524 - fall cleanup Sept 30

Day 524 had us up early getting Britt to work by 8:30. Sheldon brought back a hot chai tea for a treat and it was fall cleanup. First I called Vance to wish him happy 9th  birthday!

Sheldon worked on finishing the windbreaks while I harrowed the fields then picked up all wood ends he cut off along the fence. putting away tools, watering plants, rolling up hoses, harrowing the yard, picking up trash from the storm still and ditch along the road were some of my other jobs in the morning. Sheldon stacked  pallets and took to approach for giveaway then loaded up more items around the yard on the skid steer and put away

For lunch at 1, I made a healthy out of my garden tomato soup in the Vitamix taking about 6 minutes to complete. I added a wee zucchini too

5-Minute California Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 cups

This is a light, fresh and brothy tomato sauce. For a thicker sauce, let simmer until thickened to desired consistency.

Ingredients:

2 ½ pounds (1.25 kg) large red California tomatoes, cut into wedges (5 large tomatoes)

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup (50 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) red pepper flakes, optional

2 tablespoons (30 mL) tomato paste

3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh parsley, chopped 

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) white balsamic vinegar

¾ teaspoon (4 mL) sea salt, more or less to taste

Zest from 1 lemon

Directions:

1.  Place tomatoes and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped.

2.  Place olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, tomato paste, parsley, salt and vinegar in a large saucepan, stirring to completely incorporate tomato paste.

3.  Place saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Serve hot.

Sheldon then ran to town to pickup Britt at 1:30. I updated the blog quick then returned to my yard cleanup trimming trees etc. I also gave Diego his 5 week Cartrophen shot.

 here is mcgyver taking my load of wood and tree trimmings to the pit lazy man way

 he also pulled the pumps and rerouted the rain water for the winter

 Britt sorted bottles then hosed Bird

At 4:30 we tacked up and headed out on a nice trail ride with Britt riding Baby for Shaina who worked till 4 but had to wait until tables cleared. She arrived home just as we got back around 5:30. I made supper while Sheldon went out to do finishing touches on the ends of the planters for the garage rock going up tomorrow morning.

After supper he cleaned up tools while I cleaned up kitchen, unloaded the dishwasher and washed dishes while Britt did homework and Shaina slept. Apparently a hard w/e for her as she went to bed once home, had no supper and only got up later for a snack then back to bed. Britt finished homework while we watched some PVR and read more of my book.