. He will too:)

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  3. Gosh you did get going there didn't you?! The peach upside down cake looks great. Have a great girls' day out!

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  4. I'm missing my peach tree in France. I always had a good harvest to freeze, or even make into jam.
    Agree with you about The Day, it needs to have something different about it.

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  5. Love that first shot of little Miss!!

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  6. Ooooh! May I have a glass of peachy orange juice with a hot cinnamon bun? Peaches and oranges are 2 of my faaaavorite fruits.
    Little Miss A. is adorable and what better source of inspiration. I will never fail to be energized by young people, they are such a gift, even better than peaches, oranges and cinnamon buns. Beautiful post.

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  7. Yes, the day matters around here too. In fact we like to make the whole day special. We do everything the birthday person wants to do, from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed.

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  8. Yes, the day matters. That's why birthdays around here tend to be stretched out over several days...the extended family gathering, the birthday boy's/girl's specially chosen dinner and dessert, and occasionally a gathering with friends or a trip to the zoo. Excess? Maybe. But lots of fun!

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  9. Little Miss A is Adorable.
    You have been a busy lady and the fruits of your labor look so pretty and tasty. I think your son is guaranteed a Happy birthday when you present him with those cinnamon rolls.
    I've never tasted spiced plums, but they sure do sound yummy.
    Have a great weekend.

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  10. I would say your inertia has left! Amazing what all you're doing! But the top photo is the best! What a bundle of energy and how very cute! Have a nice weekend!

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  11. I'm breathless again. Does your energy never run out? Canning, preserving, cooking, baking, painting, that lot would be enough to keep me going for weeks.

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  12. I wish you were my mom, bringing me a pan of sweet goodness! Your Little Miss A running! Where has the time gone?

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  13. Anonymous6:55 AM

    I see a LOT of energy in this post! Such a cutie pie Little Miss A is, and all this homemade goodness take a lot of energy to make. Yum... enjoy!!!
    Hugs,
    Zuzu

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  14. Such goodness at your house! I adore that lil sweet miss!

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  15. Yes! Raised in such a large family, I was always happy that my parents really believed in making our birthdays special, from the beginning to the end of the day. I did the same with my kids too, and even now I find it tough if I can't see them on their birthday.

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  16. Yes.. there is always something special about
    ``the actual day`` We have our sixth summer Birthday coming up thie weekend. It`s been a busy party season for sure.
    Your rolls looks wonderful and I thought it was interesting about the orange juice. I make an peach orange jam and see that it stays a very nice color. Now I know why.

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  17. Miss A is certainly growing up and is beautiful. How the time flies when one has little ones growing fast as a reminder.

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