Fall Flavours

After a very summery weekend, fall seems to be creeping in this week.  I lit the woodstove for the first time yesterday afternoon, making the house feel so warm in cozy.  It got me in the mood for “fall flavours”. 

I grew ground cherries in my garden for the first time this year.  I primarily used them as toppings on salads, but the kids also enjoyed snacking on them.  The papery husk gives you the feeling that you are unwrapping a little present from the garden – kind of fun for the boys!  I had been planning on trying a ground cherry pie, but never got around to it.  I had a small bowl remaining and thought I might pair them up with apples in a crisp.  I just tossed them into my regular apple crisp recipe.  I think it turned out fairly well.  My husband loved it, but the boys picked out the ground cherries in favor of the apples.  I topped it with Greek yogurt and maple syrup as a substitute for whipped cream.  I’ve been using Greek yogurt in place of whipping cream and haven’t heard any complaints so far.  Maybe it’s the maple syrup on top (:  No yogurt for me, of course, with my dairy-free experiment in the works.

Tuesdays are relaxed in our house because we have no after-school activities.  Since I wasn't on the run, I was able to roast a chicken for dinner while the boys puttered, played and had before supper baths.  I have been thinking more about incorporating a pattern in my meal planning.  Roast chicken on Tuesdays would mean leftovers on Wednesdays and soup on Thursday.  I think it might be my new kitchen rhythm for the fall (or at least until everyone is sick of chicken!!).

Anyone else have creative uses for ground cherries or favorite fall desserts?  Pumpkin pie is next on my list with Canadian Thanksgiving just a few weeks away. 

Room to Breathe

I often view the arrival of September in the same light as New Year's Day. Being the beginning of the school year, it is always a time of new beginnings in our schedules and rhythm.

As a result, I've been feeling the need to get the house super organized and freshened up. I'm someone who thrives when there is order. Clutter and chaos make my head spin. Because of this, I like to keep my home fairly tidy....at least on the surface! I've got a fair number of "dump zones" where stuff accumulates. A little digging reveals many junk drawers, bulging closets and over-flowing shelves!

I sat myself down and made a list of areas to de-clutter, breaking the house down into reasonable chunks of work. I then embarked on my mission to sort through every single nook and cranny of our home - rearranging, re-organizing, cleaning and purging! Honestly, I don't know where the energy came from, but for the past week I've been going non-stop, staying up way too late and rising before the crack of dawn. With the exception of the basement and garage, I've managed to make my way through every closet, drawer, cupboard, storage bin, basket and bookshelf in our home. I'm feeling both exhausted and refreshed, if that makes any sense at all! It feels good to have some room to breathe with a few empty shelves and drawers. As I drove away from the thrift shop after unloading my trunk full of donations, I felt liberated.



This is not the first time I've tackled a major house cleanse/purge. I'm not sure why the dreaded "stuff" continues to creep into our home, despite the promises I make to myself and the resolutions I devise. It takes self-discipline to keep things in order and apparently I am lacking in that department. When "everything has a place", should it not be easy to maintain the order...apparently not! I'm guilty of rushing and dumping items in a convenient location - to be put away correctly later. A few years ago, Hubby and I came up with a motto, "Question every purchase". This motto was supposed to prevent unnecessary and frivolous spending and accumulation of stuff. Sometimes I am faithful to the motto, other times I fall off the wagon. It is like anything I suppose.



So, it appears I'm back on the wagon, for the moment anyway. I've got the whole family in on the action, as the boys and I tackled their bedrooms together. Chi-Chi, in particular, is a pack rat! On one hand, I love his resourcefulness. I love his imagination. I love his ability to see potential in the most basic items. The boy builds rocket ships out of Daddy's left over beer cans, and I do love them. However, how many empty drink boxes does one boy need, "just in case"? That's a tricky question. So, he and I went through every single item in his bedroom. I gave him two baskets for the storage of his stuff - one for miscellaneous items (drink boxes, party favors, straws, rocks, shells) and the other for paper items. We managed to whittle down his collection to something reasonable and manageable (for now!). I think he actually enjoyed the process of purging and rearranging his room. He seems to have a greater sense of pride over his space....which I'm hoping will translate to a neater bedroom!



Anyway, I feel like I'm heading into the "new year" on the right foot. With both boys in school, my own personal schedule is going to change quite drastically, which will take some getting used to. I've got some big projects on my plate this fall (shingling of barn!!). I may even get those wedding photos of ours from 2000 out of the box and in an album....or not!

So, the real question I must ask myself is, "Just how much wool does one Wool Fairy need?". That's a tricky one too!

The Urge to Purge

The calendar may say December but my mind is on spring today…spring cleaning to be more specific. Every year, as the holiday season approaches, I find myself feeling smothered by all the miscellaneous “stuff” in our lives. The urge to purge becomes overwhelming! I usually find myself on a de-cluttering rampage this time of year. One would think that with my regular purging routines our house would be bare. Amazingly, the “stuff” continues to creep and sneak its way into our lives. With the gift-giving season drawing near, I sense a desperate need to sort through our current belongings, removing unwanted, useless, dirty and broken items to make room for the new “stuff”. (Hubby, if you are reading this, you might want to hide away some of your precious possessions because nothing is sacred around here!) Hubby thinks I sometimes go overboard, but I can honestly only think of one or two things I ever regretted sending off to the goodwill shop.

Of course, avoiding the acquisition of “stuff” is truly the answer to all of my frustrations. This year, my husband and I are not exchanging Christmas gifts….nothing, zero, zip! We made a pact and I hope he lives up to his end of the bargain. I have absolutely nothing hiding in the back of my closet to pull out at the last minute! The little ones are getting a few special things, all of which are well thought out and made to last. I’ve been sorting through their current belongings, setting aside items they have outgrown or completely destroyed (!!) in order to make room for their gifts.

Last January, our family’s new year’s resolution was to question every purchase. Our plan was to achieve three goals: reduce spending, reduce clutter and limit environmentally damaging consumerism. I’m a pretty frugal and self-disciplined person, but it is so easy to fall prey to the limitless temptations. I have good months and bad months with this one! I have a weakness for wool, evidenced by my ever-growing yarn stash. The best defense against my consumer cravings is to steer clear of the stores. As soon as I walk into a shop, I inevitably discover all sorts of wonderful things I didn’t even know I desperately needed and wanted!!

With Chi-Chi and Muffy underfoot 99.99% of the time, my cleaning efforts are moving at a snail’s pace. The old me could conquer every nook and cranny of the house in a day. The new mommy me is approaching the task with baby steps. My goal is to declutter one cupboard a day! It may not sound very ambitious, but my little Tasmanian devil certainly makes the process a bit of a challenge.

“Question every purchase” will be back on the list for 2009. Yikes! There is certainly room for improvement!