A Day in the Life (in the Country)
Harvested ripe red garden peppers and prepared to roast them under the oven broiler before freezing them in olive oil as per the recipe told to me by my friend Kathleen.
Tried to lift a humungous pumpkin that Joe carried over from the garden off the porch picnic table, but it was too heavy.
Boiled some water to pour on the maggot eggs I found in the trash out back.
The house filled with smoke. Was I doing something wrong? I called Kathleen. Oh no! No one ever told me that you have to leave the oven door open when you use the broiler.
Got my 2009 WeMoon submission ready, complete with a SASE and a writer’s bio.
Did some research on the poet E. E. Cummings and talked on the phone about poetry punctuation with Mara. She had just finished a first Latin class on her first day back at Hollins College and was excited about the language connections she was learning.
Called Lora Geissler to set up a meeting to purchase a piece of her art for The Hotel Floyd Writer’s Room.
Our dog Jasmine caught a squirrel. It was squeaking like a bird.
All the while, I was turning big red peppers under the broiler for roasting.
Ran upstairs to clip a piece of an aloe plant for a burn on my hand. Noticed the plants upstairs needed watering.
Filled four gallon glass jugs with Floyd water in preparation for our trip to camp out at my Asheville Potter son’s place for the first wood-firing of the kiln he just built.
The water theme continued as I made my way out to the yard to the vegetable and flower gardens and interacted with watering cans and hoses.
Burned the onions I was sautéing for the two batches of spaghetti sauce I was making for supper and to take to the wood-firing while I was outside (a good way to use up those garden tomatoes that are all over my house).
Peeling the skins off the roasted red peppers is harder and messier than I thought. Between the peppers, tomatoes for sauce making, and the bright heat from the broiler, I began to feel like I was immersed in a bloody hellish red dream.
My friend Juniper came over and we sat outside and caught up, nibbling as we talked on seeds from the sunflower heads I had picked earlier in the day.
We went for a ride in my car because she’s thinking of buying it. When we got back we were hungry and the spaghetti sauce was ready. I cut the last fresh cucumber of the year for a salad. 8/29/07
August 31st, 2007 1:46 pm
The pumpkin looks well, Heavy!
Sometimes I write poetry the e e cummings way. All small cases.
Michele sent me here.
August 31st, 2007 2:16 pm
there’s red all over!! 🙂
quite the day, colleen. i need to make some spaghetti sauce as i have ‘maters i need to use up before they go bad.
and our cucumber plants just started producing a couple of weeks ago after doing nothing. so we have cucumbers out the wazoo! i want to learn how to preserve food….i froze blueberries this year and i am going to freeze zuchini, but i haven’t learned to can.
August 31st, 2007 2:52 pm
I used to can but it’s been so long I forget how! I made myself learn just so I would help keep the skill alive. Joe has canned his venison before. He probably remembers how. If I don’t do something over and over it leaves my mind. We have a road in Floyd called Canning Factory Road. There was a big cannery there at one time.
August 31st, 2007 3:14 pm
You know, of course, that the easiest way to get the peppers peeled once they’ve broiled (which I presume is the same as grilled) is to pop them straight into a plastic bag for a few minutes and let them have a good old sweat – the skins then simply slide off – a bit like tomato skins once they’ve been in boiling water for a minute.
Cinnamon and that other fellow…
August 31st, 2007 4:25 pm
Whew! I remember I had the same faux pas happen to me the first time I broiled. Good for you making home made sauce. I used to do that, but have long gone to buying a good jar sauce for my base and doctoring it up. I happen to like a brand called Mezzetta’s. But of course, if I had a zillion tomatoes to use up, I’d make from scratch too! I love pasta…and am now wanting it.
August 31st, 2007 7:37 pm
You are busy as a bee! I loved the glimpse into your world. 🙂
Susan
August 31st, 2007 9:21 pm
I love ee cummings. Do you? I also love tomatoes and pumpkins!
September 1st, 2007 7:56 am
That’s a pretty smoky day!
After you char the skin of peppers, pop them into a plastic bag. The steam will peel the skins off so they slide almost by themselves.
Thinking ahead to 09 already. Holding hands of time doesn’t slow the walk does it.
September 1st, 2007 10:23 am
That is SOME pumpkin! Whew, you grow them big in your neck of the woods!
I chuckled about the broiler…I hate those things! I did the same thing years ago when using it…left the oven door closed. UH OH!
Sounds like summer is coming to an end at your place. The garden tells you so.
September 1st, 2007 11:33 am
Thanks for the tips. I’ll try it again with the plastic bags.
We’moon 08 is already out. Deadline for 09 is September 1st.
September 1st, 2007 10:39 pm
The photo with this post is so perfect. I remember a time I didn’t leave the oven door open while broiing… not good. You remind me of myself. I want to use every source of food I raise in some way or perserve it in some way. Why does it always seem to be more work than we first planned. I always hope the end result makes it worthwhile!
September 2nd, 2007 12:26 pm
Wow, this was fun to read. Your day seemed hectic and relaxing at the same time, if that is possible.
September 3rd, 2007 1:00 pm
Busy post! I think the peppers would be too much work for me. But I bet the flavor is well worth it. I am so in hopes I have a pumpkin grown all by myself for Halloween.
September 3rd, 2007 7:11 pm
Nice to get a real ripe red slice of your life.
September 4th, 2007 11:19 am
I love the still life with pumpkin! I’m inspired.
I am going into heavy production on my “Daddy’s Back Yard Thunder Dippin’ Sauce”.
My favorite time of year.
RM
September 6th, 2007 12:03 am
I’d hate to be that Red Bell Pepper! lol Looks like you took your frustrations out on it! teehee