Grass Roof Cabins in Norway

When I take a break from my gardening I sit down at the computer and use 'street view' on Google Earth to explore countrysides in other countries - Estonia, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Scotland.  It is an easy way to have a drive in the country! I'll tag the places I enjoy, so I can return to them.  I often laugh at the Google team - they will unlock a public gate and drive a muddy road down to the very end! 

 

The Google teams drive to remote and desolate places, which are gorgeous in winter.  They've even driven along the fiords of Norway with the 'midnight sun' providing the only illumination.  All the little cottages have a porch light on, sometimes a kitchen light is burning.  Merino sheep in Scotland, old barns in Estonia, Loch Lomond in Ireland - all waiting for the viewer.

 

On Google Earth I've driven the road past our old cabin at Monarch - the cabin is gone now, removed when the 100 year old lease from the National Forest expired.  That experience in my childhood caused me to love living in a cabin out in the country. 

 

Flickr set of Google images here.

Still Pulling Veggies From the Garden

This rutabaga was pulled on Saturday, cooked, and mashed with a bit of chicken bullion granules and butter.

We are still growing celery, potatoes, tomatoes, leeks, chard, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas.  Stuff for soup! Plenty of parsley, mint, oregano.

I'm digging out the compost from the trenches, then piling it up on the berms, emptying the trenches. We'll fill them with autumn leaves to winter over until spring, then lay straw on top, starting new compost. I've been chopping all residue and turning it into the soil - it will rot through the winter, adding texture to the soil.

We've also been pulling plums and picking blackberries.  I've made plum jam and syrup, about 17 quarts.  This is a lot, but it is for two years - last year we didn't get plums, so this year I've made sure to have more processed.  I've also processed about 14 quarts of blackberry jam and syrup.  Last week I opened a pint of plum and a pint of blackberry jam and stirred them together - so good.  My kids love this jam, so there is plenty to share.

We went huckleberry picking, but the berries were scanty this year.  Froze 3 quarts.  I use these berries in east-Indian rasam, a soup that I make every week.  They add a bitter-sweet element to the soup, which contains chorizo, veggies, and malloraddus.

Five Days in Montana

My daughter Ruhiyyih and her husband Matt drove us over to Montana to visit my sister and her family.
We camped out in Glacier Park and did some great hiking. Flickr set here...

Camping Food: Butter Chicken & Tortillas

With cashews, brown rice, and bell peppers in a heavenly golden curry. Served this at St Mary's in Glacier Park.

Huckleberrry Pickin' in the Gifford Pinchot

We picked huckleberries while hiking a trail in the Gifford Pinchot.

I'm in the process of making plum jam and syrup. 15 pints of plum jam so far. Syrup is next, when the plums are a little over-ripe.

Camping Food - Leftovers

Right after we set up camp a meal is generally in order, and that is best served by leftovers from my cooking at home - pizza, zucchini fritters, stir-fried vegetables, and smoked salmon out of the freezer.

Camping in the Gifford Pinchot Wilderness

Flickr set here...