mumma yaga

 October 2 Ray Bradbury liked October. It only required saying it out loud, "Let me be sad for a day or two, that summer is over." I am now at peace with fall, and ready to enjoy seeing the red and yellow among the green of the conifers, on the hills. The trickster yellow birch, whose leaves linger all winter on the trees, and blow across the snow, then in spring, fall everywhere pale and papery, is now playing his autumn trick, dropping just a few bright leaves, for effect. How the roads change as the seasons turn; in winter, leafless and white, in summer a green tunnel, in fall kaleidoscope. Have not seen this squash before, but I immediately decided to try and make a viking ship of it. First attempt not too bad; I scooped out and sweetened the inside, then scooped it back in. It was very tasty. Everyone in the neighbourhood is gathering in the harvest, canning, cooking and freezing for winter. The night a frost threatened we rescued lettuce and flowers that would not survi...

 September 30 Finding the chestnuts while we were in Toronto this month, reminded me. Every year, when I was a child, in September, we went to Niagara Falls. My parents and five children piled into ("piled in" is an expression that somehow has evolved for a number of people getting into a vehicle, funny) the family sedan. My parents always had a sedan, never a station wagon, which in the fifties and sixties was the vehicle of choice for large families. Vans still had only two seats in those days, the property of businesses and soon, hippies. The giant family vans with three rows of seats that many families have now, had not yet been dreamed up. My father's sedan had a bench seat in the front, another difference that we don't see now. So one of us got to ride in the front with mom and dad and we switched out at each stop and probably often mid-drive, just climb over. My eldest brother was fourteen when I was five, so I remember it being mostly me and my little brother ...

Sept. 28 This tree is the main reason we were in Toronto. It was our backyard Norway maple. [I call it "immigrant" species now, it did not "invade"! It was brought here by humans intentionally or by accident, and lives here now. So goes migration. Since the dinosaurs, living things have migrated from place to place for  food, warmer weather, by storm, wind and misadventure.] This picture was taken the last time I lay in the hammock, which was tied between the tree and the garage. I shall miss our tree. It held the treehouse I built for Rain. Ladders led small pirates up to the crown "crow's nest", or a cozy place to read. Partly gone. Just the main. This was removed after we were gone back to Quebec. It was tempting to leave it for a performance of Waiting for Godot , brilliant suggestion from AS. The artist wanted to mosaic it, of course! In other tree news, the chestnuts were almost ripe and the sycamore was turning red.  We have lived a stone's ...

 September 27 A stone was set on the meadow table. * I replied with a second stone.  They answered back. They removed the big stone and put it in an excellent spot against the forest; see, beyond the table. Is that where they first found it? They put my answer stone in the centre of the table. Mumma Their stone: https://mummayaga.blogspot.com/2022/08/220829-stone-on-table.html

the scrolls of the dead are long ago  cast upon the ground  unread and gone to earth it has all been said before explanations of the wrongs  warnings of famine and floods calls to change  of chains and how to break them the sea is dying the water rising  we might find a bloodless sharp spark  that will set off the chain reaction I see the red line of endings  sweep across the planet like radar like lightning walking or will we just wash down and shrivel  black like summer's ghost pipes and be gone shout loud your best words oh the starving ones waken a soul in this sea of humanity  come back prodigal son wealth is not in gold but in the heart summer green returning for another hundred years would that be good? can an answer not be found among yesterday's papers? it is time for the old men to open their eyes and see do not doubt there is money enough  in the coffers of the governors  the banks of canada the airlines that fly carbon f...

 Garlic Dill Zucchini Pickles Delicious, easy - small batch - from a recipe from Cindy D. about 35 years ago. This recipe is very detailed, because I forget the details when I don't make pickles for a few years! When you are making it, have a friend on speed-dial (is that even a thing any more?) who knows pickling. I put complete ingredients and materials lists at the end of the recipe. Once you are used to canning, all the minor details stay with you, just like any cooking.  I washed the zuchs, jars and lids, dried them, refrigerated the zuchs, and put jars ready in oven, the day before. The rest took about three hours. It can feel like a big job, but I buy the vegetables on faith, and wash the jars and lids. When that has been accomplished, the rest of the job falls into place. You have a few days while the zucchini is still fresh, to find your time slot and energy. I forgot to get salt and had to make a town run the morning of!  You are welcome to copy the recipe ...

Yesterday, on my walk I came by the table that sits at the top of the meadow. Someone had placed a rock on it. I was shocked: angry and, I think, afraid. I assumed that it was reckless, trouble-making youths. I was angry because it is a very large rock, not easily removed, because the table belongs to the property and who, then, is invading the space? I was afraid of vandals and their cruelty. I treasure our safe privacy. This morning, as I walked up the camp road towards the top of the meadow, I began to think that it was, perhaps, an artistic, or a philosophical expression. I found, on reaching the table, that the stone had been placed in the middle of the table lengthwise and towards the "back", closer to the woods side. It was a considered position. Walkers on the property; there are many visitors; might not be aware that anyone else ever visits the table. We leave no sign that we have been there. They, I assume that it was more than one because the rock is very heavy, le...