I'm in full-on homestead mode here on our little piece of earth. If summer is busy, autumn is even more so. But beautifully busy. Feel-good distractions pulling me away from this computer.
Our newest hens are laying like crazy. So with the baskets full of healthy, happy eggs comes much fall baking. And since I'm in the kitchen...
I should bake a pie or two with these most delicious honeycrisp apples that I've gone back to the store three times to restock. We can't stop eating them this time of year. Wow, my kitchen is a busy place, a lot of kitchen sounds with good tunes to keep me bustling.
My sweet-16 cupcake baker made these. And for dinner you could try this stew or this meatloaf. We loved them both. Let's see, what else is going on around here?
Oh yeah, it's time to drag this beast out and put her to work. And work she does....
For the past few years I've been canning all sorts of foods with the best ingredients available, many are from local gardens and farmers. It feels so good to be less relient on ingredients I'm not okay with. Can you tell I watched Food Inc. again recently? Gets me every time.
Fall is also backpacking season for us. The packs are lined up and getting ready to go for our trip to the mountains next week. 100% nature and each other for three straight days. We come home dirty and exhausted and a little grouchy. But our spirits are cleansed and mended and re-energized. Unplugging from everything always offer its own beautiful rewards. Need a source of inspiration for getting out into God's green earth? I have just the thing. And when we return? It's back to 'project studio re-do', no more procrastinating. It's coming along, a little more slowly with my self-imposed budget of $0. Pushes me to be a little more creative in my thought processes.
So you see? There's much calling me away from this computer screen. I know it's the same with you. Grab my hand and let's get out there together. No more sitting around talking about living creatively...let the creative life begin!
Yes good distractions indeed... I love it!
What good girls your hens are!!!!
Posted by: lorraine lewis | 08 October 2010 at 12:38
Looks pretty yummy over there! I think you'd like this stew recipe too...from my dear friend Nicki and the 1st issue of Home Companion-
http://housewrenstudio.typepad.com/charlotte/2007/02/nickis_winter_s.html
xoxo
Posted by: charlotte lyons | 08 October 2010 at 13:21
amen to that!
Posted by: kate | 08 October 2010 at 13:58
Apart from being creative - this is my dream life, to have laying hens and lots of home baking and preserves. Thanks for sharing this part of your life.
Posted by: Deb | 08 October 2010 at 19:44
How wonderful Rebecca...thank you for the much needed reminder...
Jenny x
Posted by: Jenny | 08 October 2010 at 20:33
We are heading to the mountains in NC this weekend.. I love it there. SO refreshing.. Your canning looks terrific. I love the basket of eggs. Nothing like fresh eggs..Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Dawn Burnworth | 08 October 2010 at 22:09
oooh, those pumpkin whoopie pies have been on my to-do list!
Posted by: Leanne | 08 October 2010 at 22:40
Oh my, your room looks really tempting! :)
Posted by: Sari | 09 October 2010 at 00:54
Wonderful! Nature calls to me but I live in a country that doesn't have much to offer in that area. So we travel! Those pumpkin whoopie pies have been on my to-do list for a while, so I must get to the business of making them and trying out many new things. Enjoy your time away. Wishing you all the best :) Tammy
Posted by: Tammy | 09 October 2010 at 01:10
A beautiful, inspirational post Rebecca! I agree with you so much about the last bit - it's easy to talk about living creatively but another thing entirely to get out and do it! Fall is my favourite after our very hot summers and I love to get out too! Enjoy your 3 days of happy-ness!
Posted by: Jillayne | 09 October 2010 at 10:14
There are so many things about this post that I love!
I cannot wait to start a garden of my own next year. I wish everyone grew food and bought local/organic foods. I think I need to just live near someone that has hens because I really really want fresh eggs, but I don't want to take care of farm animals. Hmmmm...
Food Inc - great flick!
Whole Foods, REI... fun stuff!!! :)
Posted by: Petra | 09 October 2010 at 15:38
Such beautifully simple and natural things! I love it!
Posted by: Suzette | 09 October 2010 at 18:36
So much going on, no wonder you are so busy. Looking forward to your studio redo. You have a challenging budget to work around!
Posted by: Kim Palmer | 09 October 2010 at 19:34
Busy, busy, busy...sounds like beautiful times:)
Posted by: Leah C | 10 October 2010 at 15:49
Your life is full of so many wonderful things.
Posted by: Trudy Callan | 11 October 2010 at 11:56
Have a lovely break. It's good to be distracted from the computer at times, there's a big wonderful wide world out there!
Come back rested, refreshed and full of creativity x
Posted by: Suzanne | 11 October 2010 at 13:16
It needs to be this simple:) Wait a minute~ canning is not all that simple!.....well no one said the creative life wouldn't be a little work too! Enjoy all that it brings to you and thankyou for the images, recipes and reminders. Feels like home! XO
Posted by: Cherie Wilson | 11 October 2010 at 17:46
i am so loving all these pics....such GOOD distractions!
i am just back from Brave Girls Camp in McCall, Idaho....such an amazingly wonderfull distraction....feeling really full up right now!!!
happy day beautiful Rebecca
xxoo
k
Posted by: kolleen | 12 October 2010 at 10:26
aren't those honeycrisp apples great?
i just returned from vermont and baked some of those apples with a little butter, brown sugar and maple syrup- YUM.
Posted by: kerri | 13 October 2010 at 18:59
Bonjour,
J'écris en français parce que je suis nulle en anglais .... désolée.
Juste pour vous dire que je viens de mettre votre blog dans la rubrique "inspiration" de notre blog ( mené à 6).
Voici le lien vers l'article :
http://antrescrap.canalblog.com/archives/2010/10/15/19314079.html
J'adore votre univers et je m'inspire de vos réas pour mes projets coutures. Bises. Annabel.
Posted by: annabel | 15 October 2010 at 11:34
just wanted to let you know that something lovely happened to me today…I found your blog…delightful
Posted by: melinda | 15 October 2010 at 21:26
Wow. Just what I needed to read tonight. Thank you, Rebecca. Thank you.
Posted by: Cynthia | 16 October 2010 at 00:30
I made a pie, just this past Saturday, with Honeycrisp apples. Oh my word, good! The whole pie was gone within minutes.
Posted by: Alisa | 18 October 2010 at 11:13
Oh, it is all so lovely, the coolness of the fresh eggs, the warmth of the ripe apples, your beauty and bounty abounds and thanks for sharing it with us!
Sandra Evertson
Posted by: Sandra Evertson | 21 October 2010 at 20:29
I'd be so delighted to read some blog entries upon your return; our family would very much like to carve out time to go the the Great Smokies -- we've never been, and so it would be just so terrific to see some of your family's experiences! We tried the lottery for space at Leconte Lodge but came up short -- would love to hear if you've ever been (and if so, how your kids handled the trek)!
Posted by: Jennifer | 27 October 2010 at 14:00