Welcome to where I am, where my kitchen's always messy, a pot's (or a poet) always about to boil over, a dog is always begging to be fed. Drafts of poems on the counter. Windows filled with leaves. Wind. Clouds moving over the mountains. If you like poetry, books, and music--especially dog howls when a siren unwinds down the hill-- you'll like it here.


MY NEW AUTHOR'S SITE, KATHRYNSTRIPLINGBYER.COM, THAT I MYSELF SET UP THROUGH WEEBLY.COM, IS NOW UP. I HAD FUN CREATING THIS SITE AND WOULD RECOMMEND WEEBLY.COM TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN SETTING UP A WEBSITE. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT MY NEW SITE TO KEEP UP WITH EVENTS RELATED TO MY NEW BOOK.


MY NC POET LAUREATE BLOG, MY LAUREATE'S LASSO, WILL REMAIN UP AS AN ARCHIVE OF NC POETS, GRADES K-INFINITY! I INVITE YOU TO VISIT WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED TO READ SOME GOOD POEMS.

VISIT MY NEW BLOG, MOUNTAIN WOMAN, WHERE YOU WILL FIND UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY KITCHEN, IN THE ENVIRONMENT, IN MY IMAGINATION, IN MY GARDEN, AND AMONG MY MOUNTAIN WOMEN FRIENDS.




Sunday, September 14, 2008

What's Left



I had only two sunflowers this summer. The rabbits ate my fancy ones from the seed company as soon as they were a few inches tall. The Wal-Mart brand sprouted just fine but then withered away, except for these two surivors. Now after all the rain, they are nodding off, like they're ready for a long nap. I'm sorry to see them go.



We are still able to have fried okra for supper, but our okra plants won't be producing much longer either. My zucchini got squelched by the marauding cucumbers that are now climbing over the divider-fence, as if wanting to do battle with the numerous butternut squashes intent on conquering the entire garden. I don't know how we are going to eat all that squash, but unlike zucchini, it keeps a good while if stored properly. (Any butternut recipes out there?)

And what am I going to do with all those apples? I'll start with a pie tonight.

6 comments:

Susan M. Bell said...

Oh how I envy you. I LOVE butternut squash. Tried them for the first time about 3 years ago and have been hooked ever since. I love to just cut them up in chunks or thick slices, spread them in a baking pan, salt just a bit and bake in the oven until nice and tender...mushy even sometimes.

That's it; I'm planting butternuts next year.

Perry Eury said...

Butternut squash soup? I made some last winter that the neighbors still talk about. It's a cream soup with pumpkin pie spices...top it with chives, croutons, sour cream, grated romano, etc., etc. Oh yeah...that's ALMOST enough to make me wish for a cold day to best enjoy it.

Then, a few years ago I tried a recipe for butternut squash chili. Sounds odd, tastes great. The butternut takes on the spiciness of the seasonings, has a good texture, and makes for a surprisingly good chili.

Here's a recipe for the chili:
http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Golden%20butternut%20squash%20chili

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Oh my, the soup and the chili sound great. Thank you so much!

Anonymous said...

I have returned this evening to my home in Tazewell, VA from a visit to Sylva, NC to see my son, daughter-in-law and 3 month old grandaughter. Needless to say, she is beautiful!

I picked up a copy of the Washington and Lee University Review, Shenandoah which you had donated to the local used bookstore in Sylva.

As an aspiring poet, I want to thank you for sharing from your "extra" stuff so that others (like myself) can be exposed to great outside resources.

Mountain Graces to You!

Steve A. Spangler
sspangler@bluefield.edu

Pat in east TN said...

I never had any sunflowers this year and really missed them as they are a favorite of mine ... perhaps next year will be better.

My summer garden is fading fast with only hot and green peppers left, and, hopefully, a few lingering tomatoes. My fall garden is thriving and I hope to enjoy some of it's goodness before our first frost hits.

James D. Hogan said...

Kay, apple pie is probably my favorite dessert ever. If I weren't flying to New York tomorrow, I might have actually driven up to share some with you. (Yes, I am just inviting myself.) I'd bring milk and other things to drink afterwards, though!