The giveaway of Drinking with the Saints is still going on! Leave a comment on the giveaway post for a chance to win one of five copies! We'll wrap it up on Saturday.
~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
{pretty}
Bear with me, will you? Soon enough I'll be back to my trademark gray photos punctuated with piles of snow. For now…
Let's take a walk in the orchard.
It's getting a bit overgrown — they seem to be on a “low-prune” regimen in the past few years — but a few rows are left on purpose to make magical tunnels. (Yes, super sad to see all the apples on the ground like this. But pretty in its own way.)
{happy}
Every year I vaguely have some sort of idea (occurring to me sometime in January) that garlic should be planted in the fall, but never know enough to do it. This year my friend gave me a bit leftover from her planting (her daughter has been working on an intense organic farm and gave her a bunch to plant).
What's in the bowl is hers, and the other is what I bought as the nicest-looking fat garlic I could find, just to make a whole (small) bed of garlic for the spring.
I kept thinking… “Oh man, the warm sunny weather will be gone soon — need to get out there and plant the garlic!” Finally on Tuesday I did it, and my next thought was… “I hope the garlic won't start sprouting with all the warm weather we're in for!” Heh.
In other happiness, All Soul's Day is one of the few days in the year that the monks say Mass at the tiny chapel down by the river. Every year our family tries to go there on a pilgrimage in May. November 2 is another special day for the Guadaloupe shrine.
I stole this picture off their website so that you can see how small it is:
You follow that path lined with trees… all the way down…
Sorry for my quick cell-phone pics here. I'm standing in the doorway.That's it. That's how big it is! And there were a lot of people (not pictured), so lucky that it was balmy and sunny outside!
A beautiful way to pray for the Holy Souls.
{funny and real}
I think I'm vicariously nesting, because Sukie is about to have her baby and I really need to get some things done around the house before I go to be with her! Is that a thing? Grandmothers nesting??
I've had my dishwasher for more than 16 years. I happen to really like it a lot and it works very well, but in the past year or so, it's been bugging me because it was so… well, not to put too fine a point on it, dirty.
I scrub it, even running those tablets through it, but recently I realized that what bothers me the most is the door seal gasket — that black rubber that goes around the tub — you can't clean it after a certain point! Dirt builds up all around it! It's not scrubbable! It's gross!
Seriously, I was on the point of buying a new dishwasher! I figured it had given me its all (and it may still break down yet, who knows) and I just wanted a clean one. Is that too much to ask??
When I say 16 years, remember that it's more like 25 dish-washing years, when you figure the 2 and even 3 times I ran it a day for so long, with up to 11 people a day to cook for at times. Plus, some of the interior bits have just started literally wearing away — there are some prongs on the racks that will never be heard from again, for one thing.
However, a new dishwasher isn't cheap. As I was looking at them down at the discount appliance store, I suddenly noticed that the gasket is actually really easy to pull out.
And that gave me the thought to just buy a new gasket.
Do you see it? Please ignore the fact that the inside of the door isn't sparkling white, due to being 16 years old and also there are dirty coffee cups in there and that's when I took the picture. Focus on that crisp black gasket and the pristine area around it. Turns out that when you pull the old one out, you can then clean for real all around it. Since I don't rinse dishes, it was really grody. (What a workhorse, right? No need to rinse dishes!)
For $30, I feel like a new woman with this dishwasher!
I'm telling you — you can pull yours out, clean it (and the channel it sits in), and put it back! Zero tools needed! If you could use a new one, just poke around on Google shopping with your model number and you'll find it cheap.
And if you can stand any more of this fall-cleaning talk, I also took advantage of the warm weather and defrosted my deep freezer. Do you know that “deep freezer organization” is one of our top searches here at LMLD? Because of this old post! I thought you might like to see more, although I'm going to say that if you are a blogger and your deep freezer is in your Garage of Death you are never going to get great pictures.
Do you get the idea? You use those fruit boxes that have plenty of ventilation and even handle grip hole thingies cut in the sides. Just catch the guy as he's stocking the produce section. You broadly divide up your food into categories like “big roasts” and “veggies” and “partially cooked stashed food,” using the boxes to keep it all contained. Stagger the boxes as you pile them up with the big things down low and in the spaces created by the boxes. The bread goes in the section that the manufacturer fenced off. The basket holds the little odds and ends that would otherwise fall to the bottom.
A lot fits in this way but it's never just a pig-pile. (Don't worry, that's not really frost there, just a little condensation as I had the top open to show you.) Put a horizontal surface of some sort next to your freezer (any shelf will do) and that gives you a place to put a box while you are rummaging.
Okay, that's a lot of contentment! Glad you made it this far!
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Toni Graham says
I would like to win the book giveaway !
Lindsay says
I never knew there was a little chapel down there! On the list for next year.
Katie King says
Thinking about getting an extra freezer, and this post reminds me that you are the perfect person to ask, Auntie Leila. We will be a family of 9 come the spring, and I have a good-sized (6.2 cf) freezer in the kitchen. I’m thinking of getting a smaller chest–about that same capacity. Yours doesn’t look so enormous–what size would you recommend for a nice, medium-sized family?
Leila says
Katie, it’s helpful to have a second fridge, and if you can find one with the biggest ratio of freezer-to-fridge space, you can get away with that.
If you want a chest freezer, this one that I have now is one of the smaller ones. I used to have a very large one and kept it pretty full, but now we really don’t have that many people here!
This one is maybe a 7 cu. ft. one? (I’ve had it for a while now.)
My recommendation is to get a manual defrost one. Yes, you have to haul it out to defrost it once a year. But the temperature stays stable. Auto defrost freezers work by warming up and then cooling down again, which is not great for long-term food quality and takes a lot more energy.
And you know what, a chest freezer NEEDS to be cleaned out once a year, regardless 🙂
Annie says
Oh, your orchard photos make me want to go apple picking!
I had problems with my tulips last year. As soon as I planted them, it warmed up, they sprouted and then were promptly frozen flat by a harsh ice storm. Hoping this years do better.
Stephanie says
Oh this was so much fun to read! I really enjoyed seeing that little chapel, what a gem. How wonderful the fullness in your life that you have grandmother nesting tendencies! Alleluia!
Mary says
Oh, my dishwasher is only five years old and I shudder when I look closely at that gasket. And then quick close the door!
Laura Jeanne says
As for the garlic, I don’t think you really have to worry about it. Last year I grew garlic for the first time. One batch of cloves I planted in October, and they totally sprouted and grew quite a bit before the weather got really freezing. The other batch I planted a few days after Christmas during some unusually warm weather, so it never sprouted at all until spring. Both batches grew exactly the same once spring arrived, and gave me a similar quality of crop. So I don’t think it actually matters all that much exactly when you plant the garlic, as long as it is indeed ready and waiting in the ground when spring comes.
Also, I’d say that garlic needs a good amount of fertilizer. I put some compost into my bed last year, but not a heavy coating, and my garlic was pretty small. This year I got a load of (composted) horse manure and you’d better believe I’m putting a good layer over the garlic bed. I’m hoping for some nice big heads next year. Which reminds me, I need to remember to actually plant the garlic some time!
Erin says
Excellent decision on the dishwasher. We moved last year and left behind a 20 year old dishwasher and acquired a nearly new one at the new house. Ugh. I’d give anything to have that old one, it worked so much better than the newer ones.
Mary Ann says
Loved the little chapel photos, Mass there must be very special indeed. On another note, I have exactly the same dishwasher. It is a wonderful workhorse, even with a missing post or two. There are on,y 2 of us and mist if the time I only run it twice a week so I am hoping for another 5 yrs!
Chere Mama says
I love the little chapel! And the doggie in the road. That is such a nice photo. OHH it also reminded me that we have bulbs to plant. The bag is sitting there in the dining room reproaching me.
Mary Lou says
Oh Leila, you have no idea how much contentment I’m having since meeting LMLD! Housework is finally a burden that is light(er) even though I’m older. I was even hoping the new book (did I read that somewhere?) coming out is something in the spirit of ‘Holy Homemaking’ ! Instead of ‘pig piles’ which seem to plague me, I now look at them as the source of my sanctity, dig in, just try to start, take it at my own pace and focus on only one thing at a time (try to) and pray that God will come to my aid! This dear friend is a miracle of grace! I came to my computer this a.m. to find that video on cleaning the dishwasher and lo and behold, you were there in bold, so I visited with you first … God knew! Love to you and family ~
Leila says
Mary Lou, glad to be of service! 🙂
Robin says
This was the first year I finally got around to planting garlic. Definitely a big “happy” for me! We had just moved around too much before to make it worth putting in the effort in the fall. I told Matt it felt like the garden equivalent of when we finally moved our piano into the house. Hooray!
Also, to echo what someone said above, my understanding is that the garlic will go ahead and sprout–even through a thick layer of mulch–but the bulbs will be just fine come spring. Guess we’ll both find out!
Also, love the chapel pictures!
Love from Kansas 🙂
Leila says
Robin (and other encouragers of garlic-growing) — thank you!
Glad you made it out to plant as well!
NY Mom says
Back in the days of manor houses, private chapels, built in the home or at a little distance away, were the norm. I soooo wish I had a manor home in which to house a little chapel…
( extra staff to go with would be nice, too… 😉
Nita says
Dear Leila,
Your orchard is beautiful and those apples on the ground make it so. Our family’s little orchard surrounding three sides of our ranch looks similar. Last three or four years of early and late frost damaged too many of the Spring flowers and buds on apple, pear, apricot and peach tree. But your picture of apples on the ground reminds me of my family’s efforts some years picking those apple up from the ground, washing them and mixing varieties which resulted in the most delicious cider we ever tasted. We had so many gallons from all the apple trees that we froze some and enjoyed it in the winter and spring. We bought a cider press from a local couple whose children were grown and moved on with their lives, and were no longer pressing their own fresh cider.
Love the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe and how clever of you to fix that dishwasher with a new gasket. Thanks for a wonderful post and Happy November for All Saints and All Souls. Please pray for my family looking for new employment and all our deceased family members. God’s blessing on you, Phil and all your family.
Nita
southeast Michigan
Leila says
Nita — well, “my” orchard isn’t mine! It’s the neighbor’s property. Unfortunately, I don’t feel free to pick up the apples. I am happy to be able to walk (and ski, in the winter) up there with my dog!
elizabeth says
Dear Lelia,
I’d love to be in the drawing! Love this post.❤
Catie H says
What a lovely post! And that property you have — swoon!! How old were your kids when you bought it? Mine are still young – 5 kids 9 and under. Seeing your beautiful home and property gives me hope for the future. My husband reminds me that there are many different chapters to life, and there meant to not all read the same. I’m trying to enjoy this “small house-many people-any even more stuff” chapter before the next one (hopefully:) begins. You do such a lovely, encouraging job with this blog. Thank you for the ministry and service that it provides.
God bless you and yours — esp Suki!!
Leila says
Catie, thank you — but of course the orchard isn’t ours. We just take advantage of the walk out the back of our yard 🙂
We moved here 16 years ago, just after my eldest went to college.
Thanks for your kind words!
Claudia says
Thank you for having this giveaway! Your posts are delightful, and the links you share are always worthy.
Mary Lou says
Just wanted to say good-night to all you dear Moms and share a little of God’s humor! After I cleaned the dishwasher I just kept going ‘fall cleaning’ the kitchen. When I pulled out the microwave, there was my bag of garlic I had ordered for planting in the spring (different variety?). I chuckled to see them, all shriveled and dry and I do remember a time this summer we thought there was a mouse in the kitchen. We did get the new strawberry bed in, however! Wonderful plants from Stark Bros. Nursery in case anyone wonders where to get some beautiful plants.
Oh, and I threw too much ‘thick’ bleach in the dishwasher on the second cycle with the baking soda … it began foaming at the mouth, out the door everywhere, so even my floor got a washing! So nice to be with other Sisters in Christ. I will remember you all in my prayers right before I dream about gaskets, garlic and babies!! Just finished folding all the baby clothes I have left from our youngest 12, diapers and all to hand over to our son and his wife expecting a little girl … Yes, Grandmothers do nest! xoxo
Elizabeth says
If you keep the bread in the section that’s separated off, where do you keep your ice cream?! 😀
ArdenLynn says
Great move on refurbishing the dishwasher. The new models are really awful now. Most have so much water saving features that you really can’t get your dishes clean.
Mother B says
Love freezer organization! What a beautiful little chapel!!
Woman of the House says
Hurray for cleaning out the freezer! You’ve reminded me that mine needs to be done. . .
Woman of the House says
Hurray for cleaning out the freezer! You’ve reminded me that mine needs to be done. . .
What a sweet chapel!
Katie says
Stopping back by to celebrate yesterday’s acquisition of produce boxes for the freezer! Reading this post a few weeks ago inspired me to be on the lookout, and yesterday the timing lined up. I scoped out the cart for the preferred box shapes before I asked, although one still had exactly four parsnips (of all things…) still inside. I suppose having a cute baby along made the stocker willing to oblige and unload said parsnips early. =) Score one for our freezer! My husband is also duly impressed with this stacking plan. Thanks for the tip!