Autumn at Turkey Creek Lavender and Super Easy Olive Garden Soup Recipe

What a glorious morning! Our first really cool one. The air is crisp, and chilly, there's a light frost on everything. The trees are just starting to turn from green to rich amber, deep gold, and sunny yellow. Geese are honking in a neighboring field. There's a slight smell of woodsmoke in the air.

Autumn. Such a lovely word.

And it's time to prune the lavender. I prune in the fall. Since it's so warm here most of the year I usually get a second bloom from September to first frost. It might only be stragglers, but if I prune too early I just have to prune again. And I don't like to do that. So today is the day, and my oldest son is here to help me.

I took a little stroll around this morning with my camera and savored the sights and smells of autumn. The deer and turkey were in the field feeding together. I've seen it before, but it's always so odd to see them in the same frame.

The leaves blanket the floor of our woods, beckoning exploration.

As I looked up to take this lovely picture...

I spied this...

...one of the beautiful wild turkey's that run around the farm perched up in a tree.

And then he flushed and was gone. A lovely start to a beautiful autumn day.

Then I came in and made Olive Garden Soup for later in the day when Nathan and I will be worn out from pruning.

A wonderful and super easy recipe my Mom gave me years ago. I make it alot. And again, it's so versatile. Instead of ground beef you can use ground turkey, chicken, italian sausage, or venison (which is what I use). Sometimes I have a little leftover cooked zucchini, carrots, peas, etc. and I just stir that in, too. You can easily extend it a little by adding more water, and it freezes well, and doubles and triples for large crowds.

Olive Garden Soup

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 can Rotel Tomatoes and Chilies, undrained (I use mild)

1 can Ranch-Style Beans, undrained

3 cans Minestrone Soup, undrained

1 can water

In a kettle or dutch oven, brown 1 pound of ground beef with diced onion. Drain. Add the tomatoes, beans, soup, and water. Simmer till hot.

And that's it. SO easy. To make alot I use 3 cans of ready to serve minestrone. Sometimes I use the condensed variety and add more water. Most of the time I use a can of condensed and a few cans of ready to serve, or vice versa. I always keep the ingredients on hand in case of unexpected company. When you live in the country it's not like there's a grocery store nearby! With crusty french bread, or breadsticks, it's so yum.

Wishing you a lovely autumn day, full of surprises!

Cathy