Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009 - 7:44 a.m.

I feel better today. The farmer's market show helped: there's nothing like spending a few hours soaking in a steady stream of praise and/or money to return confidence in one's craft. Plus putting all the things out and reviewing my inventory helped me see what I need to be doing for the weeks or so before the next big show.

This is why I need to do shows as often as possible; without the (positive) feedback, I sink like a rock. It's why the winter months are so rough on me. (That and I hate cold amd darkness, but that goes without saying).

Tomorrow we go on our annual pilgramage to my favorite local pumpkin patch for the purchase of outrageous quantites of pumpkin (squash, really. And sorghum molasses). I still have something like 4 pints (or pint-and-a-half?) containers of pumpkin puree in the freezer; I have vowed to finish those before I make any more. Things that I have snuck pumpkin into in the effort to consume it all in time: soups (duh), sweet potato casserole, sloppy joes, chili (it just vanishes into these, providing thickening but no noticable flavor-- I recommend it), waffles, bread, hot cocoa (not bad! Really!). Also the eating-it-plain-with-molasses, which I don't do often enough. The only real loser of a pumpkin app was when I tried to use it as a pizza sauce. Bad idea.

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