photoshoot with a baby

crunchy leaves

We took a long drive up to Tofte and drove into the Superior Forest to look for the "tunnel of maples." The leaves had all fallen off the maples, but it was still beautiful with birch trees. Jackie, Peter and Henry joined us and as you can see, Henry really took to the leaves. Ivar, on the other hand, was not a fan.

the north shore of lake superior

You know that popular backdrop used by JCPenny's in the 70's for their photo shoots? Doesn't it look like we're standing in front of that?!! But we're not. That's the real deal behind us and some serious flash in front of us.

We just spent three nights vacationing on the North Shore and it was wonderful. For me, a vacation is when you don't really have to make a whole lot of decisions. Travel is different...then you are always discovering, always looking for something new. But we've been to the North Shore so many times that we have found our constants. On the North Shore we have rituals: a stop at the Scenic Cafe on our drive from Duluth, a pasty eaten at The Vanilla Bean cafe in Two Harbors, lots of time hiking around on the big boulders by the water, a good book, a trip to Temperance River, Gooseberry Falls and evenings spent lounging in front of the fire.

The leaves were past peak, but obviously still stunning. Made for easy photos that would make lovely postcards. We had friends join us the last two nights with their little baby and we loved having their company. And the weather was amazing. On the verge of almost too hot for a fall trip up north. You know it has to be cold enough for the fire!

sidekick

I took this picture while canning all of that rhubarb sauce. He was my faithful sidekick that day, very interested in the bubbling pots and pans on all of the burners. And equally interested in the puff snacks I was feeding him to keep him safe and happy in his high chair.

This is Ivar before his teeth came in. I love this boy so much. Can't hardly handle how much I love him. Recently my niece Mara said, "Aunt Bec, Ivar's legs sort of feel like a really soft butt and they even have a crack." (showing me the folds in his thighs.) I confirmed her observation, "Isn't he the best?"

Canning 101, part 2

My grandma just sent the Martin County Living magazine to me. My aunt Louie is on the cover this month for her canning! (Her name is really Mary Lou, hence the nickname. I've never called her Mary a day in my life.) She is the MASTER canner. She has a room in her basement filled with all of her canning: peaches, tomatoes, V8 juice, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, dill pickles, green bean pickles, beats, lots more...She literally starts sometime in June and cans all throughout the summer and fall. She has a huge garden and spends three months preserving her harvest.

I think this is why I was intimidated by canning. Because Louie goes gangbusters. But now that Rory and I have given it a whirl, it is not as overwhelming. And it turns out that Aunt Covergirl is one handy and well studied resource for canning tips and tricks. Her tomato soup recipe is out of control good...more of a bisque with texture than the thin tomato soup you're used to.

Here are the fruits of my first canning attempts. From Left to Right, Tomato Soup, Rhubarb Sauce, and Spaghetti Sauce. We have 10 jars of soup, 12 jars of rhubarb and 3 jars of spaghetti sauce. Aren't they so pretty?

Just a few reflections from these three successful attempts at canning:
1. Did you know that pureed, raw tomatoes are pink? When we made the spaghetti sauce we were so weirded out by this. Once the mix started cooking it began to turn that bright brilliant red, but for a while it looked...not delicious. It reminded us of when we were in Tanzania and ordered french fries. We were so excited for some comfort food but then the ketchup came and it was hot pink. We couldn't figure out what it was: turns out it was raw tomatoes mushed up. Ketchup in its purest form.

2. Sharing your cans of goodness with someone is really top honors. You should feel very, very loved if someone gives you a jar of their homemade jelly or a pint of their pickles. These jars become a part of the family and we are keenly aware of the number of jars we have left at any given moment.

3. You should really use canning salt when a recipe calls for canning salt. Not table salt. And just because you really like salt, you shouldn't add additional table salt before your spaghetti sauce reduces from a kettle full to three pint jars. It was tasty, but I do think we were hypertensive for a week or two.

4. The part of me that really likes color wants to can peaches and pickles to add more color to the shelves where we keep our canning. It would make for such a lovely rainbow.

5. It's more fun to can with a partner. Rory and I canned the Rhubarb and Spaghetti Sauce, Mom worked her magic on the tomato soup.

Alright. Well that concludes my thoughts on canning. I'll leave you with Aunt Louie's tomato soup recipe. Even if you don't plan on canning, you should give this one a whirl. (though you might want to cut it in half, or quarter it...) It is so good and hearty!

AUNT LOUIE'S TOMATO SOUP

24 cups of tomatoes, chunked
2 bay leaves

20 celery stalks

10 large onions
2 large green peppers

1 cup flour

1 1/3 cups butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

8 teaspoons canning salt

Chunk vegetables, cook for 35 minutes. Put through food processor (or blender). Combine remaining ingredients, add to above mixture. Cook for five minutes. Pour into hot jars, process to seal in hot water bath- 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts.

Yum and Yum. It's a winner.