A Slum Gullion Day

 

Rainy, windy, cold autumn days sure chill the bones.

What a pleasure to hear the tea kettle whistling on the cookstove with the beginnings of a warm dinner simmering while you head out the door.

The job of the day is making apple cider in a tent sheltered from the wind.

Here, Mike, Ben and Abby load the press with the chopped apple slurry.

Can’t you just hear that sweetness dripping into the pan, and doesn’t your mouth water for a taste?

Raindrops on the mound of apples, sweet and crunchy.

Randy sits regally in the mud watching over his farm.

Jonathan’s red golden pheasant finds a sheltered place to snooze.

His mandarin ducks feel right at home in mud.

The Thanksgiving turkeys await their big celebration day of the year.

A reminder of our purpose in this season.

A satisfied thankfulness to God fills us as we gaze over the remains of the garden.  What bounty we have been blessed with this year.

Eight little, nine little, ten little pumpkins…

Becky’s bright boots heading indoors to make lunch.

A well equipped mud room invites you home.

The Slum Gullion recipe in Mom’s handwriting.

When its ready, the others come indoors, lay their gloves by the stove to warm – oh, look, a stowaway!  He’s a praying mantis, a reminder of summer days now past.

Just four of us home today, we find this dish warm and filling.  I, Becky, snapped this photo before Ben scrapes it clean!  Later I learn that it was not hamburger that I used, but ground Bear!  Sure tasted good!

Before I close, I must show you Jonathan’s Biggest Ever nine-point buck that he shot on Opening Day.  The inside spread is 17 1/2 inches.  (Next time we will use venison for slum gullion.)