a quick catch-up...

This is the time of year that has a busyness all its own, and can only mean one thing: harvest time! This week the days will be spent in the kitchen prepping, canning, and freezing tomatoes and peppers.

If you're like me, and you find yourself with oodles of tomatoes, here's an Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce recipe I use that is quick, and so easy, just click: here.

And because I always seem to need tomato sauce for chili, I'm keeping it super-simple this year:  I'm just cutting the stem end off of tomatoes, quartering, and then tossing the quarters in the blender - no peeling!  After they're blended, I put them in the slow cooker, add some salt to taste, and let simmer several hours until they've thickened into a nice sauce. Truly, it couldn't be easier!

I had some baked goods left from the "not shop, shop" a couple of weeks ago, so I called a friend that loves old-fashioned bartering as much as I do...

A visit to her farm found us catching up, which is always great, while seeing all the sweet farm animals she has.

Meet Ferdinand!

His mom, Annie, shares her wonderful milk with us...which became the best chocolate ice cream.

My friend also sent us home with butter, cream, homemade mozzarella, dozens of eggs, and cabbage...what a blessing to be able to trade goods!

The cabbage was put into fermentation jars to become sauerkraut...it's a favorite of mine, but I've never made it before, so I'm anxious to see how it comes out. 

She has the prettiest views from her farm...

and the drive there, is beautiful as well.

This is what the blue, super moon looked like from our little corner of the world...well, as best as it could be captured with my phone...it was truly gorgeous as we were driving home at dusk.

And lastly, this was a view my daughter captured on our travels. It felt so vintage and classic Heartland to me, I wanted it to be black & white:

Thanks for visiting...wherever you find yourselves, have a great week!