"One Autumn When the Nuts Were Ripe. . .

 . . . And the leaves on the hazel bushes were golden and green-

"

 Nutkin and Twinkleberry and all the other little squirrels came out of the wood, and down to the edge of the lake (to gather nuts). . . "

 Dear Friends,

We've been busily squirreling away nuts and apples, before the cold sets in and ends the harvest.

We've also been blessed to find a mess of inky cap mushrooms growing nearby. Inky caps and shaggy manes are easy to identify, because they turn into ink when overripe. They are delightful if cooked up when young and fresh.

We also found a surprise on our collard leaves while harvesting them; it pays to look closely!

Since it was too cold to sit outside and "do apples," we decided that the kitchen floor was as good a place as any. Children love helping with gathering and eating the bounty that grows all around.

Our African marigolds are STILL blooming, and still giving us lots of seeds. If anyone wants some, just let us know!

Our hands have been busy making lots of baked goods this week (in addition to pancakes), too~ We especially loved making pita bread for the first time, which is much easier than we had thought. They taste so much better than store-bought! Here is the recipe we used, which we found in the book "Every Woman's Herbal," by Dr. John R. Christopher and Cathy Gileadi:

1 c. warm water

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon dried yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon kelp (optional)

(we added about 1/4 cup powdered goldenrod leaves)

After mixing and kneading these ingredients, let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Break off golf ball-sizaed pieces of dough, and roll out about 1/4 inch thick into circles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise about 30 minutes, during which time you preheat your oven to 450 F.

Place sheets on bottom shelf of oven, and bake the pita breads for 5-8 minutes, just until they puff and solidify a bit. Remove and cool separately. If you don't have a lot of cookie sheets, let the breads rise on a cornmeal-sprinkled surface, and gently place them on the cookie sheets as they become available. Makes 2 dozen pita breads.

May your family be well and happy this upcoming week!

Love,

Marqueta

p.s. Hettie sends a letter from the Lake District here!