Out of Steam!

To use the local vernacular, 'I done run out of steam!'

A church dinner scheduled for tomorrow, so I pondered this morning while still in bed [surrounded by cats] what I would prepare.

We don't always attend these affairs but I was in the mood for a session of baking.

Three apple pies made with the Honey Crisp apples J. purchased at the Beachy's produce market.

I have learned that if I want intact pies for a family gathering or to 'carry' to an event, it is necessary to supply J. with a pie of his own which he can carve into while it is hot from the oven.

The warm apple pie is a hit for morning break.

I had set bread dough to rise and the oven was still on from baking pies, when I had a yearning for Lemon Bars. They have a shortbread crust and a lemony custard top layer.

The two large loaves will go to the church dinner, the two split loaves stay home.

I considered a sweet potato casserole and cole slaw or maybe roast veg with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onion and russet potatoes, the whole drizzled with olive oil.

It seemed like more than I wanted to tackle.

I enjoy creating soup and the weather is just cool enough for that to be a hit.

Onion and celery diced and set to saute gently while I peeled and chopped two large carrots. A pkg of green garden beans from the freezer, a cupful of barley, canned tomatoes, a can of corn. Seasoned with sea salt, white pepper, garlic, 2 bay leaves, dried thyme, and fresh basil and parsley that survived the first light frost last weekend. 

The house has smelled delightful.

This used to be a rather ordinary day's work along with the little cleaning tasks that need doing each morning. 

When I'm cooking/baking I wash up as I go so no daunting stack of dishes at the end.

I took a break at about 2 p.m.--sitting in my porch rocker with a mug of tea and a generous slab of lemon bar.

It was a bit of an effort to get myself back in motion. I would rather have sat watching leaves drift down, but there was laundry to bring upstairs and fold away.

I've never been blessed with huge reserves of stamina, instead getting through my tasks with determination and perseverance. 

For decades I could encourage myself : 'Only a bushel of tomatoes left to can tonight, get at it!' Or, 'Another hour of sewing will finish that shirt.'

Most often now when I see more tasks that 'want done' I can resort to the old prod of 'Keep at it, get it done!'

Thus says my mind. Body says, 'No way! I'm done!'

I fortified myself with a mug of the soup and two slices of fresh bread thickly buttered.

A walk around the meadow [tracking a recalcitrant cat] and I've revived enough to potter about until at least 10 P.M.