Blog for adaysouting.com

The weather is nice enough that most people can still plant bulbs.  Up until the ground freezes, you can get bulbs in your flowerbeds and vegetable garden, including garlic and daffodils.

I was recently at a harvest festival and I purchased two types of garlic. If you haven’t planted garlic before it’s fast and easy. You simply break the bulb apart into separate cloves and plant each clove 3 inches down and 5 inches apart.  Each clove grows into a bulb and it’s well worth the little amount of space that they take up.  I love buying specific types of garlic at festivals and farmers’ markets, but I have also simply planted garlic I bought at the grocery store.  I know I am taking my chances with this method, since grocery store garlic wasn’t grown in Virginia and may not make it through our winters, but I haven’t had any problems in the past.

As for daffodils, I have hundreds growing around the yard.  With so many amazing varieties available, I can’t help but plant a dozen or so new ones each year.  I tuck daffodils behind and between my perennials.  This way when the foliage of the daffodils is dying they are hidden by the new growth of the other plants. Look for new and different types of daffodils at fall farmers’ markets and through specialty growers, like our local grower Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.

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The peak of the fall color is almost here in Virginia.  The show has been happening for weeks north of us, but it’s just now reaching the Piedmont region and Charlottesville.

I was driving down a country road with my kids today and we starting talking about the color of the leaves. I said they were a beautiful yellow.  My son chimed in that they weren’t just yellow they were lightening yellow.  I then said I liked the orange ones and my daughter said they were more like a pinky rust color.  This back and forth went on for a while and realized that my simplified color choices weren’t enough for them. I admit to being slightly annoyed at first, but then quickly became thrilled that they were really, really looking at the trees.

Now’s the time for a drive down a country road or a walk in the woods.  You never know, you might just see fire hydrant red leaves.

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I think I am feeling compelled to write about this today because I thought I had lost my family’s sweet Dachshund rescue Max yesterday. He was hiding under our deck. For me, I think our pets can be so much work, sometimes I don’t always realize how special they are to the whole family. I sure came to that realization fast yesterday! Max hasn’t been part of our family for long, but he already joins in on our weekend outings, believe it or not, he is great on hikes even with those short legs.

I never knew how many breed specific rescue groups there are. If you have a fondness for a particular breed, there is almost certainly a rescue group. Below I will list just a few. We found ourselves dogless again last spring and while it made for an easy summer with no worries about who was going to take care of the dog while we were on vacation and away for the weekend, our house was too quiet. We had always had bulldogs and most of the family loved their comical bullish ways, but my daughter didn’t. They would bulldoze her friends, chew on her dolls and occasionally steal whatever she had and take off. She had always liked dachshunds, particularly the smooth haired and smaller versions. She and I looked online and found Dachshund Rescue of North America and sure enough there was Max.

I will say it took a lot of paperwork and time to bring home Max, but it was worth every minute. We first filled out a long questionnaire, complete with references and scenarios about how we would handle our Dachshund in various situations. They called my vet to determine what kind of pet owners we had been. They came to our home to check out what type of environment he would be living in. They looked at our staircases (which can be tough for some Dachshunds), asked many questions about our Koi pond and fencing and even made sure we keep household cleaners out of reach. We then traveled a few hours away to meet a group of Dachshunds at a park that were looking for homes. There we were able to meet Max’s foster parents, ask questions about him and they could also ask further questions of each of us. A few days later we got the wonderful news that we were chosen to be Max’s family. I think these groups do wonderful due diligence in matching the right dog to the right family.

Another great web resource for finding virtually any pet is Petfinder.  They link to virtually all SPCAs, breed specific rescue groups and even private rescue groups.  You put in what type of animal you are looking for, age, size, gender and your location and it will return all that meet your criteria.

Dachshund Rescue of North America

French Bulldog Rescue Network

Portuguese Water Dog Rescue

Bloodhound Rescue

Saint Bernard Rescue “Save our Saints”

Petfinder.com

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I have been making apple butter since I was 9. It is an annual weekend event that brings together family and friends. It is the best combination of fun and work imaginable. The whole affair begins on a Saturday with the peeling, quartering and coring of 20 bushels of apples. This is a time to sit down, pick up a paring knife, work and chat. With some of our far-flung friends, this is the only time we see each other all year. With 20 bushels to prepare, it usually takes about 4 hours, which is a fabulous amount of time to catch up on everyone’s lives. With all the apples ready to go, we move on to the big Saturday night feast. All the little ones, now exhausted from playing, are fed in the house and the adults sit down by the barn for a cozy, candle lit dinner hot off the grill.

Sunday morning starts very, very early for a handful of the men. It’s 3:00 a.m. when they get outside and it is cold, but they get up and start a fire under a 30 gallon copper kettle. With a fine bourbon or two to fortify them, bushel after bushel of mashed apples are slowly added into the kettle. (A few years back my dad had the great idea of running the prepared apples through an apple cider press before they went into the kettle. This simple step speeds up the cooking process immensely.) To keep the apple butter from sticking to the pot, a 10-foot long, wooden stirrer is used to continually scrape the kettle’s bottom. There a wonderful rhythm to the way one walks around the pot stirring it. We call it the apple butter dance.

When the sun comes up, breakfast is served. Actually, there are so many people, that breakfast is served in two shifts. At about this time, the last bushel of apples goes in the pot. After breakfast, the cider press is called back into action and 15 bushels of cider apples are pressed.  For the next 5 hours, we sit back watch as our family and friends take turns stirring the apple butter, drink cider and chat.

There’s a moment when the apple butter is just the right thickness and that is when 90 lbs of sugar is added. Yes, 90lbs, and believe it or not, we have even cut back on the sugar to let more of the apple flavor come through. After another hour of stirring, spices go in and then we’re ready to start canning.

The canning process is another great part of the weekend. Year after year, people have had the same jobs, some pour apple butter, others clean the rim of the jars, other tighten the lids, but all in all, it takes 20 of us to get the apple butter from the kettle into the pint jars. And then, when the kettle is empty, out come the gingersnaps and the fresh batch of apple butter is tasted.

As you can tell, it is quite a process. This year we made 23 cases of apple butter and 28 gallons of cider, but like any event, it is about so much more than just what you do, it is about the people you share the moment with.

All across the country there are apple festivals, farmers markets and roadside stands where apple butter is made and sold.  I hope you will find an outing near you and bring home a bit of apple butter to share with your family and friends.

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You might have seen apple butter at a farmers’ market or for sale at a pick-your-own apple orchard, but until you have tasted apple butter fresh from the kettle, you just don’t know what you’re missing.

Apple butter is a super thick, dark applesauce with hints of cinnamon and clove. You can have it on biscuits, warmed and poured over ice cream or added to your morning yogurt. Every fall, people come together to make apple butter in communities across the country. Some apple butter events are large festivals that attract people from across a state. Others are local events held by civic or religious groups. And, many are small family and friend weekend events.

Apple Butter Festival at Wade’s Mill, Raphine, VA,

October 17, 2009  10:00 AM-4:00 PM

Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival, Coshocton, OH,

October 16, 2009 - October 18, 2009

Richards Apple Harvest Festival, Middletown, VA

October 18, 2009 8:30 PM-5:00 PM

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Here’s a guest blog post from a A Day’s Outing Fan, Sharon Singleton -

For those who love history AND great food, a outing to an area just southeast of Richmond, VA will provide both.  We took friends from Michigan on a tour along the Jamestown Discovery Trail, scenic Route 5, which follows the James River running east toward Jamestown.  On 40 miles of this lovely country road there are no less than 45 historical places or markers, including the scene of Thomas Jefferson’s wedding, several important Civil War Battlefields and nine historic plantations.  Since we got a late start we visited Malvern Cliffs Battlefield Site with eight cannons keeping watch over this now silent ground, then the stately Georgian-style Shirley Plantation, currently owned and lived in by the 11th generation of the original family.  The plantation house, outbuildings and grounds are immaculately kept and our tour guide was hospitable and knowledgeable.

After asking, it was suggested that we check out the Charles City Tavern for dinner, just about 5 miles further east on Route 5.  We arrived before they were open for dinner but were invited in for a drink and an appetizer which we had on a screened porch.  This restaurant was formerly the main house of a dairy farm and is now owned and operated by the Macknights.  Mr. Macknight is the extraordinary chef and Mrs. Macknight was our friendly and attentive server.  Each of us had something different and each meal was superb; beautifully cooked, well-served and reasonable.  The entire tour, ending with dinner here, is highly recommended!

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Here’s a guest blog post from a Facebook Fan, Allison Bartlett-

I wanted to share what a SPOOKtacular time I had at the 3rd Annual Ghoultide Gathering Art Show this past Saturday in Northville, MI right outside Detroit.  We met some great people in line while we waited for the doors to open.  I spotted Dani Nelson of Ambitions Design and Founder/Owner of Spooky Time Jingles.  I love the ornaments she creates.  Dani is a true sweetheart and rare gem in my book. She did me a huge favor by picking up something extra special from the 14th Annual Halloween & Vine Show in Petaluma, CA and brought it all the way back to Northville, MI.  I was so glad we finally were able to meet each other in person.  Check out the picture below and see if you can spot the piece I’m talking about.  If you know who the marvelous Johanna Parker is, get ready for your jaw to drop.

I was shocked when I heard you better run when the doors open if you want a piece from Scott Smith of Rucus Studio.  Boy oh boy, it was a sight to see so many people dart to his table.  I have to admit when I got there, I totally froze.  I was just like a kid in a candy shop.  Fortunately, my husband was victorious (as always) and snagged an unbelievable piece.  I was and still am thrilled I was able to score something from Scott.  His work is crème de la crème and it was phenomenal to meet him and see his fascinating unexpected characters in person.

After that whirlwind I quickly ran over to super savvy Artist, Kristen Beason of Kristen Beason Designs.  She had a table packed of impressive treasures, which people gobbled up right away.  I wanted one of everything she had!! I was stoked to score a beautiful hand painted gourd lantern and devious little devil ornament. It was awesome to finally meet her in person too!  Kristen blows my mind on how amazingly creative she is.

While I was chatting with Kristen, the one and only Joyce Stahl of Enchanted Productions was standing right next to me.  She is also an amazing lady.  Joyce is so energetic and creates SPOOKalicious dolls with hand-stitched 3-D wicked eyes.  I could kick myself for not asking her to sign my copy of Art Doll Quarterly.

I was also lucky enough to score two incredible hags from the divine witch maker herself, Sheila Bentley of Primdolly Designs.  They are a reflection of her outstanding imagination, their faces look so shockingly real.  Her stuff also quickly sprouted wings and flew away.  I was without a doubt mesmerized by Sheila’s work!!

I’m thankful for just how good-natured everyone we met was, they were the kind of people you hope there are more of in this world.  The energy was fanatical and it was electrifying to be around so many Halloween enthusiasts of all ages.  It was an honor to be in the company of such awe-inspiring talent and can’t wait for next year!

I’m getting all flighty that Halloween is almost here…

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I couldn’t pass up an outing this weekend when one of A Day’s Outing’s fans on Facebook posted that she was showing her art at a nearby fair.  My daughter was up for a drive so we took a day trip to Richmond, VA.

Arts on the Grove was a small, but lovely art fair.  There were artists showing glasswork, beaded jewelry, photography and paintings. They had lots of hands-on activities for children, face painting and a special music area with every imaginable type of stringed instrument for children to try.  They did a great job of making the fair a true family event.

And, the art we had come to see was wonderful.  Pam Connolly’s silk paintings are whimsical, light hearted and simply make you smile. She also had fabulous note cards and handmade t-shirts on hand. I snapped up a Cupcake t-shirt with beads sewn on as non-pariells up for my daughter.

Art fairs, whether they are big or small, offer a chance to see a range of work by truly creative people. Try finding one near you.

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