Monday musings: transitions + plumsauce

In which our plucky heroine notices that the longer time spent away, the longer it seems to take to re-adjust...

I went north to spend time with G, and ended up staying for a week. Since we live not only in very different spaces, but many miles apart, there is always transition, the time necessary to adjust; not sure what to call it (though I am sure there is a long and complicated word in German for just such a specific sensation). The sounds are different, the scent of the air, and the great difference of being together or apart. I noticed it more on my return than ever before. The crowded streets and transit, the way my personal shields spring up so very fast, the vast difference between city and woods. Always attentive to what is around me, there is a huge difference between walking down a city street in the twilight, and walking down a leafstrewn path to the river, a huge difference between one set of eyes and two...

. .

It was good also to visit with some of my other northern friends, while G was at work. I had time to spend at the Menagerie, being fortunate indeed to stop by on a day when the pizza oven was fired up. Happy hands that are healing, helped prep the toppings. And there was a little bit more torch-time, J showed me how to make "twisties" (twisted glass stringers) and I was able to make one, and a few beads as well. The first time after my surgery, and all went well.

The next day ended up a long visit with B/K & C. I'd not been back to their house in years, and in the intervening six years time, they have done an incredible job of turning their front yard into a beautiful food garden, with curving pathways, raised beds edged in urbanite, and a mixture of fruit, flowers, and vegetables. I particularly liked the raspberry border along the sidewalk, apparently underplanted with spring flowering bulbs. Their fig tree, which was small when I lived there, is now huge, and starting to crack the driveway. But since their driveway has turned into part of the garden zone, being used to store amendments, nurture plant starts, and serve as a construction zone for garden trellises and suchlike, a few cracks are not troublesome.

Later today, after spending some time taming Mt Dishmore, my current plan is to use the feral plums to make...

Chinese Plum Sauce:

2lbs. fresh plums - pitted and quartered 2½C sugar ½C vinegar 3T soy sauce 1T ground ginger 2 minced garlic cloves 1/8tsp cayenne

Combine all, and bring to a boil, then simmer til the fruit is very tender. Puree, then cook till very thick It will take some time to cook down... Keep watch so it does not catch and burn When suitably thickened, jar and process ≈4 8oz jars - ¼" headspace - process 10 minutes

recipe can be multiplied


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dog is vigilant and slightly puzzled
head tilted, with ears up