Tomorrow we are headed to the Common Ground Country Fair, a “celebration of rural living,” as they call it. We didn’t do much while we were there last year, choosing instead to wander the grounds, wide-eyed. This year, however…I browsed their schedule tonight to see what was being offered tomorrow: beginner beekeeping, blacksmithing demonstrations, antique tractors…yes, please!

We’ve been doing quite a bit of rural living here this week. Pansy and Petunia breathed their last, and are now safely stored in the freezer. I was asked if I’d watch, and the answer is both yes and no. I felt an obligation to observe the actual hatchet blow, though I passed on most of the dressing process. The girls both wanted to help pluck, and so they did, later pulling up their little chairs to oversee the rest of the work. Once each bird resembled a store-bought roaster, I took over – washing, plucking any errant feathers, wrapping and storing. I was surprised that they were both mostly dark meat, and J speculated that it’s because they had such freedom to move around the yard, really using all of their muscles. I haven’t done the research to confirm, but I suspect he’s right. If that’s the case, isn’t it interesting to put the pieces together and realize just how all that prized white breast meat in the store is achieved. These birds are on the small side, and definitely aren’t buxom, but I’ll find a use for them, and be grateful they lived well.

We picked apples as a family earlier this week, ducking out on our lunch break to visit a local orchard in that small square of time between when I finish my paid work for the day and when J leaves for his own job. In a matter of fifteen minutes, we had half a bushel of Cortlands, and almost that many Honeycrisps, fresh off the trees. Part of our apple haul became pie – one for the table and another filling for the freezer – and I’ve made one batch of crockpot applesauce already, with more to come.

There was a chill in the air today, and so something warm for dinner was in order. Steaks and butternut squash soup, all ingredients locally sourced except the onion. Pie for dessert, of course. I managed to cycle two loads of laundry on the line, and make a trip to the library with the girls so Daddy could study in peace. It was so very nice to have everyone home, working together on our own little projects.