November 8, 2012

Autumn Jewels

It has become much colder the past few days. My nasturtiums that edge the vegetable bed have completely wilted, a sure sign that the growing season is behind us. I brought in the last few vegetables that were in the square-foot garden. There's something very wonderful about pulling up relatively nondescript leaves and finding jewel-coloured vegetables at their base. Above are the beautiful purple-topped turnips which have a more of a rosy hue at this point in the season. Below are carrots and beets.

We ate the beets in a lovely risotto. Usually when I have beets in the house I make the late novelist and cooking writer Laurie Colwin's Beets with Pasta (from More Home Cooking) but the past two times I've made risotto. It is so pretty how the beets tint the rice. I added the beet greens too so the contrasting colours were lovely together.

Below are some of the most beautiful leaves and stems of my vegetable garden: the rainbow swiss chard. So pretty and so delicious! We often eat them in pasta or just steamed with a little garlic and olive oil.

Harvest always seems like a celebration tinged with a sense of mourning. It's exciting to be able to see and eat the vegetables you planted in the spring but sad to think that there are months before the whole process can start again.

And finally, after days of cleaning my studio, I sat down and painted. I say it so often but I should have done that days ago! It's like a restorative tonic. I painted that sweet little pumpkin that has been waiting patiently on my studio table since before Halloween. It didn't come from our garden, but from a local farmer. Here it is 'in progress':

And here it is finished (I think). I'll know in the morning. :)


6 comments:

  1. Those vegetables are beautiful - - just as nature intended. I agree with the melancholy of eating food you have grown. It's a wonderful feeling to be self sufficient, knowing that all your hard work and nurturing of a little seed can yield meals for your family. It seems like such labor to NOT reflect on the beauty of a vegetable before you eat it! Savor each bite, right?! LOL.
    I really noticed how quickly the weather has changed things today. It's like, overnight the trees shed all of their leaves at once!
    P.S. Was wondering if we'd see a painting of a pumpkin! I noticed it sitting there prettily in the photos of your studio earlier this week! ;)
    xo
    Jody

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I so agree with everything you wrote. I've been staring at all of the bare trees this week. And a few days, ago the nasturtiums were hanging on too as well as a few other flowers in the garden but we have definitely turned the corner! xo

      Delete
  2. i love pumpkin oranges so much and the fact that your still has a little bit of vine and a leaf still attached makes it so extra special. Stay cozy.
    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved that the stem and leaf were still attached too! I also love when you get a box of Christmas oranges and some still have a leaf attached. The snow is coming. :)

      Delete
  3. How lovely Kathleen ! Your painting and your vegetables. You eat healthy, that's so precious, you are right, these are jewels. Colors are wonderful. I have to go to the market now and buy some boring parisian vegetables, they don't look as gorgeous as yours for sure...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lucile. They are almost too pretty to eat. But we did. :)

      Delete

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog and to leave me a comment. I love reading them. -- Kathleen

(Please note that comments with links to ads or commercial websites will be deleted.)

BROWSE MY BLOG BY THEME

autumn (26) backyard (19) birds (17) creativity (7) family (37) flowers (32) friends (13) garden (72) gardening (7) hope (8) leaves (17) Meeko (95) nature photography (14) original watercolor (9) painting (55) paintings (34) print (12) rain (16) soft-coated Wheaten terrier (28) spring (28) studio (13) summer (12) watercolor (102) watercolour (98) winter (19)