Late summer was marked by Jeff enjoying some fly-time with control line planes, which are usually built over the winter, tested and tweaked over the summer. We went out one gorgeous afternoon to a friend's flying field.
While the guys worked on the finer points of engines and airflow, I explored the elderly barn, slated to be taken down soon...
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| At one time, a classic work of sound barn architecture and carpentry |
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| It is not really an unoccupied barn.... |
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| Vestiges of summer: sunbeams, dust, old wood, dried flowers... |
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| Once a hardworking cattle trough, the creaking foundations are quite evident! |
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| The elements quintessential to rural Illinois in the late summer |
We did kick around the idea of salvaging some wood for a project, but that would have been one project too many - not to mention that we were warned that the building sways with the work of removing each plank - so the barn came down in total a few weeks later without further deconstruction. It's rather sad this is the case for many beautiful old barns these days, but as it is said, everything has a season.
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| Barnstorming, control-line fashion |
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| Jeff on the flying field |
Shortly after this, we discovered that the freezer was in need not only of repair, but of being completely defrosted and reset. Then launched a several week culinary adventure, utilizing the quarts of pumpkin (as in, nearly a whole large pumpkin) and of fruit, of broths and soup bases that had been frozen - last year. Somehow the prior winter was too busy to use all this?? Little did I know how much we had preserved!
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| One particularly enjoyable Sunday dinner.... |
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| Stewed peaches over pork-loin roast |
We had so many interesting dishes from the depths of the freezer and my cookbook collection, I thought about a blog entry entitled "Food Blog for a Season". However, I was too busy cooking.
In the meantime, I kept trying to coax the slow-growing garden to produce something as my friends the rabbits looked on, amused, I suppose. It seemed like the complete opposite of what most people do as summer fades into autumn.
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| With the threat of early frosts - even the green tomatoes came in one afternoon |
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| It was a great season for herbs and sturdy flowers, though! This fall, I planted an entirely new bed of kitchen herbs near- the kitchen, of course. |
In mid-October I headed north to visit my sister Jeanette. It was a long-aspired-to autumn road trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula!
Despite the rain, it did not disappoint! We drove and walked our way through fall foliage to our hearts' content.
We hung out and finished desk work together, sang in (Jeanette's) parish choir together, poked around in craft and antique shops, and had an altogether sisterly good time!
I might have stayed on indefinitely, except that I had a conference to attend, a 5K to run, and Jeff was back in Illinois (working on the Camaro).
Back in Chicago, Russels barbecue...
Followed by the 5K the next morning!
Rain and brisk temps didn't slow the pace or stop the fun of St Eugene's Monster Race- especially in the good company of Jeff and his sisters.
Back home we returned to office work and the race against dropping temperatures to get the Camaro painted! Well, "we" is relative to perspective. In the past 8 months, from the last weld in the early summer to rebuilding the axle, from sanding to painting and buffing, the sweat and muscle has been all Jeff.
I provide moral support, fire extinguisher and small wrench support on rare occasions, and of course, dinner.
Team Jensen has brought the Camaro a long ways!
The outcome was undeniably good! Hats off to you, dear.
November sped by with work, weddings and Thanksgiving!
Cold weather means more fireside evenings- and there is little that makes catching up on medical records more palatable than crackling wood and hot chocolate.
Early in December, I headed out to Minneapolis to see my friend Kate and my favorite cat, Kemba. Per usual, our weekend is happily marked by long chats over excellent coffee and international cuisine.
Christmas seemed to come rather quickly this year. Between weekday office hours, Saturday morning pediatric after-hours, and just keeping up with the basics, life is hopping busy. However, from caroling in a nursing home to trimming the tree, it is full in a good way.
There's nothing like home- and nothing like family. So we doubled up, and headed to Chicago for a few days...
And then we joined Jeanette driving back up to Michigan's UP, where we headed to Pine Mountain to regain some ski skills!
The "mild" winter weather have way to real North Country winter... Good cold fun!
And warm breaks!
New Years' Eve started with another warm fire at the lodge....
Followed by a skiers' torchlight parade and fireworks....
... And ultimately evolved to include everything from Polish snacks to tamales, a beautiful Mass to lakeside bonfires! Jeanette has wonderful friends up here.
We have been abundantly blessed this year, and wish our friends and family a very happy and blessed 2015 as well!
