Preliminary Preparations...

There is an undeniable hint of autumn in the air this past week. The cool mornings have me grabbing a warm sweater and woolly slippers for my morning cup of tea on the deck. Though I feel a sense of sadness to see the summer depart, I do look forward to the fall season. I dream of cuddling by the wood stove, eating crunchy apples and soaking up the golden hues around us.

The slight shift in the seasons has me instinctively preparing for the long, cold Nova Scotia winter ahead. My dye pot has seen lots of action over the last few weeks. A colorful set of skeins has already been delivered to my good friend April. In the near future, some very cute woolly goodness is going to be on the shelves at her shop. I can't wait to see the final product!! Of course, I could not neglect the cold weather needs of my own wee ones. I mixed up a recipe for this lovely shade of "sea lettuce" green and have been busy knitting up a new fall sweater for Chi-Chi. This is attempt number FOUR so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for success. My knitting to do list is growing by the day - hats, mittens, scarves for all members of the family.

I've also been tucking away bits of summer to pull out on the coldest and dreariest of days. The upcoming fall season has me dreaming of the yummy sauces, soups and stews that will be keeping us warm from the inside out. I purchased the most gorgeous organic tomatoes from our local CSA, Taproot Farms. I spent last evening blanching, peeling, chopping and freezing these sweet and tasty gems. On a bleak day in late January, I'm certain I will appreciate my efforts. I'm anticipating some seriously good Friday night spaghetti suppers in my future. I froze them in increments of 28 fl oz, the same size as a standard can of tomatoes. What a tasty and healthy alternative to the sodium-laden canned variety.

With the sun shining today, I'm off enjoy summer in all its glory! Fruit pop anyone?