So you asked about the best way to get tomatoes to ripen indoors once the nights get cold. Honestly, the method I keep going back to is wrapping each one in a sheet of plain newspaper and tucking them into a single layer inside a cardboard box. You want them not quite touching, and the box should sit somewhere that stays around sixty five to seventy degrees. Check them every couple of days because one bad tomato will soften the ones around it before you notice. Some folks add an apple to the box because the ethylene gas pushes ripening along, but that can also make them go from green to overripe faster than you expect. If you have a tray of green cherry tomatoes, you can also leave them on the vine and hang the whole stem upside down in a pantry, which looks a little odd but works surprisingly well. The flavor will never match a tomato that finished on the plant in full sun, but for soups and sauces in late October it is close enough that nobody complains.
You were right about the park being quieter on Thursday mornings. I got there around seven thirty and there were maybe six other people total, mostly walkers with coffee cups. We stayed near the south entrance where the path curves around the pond, and the light was soft enough that even the ducks looked calm. Next time I will bring a folding chair instead of the blanket because the ground was still damp from the night before. If you are free again in two weeks, the farmer's market starts at eight and we could grab breakfast after the walk. I heard the bakery stall sells those oat bars you like, but they sell out fast so maybe we meet a little earlier. My knee felt fine on the incline this time, so I think the extra rest days have helped.
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I think the best approach for the community garden plot is to rotate the two long beds and give the back one a season of cover crop. Last year the tomatoes pulled a lot out of the soil, and the peppers were not far behind. If we put crimson clover in the back bed through the winter, we can turn it under in March and still have time for an early sowing of peas by the last frost. The front bed could stay in leafy greens since those roots go shallow and they shade the soil when planted thick. I would also move the herb walk over near the shed where the afternoon light is consistent. We can talk about it more at the next meeting, but I wanted to send my notes before I forget the details about which seeds we already have on hand.
That recipe you sent for the lentil soup turned out well, though I reduced the smoked paprika by half because the kind we have is really strong. I added a little extra vinegar at the end like you suggested, and that woke it right up. Next time I might throw in some chopped kale at the last minute instead of spinach, just to see how it holds up over a couple of days in the fridge. We ate it with that crusty sourdough from the bakery on Main Street, and my son asked for seconds, which almost never happens with soup. I am planning to double the batch when we go camping in a few weeks, since it reheats easily on the camp stove and makes the whole site smell good.
Let me know if Thursday still works for the bookstore run. I have a list of three titles I want to check, but I can meet you at the one on Cherry Street if that is easier for you. The last time I went, they had a big table of paperbacks near the front with older mysteries, and I found one by a writer I had not read in years. After the bookstore, there is a small coffee place around the corner that does a really good pour over, and they were not too busy mid afternoon. We can compare notes on what we have been reading and maybe trade a couple of paperbacks. If you still have that novel about the lighthouse, I would like to borrow it when you are finished.
I finally took the old radio to the repair shop on Third Avenue, and the technician said the issue was a loose connection on the tuning dial, not the speaker like I assumed. He had it working in about twenty minutes and only charged me for the bench time. The dial light still needs a bulb, but they are ordering one and it should be in next week. It now picks up the college station clearly, which is all I really wanted. I have been listening to jazz on Sunday evenings, and it makes the kitchen feel entirely different while I cook. If you want, I can ask the shop whether they have another unit similar to mine, since you mentioned wanting a tabletop for your sunroom.
We are thinking of taking the trail that goes up the east side of the ridge, the one with the switchbacks and the old stone wall. It is about four miles round trip to the overlook, and the leaves should be turning by the weekend. The parking area gets full after nine, so an earlier start is better. I can pick you up at eight if that is not too early, and we can stop at the farm stand on the way back for cider and those little fried pies they make on Saturdays. Last year the trail was muddy near the top, so I will throw an extra pair of socks in my pack in case you need them.
The quilt guild is meeting at the library again this month, and the theme is scrap busting. I have a bin of small pieces I have been meaning to sort, so I will bring a few stacks and trade with whoever wants them. They are also doing a demonstration on hand quilting with pearl cotton, which I have never tried but it looks interesting. If you come, I will save you a seat near the window where the light is better. There is a potluck afterward, and I signed up to bring cornbread. I can give you a ride if you do not want to deal with parking.
The tomatoes on the deck are still producing, mostly the small yellow pear ones. I have been throwing them into salads with basil from the same pot, and it is a good enough reason to eat lunch outside while the weather holds. The morning glories are starting to wrap around the railing now, and the bees are all over them by noon. I might plant a few more herbs next year, especially thyme and oregano, since they did not need much attention. If you have extra sage, I would take a cutting.
We tried the new taco place on the corner, and the al pastor was better than expected. The tortillas are made in house, and the salsa verde has a nice slow heat. The seating is mostly at a counter facing the window, which makes it good for people watching on a Saturday afternoon. It is small, so go a little before noon or you will wait outside. I think it would be a good spot to bring your sister when she visits next month, especially if she still likes the roasted pepper sauce they put on everything.
The library has started a seed exchange in the lobby, and I picked up some marigold and zinnia packets that people had left. There was also a jar of butternut squash seeds labeled from a garden three streets over, which I thought was a nice touch. They have a little notebook where you can write what you took and what you plan to bring next season. I want to save some of my black eyed susan seeds to contribute. If you have any extra calendula, I would trade you for the marigolds, since they were the last ones in the basket.
The dog has discovered that she can open the screen door if it is not latched, so now we keep the hook down at all times. She got out yesterday and went straight for the neighbor's birdbath, which was not her finest moment. When I called her back she came with a look that said she knew exactly what she had done. We are thinking of putting a small bell on the door so we hear it when she tries. She is too smart for her own good.
The raspberry canes need thinning this fall. The new growth has crowded the path, and I want to dig up a few of the stronger shoots to move along the back fence where there is more room. Last season the berries were smaller than usual because the plants were competing for light. I will mark the ones to keep with some survey tape before the leaves drop, so I know what I am working with in early spring. Let me know if you want a couple of extra canes for your yard.
There is a small pottery studio near the river that offers beginner wheel classes on Tuesday evenings. I went last month and made a very lopsided bowl that I now use for rings and spare change. The instructor is patient and keeps the class to six people, so you get plenty of attention. It is messy in the best way, and the clay smells like wet earth after a rain. If you are interested, I can send you the schedule for the next session.
The bird feeder finally attracted a pair of goldfinches this morning. They came right after the rain stopped and stayed for a good ten minutes, picking at the thistle seed. The chickadees have been regulars all week, and a squirrel made an impressive attempt to climb the pole before giving up. I mounted a small tray underneath to catch the spillage, which keeps the ground neater. Next I want to add a suet cage for the colder months, but I will wait until the wasps settle down.
The community orchard is looking for a few volunteers to help with the apple harvest on Saturday morning. They provide the ladders and picking bags, and you can take home a small bag of what you pick. The Fuji trees are loaded this year, and the Honeycrisps are just about ready. It is a nice way to spend a couple of hours outside, and there is usually cider and cornbread for the helpers. Wear long sleeves because the branches can scratch.
The used book sale at the middle school is this weekend, and I plan to go early for the paperback shelves. Last year I found a whole stack of classic science fiction for fifty cents each, and one of them had a note on the inside cover from someone's grandmother. The sale is in the gymnasium, and they sort by genre this time, which makes it easier to find things. Bring your own tote bag because they run out of boxes by mid morning.
I finally organized the spice cabinet using a set of small glass jars with chalkboard labels. It took most of a Sunday afternoon, but now I can actually see what I have, which means I stop buying duplicate cumin. The smoked paprika and the sweet paprika are finally on separate shelves, which should have happened years ago since they are not interchangeable. The chili flakes needed replacing, and the bay leaves were older than I care to admit. Next I want to tackle the baking shelf, where I am pretty sure there are three separate bags of powdered sugar.