The First Chill of Autumn

Awaking this morning, I knew that cool Autumn had arrived in the night. I drew the windows of the house shut with a touch of wistfulness, knowing that they will not likely be opened again until Spring. For breakfast we had steaming rye porridge. Then, when I ventured outside, I could see my breath suspended in the air....

It is growing chill quickly and I am not the only one who notices. The animals are clearly readying themselves for the long Winter. Flocks of wild geese and ducks fly frequently over the house now, following the river southward. Huge gatherings of birds are also visible: great numbers of white egrets and black crows may be seen by the river and songbirds of all kind are visiting our woods. A few days ago my husband spotted a vast flock of pelicans on the river, a thousand or more swimming! I saw pelicans again today, flying overhead in the September sky, dazzling white against the blue, illumined by the clear Autumn sunshine.

Perhaps because of the cool weather, I have been in very much the mood to cook. In the last couple of days I have made a number of soups and stocks. Chicken soup with noodles and matzoh balls was delicious, as was a vegetable potage brimming with scrumptious late Summer vegetables. I also made wild mushroom and shallot polenta, curried yoghurt green bean salad, and fennel-beet risotto. Tomorrow I am cooking pasta sauce with wild rice meatballs, planning for plenty extra to freeze for when I have little time to cook. Lucky me that my husband loves pasta!

Just now I took pecan sandies from the oven. Maybe I am cooking because the stove warms the cottage so. I dream of a cast iron cooker that would warm little Orchard House all through the cool months... which is to say most of the year here. I think this is only a dream, though. Laugh if you will, but: our cottage kitchen is only 68 square foot!

Olives arrived at market this week; I bought some green ones and set about curing them in brine. I have not done this before, but my cookbooks make it look easy-peasy. We shall see in a few weeks!