This is the perfect time of the year to tackle some final projects around the farmhouse. There’s a chill in the air but it is not too cold and most of the insects have gone to rest. We have been busy cleaning up the premises and cutting out some trees. My husband decided he wanted to tackle the Monster Tree and the remainders of The Old Tree. Those were two projects that had been waiting for a while. The cleaned good wood from those trees will be put at the entrance of our driveway so people who need it can use it this winter. Free wood is always on demand around here. It will do good for sure, especially now that the price of a cord of wood is going up. My husband cut it down to a good size so it can be cut into pieces much easier. I am glad these projects are almost done, just a few more big logs left to downsize. The warmth of wood is the best heat. I am not a fan of forced air heating, although this type of heating is very convenient. A pellet stove is the closest thing to a warm fire, and that is what we use; however, we are planning to install a small wood stove in the near future. At this time of the year, things seem to slow down around here. It is a good time for reflection and planning. One looks towards the next year with renewed strength, hope, and certainly faith. In the meantime, we will continue to catch up with some outdoor projects before the coldest weather arrives, and plan for other projects next year.

Getting rid of the Monster Tree is bittersweet. Many birds landed here, and I was able to see them through the kitchen window; however, the tree was dead, covered in honeysuckle, which I loved to look at, and I also enjoyed its scent through the kitchen window. It also had poison ivy growing through it. I knew it had to go, but it was here where I saw my first mixed flock of birds, a wonderful experience and sight.

The Old Tree was downsized at the beginning of this year by a professional crew. It was a threat to the house due to its proximity, and it was showing signs of decay. It is a very old tree, an old giant that refused to give up. I thought of it as a beautiful tree; however, it was bringing too many insects to the side entrance, and it was showing signs of disease and root damage. After we downsized it, the tree sprouted new branches right away, which by now were reaching new heights, so my husband decided to cut it down. I will miss it.

The cleaned-up wood from those trees is up for grabs. Their last contribution.

As this year’s projects wrap up, so does this year, and I want to take the opportunity to thank you for visiting this blog, as this will be my last blogpost for the season.

I wish you all a beautiful Holiday Season and a Merry Christmas full of love, joy, and many blessings. May the New Year be one of the best for you and yours. May God bless you.

Inkspeare

I’ve been noticing that most of the birds around here are gone. We enjoy a variety of birds during spring and summer, and lately, I have been missing their songs and chirpings. For some reason, this departure seems earlier than usual to me, and I am wondering if this will translate into an early winter for us. Nature knows best, and it certainly has been quiet around here, except for the crows and night critters, which are very loud. The Katydids are gone for sure. I enjoy their songs every late summer, and surely miss it.

This year, we are preparing earlier than usual, getting things ready for the cold weather. Winter will certainly be more expensive this year, and we have to make some adjustments. The price of heat pellets has gone up about $2.00 more per bag. There are 50 bags to a ton, and we go through 3-4 tons a winter depending on how cold it is, and how long the cold temperatures last. One winter we went through 5 tons. It was an early winter that lasted longer. The energy companies are already letting customers know of their increase. Budgets will have to be adjusted and readjusted more than once to accommodate a cost increase on pretty much everything. Non-essentials will be eliminated, and essentials will be monitored well. Instead of value for the money, value per use will be more important. It will be an experience for the new generations, a memory trigger for older ones. Seasons come and go in nature and in life. Every season has its worries, but it also has its blessings. Let’s focus on the later. Focusing on the blessings certainly changes perspective and balance expectations.

If anything, this pandemic has made us more creative in other areas. For some, having time to kill (not trying to be insensitive here) has sparked creativity without limits. For me, it has made me reflect and ponder many areas of my life, and revisit many childhood memories. One of my favorites is when my grandmother used to set aside a day to make “frituras” (fritters), a type of Puerto Rican cuisine. It did not happen all the time, but when it did, we were filled with anticipation, taste anticipation that is, because these fritters were delicious. Having lived most of my life here, my exposure to these authentic fritters was limited. The closest in flavor was at a restaurant in Connecticut many decades ago. Over the weekend, I decided to try and recreate that feeling at least, because I wasn’t sure I would be able to recreate my grandmother’s fritters flavor just how she used to make them, heavenly and close to perfection. Of course, I would never beat my grandmother in the kitchen, but the sentiment was there and all I wanted to do was to capture the memories in a tangible and delicious form.

It took me three days to capture the feeling, and I don’t think I will be recapturing it anytime soon. These fritters take time to make, especially because everything is made from scratch. It also requires frying, and I don’t like to fry because it is a bit messy. I divided the task in three days, one kind of fritter per day. For my husband, who loves these, they were three days of pure bliss. It was a good feeling accompanied by the sweetest memories of my grandmother and childhood.

Day One

On day one, I started with the easiest kind to make – Rellenos de Papa, translated to Potato Balls filled with meat, usually ground beef, but you can fill these with any kind of meat, or chicken/turkey. I have to say that these came out pretty close in flavor and appearance. I am not going to include recipes on this blog post, but if anyone is interested in the recipe, you can leave a comment below and I will answer it. Here is what they looked like.

Day Two

On the second day, I decided to make Pastelillos, roughly translated to a type of Beef Pattie. Again, you can use any type of meat or chicken/turkey filling, however the traditional way is to use ground beef with tiny pieces of potatoes mixed in as the filling. These took a bit longer to make because I made the round shells from scratch. If I want to be technical, these would be called Empanadillas, which is the same except that the color is white instead of yellow, and the shell is a bit thicker and dense. These came out delicious but nothing like my grandmother’s. Here is what they looked like.

Day Three

On the third day, I made Bacalaitos, translated to Codfish fritters. However, I have made these before because these are easy to make, and something that my grandmother made more often than the other two kinds for the same reason. I did not have codfish, so I used canned ham, just because I wanted to do these. If you get the seasonings right, you will not miss the codfish. These turned out very good and the seasoning was right. My grandmother used to serve these with bread, and so did I.

And what does all this has to do with writing? Nothing and everything. Inspiration is fueled by letting your spirit delight in other things not related to writing. It is fueled by enjoyment, by taking the time to step out of the routine and clear your mind and heart. To pursue that which recharges the soul so later on you can recharge the pen, and to delight one’s mind in the pursue of happiness, which undeniably would make a better writer. On my second novel, Ramblings of the Spirit, one of the key characters (Olga Gartier) makes a very delicious meal (cornbread crab cakes and squash casserole), which Jeremy Sandbeck, an Anarth, loves and cannot have enough of it. Sometimes, food has its place in writing.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons, from the weather to the colors, and particularly the scents. Every tone and shade seems to become richer and deeper. Around here, this is the time when I can see the colors change and the scent in the air speaks of transition. I say around here because in many other areas nearby the leaves are almost gone and it is starting to look bare, but for me, not so.

It is a bit of a messy season too, lots of cleaning to be done, and preparations for next year. I guess the beauty it holds makes up for it. If you look around, and you look well, there are tiny miracles happening: the last of a sprout or flower, the beginning of another, a young plant displaying the colors of the more mature and royal ones, tiny birds fluffing up, deer changing coat color, and farther views on the horizon … so much to see.

Trees go into deep slumber to awaken refreshed in the spring. I’ve heard that trees have hidden faces in plain view, and that if you look closely, they will reveal its face to you. It is something you know as a kid and wish to see one day. I think I did.

Enjoy this season, and try to find the beauty in it, the hidden eternal beauty.