amethyst at the brink of autumn

Must I admit I had to go back to see exactly when I began this project? Maybe it had to do with summer and how my mind goes elsewhere many days of summer holiday, but then a cloud arises in my brain convincing me that this sweater certainly took way too long to complete. Yet I love it, its color, its lightweight feel on the body, and its simple pattern. And this might be the time to admit it is the first time ever I've knitted a lightweight quarter-length sleeve sweater, one that will be worn next to the skin. Yesterday afternoon in 80 degreee weather I went outside for these photos and just around the edges I begin to feel a bit of prickling, but it truly wasn' that bad. So bring it on autumn!

And speaking of autumn... are we literally leaning at the doorstep or what? The storms are over the flood waters are receding, and I am seeing the signs, however small, of its wide-opened wonderfulness.

fermenting ginger

Back in late spring I started a ginger ferment. My intention was to use this ginger culture to add to my kombucha and to use it for making homemade ginger ale, especially thinking about quenching our thirts with a healthy drink during  hot summer days. Fermenting is so easy and once you begin fermenting certain foods you discover how wide your options in considering the next food to ferment. All one needs to start this ferment is a pint-sized mason jar, a bit of cheesecloth, a rubber band, fresh ginger, water and sugar.

My recipe:
2 tablespoons of fresh, peeled grated ginger
2 tablespoons non-chlorinated water
2 tablespoons of unrefined cane sugar

Put all above ingredients into the jar, stir (I like to use a wooden spoon), place the cheesecloth over the jar's rim and secure it tightly with a rubber band.

Set this mixture on your kitchen counter, or any other out of the way place, the ideal temperature is around 75 degrees or higher. Sometimes room temperatures lower than this will not ferment as quickly. For the next five days feed it daily with the same amounts of ginger, water, and sugar. After five days you should be seeing foaming and bubbling action, if not it could be your room is too cool; continue to feed it until you see foaming and bubbling. If your mixture is foaming and bubbling, your culture is ready to use for homemade sodas, tonics or even, as I like, in kombucha.

I store my fermented ginger in the refrigerator with a covered lid, at any time I am free to scoop out some of the culture for any food I am wanting to apply ginger flavor. About every two weeks I will pull it out of the refrigerator, welcome it to my kitchen counter once again and begin a three day feeding process. If the culture is looking thick you may add 1/3 cup of water instead of the two tablespoons. Just this week my culture had grown to the point that I had to switch it to a quart-sized jar. Not only does this fermented ginger feed your gut beneficial bacteria promoting a healthy immune boost, but I am also enjoying the benefit of preserving of ginger that is  allowing me a good supply of ginger for salad dressings and cooking.

rooting and waiting

Why is it I wonder that when I hear the word rooting I think of pigs?

Because the rooting of various plants can be such a fine activity to engage oneself.

I had a flourishing deep purple African Violet that I decided to divide back in the spring, and while I was at it the delight of rooting the leaves seemed appealing too. Now this is no quick form of gratification. Only those who can wait and wait and wait will gain the total joy of seeing those little leaves emerge from the rich soil and feel those little buttlerflies of happiness inside. Maybe it is because of my age, and experience has certainly had its imprint, but I have discovered that those things that we must wait for possess such an essence of very sustainable happiness. 

Which reminds of what the prophet Isaiah said,

But they  that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

homemade breakfast cereal

I am at the best of times, a day, and even some times, years, late... on the latest fads.
But I always come around, eventually, if it is truly essential and important to me.
Pleased to know the day and year burst upon my healthy-eating, seeking conscience and I am now taking the time to prepare and make my own breakfast cereal.
If I had two words to say about it other than it tastes good, it would be that it is the cat's meow.
Yes, that pretty much sums up this healthy treat.

The recipe can be found here; I added freeze- dried strawberries to this particular batch. I have used both spelt and whole wheat berries, like them both equally. I always soak my flour in buttermilk.

Healthy eating takes time and preparation. The flour must be freshly ground, soaked for at least eighteen hours, baked as a cake, crumbled into desired sized pieces and then baked in a low temperature oven( I set mine at 175 degrees) for many hours.
The first evening I made this I slid the cookie sheets of crumbled cake into the preheated oven and  by the time I was pulling down the covers to get into bed, the smell of the maple and cinnamon  was wafting clear to my bedroom making the next morning look extremely promising.

I eat mine with organic plain unsweetened almond milk. It crunches so nicely!

the last of the summer

A suggestion of a breakfast out together with my husband one Saturday morning gave motivation for a stop by the Farmer's Market. If you want to go to a place of abundance I find a Farmer's Market fits that need quite nicely. 

Fairy eggplants being held in Charlotte's hand to show the actual size, the skins are tender as to be eaten. I don't know about you, but these are eye candy.

We love lamb and the years we spent raising sheep spoiled us somewhat, always allowing lamb to be readily available. Finding a good source of lamb, especially rack of lamb, can be tricky, yet we believe we might have found a good source at Whole Foods.

Charlotte was asked to participate through dance one afternoon in the local library's children's summer program. Several of the older boys made laughing noises but she danced on with grace.

Most summer morning I walked and on this particular day the blue sky and white hydrangea caught my attention. 

Friends from Ohio visited in late July and we and we were able to celebrate her birthday. 

Sweet times.