A Friday Night Post..

Happy Friday Evening to you all.. 

Another rainy day here in New Brunswick and warm.. 

We have been having glorious weather on the East coast of Canada.. 

Someone said it was 20 degrees Celsius today.. 

I had hung a few things on the line early this morning as it was so windy.. They didn't dry really but I took them off before the rain started.. 

Falls like this one are such a blessing because the snow will come I am sure.. 

Right now the rain is pouring and hitting the windows.. 

My husband and two sons are out there hunting.. 

They will be wet by the time they get home.. smile.. 

There is usually a pot of soup on the go here once again.. 

Soup season for this soup junkie.. 

Enjoying the Vegetarian Magazines I picked up at a yard sale a few weeks ago.. 

Dustin always called me an almost vegetarian.. 

grin.. 

Last weekend we woke on Saturday morning and Terry suggested we take a little trip to Bangor.. 

Of course, I was up for that so it didn't take us long to get going.. 

We drove down the back way to Sussex and we noticed this fog bank.. 

So beautiful with the farm silos in the distance..

We had a good time but I am so disappointed!  

One of the things I love to do when we go to Bangor or even around here shopping has been going to the Thrift and Antique stores.. eh?  

Well.. 

Since we sold our cottages and brought home so much stuff I don't even want to go in to the stores and all I bought were a few books.. 

Oh and the dearest little petit point needleworked change purse.. 

Black with wee roses and only four dollars.. 

I should have taken a pic.. sorry.. 

But I did enjoy visiting this shop so much.. 

We always stay in Brewer and this is on Main, I believe.. 

It is a hippie- want- to- be's idea of a great grocery store.. 

There are organic everything to start with.. 

An organic coffee bar and such.. 

Homemade Laundry soaps that you turn on a tap and fill glass bottles and buy it that way.. Homemade stain remover soap sticks. 

An old laundry tub is part of the decor.. 

Then there is an area with fermenting supplies... 

Dried veggies and fruits.. Homemade soap, candles, soy tarts and toiletries and so on and so on.. 

Dear Terry just waits in the car.. 

Not really his cup of tea.. I had fun, though.. 

Anyway we had a lovely meal and an early night.. 

The wind was blowing.. smile.. 

Then the next day we took our time coming home.. 

A ship was in at the St. John harbour.. 

Home again.. 

Monday I had a big bowl of ripe tomatoes to do up.. 

I really am getting tired of preserving stuff.. 

Pico de Gallo and Spaghetti Sauce... 

More of Carman's Soup Flavouring preserved.. 

Parsley Root is still out at the farm growing.. 

This is the first time we have planted it and though we were late getting it in I have still enough to use..

It looks like parsnips and tastes like parsley.. 

I did buy a couple of new kitchen tools.. 

Mine were old and took a lot of space.. 

These were on sale and really quite small but efficient.. 

Then yesterday our youngest son and I had a town day together.. 

We had a good time.. 

Shopping and out for lunch... 

Reading this you would think that I love to shop.. 

I don't usually... smile.. 

We visited one of my fave markets and bought a big bag of apples to make our favourite apple sauce.. 

For you new followers of the blog here is the recipe.. 

I use either apples or pears.. 

Roasted Pear Sauce

enough pears to fill a large baking pan w/ a lid (I used about a dozen) I like anjou

2 cinnamon sticks

2 vanilla beans, cut in half

4 whole anise

2 large slices of candied ginger or fresh ginger, cut into wide strips

½ cup sugar (I use coconut sugar), see notes

1 cup water

Pre-heat oven 250°F

Do not peel or core the pears. I cut pears into 1/4, leaving seeds, skin and all. I only remove the stem. Fill pan two thirds of the way and tuck whole spices in/around the pears. Then top with more pears. As many that will fin in your baking pan. Sprinkle sugar on top and then water. Cover with a heavy lid or foil. Roast one hour. Pull the pan put of the oven.Let the pears sit, covered for one hour.

Strain pears into a large bowl. Set the juice aside for caramel pear sauce. Remove all the whole spices except the candied ginger ad one vanilla bean for the caramel sauce. The ginger gets soft and mushy like the pears, so it can be run through the food mill. Process the pears through a food mill. I fill glass canning jars with a 2" header at the top (so when the sauce expands while it freezes, you have room and the jar will not break). Store jars in freezer. Since the sauce has almost no sugar, I am not sure if it would can well.

Caramel Pear Sauce

usally makes about 1/2 cup

juice from the pear sauce

vanilla bean from the pear sauce, cut open and scrap out the inside, add that to the pear juice. Discard the pod.

1-2 TBL butter

Set juice in a heavy sauce pan. Boil juice over high heat until it reduces by two thirds. Keep an eye on it. The sauce should be thicker and look for it to start smelling caramelly. Pull off heat and add 1 TBL of butter. If you want the sauce more buttery, add another TBL. Fill one or two small jars. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Warm sauce berfore serving.

Here is the link, too.. 

HERE..

Meanwhile, here at home again things are getting back to normal.. 

I have most of my plants back from the farm and a few more things.. 

My sewing machine and salve making supplies and it will be done for another year.. 

A bit late due to the selling of the cottage and shop but we are home.. 

And I am so happy to be here.. 

I hope you have a great weekend.. 

We are having a family supper tomorrow night in Sussex so am looking forward to that.. 

Family.. 

One of God's greatest blessings.. 

He thought it was so important it was His priority in His creation.. 

Thank you, Lord.. 

God bless, dear hearts.. 

Thanks for stopping by and I love your dear notes.. 

I enjoy every one of them.. 

xo