Letters From Home – October 16. 2017

Good Afternoon Everyone,

This morning was cool, 48° before dawn. At daylight, the clouds were scattered and the underside was dark, causing them to look cold.

The leaves on the trees have started to change color and a lot have already fallen to the ground. The Black Walnut trees behind my house are pretty well bare. There were lots of nuts on the ground, a bountiful harvest for the squirrels.

Now after lunch I stepped outside the front door at the store and we are enjoying a beautiful Fall day. October clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds. It is warm int he sunshine but the air is cool. Across the road is a young man whipping down the tall weeds in the pasture with a weed-eater.

Work in the fields and gardens is winding down. One farmer sowed oats for a cover crop. The recent rains we had really gave the fall gardens a boost. The radishes got a second growth spurt, some are quite big.

There are not as many events in the area except Berlin will have Christmas Open House on November 10 – 11.

Cooler weather is also time to think about serving bowls of steaming hot soups for dinner. On Saturday, we will be having French Onion soup to sample at the Ashery, served with a seasoned croutons and mozzarella cheese. It is a very tasty soup. This mix also works well as an ingredient in meatloaf, pot roast, Salisbury steak or as a marinade for steak or pork chops.

For folks that look for ways to be frugal and healthful here is a recipe for a homemade mouth wash that I found and thought it may be of interest to you.

• ½ cup water

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 drops of Tea Tree oil

• 2 drops of Peppermint oil

Keep in a dark place or a dark glass bottle.

Tip: Slowly sipping 4 oz. hot peppermint tea shortly after a meal aids in digestion.