Book Blanket ~ Lifting Books and Hooks ~ Garden Clean Up Starts

I finished this book, which I believe I was prompted to read by a blog here I follow (Far Side of Fifty maybe?).  It was good, but it took me forever to read, as it was canning season, and the days were long and tiresome.  The thought of lifting a book or hook was out of the question at the time.

Anyway, I crocheted a granny square to match the cover.  The colors in the square could have been done about a dozen different ways.  I just went with what colors I had in scrap balls. I'll try and get an updated photo of the actual blanket soon.  

Clinking my hot tea cup to yours, to books and hooks again.  I'm hopeful that it will be soon for myself too.  

The weather is pretty warm for fall right now.  We've been in the lower 70's and sunny.  We may even hit the 80's this coming weekend.  It's garden clean up season for us, and those days are hit or miss, with what's on the busier-than-normal fall schedule.

Rosemary plants were pulled out of the actual vegetable garden and placed in the dehydrator.  I have however, left two plants in the herb garden, considering the weather has been so warm, and rain is on the way.  

Book Blanket ~ Lifting Books and Hooks ~ Garden Clean Up Starts  ©  October 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Fall is Here

 It's officially "fall" here now.  Woke up to 40°F and boy it is very chilly.  The leaves are turning even more, and more are falling.  The tomatoes are done for the garden season too.

5 pints of Lemony-Basil Tomato Soup was canned.  I normally get about 2-3 batches canned, but not this year.  I am thankful for what we did get.  The cold weather has started to diminish the amount of herbs we are getting from the herb garden now.

There are other goals now that the tomatoes are all processed. We will need to pull everything left in the garden(s), and do other prep work to put them to "bed" for the season. 

I still have apples to process, but they are in the fridge for now.  I need to get caught up with other work and I have a strainer full of garden bell peppers to dice and freeze.

I totally forgot that I planted several rosemary plants inside the garden this year, so I will need to process those (have no plans to try for the umpteenth time to keep them alive all winter indoors).

I now have a container labeled "canning" that holds old towels, and hot pads, and one apron.  It is now where I will be keeping all those items involved with canning.  They will not be taking up space in my kitchen, and I can grab the container when needed.  If you have canned with tomatoes or anything that stains or splatters, you'd understand why I would only use the older items to can with.  

In the meantime, I am writing up a plan for winter.

Fall is Here  ©  October 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Rain ~ Spicy Barbeque Sauce

 We finally got rain!  So thankful for it.  There was a field fire near us the night before the rain arrived.   It's been so dry, and the field dust was causing upper respiratory issues for so many people (wind didn't help with that).

Spicy Barbeque Sauce was canned.  It takes a lot of ingredients, so it's not my favorite to can, but it is real ingredients.  Yes, it has brown sugar.  It's a canning recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, that we have been using for several years now.

Rain ~ Spicy Barbeque Sauce ©  October 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Heat Returns ~ Infused Honey ~ Barter

 The area farmers are taking out their crops, and the dust is as thick as fog around here.  My eyes burn when I work outside (trying to stay inside for that).  It's very dry, and very hot right now.  Temperatures are soaring to the upper 80's.  It was 88°F the other day and the heat continues.  If we are lucky, the rain will finally be here this week.  

We picked the very last of the tomatoes.  What is left on the plants are rotting before even ripening.  Very strange year overall.  We are thankful for what harvest we are getting.

Exhausted.  I, ha ha! Am. Exhausted.  Taking a few days off canning, and trying to catch up with cleaning, dusting, putting things away, errands, sweeping, dishes, and laundry......

My favorite morning reading, is called "Just Breathe" Devotions and Prayer for the Overwhelmed Heart (and I am loving all of them so far).

Cranapple Butter and tidbits

 One more "first" for me this year (something new to try/experience). . . 

Cranapple Butter ( A Ball Canning Recipe).  I read this is good to top your turkey at the holidays, but we plan to try it on toast too.  Why did I try it?  Well, we had more apples from our trees.  Yes, I could can apple pie filling, but it may still happen too.

Wow! October is here already

 

Wow, the time has really flown by, and it would take a very long post to update every single thing.  Goodness. Thank you all for your advice on recent post question.  

Question

 I have asked this before, but I know I follow a few writers who have written (and published) novels.  What is the best free or best least expensive (simple like Word) writing software to use that is not Google Docs?

Thanks!

I'll be back with an update soon I hope.  But I do appreciate your help, because I cannot find the information some of you suggested.