CharlesFred travel throughout the world...Flickr photos here, blog here.

Barley, with Parsnips, Carrots, Onions & Leeks

Online Travel In My Down-time

I've been enjoying the dwellings of Turkey, the music and culture. I've also gone on a few 'Google Earth' street view excursions in my down-time.  Italy has been a favorite, but I'm looking forward to street views someday of many locations in Turkey, a place of such ancient history and culture. 

When the leaves fall in autumn, it is time to collect them, and pack them in the garden trenches for the winter. Once this is done, I will 'put the garden away' for the season, and hibernate in my kitchen...

A Favorite Film - The Wind Will Carry Us

A beautiful film by Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami ....more here. I first played this film from our library on a DVD, so I could pause the still shots.  Then, I drew images from the film that became paintings I now have on a wall in my home.  There are many U-tube videos of the film.

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Everything grown in the garden, except the garbanzos - tomatoes, leeks, purple brussel sprout leaves, red onion, kale, and Laurel's home-grown purple grapes.  This salad has a garlic dressing, and home-made Labneh, a cheese made from yogurt.

End of the Tomatoes

Subscriptions on Facebook

One of the features of Facebook is the opportunity to subscribe to the newsfeed from people of other cultures - they share their life with you, enabling you to appreciate how they live, what is important to them.  Two subscriptions I've enjoyed lately are from people living in remote northern climates. Their lifestyle is challenging, requiring many outdoor skills; and friends and family are cherished. 

Heirloom Tomatoes, Labneh, Jalapeno Jam

Toasted sprouted wheat, with a layer of cheese made from yogurt (Labneh); jalapeno jam; and leeks, onions, and tomatoes. 

Heirloom Tomatoes Make a Great Pizza

Breadmaking Throughout the World

Turkish Tandir Ekmegi

Beduin Kenyersutes

Bösztörpuszta 2010 sparhelten

Zetelakán kenyérsütés húsvétra

Sehribana kurdi | Sev Cu - Kurdish song

Flickr Photo: yumievriwan's Photostream  Making Moroccan Bread Making Yufka Bread in Cappadocia

Finally, Tomatoes From My Garden!

Google Earth - Street View

Video about an old homestead, Moldova.  Changes in farming, Romania.

Videos about old ways, in Romania.  Here, and here.

Hitching up the cows.  Bringing down the sheep.

Baking bread.   And, communal oven, in Hungary.  Making cheese.

Google Earth, street views on Flickr...

Vaughn Bay on Puget Sound

Putting in at Vaughn Bay, on Puget Sound.  A gorgeous autumn afternoon. Flickr set here...

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...