Just the first hint of autumn here in Baltimore County. Saw my first bluejay yesterday. Hummingbird has disappeared for the season. Butterflies about gone. Hate to see it end but welcome fall.

You are looking for bluejays? I can send you some if I can catch them. Around here they think I am their personal servant or foster mother as far as the young one go. Rare are the days when there are not a dozen or so around the house. Nothing like having a jay scream in your ear a foot behind you on a tree branch.

I like the sound of that word!
Next two days: summer's parting gift
Two dry, hot days just to remind me
Ahead: lovely words "a slight chance of showers"

and I stacked the first batch of firewood - another load is coming within next two weeks - looking forward to keep warm in winter

Whoa Lilo! Does that attract snakes?

Robin, no,it doesn't attract snakes. Perhaps if I had any left in spring/summer, but in winter they hibernate, using mole-tunnels a lot for that. Rodent may make their home in the wood-pile, but my cats are pretty good deterrents.
I am not afraid of snakes, careful of rattlers though.

Happy October, I'm thinking fall, pumpkins, fall colors , halloween ,Thanksgiving, rain, fog, while it is 100 degrees out back......I know from experience, that the heat wave is a short term thing and I also know that fall will be here.

It was 62 when I got up this morning;we had much needed rain all weekend.I've seen trees just beginning to turn. Fall is my favorite season.

Lilo, I've been looking around at folks' woodpiles this season, noticing the most clever/aesthetic ones, and yours really stands out. How deep is the shed? Or is it just part of a building?

Thank you, Mary, I sort of pride myself in building a decent looking wood-pile, the primary purpose in neatness has to do with the fact I have to remove the wood as I use it, and I don't like avalanches, they cause squashed fingers and sore toes :(

The depth of the building is 21 feet, but the first 4 feet will not have wood stacked in it, because the westerly rains will saturate that far into the building, it's called a pole-barn here. It stores lawn-tractor and assorted other implement, used to have my car, which don't have any longer,

lilo, that is one impressive wood pile. Glad you explained why you stacked it that way.
There is a site called ehow that explains how things are done.DD writes for that site at times and I read it on a regular bases. The articles are written by everyday folks.
I think your method of stacking would be helpful to many people.

Here is a link that might be useful: ehow wood stacking

Thanks for the ehow link, west_gardener! If I only had that sunny, protected place ideal for seasoning firewood - we cut down a cherry tree in our backyard this spring in Brooklyn, but all we have is a covered deck, closed on both sides and perhaps too close to the house. We can't take wood out of NYC since there's a quarantine here, due to the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Well, I guess under the deck is the best place so that's where it will go...

I am fortunate, I get my firewood delivered all seasoned, mostly oak and some madrone, a good mix

I can finally say, Happy October. The heat wave has broken and it's a pleasant 70 degrees and the weather person says the fog is coming back, and there is a "chance" of rain.
Happy October.

Early morning temp in Missoula, MT was 25 degrees! 'Nuff said!

Yes, West Gardener, so am I doing a happy dance (shuffle) :>)

My october meal today, was down home cooking. Meatballs in brown gravy, smached potatoes, green beans and glaced carrots
Yum.
What do you cook when the weather turns to fall?.

Chili, stew, spaghetti and meatballs--all "stick to *my* ribs" kind of meals. Besides the way they taste, I especially like them, b/c I get at least 3 more meals from each to put in the freezer for another day. I'm thinking about spaghetti and meatballs for tomorrow, b/c the temp is supposed to stay in the low 50s all day. The TV weather guru said next week would be "glove-wearing weather".

The spaghetti and meatballs got made, and tasted pretty good. The hardest part of the recipe for me is when it said, "Stir constantly for 30 minutes". I don't think I've ever managed beyond 15! As good as it was with only half the time called for, it may be "out of this world", if I stirred it for 30! But I seriously doubt I'll ever know!

What did you have for dinner, today?

mwheel, what was the recipe that said you had to " "Stir constantly for 30 minutes"? That sounds like a long time and labor intensive. I'm glad to see that you adapted the recipe and shortend the stir time. But even 15 minutes of constant stirring sounds like a long time to me.
Now, to my second part, there is a infomercial that promotes a RoboStir.

Here is a link that might be useful: RoboStir

What was fpr dinner? It's more like what did we eat today. A sensible breakfast. Then air popped popcorn during the football games, the niners won. Then a salad with cubed chicken breast, greens, tomatoes, croutons and cheese.

WG, what a great gadget! Thanks for the link; I'm definitely going to get one. Our local mall has an "As Seen On TV Store", so I think I'll look there first. I like to see things "in person", if possible.

The recipe is one I copied from our local paper in 2002; it's simple--except for the stirring part.

Favorite Tomato Gravy
1 large onion, chopped 2 gloves garlic, shopped
3 ribs celery, chopped 1/3 cup olive oil 12 oz. can tomato paste 3 T. sugar
3 cups water, more if needed 15 oz. can tomato puree or two 14 1/2 oz. cans whole tomatoes (chopped)
1 tsp. salt 1/2 t. black pepper 1/2 t. red pepper
1 t. Italian seasoning

In large pot, cook onions, garlic, and celery in olive oil till onions are softened. Add tomato paste and sugar. Cook, stirring CONSTANTLY, until mixture begins to hold together and is a nice rich color, about 30 minutes.

Add 3 cups water and cook this down until sauce thickens slightly. Add tomato puree or chopped tomatoes and seasonings. Cook covered over low heat at a simmer for an hour or more. Add more water, if the gravy gets too thick or starts to stick. Stir every so often as it simmers. After you've got a deep, rich red gravy, add meatballs. Put the lid back on and cook slowly for another hour or so to meld the flavors. Serve over spaghetti. Serves 8 to 10.

(I saute a couple links of Italian sausage before doing the onions, etc. It adds flavor and body to the sauce.)

This is probably more information than you wanted, but it really is a good recipe. Before I make it again, I'm going to have a "RoboStir"! :>)

mwheel, thanks for your reply. I luv cooking, recipes and especially adapting recipes to suit my type of cooking.
And no,",This is probably more information than you wanted," I want to know it all. So, thanks.
Re the RoboStir, DH brought that one to my attention when he noticed that I was spending a lot of time "stirring the pot".
He is more into "newfangled" gadgets than I am. He does not cook at all, so when he took the time to show me this gadget, I took notice.

I wish we had a "As Seen On TV Store", so I think I'll look there first. I like to see things "in person", if possible.".
The recipe sounds yummy.

I looked at similar recipes on the net, and most of them say "stirring occasionally".

Example below:

"Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in bacon."

As Seen on TV is sold in our local Walgreens. Do you have that where you live West?

If you have a Bed, Bath and Beyond, check there, they often have "As seen on TV" items too.

Yes, we have both of the stores mentioned above. I had no idea they had as seen on tv items. Thanks for the information.