Monday, September 4, 2006

GREAT WEEKEND

Mom and the rest of the "K's" had coffee klatch duty at church this weekend. So Saturday morning we turned out zuchinni muffins and apple cake and I made a batch of french bread for us. All the baking was out before 2 and we finished things off by hitting one of the local produce outfits and came home with some goodies and almost fifty pounds of peaches.

I went up to see Lisa Sunday. Me and one of the loaves of bread. I had really good luck with this batch. Just flour, water, yeast, salt some time and patience. And mom did three canners of peaches. Seven quart jars to a batch. Got a chance to see the chrysalis that is Lisa's cafe. There's a beautiful butterfly there but it will take some time to hatch. I'm looking forward to seeing it develop.

We finished off the peaches today. Two more canners. 35 quarts total this year. The canner is older than me by several years. Either the pressure cooker or the sewing machine was the first thing they bought after the folks got married. She can't remember which. It's messy but really worth it. You scald the peaches, slip the skins and get them in the jars. Wide mouth jars make it easier. Just slip them in and off you go. They look a little like sunshine come winter and the quality is much better than the commercially canned product. We don't do pears anymore. Too messy and time consuming for the result. There's only the two of us and the odd care package when the kids come down.

Oregon won their first game this weekend. 48 to 10 against Stanford. Oregon did very well. Everything just came together for them. I've seen a lot of games over the years when Oregon was in Stanford's position and things just weren't going quite right. Here's hoping they keep up the good work. I know they've been working really hard all summer.

Had some memories jogged this morning. One of the editorial writers for the Portland Oregonian graduated a few years ahead of me from the high school in Oakridge. He did a little piece on the English teacher who handled the Juniors. Her name was Fredricka Renner and she was very much Miss Renner. She was legally blind, could read if she was practically kissing the page and we couldn't put anythnig over on her. Maybe she couldn't see us very well but she knew where everybody in the room "should" be and heaven help us if we weren't. And never raised her voice. She knew her craft and was a great teacher. Unfortunately her health went downhill during my junior year. So we started the year with this great teacher who could pass on her love of books and good writing and what did we finish with? Somebody straight out of college and I can't even remember her name. Oh well.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a silly and unwarranted fear of pressure cookers. Otherwise, I'd hunt down a farm and do some canning myself. Although, all the work involved doesn't quite seem worth it except that the taste is soooo much better and at least you know what goes into it then.

Someday I hope to see Lisa's place - maybe next year. I'm itching for a road trip up the coast of CA. What's a few more hours into Oregon?

Anonymous said...

Canned sunshine...that'll be awesome come February.
Glad your weekend was a good one.

Anonymous said...

That was a nice tribute to your tribute.  I've had so few memorable teachers in my life, but the special ones live in my brain to this day.

Russ

Anonymous said...

Canning summer fruits, apple cake, football, and school.  Your entry is a beautiful ode to September.  Fall can't come quickly enough for me!
*debbi*