cough, sneeze, shedding trees

I finally finished knitting a pair of socks!  A simple slip-stitch pattern made it an easy project, and it was a great way to show off autumn-colored variegated yarn.

Midway through the second sock, I was tired of juggling the slip-stitch pattern on the bottom of the foot with the slightly different slip-stitch pattern on the top, so I decided to go for straight stockinette (the sole on the left in the photo below).  There's no difference in fit, although the slip-stitch sole on the right makes for a more squishy and warm sock.  In the name of expediency, I don't mind the difference!

Besides knitting, I've also been doing a little baking.  There's nothing like a pumpkin muffin on a cool fall day.

Would you believe that I have baked a pumpkin pie nearly every single day this fall?

I'm all for secretly-healthy desserts that you can eat in bulk, and this pie fits the bill.  A one-quarter slab is about 190 calories, which means that even eating half a pie in a day is fairly guilt-free. The original recipe is from Chocolate Covered Katie, but I've modified it to our tastes.

The BEST Crustless Pumpkin Pie

2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1 can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup raw honey
1 egg
1 TB vanilla
1 TB oil
3/4 cup soy milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Mix the wet and dry separately, then mix together.  Bake for 35 minutes and let cool completely.

It only takes a few minutes to throw together, and it's so spicy and creamy that it's the perfect way to top off a meal.

I've had a lot of time to knit and bake lately because I've been sick with a bad cold or virus for almost two weeks, and Todd has been sick as well.  There's been a lot of laying around, watching T.V., trying to feel festive in our Halloween socks.

I hate missing this hiking time, because it really is the best time of the year to be outside.  Perfect cool weather, trails are less crowded, and the trees are just beautiful.  I couldn't bear to stay inside yesterday and dragged myself to a local park while Todd languished on the couch in a Nyquil-induced coma.  Some leaves are just beginning to change...

...and others are already a kaleidoscope of color.

It was great to get out for a few minutes, but with days of rain in the forecast and dropping temperatures, I hope the leaves will still be waiting for us when we're recovered!

I was looking at some photos of a recent hike and noticed this sycamore tree with its peeling bark.  When I was a kid, there was a massive one in a yard across the street.  I loved everything about it:  the numerous trunks twisting out of the base, the dangling bits of bark, the leaves with just a bit of fur on the veins, and the 'helicopter' seeds that were so fun to play with.  So why does this particular tree have this sort of bark?  What purpose does it serve?

Well, apparently it's a hotly-debated topic.  The obvious answer is that rapidly-growing trees have to shed the exterior bark that can't keep up with the growth, much like a shedding snake.  Or perhaps it's a deterrent against fungus and insects.  Or it's a photosynthesis aid, allowing the tree to take in energy without leaves.  All good theories, but there are exceptions to each.  The truth is, no one knows exactly why sycamores shed.

It's somewhat interesting, but nothing compared to what I found when I started doing some general reading about the tree itself.  Apparently they're famous for their longevity (living up to 500 years but becoming hollow after a couple of centuries) and their girth (up to 25 FEET in circumference!).  One website said that in colonial times, hollow sycamores could accommodate up to 15 men on horseback, somewhat implausible but technically possible.  Sycamores can become really, really big, and I was delighted to read that the world's largest sycamore tree stump is right here in the Hoosier state, measuring 57 feet in diameter ("Too big to fit inside a photograph!!").  Apparently this stump was once made into a novelty photo booth that could hold up to 24 people...maybe the "15 men on horseback" is not so crazy after all!  Here's an odd, poorly-shot video of it if you're interested.  Bonus:  footage of "Old Ben," the world's largest steer ("So large that his tongue filled a dishpan!!!").  We may have to take a side trip to Kokomo to see this in person...if we ever recover from these awful colds.  Meanwhile, we're going to lay low, drink our Nyquil, and hope that Tabitha will share a quilt with us.

Have a great week!

The Cat's Meow

Late October in Indiana means many things...cool days and chilly nights, pumpkin patches, apple cider, falling leaves, and frantic squirrels. It's also the perfect time of year to make the trek to Brown County State Park. Brown County is in the southern part of the state, featuring 16,000 acres of gently rolling hills. It's home to many different types of trees and lots of interesting wildlife, from white-tailed deer to wild turkeys. Black bears once roamed these woods, but the main attraction now is the beautiful fall colors.

When we visited last week, we were gratified to see that most trees hadn't dropped their leaves yet. The colors were amazing, ranging from deep red...

...to creamy gold.

A pleasant walk around Ogle Lake.

The trees themselves are sometimes overshadowed by their brilliant covers, but shouldn't be. I love to see the different types of bark in the fall, like the peeling bark of this sycamore tree.

Near the end of our visit, we found a quiet clearing to explore. It was like being in a fairy ring, surrounded by young trees whose leaves tossed and whispered in the wind and whose limbs seemed to playfully grasp the limb of its neighbor, like children playing Ring Around the Rosy.

We found lots of acorns...

...berries...

...interesting old logs...

...and even an abandoned bird nest or two.

We collected lots of beautiful leaves for pressing.

Our last stop was an old stone shelter that held a wooden table, where Todd had carved our names several years ago.

It was a good trip.

We've had some excitement at home, too. My friend Michelle's cat, Cookie, has misbehaved. She snuck outside before her spaying appointment and, well...

...now she's the proud mother of five little kittens. I visited the small family when they were about a week and a half old. At that age, they were either eating...

...crying...

...or sleeping.

Young kittens are champion sleepers.

They can...and do...sleep up to 20 hours per day.

They love to be warm, so if the mother isn't available, the kittens snuggle together...and sleep some more.


By the third week, though, their eyes are open...mostly.

All kittens have blue eyes at first. The true color doesn't emerge until the third month.

They are wobbling around in their nest and beginning to play together.

Their cries for Mom are a lot louder!

This little guy's baby teeth are just beginning to come in.

Oh, yes, and they're still eating...a lot!

As the weather cools, I've been thinking about knitting some mittens and a hat for winter. I chose a basic, vintage design for the mittens. My only modification was to kitchener the tops of the mittens closed. I think it makes a tidier tip.

Of course, I used my Malabrigo yarn...my new favorite.

I originally chose the pattern Coline for my hat, but the designer was so incredibly rude when I forwarded a quick question about the crown decreases that I decided to go with another pattern. Now I'm working on Caulfield, an intricately-cabled design I hope to finish by next week.

Yesterday, I made pumpkin puree. I used to buy canned pumpkin puree at the grocery store until I realized how easy (and cheap!) it is to make your own...and healthier, I think. Canned puree is tan, but the puree I make is a lovely orange color, as it should be.

I purchased two "pie pumpkins," which are smaller than jack-o-lantern pumpkins. After splitting them in half and removing the seeds, I roasted them in a greased pan at 325 degrees for a little over an hour.

You'll know when they're done. The insides will be soft and the rind will peel away easily. I use an ice cream scoop to transfer the fleshy insides to the food processor.

I puree for about five minutes to get a nice, thick consistency. The two small pie pumpkins I used yielded ten cups of pumpkin puree!

They went straight to the freezer, where they'll be used for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones, pumpkin pudding, and whatever else I can think of.

Going to Brown County and making pumpkin puree are some of my favorite fall traditions.

Have a great week!