mspete

Central Alabama musings

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by
mspete
on 11/16/2009 at 12:10 PM (548 Views)
Here in central Alabama the weather is spectacular! Beautiful blue skies (after an extended period of rain every day), cool nights and warm days. The fall colors are starting to fade but there are still many beautiful trees of gold, red, orange. The weather forecast has only one day with a small chance of rain for the next seven days.

The excessive rain late in October and early November has all but destroyed the sweet potato crops. Farmers expect only 25-30% of the crop to be harvested and sold. This means prices for sweet potatoes (a staple for Thanksgiving) will be much higher than we usually pay. But worse than that is that the income of the farmer is diminished after their months of hard work. I was reared on a small family farm and I am so thankful that DH and I do not depend on farming for a living.

It is now 11:00 and I a still in my PJ's catching up on some reading. I love quiet times like this with no tv, no radio - Just a good book and a cup of coffee!

All of you, have a blessed day.

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  1. MadClikr's Avatar
    MadClikr - 11/18/2009 08:29 PM
    I've been noticing the prices here are going up on some of the produce items, while others, they've been having trouble keeping in stock all together. They say that you reap what you sow, but I think that is more of a best case scenario, and far from a guarantee. I hope that everyone has plenty to eat, and family to keep close over the holidays.

    I've been wanting to buy the book, The Christmas Sweater. It sounds like a good one, and if so, I'd like to give out a few copies as Christmas gifts, this year. In fact, I think that I'll go order it on Amazon, now.
  2. Trudy in Illinois's Avatar
    Trudy in Illinois - 11/18/2009 09:55 PM
    I saw sweet potatoes for sale at $.44 a pound, today.
  3. mspete's Avatar
    mspete - 11/25/2009 10:55 PM
    For the past week I have been working on the items that I will sell at the "Christmas Marketplace" at our church on 12/5. I have made 36 angels (I have the blisters from the hot glue gun to prove it!), prepared 30 jars of jelly with fabric covers decorated with lace and braided ribbon, and 36 "grab bags". The grab bags contain a stuffed toy, a children's book and some crayons. I have also done 36 small cross stitch items and framed them! Now all that is left to do is recover the Christmas spirit!

    We plan to enjoy thanksgiving meal with DH's family. On Friday (BLACK FRIDAY!) I plan to stay home, read and relax! No shopping for me on that day.

    As a matter of fact there will be very little Christmas shopping for us. We are getting a new heating/air system installed in our house and I had to get a new dishwasher! We are told that the new heating/air system will be much more efficient than the one we have. Ours is 20 years old (as is the dishwasher) so I really can't complain too much. I know that we are blessed to have a comfortable home. We really don't "need" anything! What more can anyone ask for. We have fairly good health, our son is healthy and happy. God has truly blessed us. May each of you enjoy a happy Thanksgiving.
  4. Trudy in Illinois's Avatar
    Trudy in Illinois - 11/26/2009 02:51 PM
    WOW!!! You have been one busy lady. I'd love to see all you've made. what kind of jelly have you made? One jelly I love to make is cinnamon-apple made with cinnamon candies and apple juice.

    Blessings,
    Trudy
  5. mspete's Avatar
    mspete - 11/26/2009 05:16 PM
    The jelly is blackberry and muscadine. The wild muscadines and wild blackberries grow on our property behind our home. I pick them every year, cook them and prepare the juice. I freeze the juice in zip lock bags measured in "one batch" jelly recipe. They are both really good. I have made strawberry jam in the past (bought locally grown strawberries) but we prefer blackberry and muscadine. I did make apple butter once. It contained apples, sugar and the little red cinnamon redhots. There is a recipe for apple fritters from the Apple Barrel restaurant in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that I used to make fritters to serve with the apple butter. It is very good on these as well as pound cake and different kinds of bread.

    Hope you all had a happpy Thanksgiving.