Fall is Here!

Monday night was the first freeze of the season here at the farm. I spent the day making sure my cold frames of lettuce, spinach and beets would be protected and I picked all I could of the last green tomatoes off the vine. Winter is coming fast and the leaves on the trees have now only just begun to make their transition from greens to browns, reds and yellows, mustard and pinks. I love Oklahoma!

Well, I thought I better take advantage of all the fall recipes. I have come to love pumpkin bread with pear compote or roasted butternut squash with candied pecans, so Monday evening I did a little baking. While I was waiting for my pumpkin bread to bake I went outside to inspect the cold night. (I like to do a little walkabout in the evening after the sun has made a complete exit from the day.) The stars were so bright it seemed ridiculous. The air was crisp and the chickens were snuggled up tight against each other in their hen house. All was well. What was even better was the aroma of the baking pumpkin bread in the oven. The warm smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom found its way outside.

My grandmother used to use cardamom like crazy and it was a long time after she passed before I was able to appreciate its unique flavor again. I love it in this bread and I can’t help to have intense memories of my grandmother cooking and the smells of fermenting cabbage in the barrel. Halloween is upon us, hopefully the weather will hold out. There is a chance for thunderstorms. I’ll let the goats know.