Saturday, October 11, 2008

Pat's Peace Sign...Part 8

I wish you could smell this!
Pear chutney is simmering on the stove, filling the house with pungent sweet ginger, cinnamon, jalapeno, onion, cider vinegar, sugar, red pepper, and pear. It is delectable.

These are waiting to ripen...you can see there is still more food preservation in my future.

Actually, a lot more. These are still on the tree, waiting to be harvested.
This was an amazing crop, considering that while this tree was flowering it got hailed and snowed on. Bees don't even like pear flowers that much either. But look at this yield.

And then there is the seemingly never ending supply of Super Marzano sauce tomatoes. I have a kettle full of these simmering into pasta sauce next to the chutney on the stove.

So you can see why the Pat's Peace Sign is moving kind of slowly. But I am making progress with the seam treatments. It has been fun to severely limit my parameters...no beads, no ribbon..just single or double strand floss in very traditional stitching patterns. This just seemed like the best way to show off the flowers.

This shows what I have in mind. I do think it will work, especially with that cording along the inside of the border.

Now, to switch gears....the financial panic has been so dreadful over the last weeks. If you would like a very clear explanation of what went into this happening, and how we might eventually get out of it, check out this series of YouTube videos...starting with this one.
There are 7 in the series, each about ten minutes long. But you can skip the first one, as it is just an introduction of the speaker. Then just find the links on the sidebar for the next part in the series.
He is L. William Seidman, former head of the FDIC and also the RTC (Resolution Trust Corporation, the government entity that oversaw the savings and loan crisis of the early 1990's.) He makes this extremely complicated situation understandable. I am learning so much watching it. (And what a sinking feeling it is giving me.)
The fact that the speaker is my uncle makes me proud to recommend this. He's doing pretty darn well for 87 years old, too.

I hope you are all keeping your chins up and trying to stay positive during these trying times. Stitching has never seemed more important, somehow... ;-)


12 comments :

Vicki W said...

I bet your house smells wonderful! you wil not need to buy much of anything this winter with all that you have been putting up. Thanks for the video link - it's very interesting.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I cannot believe the number of pears! I'd be making some pearsauce. I'm not crazy about pears - don't like the texture of ripe ones, but a green one with peanut butter on a slice, pear jelly or pear sauce - yum! Chutney sounds good, too.

Barbara C said...

You're doing a great job of preserving your harvest. How wonderful to have so many wonderful things to eat from your own garden. I dried apples last year. The prep is a little messy (I got one of those apple peeler/corer devices) but dried fruit is great to have on hand and it doesn't take up a lot of space.

I recommend National Public Radio's "This American Life" broadcast of 10/3 on the financial meltdown. You can listen to a podcast of the show, which explains the whole thing in a way a lay person can understand.

Judy S. said...

Yum, Allie, now I know what that delectable smell is that's wafting in from the south! Are those bosc pears? I don't think I've ever seen so many, not even at the store! I never knew how good pears could taste till we moved here to WA......

Cat said...

I've never had Pear Chutney, but it looks quite tasty. I wish I could come over and breath in those wonders too!

You are busy busy busy - and still stitching too!

I'll have to go check your links - we sure are in a mess $$$$$$ !

:) Cat

Deb Hardman said...

It makes my tummy grumble reading this post! I made pear salad for dinner today, & thought of you. I wondered how your pears were coming, & then turned on the computer, & there they were!

The peace sign is coming along beautiful as always anything you touch!

I try not to worry about things that I can't control. I try to live by the quote,"worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you no where".

Debra Dixon said...

You will be so happy when winter hits and all you have to do is walk into your pantry and pick out a nice jar of your canned goodies. I envy you!

Summerset said...

What a great harvest - canning is definitely the way to go!

I like what you're doing with the border - it won't compete with the center.

Cathy said...

Thanks for the link to your uncle's speech. I enjoyed listening (and learning) to it this morning (I used the opportunity to do some mindless cleaning around my computer, LOL). What a charming, delightful and intelligent man he is!

Your harvest looks wonderful, too. Ours was very modest and mostly eaten already (shared with family). Lots of good pumpkins, indian corn and cornstalks, tho, for decorations.

Jean said...

Allie, I do envy you a bit! I was out looking to buy a bushel of pears but found I was too late in the Season around here. We love them dried too! And actually just canned is always wonderful.
I'm in the process of making pasta sauce too! Lots of it! We grew around 80 tomato plants this year. I need to go pick my FIL's apples too. This year not so many... last year the only tree he has had 12 bushels of apples on it! We had apples clear into March!
The peace sign is lovely... of course the green background really sets it off for me! I grew up in Oregon/Wash. so green is my favorite color. I love Deb H.'s saying about worry! Mostly we have been praying for the country!

Anonymous said...

Oooh, nummy nummy, I can smell the pear chutney from here. Pat's peace sign is nummy, too. I am impressed...that's a huge pile o' pears. Pear wine anyone?

Bethel of Bethania said...

Myy Allie you are so busy what with your produce being made into chutney, sauces, etc & working on this lovely Peace sign [not mentioning the money worries] I bet the smell in your house was divine - um um
Congratulations on your win with your 'Home in the Garden Quilt' so well deserved - you are such a giving person sharing each step along the way with your wonderful creations - I do so enjoy the journey with you.
Also love your photo in the top corner of your blog - you look like the most contented & happy person surrounded by your beautiful garden... OOroo ... Bethel