Aren't these gorgeous? These are Dani's squash (plus a few ears of corn), grown in Colorado. She shared this abundance (via this photo) with me because my squash crop was destroyed by bugs while I was in Illinois a couple of weeks ago. I don't know about you, but it makes me feel good just to look at these beauties and imagine all the delicious meals Dani will produce from her squash.
And speaking of squash, I did manage to rescue a butternut and a spaghetti squash from the bugs. Yesterday, I baked the spaghetti squash in the solar oven. We ate half of it for supper with some chopped basil, chives, parsley, salt, pepper, and butter--yum! I put the other half in the freezer. Here' what the squash looked like when I took it out of the solar oven (2 hours, 325) and fluffed it up.
Right to dry--and not. I've really enjoyed your comments on the clothesline post. Thanks so much for sharing! I'm continuing to hang, and noticing that I pay more attention to the clothing than when I simply bundle the clothes from the washer into the dryer. I notice buttons that need replacing (yes, I do own a button box) and seams that need repair--and a stain that didn't come out. Back to the sink, with a little scrubbing, and the tee shirt is ready for the line. Bet I wouldn't have seen that if I'd stuck it in the dryer, and then the heat would have set it. Plus I'm becoming more aware of the energy this saves.
But I'm also aware of the time commitment and remember how I welcomed my first electric dryer, as a mom with three kids, and how much I've depended on it over the years. So there's an important tradeoff, and I don't want any of us to think that our sisters are lesser beings because they're using their dryers! I am, when I need to--although I'm using it more mindfully now.
Writing log. I'm into China now (Holly Blues) almost every day, and enjoying it. Wormwood (completed in March 08 and out in April 09) was a very different book, set in a Shaker village in Kentucky. Feels good to be back in Pecan Springs with China and Ruby and the gang. Oh, and Sally. Remember McQuaid's first wife? She's back, bringing her usual troubles, and then some. For those of you who keep track of such things, I am now up to about 13,000 words, aiming for 85-87,000. I keep track of my word count, because it soothes my soul to see that I'm making progress, and because it helps me to gauge the shape of the book as I go along.
Reading notes. Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.--Epicurus