Autumn Birds

The robin was posing for me in the plum tree that was dressed in its best Autumn colors.

It was a long shot at the Jay as it was sitting at the top of one of the cedar trees.

There has been many more birds in the garden recently.  With the high winds we had a few days ago lots of apples were on the ground again.  I picked them up and put a couple dozen of them across the road into the deer pasture.  Pat picked a large bucket full off the tree and put half of them through the juicer for about a quart of apple juice.  I guess we could freeze this juice if we make more.  There are lots of apples left on the tree.

I have finally got the house cleaned up.  It looks a lot better.  Our Scotish guests will be here in a few days and we both have hospital and doctors appointments that seem to be filling up the calendar for November.  I have been walking more and so have had less and less time on the computer, which is not an entirely bad thing.  I need to up date my page to add yet another under construction page for our St.Lawrence Seaway and Rideau Canal cruises. I am only 5 years behind in making the albums!

Megashot is growing like crazy.  I must find the time to continue the meet and greet to new members.  Actually, it works good, I think, for me to be a few days behind in this.  This gives them a bit of time to look around and figure out how to do things, maybe upload a few photos, etc.  They can always use a bit of encouragement at this point in time.

This is one of my hostas in its October colors.  I seem to be having quite an adventure with this new uploader. 

This is shooting towards the woodland in my back garden.  In the foreground is the small tree that is in the Arbutus family.  Very messy.  It is dropping berries on the sidewalk now.  The birds are suppose to like it, but I never see them eating these berries.  In the background on the left is a Japanese cedar.  It is an evergreen that is bronze in summer and organish/red now and in winter.  In the middle is the momentary colors of the sumac trees.

I had two fuschias in a cedar planter on the deck this year.  I hope they survive the winter.  I should cover them once the colder weather arrives.

Yesterday I made a birthday card for Irene.  It was quite fun to do.  I hope she likes it. We replenished the ink supply for my printer today.  :-)  It took me several tries to get the card made properly with all four pages of it with the top up and the right reverse side..  fun, though. 
After getting home from shopping and lunch (Squash soup with pesto.. yum) I went out to trim back the branches of the front liquid amber tree.  We had high winds for a few hours last night.  The tree branches were whipping around very close to the living room window.  Our power was out for a few hours. The next wind storm should not be a worry with regard to the branches.  I took the pole pruner saw and cut them back quite far.  One of the branches I had to reach by standing on a chair.  I stood on the chair to cut back the burning bush also.  It is now at a height of about 10 feet and should bush out more.  I trimmed the simplicity rose, also while I was working in that corner.  The roses are nearly finished and I will be soon cutting back all of them.  The cuts on the liquid amber tree are not professional, but they are not too bad.  This should keep the tree in check for a few years now. 
The apple tree is in terrible shape.  I will be pruning it and the plum tree also.  I took a few apples to the deer pasture again.  The deer do seem to be eating them, as they disappeared when I last put a few out there.
I have the humming bird feeder out and are getting visits.  There are numerous birds in the back yard. When I was out today there was a gorgeous little wren no more than 18 inches from me... no camera, alas.  There are uncos, sparrows of different kinds, tit mouse, robins, jays, woodpeckers, alaska robins, wrens, humming birds.   Its a treat to watch them.

Autumn harvest

When we visited the Upper Canada Village they were holding a Fall Fair and sale.  There were all kinds of canned produce, fresh produce, quilts, needlework, and many other items produced in the Village.  The gardens in the homes in the village were marvelous.  Huge tomatoe plants.  I suppose the horses in use in the village contribute to the well grown gardens.  Its a wonderfully interesting place.  I will eventually have more photos of this place.
Yesterday, I shopped for pesto making ingredients and walked home from the mall.  After lunch, I prepared the pesto from this recipe:
Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe


Ingredients

    * 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
    * 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
    * 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    * 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
    * 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
    * Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    * Special equipment needed: A food processor (Check Amazon.com's sales on Cuisinart food processors)

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.
I did not have enough basil, so I substituted one cup of spinach leaves.
To preserve the pesto be sure there is a thin layer of oil over the top.
Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

My interest in the pesto began with the recipe for quinoa, squash soup with pesto.  The soup recipe:
Quinoa Soup with Squash and Pesto

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb. cleaned banana squash peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup quinoa
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp.pesto
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the oil in a pot set over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook 3 to 4 minutes to soften.
Add the stock, squash, quinoa and tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer.  Simmer 15 to 18 minutes, or until the squash and quinoa are tender.
Stir in pesto, salt and pepper and serve.
Note:  I freeze the soup, and so add the pesto after reheating and just before serving.

The pesto turned out very well and the soup is delicious.  I have two large jars of the soup and two small jars of the pesto.
We got a large frozen salmon and cut it up into salmon steaks.  I took the boney parts and made up fish stock from a recipe found on line.  It contains bit of celery, onion, garlic,  carrot, parsnip, ginger root, salt, pepper. bay leaf,  white wine, and maybe a couple of other spices that I don't remember.  I did not copy this recipe.  The stock turned out very nice and I have 5 half cup jars frozen for the next fish or seafood chowders that I make.  Having the chicken stock on hand to use in the squash soup was a real plus and I am sure the good homemade stock contributes to the good taste of the soups.  I am making soups lately because the store bought ones just have too much salt.  AND, I am really enjoying the taste of the soups as well as making them.  Easting them also cuts back on the calories too, I am sure.

Today Pat had a question about what coriander was and so in searching the net I found this information place.

Oh my!  I thought I had lost this whole post, and I had, except that Blogger has 'drafts' saved as you compose your post.  I found the draft under edit posts or drafts and published it!   Good stuff!