I'm not sure what is going on out here. Is it El Nino? That weird weather thing we get here in California...when it rains FOREVER in the winter. Which would be fine with me, being I'm on this bread baking kick and all. But this is just plain strange.
I built my first fire of the season this morning...and it's August 20th. But, personally, I'm lovin' it. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm just not a summer person. "Hey, Kary..wanna go to the beach and "lay out". "No thanks." And especially this late in the game. I'm thinkin' fall. Have been for days now. Saw the leaves starting to change on the neighborhood tree this morning on our walk with Buddy. And those huge giant spiders we get every fall are back. They have been on "web making duty" most of the night. There are spider webs everywhere this morning. Tried taking a picture of a spider's web. That is way too advanced for me. Nothing showed up. It was a loser.
So here is a photo of my "headquarters". The Vermont Casting woodstove is one of the reasons we moved out of our house in Cambria. You see, that house had one of those fireplaces that has fake logs and sits behind a fixed pane of glass. And to start it, well, it's really easy, you just get up and go and turn on the light switch. HUH?
I couldn't stand that thing. I mean, come on, where is the smell of woodsmoke in the air? When you look at the roof, there is no chimney. Don't need one. No fire. My favorite thing in the world is to have a cool rainy day, an apple pie in the oven and being able to walk outside to gather logs to throw on the fire and see and smell woodsmoke!
Around here, we make a whole day out of going to get the wood itself. It is an anticipated event. We even make a special "going to get the firewood dinner".
When the day finally arrives (it already has this year) John calls Howard and we load up Buddy and head over to Squire Canyon to get the wood. And on the way home, late afternoon, always has to be after 3 o clock, we make a trip up See Canyon to Gopher Glen to get apples. The Burgundy apples are ready right now. One of my favorites, with that dark red, almost black skin. Very tart.Goes great on a caramel apple. Hey, that sounds pretty good. How about some caramel apples tonight? And if the weather holds, we'll be building a fire too.
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get thee to an apple orchard, and maybe they will have some bundles of applewood to add to your woodpile. How about smelling the apple woodsmoke as you round the bend to home?
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julie in the pines
ps love the fireplace, and the bowl of apples
is it possible that we are some kind of soul mates? I loved this post. I loved reading about the giant spiders that come every fall, the wodsmoke, and the dark-skinned apples (photo please!)
ReplyDeleteKiki is doing better already, which surprises and delights me! I am forcing her to take it easy though, and the intense heat is hard for her...and for ME! I, too, am jsut not a summer person. I always feel like, "Whhhhhen is this going to oooooooverrrrrr?"
The excitement about fall is definitely building up. There is no one here who shares my absolute over the top joy about fall, so I am going to check in with you as much as I can to get my autumn ya-ya's out with ya.....let's go overboard this year with autumn frenzy!
Oh, did you get the September issue of Country Living? I've never been so disappointed. There isn't a single pumpkin or bough of fall foliage in the whole thing. I hate to be a hater, but ever since that new editor-in-chief took Nancy's spot, my absoliute favorite magazine has actually become....well.....DULL.
Hugs and kisses for you and Buddy from me and Kiki,
Dawn
Hey K-bird, Yep, nothing beats a good woodfire and that's why we have a huge hole in our wall and floor. Slowly but surely the masons are building us a new(but old looking one) for our cottage. Our 90 year old fireplace fell apart. This one will be fieldstone and have a thick chunk of stone for a mantel. Can't wait to line up pumpkins, bird nests, and bittersweet on it.
ReplyDeleteJust mailed you a small package. You'll want them on your refrig I'll bet. Love, S.
That Sharon is LOVELY.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it strange about Country Living? They seem to have taken out all the features I loved most. Thank you for telling me about Eddie Ross, he's got wonderful things on etsy! Dangerously wonderful. Or, as my husband would say, "My wallet is getting tired just looking at this stuff."
It is a bit of a shame that we live so far apart, or else we could meet for cake and gab like gilmore girls. For now, blog visits and howdy-do's will have to do! Hubby and I will be in Cape Cod from Sept 22 until Oct 3, in case you get the urge to fly over and meet for sandwiches on the docks! :)
I hope you like the soup as much as I do. If not, won't you please lie and tell me you did?
Wishing lovely you, your wood-fire-building husband, and the little-heartbeat-at-your-feet Buddy a warm and cozy Friday evening,
Dawn
That was a delight to read....
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Kary
I love these pictures...They make me want to curl up under a wool blanket and read a good book.
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