Tilting At Windmills

Clear

2012-02-15T19:09:00.001-06:00

The last few days there has been a flurry of activity. Here's a snapshot~

I had double duty scouting yesterday with the cub scout blue and gold banquet directly following our girl scout meeting. It was so busy going from work to scouting to scouting that I didn't even get to give proper attention to the iPhone 4s upgrade I finally was able to get for us! Yay!

Today we got our schedule finagled so that we can be in California for my cousin's wedding in July! So excited; sure to be a fantastic trip and the kiddos will get to hit a few San Diego activities that they have never done before.

We are getting the other house listed this week and I'm going to remain positive that this will be the year that we can finally end that chapter.

I simply love flipboard! If you don't use it, check it out. As I did my perusing over coffee this morning, I found this list making ap called Clear. I'm just learning to navigate it, but a cool by product is the layout of the little scribbling above.

In the busyness of everyday life, I hope your tea leaves make you clear!

Silent Sunday~Winter Shadows

2012-02-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Whittling Chip

2012-02-11T13:37:00.000-06:00

Today was a big day for my cub scout. We went out early this morning in 8 degree temps and headed to a little boy scout office in Union Grove. On Tuesday at their Blue and Gold Banquet, he and his den will be bridging to level 1 Webelos and today's activity was the final right of passage to advancement. Today they earned their whittling chip certification and got their pocket knives.

We arrived at the small office that had no heat and watched as the eagle scout lit a fire in the little pot bellied stove. We stayed bundled up and the kids learned all of the safety rules and did their first whittling. I think every scout should learn these skills with numb hands! HA! It was quite a fun morning and now, all my proud scout wants to do is carve up every bar of soap in the house!

Snow Moon

2012-02-08T06:46:00.000-06:00

Some days I get a spark of energy by the glow that begins to illuminate the window shade. Other mornings, I go about my business and catch a glimpse. This was the bleary eyed glimpse kind of morning. I got the sick girl some toast and took her temp, made Charles' lunch and then went to feed the cat. As I turned to head downstairs I looked up and caught the tail end of the snow moon setting with wisps of clouds all around. Then with a sens of urgency I ran downstairs, changed lenses and hoped that I could get back upstairs before it set completely. I didn't have time to grab and set up my tripod, but not too bad for holding my breath and as still as possible. Happy Wednesday!

Alphabetical Irony

2012-02-07T10:46:00.000-06:00

G is for Grapes.

This month in Postcards To Blog Camp, we are following a challenge within a challenge, so to speak. Each day we are submitting a photo of the date's corresponding letter of the alphabet. Believe it or not this is quite a brain teaser. Each day I get up, think of what letter we are on and then try to brainstorm words and conjure up images of things to photograph. In addition, I'm trying to stay away from the usual suspects. I submitted D~D'uccle, so refrained from E~Egg or F~Feather. I think knowing what I do not want to do has assisted in mentally blocking me from shots. Interestingly, the following day, in retrospect, I can come up with several would be shots that I could have taken. As I sit home with Sidney today and glance over at her flushed cheeks, it immediately occurs to me I could have submitted a shot for Fever versus the one of Frost I posted yesterday. Hmmm F's for hot and cold how is that for alphabetical irony?

Perceptive Little Devils

2012-02-03T17:35:00.001-06:00

Kids say the darnedest things. This week I couldn't stop laughing at the little quips that kept coming out of their mouths. Sidney always tends to be very verbose, where Charles hams up everything he says with a voice or expression (much like his father). After a day or two, I decided to start writing a few of their gems down. Oh! I must do that more often!

Sidney: "Mommy, you know, you're kind of like a rent a clown, if you think about it. People rent you to come to their parties and do Norwex tricks."

Charles: "Mama, mama, wow! Have you ever tried to count your freckles?!" (have no clue where this one came from, completely out of the blue. I think he was trying to get my attention away from something I was working on. It was early morning before school and we were at work. It was at this moment that I began writing things down).

Me: "Charles, you have to do your cover for your poetry project. You know your name and a title and decorate it." Charles: "Mama, I want to put a poem on the front." Me: "Well you already have all of your submissions on the inside." Charles "sheesh, it will be a short one, just a couplet or something." Yup, coming up with that thought, he got his way!

What made you laugh this week? I think I'm going to start keeping regular count, I only got a few actually written down, not always have a scrap at my fingertips to capture the moment. No matter the day, take a moment to really take in what your kids say in conversation. You will be amazed and entertained. Perceptive little devils! Happy Weekend!

Postcards January PAD

2012-02-01T06:35:00.002-06:00

I can't believe that January has already passed us by. Since making the decision to take on another 365 (well this year 366) project, I have felt the drive to pick up my camera, even on those days when I just don't think I have it in me. Here's how a busy January looked through my lens.

Deadlines

2012-01-31T18:38:00.001-06:00

Today is January 31st and it seems this week has been about deadlines. Those moments in time that either you thrive or fall apart. I have always been a deadline person. I loved things like research papers in college, and part of that love came from hours among the stacks (who does that now?) and the looming deadline. Even as a high-schooler on the school paper, I turned in articles at the last minute, needing the deadline to create. With a deadline intact, I could sit, block out the world around me, and write.

I began thinking about this yesterday. As I contemplated the oh so often missed deadline that is rent from our tenant. Then, the deadline we put on selling the other house...oh we can do two mortgages for a year or so. Then, the 'or so' that has turned into five years with a now two-year old inconsistent tenant. So yesterday, my internal deadline was reached. We're going to re-list our "lake house" and be rid of it once and for all, no matter the hit....and I'm sure it will be substantial. The deadline of my patience for a continued bleed of our finances has now passed and I am irritated that I didn't turn it in in time.

Sidney just experienced her first real deadline. Her aunt Ayne got her a fantastic gift for Christmas. A participation in The Sketchbook Project. Sidney created an illustrated short story that will part of a permanent display at the Brooklyn Art Library. The deadline for submission was today, and I was at the post office in person making sure the post mark on her hard and amazing work read correctly. It will be scanned in and posted online in April as well!

Today is a deadline for our very busy free mop month for Norwex hostesses and I submitted last nights show just under that deadline.

In more business terms, today is the deadline for property taxes to be filed, W2's to be mailed, and any number of necessities for income taxes to be mailed here in the U.S.

So as the sun recedes into this crazy amazing fifty degree horizon, yet another deadline is reached. January has reached it's end and I managed to get everything accomplished on deadline. How was your January?

A Day At The Races

2012-01-29T15:30:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, Charles' cub scout pack had their annual pinewood derby. This year's venue was different and there were no chairs, only the gym floor to sit on. The pinewood derby is synonymous with at least 4 hours of very slow moving heats while leaders and parents try to keep 50 boys calm as they wait their turn. Think about it, fifty 7-11 year old boys in a small space all told to keep it down to a dull roar and no running around. The boys did amazingly well!

I am always struck when we go, how all of the dads are sooooo intent. They are all writing down times and discussing things that "they" might do different next year. It is truly an afternoon of father son bonding. Not in the typical fashion, they are not bonding with each other...The son's are all bonding and the father's are all bonding as they plot how well "their" cars did in a particular heat. The dad's were hilarious to watch. They would gather in groups of twos, threes, and fours, to check over stats and swap trade secrets.

All in all, Charles' car won all four heats that it raced in. The final race they had to re-run because another car jumped the track, and it happened to be his best time. During the re-race, he had his worst time of the day. Even with that time, he placed in the top ten, got a trophy, and moves on to the regional races. Very exciting for him!!

Silent Sunday~Lacy Snow

2012-01-29T08:04:00.001-06:00

Gears Turning

2012-01-27T14:42:00.000-06:00

Today I followed through and began to get the gears turning again. A few years back I was quite regular with going to the gym and staying in shape. That momentum halted when I had my gallbladder out. So, when I finally did get back to they gym, I was really excited. That first work out felt really good, then after I'd changed and gotten in the car is when I saw the missed call from our friend Shane. It was moments after that that I found out Brian had been hit by a car while on his lunchtime ride.

Today was the first time since that happened two and a half years ago, that I've been in the gym. I realized when I was on my way that B was once again out on an afternoon ride. That gave me an uneasy feeling, but in the end I beat the demon. Not that that was the only reason that I hadn't been back, I have had plenty of excuses, I assure you! It was just a lingering ~~nightmare~~ memory, that I guess needed to be exorcised. I had forgotten how energized I feel after working out! B is home safe and sound from his ride, and I'm ready to commit (have to be, my Christmas gift was cold weather cycling gear)! I'm glad to know that getting these gears turning once again was just like riding a bike, your body seems to have a good memory. Have you gotten your gears turning yet in 2012? Happy Friday

Boutique Breed Cock Fighting

2012-01-24T13:18:00.001-06:00

This past weekend we picked up two D'uccle chicks for Sid's 4h project this year and also picked up an adult pair. Our hopes being that we could start to do our own breeding from proven bloodlines, and to also have some companions for Topaz. Since we were getting a pair, we knew that there may be some growing pains with the two roosters. If you recall, Topaz is quite petite. It was a bit of a shock to us when we brought the other two in that they were significantly smaller!

Topaz and the new rooster (yet unnamed) began to size each other up, puff up, jump, nip and flap at each other. The sight of this "cock fighting" was a bit humorous as they are such fru fru avian. We separated them repetitively then left them for a couple of hours on trial to see if they could come to terms with one another, or if they would have to have designated areas in the barn. On first check, a few scrapes but no real damage. We left them to their own devices in the barn at roost time and the next morning all was well. They still puff up and will occasionally go at one another, but I think Topaz has decided it isn't worth the effort and avoids him for the most part. The female, on the other hand, Topaz quite enjoys.

How'r You Doin'?

And a peak at the babies. They are still under heat lamps, though not for much longer. Their adult feathers are coming in so they are reaching a bit of a homely age. Hopefully a pair of blue ribbon winners and good mamas!

Ingenuity At Work

2012-01-23T06:51:00.003-06:00

During the first quarter, Sidney's class did a unit on advertising. The big project to bring the unit to it's conclusion involved breaking into pairs, creating a product, making a mock up of it, developing a bill board and a video taped commercial, and then presenting it to the class. She and her friend created duck tape dolls. A complete series of boy and girl dolls each with accessories. I was so impressed!

Since then, she has been duck-tape-creative crazy. She has designed book marks, bracelets, purses, wallets, hair ties, and bow ties (shout out to her love for Dr. Who)....just to name a few. They seem to have become popular items as I found out that she's selling them at school from anywhere from .25-.75 cents (.75 is for a braided bracelet.) She came home irritated at the end of last week, because another group of girls was planning on making their own, and undercutting her on price. On Saturday night I noticed that she had spent the evening, creating a menu of sorts with a swatch sheet of color choices, so that ~~kids~~ clients could place special orders. Always thinking, my girl is coming up with value added ways to promote and offer her superior (totally prejudiced on this one) and well thought out product~ Ingenuity at work!

Silent Sunday~ Winter Coats

2012-01-22T07:45:00.001-06:00

Snow Globe

2012-01-20T18:56:00.001-06:00

Today, moments were spent going about my business from the inside of a snow globe. Watching the snow drift so lightly down around me, as workmen were in and out fixing the things that all seem to break down when it's cold and snowy, I decided that comforting and tasty treats were going to be my goal.

A buttermilk, pesto and Parmesan bread will go nicely with homemade pasta a fagioli.

To top it off, warm blackberry cobbler ala Pioneer Woman.

I hope your weekend is beginning with the warmth of family within your snow globe.

Whispered Promise

2012-01-18T19:19:00.002-06:00

After last weeks snow, and then thaw,
yesterday's snow, and then deep freeze,
it seems that winter, if only for the moment,
is here. Tonight's frozen sunset captures
a sleeping garden, a hibernating compost,
and a whispered promise, Spring.

Silent Sunday~ Snow, The Novelty Hasn't Worn Off Yet

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

The First Rule of Sledding

2012-01-14T15:17:00.000-06:00

Nothing like the first real snow to make the kids desperate for sledding. So despite it only being 17 degrees, off we went!

Now Class........ Can anyone tell me the first rule of sledding??

Always look up the hill, once you get to the bottom!

Quite the move inspired by dad and Sid racing down the hill.
I still can't believe I caught him in mid air!!
A fun outing despite the cold!

Inspired To Jot

2012-01-13T07:54:00.001-06:00

For a long time I have had the urge to get a moleskine to dabble in.

What? This legendary little book used over the ages by the artists and thinkers of their times?

Van Gogh, Hemingway, me?

What happens when the creative mind meets the list maker?

Can one who visualizes lists in outline form be freely creative?

I love my iPhone and have been able to fully replace my paper calendar with it.

But the reminders section or any of the list and notes software doesn't seem to do it for me.

I need to have it on paper in front of me, more tangible. Yesterday, I went to fulfill my desire to have a moleskine that I could fill my 2012 blank pages. I must admit that I was overwhelmed by the shelves of colorful books just empty with lined pages, no structure at all.

So, what do I do?

I find a 'wellness' moleskine that has lined pages, yet is sectioned off for different areas of life, ~~health~~ garden, ~~diet~~ recipes, fitness, and inspiration.

Let's just see if this inspired list maker can become more free to jot, whether structured or not.

From Short Sleeves to Snowplows

2012-01-12T17:10:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was fifty degrees and beautiful, as were many days in the past month. Now that we are well into the "winter months" today, right now, we are having our first snow. It was funny, I racing around early to get errands done before the roads got slick. I soon realized that many of the cars had transformed. Pickups and Jeeps seemed to have gone from just another car driving, to one adorned with a plow, for the first time this season. A friend posted on her facebook today: "yesterday was motorcycles and convertibles, and today is snowplows." A fitting description!

I may grow weary of the snow later on, but right now, it just feels right, and looks beautiful. The grey world is slowly morphing into what will prove this weekend I'm sure, to be a winter wonderland for everyone. The kids are itching to go sledding and I'd like to get the cross country skis out! :)

Silent Sunday ~ Flare

2012-01-08T07:33:00.002-06:00

Off And Running

2012-01-06T18:10:00.003-06:00

It has been an ~~super busy~~ invigorating start to the new year! I am looking forward to the weekend. B has Saturdays off this month, woohoo! After meetings this week, we are into our fair poultry project planning for 4h and this year it looks like we are going to get a breeding set of D'auccle chicks. Check them out they are gorgeous birds. Norwex is getting fast and furious start and research for another venture is advancing. We have had amazingly mild weather, today making it to 50 degrees! Speaking of 50 degrees, check out my latest post on A Sustainable life.

I was happy to see that my Post Cards To Blog Camp group is set to do a 365 project this year and I jumped in whole-heartedly, missing the inner challenge of a 365 last year. I posted my first several pictures labeled that way. Then at lunch today (a great three hour lunch) with a group of wonderful friends I realized that there is 366 days in this leap year! Oops, I need to get those labels changed!

All this and I am managing to channel the serenity of my fair feathered friend above.
I hope your year is off and running! Happy Weekend!

Wordless Wednesday~Perfect Yolks

2012-01-04T06:48:00.002-06:00

Savoring The Process

2012-01-02T17:48:00.000-06:00

Today we are back to work, yet we are beginning the year with play. A new sense of energy to accomplish oh so many ideas, yet slowly.

Savoring the process.

We don't need to live life in fast forward.

This afternoon, the last free time before the kids go back to school, they each had a friend over and I was able to fill the house with the smells of comfort food, a roast with fresh garden veggies and some warm cookies. I love the holidays, but something about the beginning of the new year makes me want to get the Christmas decor all nestled away and treat the house as a clean slate, my first blank page for the year.

So that I did, and as a result, our dining room was transformed from entertaining center to....

The moment B walked in the door from work, Charles put a paddle in his hand...how about a ping pong tourney with dad on the Stickley dining room table?! Yes, what a way for some bonding time on a frigid evening of a new year, full of laughter.

Savoring the process.

Silent Sunday~ New Year's Feast

2012-01-01T17:13:00.001-06:00

Blank Pages

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

My word for 2011 was Cultivate. A word that has many diverse meanings and reflects much about my life. It is something that I have done, and will continue to do. It is inspiring to read so many words of affirmation and hope as we close the old and anticipate the new. I was reading Miss Buckles's post this morning, that she closed with a Norwegian saying, Blank Pages.

I picture entering the new year with a fresh moleskin, opening it up for the first time tomorrow to fill with dreams and accomplishments. It will sketch the steps toward a new business.We will plot the growth or our homestead.It will be peppered with snap shots of light capturing the growth and laughter of our children.B & I will chart our way through a year of hard work and focus, coupled with love and joy.

Yet the pages are still blank, itching with anticipation to be filled with illustrations of the growth, risk, challenge, uncertainty and reward that will come from jumping in wholeheartedly to the next chapter of our book.

A very happy 2012 to you, may your blank pages be filled with new adventures!

The Coupon Book

2011-12-31T07:04:00.001-06:00

Just before we left town, Charles could hardly contain his excitement as he gave us the Christmas present he made for us at school. Looking forward to opening the annual ornament, we were surprised by a little coupon book! Such a cute idea! There are ten coupons:

Feed the kitten

Clean my room

Set the table

Spend time with my parents, for 1 hr.

Be nice to my sister, for 1 hr.

Do the dishes

Vacuum

Make my bed, for 1 week

Mow the lawn

Don't complain about food

His eyes lit up as we read them, but he jostled a little from foot to foot and mentioned that each coupon was only good for one use. We loved how thoughtful the illustrated book was. It wasn't just ideas that every kid wrote down. There were two that are favorites of mine. Mow the lawn, with a picture of himself driving the tractor. Obviously he feels he is old enough now to be responsible for that task. The second is 'don't complain about food.' This showed me that he was being thoughtful to include things that we would especially appreciate.

When we returned from vacation and walked into the house he noticed the little book right away where we left it on the window sill. "mom", he said quite seriously, "remember when you use a coupon, you have to give it too me so that I can shred it." This struck me as hilarious! He is such a conscientious kid, and for the most part doesn't need a coupon book. I think he just wants to be sure that we don't pull the 'be nice to my sister' card more than once!

Swan Song

2011-12-30T13:02:00.001-06:00

After a week in balmy sunny weather, we have returned home to a steady, yet surprisingly warm rain (is it really December 30)? Adjusting to the time change and the general quiet monotony of the driving rain is just what we needed today. A time to quiet ourselves and relish being ~~lazy~~ peaceful.

I fell in love with swans when I lived in England. There was something so wise and elegant about them. Swans are one of the oldest and most powerful totems in folk lore. "They reflect the power and longevity that is possible as we awaken to the beauty and power within ourselves. The swan is the totem of the child, the poet, the mystic, and the dreamer." A perfect picture to have in my head while reflecting on the past year and preparing for the new. Wishing that your 2011 ends in a swan song and you all a safe and Happy New Year!

*quote found at tribe.net

Wordless Wednesday~ Vacation

2011-12-28T09:58:00.000-06:00

Solstice

2011-12-22T16:57:00.001-06:00

When I awoke at five this morning, it was pure darkness. Then this afternoon I stopped for just a moment to look up and this is what I saw at 4:15 pm. It took me a moment in my blur of the week to remember that this is the longest day of the year. I posted a poem on my facebook wall yesterday and I thought it was perfect for reflecting upon and celebrating the solstice.

"From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens -
the garden outdoors,
the garden of pots and bowls in the house,
and the garden of the mind's eye."
- Katherine S. White

Indeed beginning tomorrow, the light will once again slowly be in our favor. Where ever you are on this darkest day of the year, may you find peace and warmth in the season!

Blur

2011-12-19T18:06:00.000-06:00

It is only Monday, and the week has begun to go by in a blur.

Christmas gift exchanges, markets and parties at school.

Wrapping up year end at work,

contemplating packing,

mentally reflecting on this year and planning for the new.

Nothing better than a cold evening, family and the house lit only by the light of the tree.

Oh what a lovely blur!

First Snow

2011-12-17T13:38:00.000-06:00

What a surprise when I woke up this morning to snow on the ground.

It seems that I have finally succumbed to the virus B and the kiddos have

dealt with since Thanksgiving. Thankfully, it's before we leave for California!

Nothing stops our little barn kitty from staying close to us,

not even what I'm sure was the unexpected sensation of a first exposure to snow.

Wishing you a weekend full of firsts!

Where Am I?

2011-12-14T10:36:00.000-06:00

It is surreal that it is December 14, Christmas cheer is everywhere.

I am humming winter wonderland and wondering where our's is??

We woke up this morning 43 degrees and a rain storm!

"It is going to be a real soaker", they say. "If this were snow it would be many of inches!"

I thought this picture that I took this morning, said it perfectly.....

am I in Wisconsin or on another planet?

Taken a Hit

2011-12-13T10:25:00.002-06:00

As I was catching up with my Postcards to Blog Camp group on flickr this morning, I thought to myself What?? It's the 13th of December and I haven't posted a single photo this month! That is a first for me in the last two years. So as I was sipping coffee and getting the kids ready for school, I opened iPhoto so that I could upload photos. I was shocked to see that I've taken precious few shots in the last two weeks. The vast majority were either barn kitty, gnomey or before and after Norwex shots that I could use at shows. Obviously my photography has taken a hit as I find a new balance getting my business up and running. I feel pretty good now after the first 6 weeks and I think that as we head into holiday travel I will be focusing more on my lens. After all, it is an amazing way to look at the world, capturing life as it sits in each moment.

Silent Sunday~ Up A Tree

2011-12-11T15:05:00.001-06:00

The Little Visitor (a gnome story)

2011-12-08T13:00:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday, I received Gnomey. He's been traveling far and wide this year on his sabbatical from his home garden. After a long day when I reached the mail box and saw the package postmarked from Denmark, it put a smile on my face! Oh we will have such a busy week, before he heads on his way to his next adventure! Here is a glimpse of what his week looked like.

He was instrumental in picking out the family Christmas tree.

He was quite helpful to me at my Norwex show on Sunday, doing his best to entertain the kiddos in the room while I talked to the moms.

He didn't get the least bit woozy when he observed B in surgery on Monday. I was quite proud of him!

Finally, this morning we went on a short car ride to see Lake Michigan. Gnomey had really gotten into the spirit while here, and sported his own souvenir cheese head to show his spirit for the Packers 12-0 season. I think he liked a few moments on a frosty morning to clear his head by the lake and prepare for the next leg of the journey. It was great having him!

If you would like to get a glimpse of all of Gnomey's adventures this year, please check out Karen's blog The Roaming Gnome. Such fun!

Cyndy, he's headed your way next! ;-)

Seconds and Thirds Please

2011-12-08T06:56:00.001-06:00

When I was wracking my brain for holiday cookies to bring to last weeks cookie exchange, I decided that I wanted to tackle something new. I love our traditional cookies, but was just feeling like a challenge. I came across two recipes one from Martha Stewart called Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps, and the other from the kitchn for Chewy Molasses Cookies. I linked the chocolate ones above, but made a key change with the molasses ones so am sharing it here.

I will say they were both very easy, and quite decadent! I also really liked that they both were deliciously chewy and stayed that way. The doughs can be easily made ahead and chilled or frozen and then baked off when you have time.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

1/2 C unsalted butter

1/4 C orange infused olive oil ( I had a blood orange olive oil that I got as a gift from a friend and it was to die for! I was stunned at what a huge difference it made in the flavor of the cookie)!

1/4 C molasses

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

A good chunk of fresh ginger ~ 3 inches, grated

2 1/4 C flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

granulated sugar for rolling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter, olive oil, molasses, and brown sugar together. Then add the egg and whip until smooth and add grated ginger with any juices.

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, powdered ginger, Cinnamon and black pepper. Add to wet ingredients until completely incorporated. This will produce a soft dough. Place in refrigerator for 1- hour. (I made the dough the night before I baked them, so just chilled it overnight).

Take small 1 inch chunks of dough, roll them into balls, then roll them in granulated sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Once cool you can choose to ice them or keep them plain. The flavors are strong enough that it doesn't need the icing. If you ice them a simple glaze made from a mixture of powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon juice is a nice touch!

We are a big chocolate family and the kids loved both cookies, but when they went back for seconds and thirds, it was the ginger molasses that they went after first!

This Little Gentlemen

2011-12-05T17:34:00.001-06:00

The last four days seem to have just flown by! It was a cookie exchanging, back to back Norwex partying, Christmas tree finding weekend! We once again loved the fact that we have a truck when we could pick our Christmas tree, toss it in the back and head home.

Early last week we asked a dear friend if she could contact her mom to let us into her father's antique store. He passed away three years ago and since the store has been closed. For years and years we had loved to peruse the store and over time had purchased a number of cherished items. B always coveted a glass ornament and Christmas light collection and wanted so to make them part of our home. Graciously they opened the doors to us and as a result, this year we have a vintage ornament tree, with all of the ornaments from his shop. The one pictured above is our centerpiece and this little gentlemen we placed last. I'm keeping the tags on all of these, because they are in my friend's father's hand. This particular tag says Santa Ornament CZ 1850.

November in Review

2011-12-01T17:57:00.001-06:00

A little summary of what November was like in my corner of the world through my lens. The holiday season is officially under way, and I'm headed off to a cookie exchange with a group of wonderful ladies this evening. As icing on the cookie, it's being held at a friend's fantastic creative space where she has her photography business. A great way to get those creative juices flowing! Happy December!

Inspiration Mojo

2011-11-29T18:09:00.001-06:00

Today turned out to be one of those days. The first day back from vacation and there was a lot of catching up to do at work, but it all went smoothly! This fall has been busy, happy, but seemed to be lacking a little bit of that inspiration that drives me to look at things and makes me want to create. Don't get me wrong, I have been productive, but just not quite feeling it.

The tide really turned when I was driving the kids home from school tonight. Like so many other's this fall, the sunset quickly put on a show, changing every second as it reached it's twilight crescendo. What was different about this one? I am not sure, the frosty and very windy air, that makes you quicken your step gave it a breathless feel. Giving me the warmth that winter brings to your soul as you rush in the door at home to ward off the cold. I snapped a number of shots and I was taken by each one.

Then I hurried into the house to put together the Norwex order that arrived from one of my shows. That done, went straight into making cookie dough for a cookie exchange that I am going to on Thursday. Each dough was decadent and outrageously good raw, I'll share more about them once they are cooked tomorrow! I then busied myself with a simple pasta sauce all made from garden items that we are storing...(aside, I have no idea why I decided to run a scene from American Horror through my head when I went into the root cellar tonight, but I sure beat feeted it out of there)! As dinner is simmering away, I sit with a glass of wine and plug in the camera to see if any of the shots look as good SOOC as they did through the view finder. I asked B to come over and check out the sunset from tonight. His first comment was wow, so striped and with the deep blue, that looks like the flag. What do you think??

I think I am getting my inspiration mojo back!

Silent Sunday~ Nog

2011-11-27T15:05:00.001-06:00

Just Open Your Eyes

2011-11-24T08:04:00.001-06:00

I was running to get gas the other day, cruising down a road that I often travel and saw this rainbow of cabbage. What struck me, other than the gorgeous color, was how I had missed this during it's growth? Surprisingly, from "America's Dairyland" we are also a large producer of the nations cranberries and cabbage. In fact, my township of Franksville, was once home to volumes of open sauerkraut fields. If you have ever seen Franks Pure Foods Co. it began here in 1907 and the label you will find on many a bottle of sauerkraut.

Aside from this little history lesson, this is about what happens when you just open your eyes and look beyond whatever your current distraction is and find joy and appreciation from the simple beauties that surround us. Since we are staying home for Thanksgiving this year, last night B and I went out to the garden and pulled beautiful fennel bulbs, leeks, carrots, celeriac and arugula that we will incorporate into today's meal. What a lovely thing, to be able to harvest produce for our harvest meal.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

A Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Just Sit And Create

2011-11-23T18:35:00.001-06:00

We are on Thanksgiving break this week and due to a number of circumstances, we are spending it at home this year as just our immediate family. The last few days have been peppered with sleep overs and play dates. Last night, Sidney and her friend were up until 1:20 am diligently working on a duck tape project.

They each made their own unique purses and wallets. Sid's reflected what most consumes her thoughts these days...can you guess?

I was stunned at the thought that went into these, and how they just made up the patterns and went with it. Sidney even has an iPod holder (pocket) built into her bag!

Now, I love to craft, but this pure ability to just sit and create, from nothing? It is all hers, and I am so proud!

Buttoned Up

2011-11-21T18:43:00.001-06:00

The last few days have been our final closing up. The garden is stripped (except for abundant cool weather greens and radishes), the leaves are collected, and the compost is cooking up a storm. We have gotten cold weather housing completed for all the critters, and everything has taken on the barren look of the coming winter. We had our final bonfire of the season to dispose of things that won't compost for us; woody berry canes and asparagus fronds.

The light is now gone at just about 4:30 pm and last night, the glowing warmth cut through the cold air enough for a few of us adults to stand around the fire reflecting on how amazing our fall has been. We have so many things to be thankful for, today I am thankful that we are all buttoned up.

Silent Sunday~Friendship

2011-11-20T09:28:00.001-06:00

My First Annual 39th

2011-11-16T17:45:00.001-06:00

Funny thing, I come from two conflicting perspectives. I always send e-cards for birthdays, Mother's Day, Fathers Day etc. It's better for the environment and then there's the disposal in general. I always feel guilty getting rid of cards because I want to save the sentiments.

On the other hand, I have loads of beautiful note and post cards for sending on random occasions for the purpose of the written (handwritten) word not getting lost in our ever digital lives. I'll tell you though, it sure is nice to open a couple of honest to goodness birthday cards from loved ones. You know, the moms and dads who knew no different in their coming of age.

I used to save the cards, then cut them apart and put them into my intricate scrapbooks. Alas, I haven't scrapbooked for several years, what with blogging to have a legacy of writing. Now there are a pile of cards.

Hmmm, I think I just figured it out. Take a pic of the lovely cards, and then blog about them! Problem solved. See I'm getting smarter and smarter and all on this my first annual 39th!

How Fast The Weekend Goes!

2011-11-15T11:45:00.001-06:00

I can't believe that I let the weekend go past without a post, and here we are already Tuesday! It's not for a lack of things, going on. Rather, there is a ton of fun stuff going on. My new business is up, running and keeping me on my toes as I learn the ins and outs. We had an amazing day with friends celebrating an early thanksgiving. These kinds of get togethers are so much fun. Lot's of food and drink, conversation and hysterical laughter, and an impromptu game of charades...what could be better? Maybe just that on an occasion when you get 18 or so adults together with the kids, we are handily outnumbered by the latter,which is always an adventure!

It's hard to believe how much the kids have grown! Sid spent her shadow day at middle school yesterday, to try it out before the real thing next fall. She absolutely loved it, and she's grown so lean and tall, she really looked the part. Being a "middle schooler yesterday" was the first thing out of her mouth this morning when she met up with her friends. We walked in our town's holiday parade this weekend with The Northcentral Maltese Rescue, not only a client and friend, but the origin of our crazy farm poodle Xander, who joined in the parade! It never ceases to amaze me how fast the weekend (and time in general) goes.

Crafty Mamas

2011-11-11T12:09:00.001-06:00

I am not ready to thrust myself into Christmas shopping. The bulk of that will happen after Thanksgiving and final harvests. However, when thinking about hostess gifts, teachers gifts, and nice little things that are homemade, you do need to get a bit of a jump on it. A small group of ladies decided in September that maybe we should gather a few times before the holidays, drink wine, and make gifts.

Last night was the first such session and was filled with laughter, friendship, storytelling and snacking with a little bit of crafting mixed in. I chose two crafts. The first was making a chai tea mix. The recipe was simple and came highly rated. Trying to keep the powdered mix as natural as possible I substituted the powdered vanilla creamer with the vanilla sugar that I had made with the remnants of the vanilla extract beans. This worked perfectly, but altered the final volume amounts so I didn't end up with as much as I'd anticipated. I was about three cups short for filling jars, (we got 14 half pint jars from a double recipe) but I was pretty happy with the ease of it. With the jars will be a tag for use instructions and a recipe card with the chai cake from Domestic Sensualist (check it out)!

The second craft smelled amazing and I am excited to try. We did bath teas. Little tea bags filled with floral goodies, salts, and essential oils that can hang from the bath faucet with the water flowing through, or just bob in the tub. The unbleached satchels I had for putting the mixture in may also be used to rub the skin. They smell fantastic and are the perfect little hostess gift wrapped in a box in twos or threes. (with a double recipe of this we ended up with 35 generously filled bags)

Not to shabby for a crafty mama's night where trust me, we did more gabbing than actual crafting in the end!

Happy Friday!!

Bath Tea

(single recipe)

1 C sea salt

1 C Epsom salt

8-10 drops clove oil

10-15 drops sweet orange oil

mix the above together, then add

1 1/2 C hibiscus flowers

1/2 C chamomile

1/2 C lavender

Then place 3 Tbs. into each bag

There are tons of variations so if you're interested peruse online. I don't think the proportions are are set in stone, just make a mixture based on preference. I like the idea of adding oatmeal to them too.

Sunrise, Sunset

2011-11-07T06:24:00.004-06:00

The fall light is nothing short of spectacular. After yesterday's sunrise, I made a point to be prepared to capture the sunset just so we could see how a day that began so beautifully would end. It did not disappoint. Happy Monday!

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

Fiddler on the Roof

Silent Sunday

2011-11-06T06:03:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Comes First

2011-11-05T20:46:00.000-05:00

In our right now, twenty-four hour society, everyone is always looking to the next best thing. The grass is always greener. So much so that it seems there is no time to savor or be thankful for the present moment. If you do not watch out you can get swallowed up by life. It just keeps going faster and faster. No need for any retailer to tell you that you need to be prepared for the next thing around the corner. Now I know, I am guilty of being busy, thriving on it. But, when it comes to seasons, holidays, family, I slow down and soak in the energy around me.

I wrote last year about memories of my youth, the special Thanksgiving moments. This year I write as someone who wants to linger in memories of the past yet savor every precious moment of the present. This time last year I had just lost my Gram. Last week, my other grandmother was given the information that her time on this earth is very limited. Why is it we all choose to live life in fast forward? Why rush? Why choose to minimize one thing so that we can hurriedly get to the next. By doing such, don't we completely miss all that is important?

Moral of the story? I am by no means anti-holiday. To me, as we approach year's end the holidays are very special. Thanksgiving does come first. It is a time to celebrate the bounty of fall harvest. To take comfort in the enduring love of family and friends. Tonight, we "fall back" why don't we take that as a cue to slow down and enjoy the many blessings around us. Each. one. at. a. time.

Please join Suldog for Thanksgiving Comes First!

What's Better Than Jumping In The Leaves?

2011-11-05T16:52:00.000-05:00

Jumping on a trampoline covered in leaves!

Alas, the trampoline comes down for the season tomorrow.

Don't forget to fall back!

The Hunter

2011-11-04T17:56:00.001-05:00

This morning Sid came running up to the house, "Mama! see what Sage brought me!" I went to the porch and she presented me with a deceased mouse (in a paper towel). She said "Sage came up to me with it in her mouth, dropped at my feet, looked up at me and mewed!" As any good hunter should do, I'm sure. I asked her if she praised the grand hunter? She said "of course" and trotted on her way. Tonight, we got to see a little bit of our hunter in action.

She's a cute mouser isn't she?

OK By Me

2011-11-03T18:17:00.001-05:00

Our house is now empty, our guests have returned home.

November is upon us, a time for reflection and thanks.

This weekend we fall back and the light will be shorter

and shorter as we approach the solstice in December.

If this is an example of the sunsets we have to look forward to

during the darker time, then it's ok by me.

Shameless Self Promotion

2011-11-03T10:21:00.000-05:00

I mentioned last week that I was contemplating a new business venture. Well I made the decision and jumped in. Over the summer I was introduced to a line of exciting home care products that I fell in love with. So much of my life is focused on what is healthy and sustainable for our family. I began making my own cleaning products a little over a year ago with different combinations of vinegar, water, castille soap, essential oils (that have antibacterial qualities), and baking soda. After observing the compelling demonstrations and then using these products I embraced them fully.

There are so many health and environmental reasons for reducing the chemicals in our homes. Norwex allows us to get rid of these products of multi-colored liquids by using just WATER and an amazing microfiber cloth that has properties that will not only clean but kill nasty germs too! Over all what's in it for you? If you're interested in saving time, saving money, and more effective cleaning that is better for the environment to boot, then it's for you. Sounds like a win, win, win! For those of you for whom it's important, this is no fly by night or un-tested thing, it is EPA and FDA approved. You may or may not have heard of Norwex. If you haven't check it out!! My website is amyray.norwex.biz Feel free to ask me about it, I'd be more than happy to fill you in!

***End**Shameless Self Promotion****

October in Review

2011-11-02T07:40:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe how quickly October went! Now that soccer season is taking a reprieve and the last of the garden duty and leaf collection should be completed soon, I'm looking forward to moving toward a creative holiday season. Here is a little glimpse of the treats that October had to offer viewed through my lens. Happy October!

Silent Sunday

2011-10-30T09:06:00.001-05:00

I'm Here!

2011-10-29T07:32:00.001-05:00

:: just busy enjoying time with visiting family

:: prepping for Halloween

:: taking the first steps in a new business venture ~ I must be insane! ;)

:: readying for the last two away games of this half of the soccer season, then a break

:: soaking up the extraordinary late fall light

Happy weekend my friends!

The Light Is Magic

2011-10-25T19:52:00.001-05:00

We noticed at soccer this weekend that the sun at mid-day is significantly lower on the horizon. When it is not blotted out by clouds, it shines on our faces not on the tops of our heads. It now illuminates those trees that have yet to give up the fight, and bleaches out camera shots of end of season soccer games.
Last night I was at a friends house and her husband called us outside. The sky was streaked with a deep burgundy, though suspicious, we weren't completely sure of what we were seeing. This morning it was confirmed. We glimpsed the Northern Lights. This photo of what we witnessed was in an ABC news article this morning and is not my own....must figure out how to take nighttime shots....but this is what we saw none the less.

The light is magic this time of year.

Silent Sunday

2011-10-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Barn Life

2011-10-22T08:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday evening as we were walking the property a mew came form the barn. We saw a kitten, probably 5 months old bouncing back and forth between wanting attention and wanting to stay away. We talked to her as she darted under the floorboards of the barn, but couldn't quite coax her out. The kids went to play with the two new hens we received Thursday night (yet another story), and also heard the kitten yowl, but couldn't get her out.

A few hours passed and late in the evening we heard a persistent mewing on our front porch (quite a distance from the barn and immediately after watching American Horror Story). Guess who had followed? Sid went out with food and hung out with a very friendly and obviously in heat kitten. We told her that if she stuck around this feline would be a barn kitten wholly. Our house cat doesn't tolerate new housemates well. In fact, once years ago, he "marked" my brother in laws suitcase as an intruder. This concept accepted, Sidney headed to bed and I relived a moment of years ago... like letting a young baby cry themselves to sleep, I heard this little one outside the door, until she thought better of it and headed back for the comfort of the barn in the cold night.

Interesting, as news comes to us of the not so distant ending of a life, our beloved dog Puck, a new little one is seemingly thrust upon us.

Drop Everything And Make These... Now!

2011-10-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

Gotta love facebook. I had at some point or another "liked" the Cooking Channel. Today, they posted about Popcorn Balls, Reinvented. Maybe because it was just before lunch, or maybe it was because I have a perpetual sweet tooth and an undying love for bacon, but I just made these Salted Caramel Bacon Popcorn Balls...and they. are. the. bomb!

First I took 1 1/2 C of sugar, 1/2 C dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/2 C light Karo syrup and put them in a sauce pan, stirring occasionally until it boiled and the sugars were melted together and all gooey. Then I removed it from the heat and whisked in 2 tablespoons of butter and returned it to the heat until just boiling again.

While the sugars were melding I popped 2 bags of popcorn. The recipe called for 9 Cups, which worked out to be about 1 1/2 bags. I also bought some microwavable bacon and popped it in until crispy. Then crumbled the bacon in with the popcorn.

Ok, back to the caramel sauce, it's just started boiling again and I removed it from the heat, added 2 teaspoons of dark rum, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. It fizzled and bubbled and turned this amazing light caramel color.

I dumped that beautiful caramel over the bacon/popcorn mixture and then stirred until well coated. I then put on some latex gloves and coated them with a little vegetable oil and formed a dozen lovely popcorn balls.

All that's left is for mom to snack on some gooey left overs in the bottom of the bowl, and presto, happy kids!

The Last Hurrah

2011-10-20T07:22:00.000-05:00

Time seems to stand still, yet it moves so incredibly fast. Our days have turned blustery. I can feel us entering late fall where the warmer days with just crisp mornings turn colder, wetter, windier and darker as we inch toward winter. The lovely days of long walks in the balmy air and the kids running and jumping with bare feet have turned more urgent to tuck things away for their hibernation, all while zipping jackets up as high as they go and walking with a quicker step.

My mind wanders to warm sweet spicy smelling pots on the stove, sewing projects, and fluffy quilts. Just as I am ready to nestle myself up and settle into these thoughts, I realize that we need to head out into the wind to protect our more tender garden crops from tonight's expected frost. There is still work to be done, and it is the most fulfilling, not just because we must complete our final harvests in the coming couple of weeks, but we need to knock down and prepare for next year. A kind of wiping the slate clean so that new and beautiful drawings can begin. Some great satisfaction comes from completing all of these tasks, like the squirrel who finally gets his next full and can settle in.

Have I mentioned that I love fall? Now it is the leaves turn to dance on the trampoline, enjoying their last hurrah.

Monotonous Rewards

2011-10-17T19:50:00.000-05:00

I have a love hate relationship with canning. I love to find recipes, create, process jars and fill the root cellar with the fruits of our labor. With canning tends to come an afternoon of repetition, and by the end, exhaustion. Oh, don't get me wrong, it is well worth it, but with a never ending processing to do list right now, it can be tiring. Then after peeling and roasting a few of our tomatoes, that thankfully ripened, there was just a little of each kind left over. Not enough to fill a jar, but they melded together beautifully, visually preserving a fresh reward to be opened in winter's darkest days. Note to self: growing multicolored tomatoes is not only fun, it has the simple benefit of taking the monotony out of canning!

Silent Sunday

2011-10-16T09:22:00.000-05:00

The Replacements

2011-10-13T18:41:00.000-05:00

2011 seems to have been our family's year to re-do. No one can say we don't get use out of our bigger ticket items, but when it comes time to having to buy them, it never really feels very good, especially when we are trying so hard to save and pay off debt.

It began with the television early this summer. Our 13-year old television's picture tube finally gave up the fight. You can only imagine how amazed we were at what color images really should be on a television! Then our 7-year old iMac crashed and went to the point of no return. Once again, begrudgingly we shelled out the cash, but once done, I was ecstatic about all the cool stuff that our new mac could do. Finally, our stove top failed and we had to replace it. There it is, the three things, we should be home free....right??

On Tuesday we took our 13-year old car into the shop for a once over. We knew it needed new tires, new brakes, and the exhaust had started to rattle. This happened once before a few years back and it was a doable repair. Well, I began to worry when I didn't get the estimate after 7 hours of diagnostics. When I finally did hear, the repairs were going to be upwards of $8000. Holy smokes, we had officially driven this car passed it's useful life! So we began to let the reality of a car payment (of which we have had none for a few of years) sink in. Long story short, we have wanted a pick up for about 15 years. We have always done all of our own landscape improvements, but in the different places that we have lived, we couldn't justify the truck for our weekend hobbies. A couple of years ago after we had bought and lived in the homestead for a while we thought about it again. Then, it was hard to rationalize the purchase when we had a working and paid for vehicle. Now being forced into making the decision, we got it. No more hauling wood, fence posts and bales of straw in our mini-van or being forced to rent vehicles for transport!!! AND we will have a snow plow placed on the front to clear our very long driveway in 20 minutes versus 2 hours! So, once again bitter sweet. Bitter at having to spend money when we didn't want to, but sweet that we now have something that we have so long wanted and truly need.

Funny, it took my kids for me to look at the year of purchases we had. They were in the truck on the way to school today pondering what were going to have to replace next. I said a resounding Nothing!! We have already had a year of the replacements!

Legacy~ In Life & In Art

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

A year ago, my gram joined grandpa. She left a wonderful legacy. Two children, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren. I flash moment to moment on scenes from childhood and weekly evenings spending the night, to adulthood chatting on the phone, to parenthood watching her crawl on the floor with the new babies (no matter her age, or how frail, she would get down on the floor, play, and take such joy in being with the babies.).

A local photographer by the name of Tom Johnson happened upon the above scene one day. He was out photographing his hometown, Lakewood, California. Putting together a photographic display depicting life in this place he loves. One day he saw this elderly woman, dressed for a day out, watering the grass. Unable to find a garden glove, in advancing stages of dementia, gram didn't let that stop her as she protected her hand with an oven mitt.

Legacy. Gram and grandpa moved to California from South Dakota during the Dust bowl. They would travel home to visit relatives with their young family and to visit friends and family in and around California. But their time was not spent traveling afar. It was spent creating and nurturing a family. Now, gram has been on exhibit all over the world. Most recently in a show in San Diego where the photo of her was picked by an associate curator of the Getty. This week she is in part of the display opening in Paris.

In life and in art, gram's impact is immeasurable.

Please do read the link about Tom's encounter with my grandmother.

Silent Sunday

2011-10-09T09:05:00.000-05:00

Little Gifts

2011-10-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

Nothing puts a smile on your face like the first tiny eggs from the chicks that you watched grow through the summer. No matter how many years we raise babies, each time they start laying, it is like receiving little gifts.

Happy Friday!

Indian Summer

2011-10-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

We have had lovely crisp mornings and our first light frosts. Now this week we are in the mid 70's with crystal blue skies, and gentle breezes. This is the time every year when all living things are busy readying for shorter, colder days. Unexpectedly, in the midst of preparations, we are reminded to soak in the beauty of balmy days.
Windows wide open, Halloween decor emerging, trees showering leaves, and a beautiful Indian Summer, reminding us to slow down and enjoy.

Evolution Of The Gourd Lantern

2011-10-03T19:20:00.000-05:00

One of the plans that B brainstormed while the gourds were drying was to making lanterns from them. When I came home from a field trip with Charles' class last Friday, he had managed to fulfill phase one of his lantern vision. Using a dremel tool, he cut two holes in the gourds and pulled out what remained of the dry innerds (very loofah looking hugh?).

Then using a string of Christmas lights, he created a cozy fall setting over our porch table. The look of it was fantastic, bet he wasn't done yet.

He decided that he wanted a warmer more transluscent feel to the gourds to highlight the natural variations in their shells. Using a combination of boiled linseed oil and and mineral spirits, he began to soak the gourds for several hours each and then laid them out to dry.

With this little bit of added creativity, this is what we were left with. I so love this!

Since this is our first time experimenting with gourds, we didn't plant any this year, we wanted to see what we would end up doing with all of the ones we had finishing from last season. We are pretty excited with all of the ideas that are flowing on what to do with them. We may just need to find a bunch of gourds from a local farm to dry out for next year until we plant another batch to dry for 2013. Who wants one??

September in Review

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

September seemed to go by in a blur, and since I am just now posting this, October seems to have begun that way too. It is such a beautiful time of year that we do not want to waste a minute of it, and we aren't. This is a glimpse of last month through my lens.

Raspberry Tip

2011-10-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Our berry patch has really started to do well. We planted two kinds of raspberries, one of which is called everberring. This variety produces fruit in the fall and on this seasons new growth. We have spent much of the late summer noshing on fresh berries from the vine and are now bringing them in to preserve for winter treats, and with our new found fever for wine making, we are planning on a raspberry mead as well.

A great trick for preserving your raspberries beautifully is; after picking, lay them out on a cookie sheet and set them in the freezer. I normally leave them overnight. They freeze beautifully into little individual nuggets. Then I simply put them in a freezer bag, label them and they are ready when I am. I have found that the thaw nicely as well, and though they need to be handled gently, they won't turn straight to mush when you thaw them.

Silent Sunday

2011-10-02T09:02:00.000-05:00

Shades of Orange

2011-09-28T18:53:00.000-05:00

I am finally returning to the land of the living after a week of feeling off my game. Ugh! Thankfully, I seem to be the only one who has had to live with the funk and hopefully B and the kids have dodged the bullet!

The beginnings of fall have ushered in some much needed rain that has weighed down the leaves that are still clinging to their branches and caused several to fall and plaster the ground like a first layer of natures paper mache. This past weekend, B took Charles out to harvest our first batch of pumpkins and winter squash. Varying shades of orange now adorn the porch in a festive fashion.

From the mere decor of the cornfield pumpkins (larger, tho' the picture doesn't quite do these beauties justice), to the tasty morsels that are the sugar pumpkins (babies) and winter squash (glimpse in back) about half of the pumpkins are now accounted for.

They also picked about half of the butternuts. Amazingly, these were all super-sized this year and yielded two that were completely pumpkin shaped (one of them above). You can see a couple little imperfections on the one in front where a diligent squirrel tried to take a taste, but was unsuccessful and the resilient squash healed over.

Fall is filled with many hues of beauty, even the late summer ones merge into the season and fade into the sunset.

A Serenade of Pops

2011-09-26T14:08:00.003-05:00

Pop..... pOp..... PoP..... poP....

Such a gratifying sound to listen to. It is the sound of a jar successfully sealing down after it's come out of the boiling processing water. The eighteen jars that we just canned are serenading me as they seal. It seems that most of this years canning is on a theme...green. With the weather turning so cool and the garden a couple weeks behind because of the cool start, we have only been able to can two quarts of roasted tomatoes and now we are focusing on condiments. Yesterday we had some friends over and canned most of our harvested tomatillos into salsa, a rich beautiful green color. We decided to use the remaining tomatillos to make tomatillo jam, which turned out to be a pale golden green color. With a continued lack of warm days in the forecast we will turn our attention soon to a mass processing of green tomatoes into relish. We are continuing our preservation of a bumper crop of green beans, and will try to preserve green ancho chillies. Ripe or no, regardless of your season, there is a wonderful way to utilize your bounty. What unique ways do you use your garden/farmers market rewards ?

Tomatillo Jam

12 C Tomatillos

2 C Lemon juice

5 C Sugar

2 Packets unflavored gelatin

Zest of 2 lemons

Process your tomatillos in a food processor until they reach a fine texture. Place the processed tomatillos in a large soup pot with the lemon juice and 1/2 of the sugar and bring to strong rolling boil. Once boiling slowly add remaining sugar and cook down for about 15 minutes, while stirring regularly. Bloom the gelatin to the package instructions, add to jam mixture and stir vigorously for 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest to combine, remove from heat, and put into hot sanitized jelly jars. Place on two part seal and process submerged in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove to counter to cool and listen to the serenade of pops!

Silent Sunday

2011-09-25T08:05:00.003-05:00

Hurry Up And Wait

2011-09-24T12:59:00.001-05:00

Some projects are hurry up and wait. The last couple of days as we have ushered in fall, I have been preparing gourds for winter crafting. We planted these gourds last year and they were very successful plants. We had traditional crafter's gourds, and then a volunteer plant that produced amazing warty gourds. A year ago we harvested them and then put them in the barn for the winter. During that time, they began to dry out and get covered in mold (naturally part of the process). Then early summer we put them out on a patch of the drive, out of the way and let the sun finish drying them and bleach them a little.

The next step was to bring them in (in batches) and scrub away all of the dirt and mottled bits of mold. This took a little more elbow grease than you might think!

Once finished with their scrubbing, they headed out to the porch to dry.

The next order of business will be to cut a small hole in them and pull out the fibrous web that was once the innards. Then they will be ready for whatever design we decide on for future bird houses, lanterns and decorated gourds. Some projects are worth hurrying up to wait for!

Mabon

2011-09-23T06:30:00.000-05:00

The free form days of summer merged quietly into fall's more structured work/school/activity schedule. Nestled into fall are freeing tasks, similar to spring, fall is a time of renewal. A time to raise all of the windows in the house to accept cooling breezes, clean, sort-out and simplify spaces. All of this is in anticipation of shorter, colder days that will, all to soon, drive activity indoors.

As I fill my lungs with deep breaths of crisp air, I glance around the landscape that seems muted, like it's resting after the summer just preparing itself to burst into flames of color. I have a distinct feeling of wonder in fall. Working on our property, we are reaping rewards as we pick, distribute, consume and process the rich jars that will be put away for days to come, when fresh flavors will be even more appreciated.

Harvest and Thanksgiving truly take on a different meaning when you are so connected to the source of your food. Did you know that the original Thanksgiving celebrations took place the last week in September, or at the latest, the first week in October when harvest was virtually finished? It wasn't until Abraham Lincoln was president that the current holiday time was put in place.

The Autumnal Equinox, which occurred at 4:04 this morning marks a true yin and yang of the year. Today, the day and night are equal again. The light of the growing season is fading slowly into the darkness of hibernation. The world comes alive around us as every creature is preparing for the winter. It is a busy time of clearing up and hurriedly completing tasks on our property not just for winter, but readying it for the season beyond, when the light returns. It is a time for celebration and thanks, for apple cider and pies, for leaf collecting and jumping, for preparation.

Mabon, comes from Welsh lore. It is also known as "harvest home." The ritualistic process is lovely. It encourages reflection, focusing on our connections to those around us and what our personal harvests have been. It is peppered with families together telling stories of generations before, collecting and decorating with fall beauty, and consuming the seasonal sweets that have been provided by nature, namely apples. This special time of year, and the thoughts behind Mabon, do perfectly capture the overwhelming love I have for this season and I am thankful.

Happy Weekend & Happy Mabon!

Sunday Supper On The Porch

2011-09-20T12:43:00.000-05:00

A long awaited gentle, soaking rain could never put a damper on a Sunday supper on the porch.

Gentle breezes, grey skies and muted hues that suggest fall sneaking in. The house was filled with the sounds of multiple conversations happening in unison coupled with the intricate tango that was the children's laughter, at times halted by animated discussion as they each negotiate their way, and then laughter again.

Slow food; fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, cheesy grits, pepper pot, wine and conversation flowing freely.

While enjoying the soft, meditative sounds of rain, that drew pause in the conversation, I reflected upon how lucky we truly are. These are the moments that bring life back into perspective.

Silent Sunday

2011-09-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

A Remarkable Season~ Garden Update

2011-09-17T09:15:00.000-05:00

This has been truly a remarkable growing season for us. We began with cooler than normal temperatures all through June, only to be thrown into almost two months of warmer than normal temperatures. We have had next to no rain, the irrigation in the garden has worked great and we haven't had to mow near so much, yet the grass looks much like mottled, fresh cut hay. Then, this week we had our first light frost on September 14th!!! Let me put this in perspective for you. We typically have our first frost right around Halloween. It seems every year we think we are going to get cold and then have a lovely Indian Summer. Then just as we approach a time when the kids are going to be trick-or-treating, they have to have coats on over costumes. This week our highs have averaged in the upper 50's! There are hints of sprinkles in the forecast, as well as a return to more seasonal weather (low 70's) for a couple of days.

What this all means?? Well, we have seen throughout this season that the garden has run roughly two to two and a half weeks behind schedule. We normally process the bulk of our tomatoes during the last couple of weeks of August and first two weeks of September. Just as our vines, heavy with fruit, were starting to ripen, it turned cold and everything seems to be in a state of pause. Because of the extreme variations in weather, I stopped doing weekly newsletters/inventory lists on our farm bags. I am varying their contents slightly from person to person depending on what has ripened that day. The weather has been great for fall crops and this weeks farm bags consisted of Leeks, Beet Greens, Kale, Green Beans, and a few partially ripe tomatoes to be put in warm windows for a few days.

Take a look at my post over at a sustainable life, where I discussed our first adventures in wine making. This in mind, B and I spent several hours yesterday taking a country drive and foraging for elder berries and wild grapes along roadsides and ditches. We came away with a 1/2 bushel of each and enough to start a five gallon barrel of wine. For my purposes, I am stealing about 2 pounds of the elder berries to make some cordial.

This property once had a working orchard on it. Sadly, after decades of neglect there are only a few gnarly trees remaining in various states of deterioration. The apples are bumpy and nothing to look at, but this year (probably because of the drought) seem to be intensely flavored and amazing. We collected a volume of fallen apples cut away the bad, kept the good and canned some amazing applesauce yesterday! Adding to the homestead to do list...we are researching taking cuttings of these old trees so we can re-populate the orchard and one day never have need to go beyond our backyard.

I'm off to de-stem elderberries, and simmer some cordial! Happy Weekend!!

Irony

2011-09-15T06:47:00.000-05:00

B is a small animal exclusive Veterinarian. That is just where he decided his interest in practice was. We see dogs and cats only, and he knew from entering veterinary school that he did not want to practice medicine with food animals. That said, it is very ironic where our life has come.

One of our girls, dubbed by Sid as Feathertail, had just not been right for a few weeks. She stayed perched by herself. She had a full crop and was frequently eating, but at the end of last week I thought she seemed too full in the crop and a little thin. B concurred and decided to see if he could remedy what we thought was a crop impaction. He took her into work flushed and messaged her crop and what felt like a somewhat doughy mass seemed to resolve. Then, over the weekend it seemed to just return again.

He did a lot of research, consulted with a veterinary discussion board, and even talked to a veterinary specialist that we refer our patients to (she has a special interest in avian). Our concern quickly became crop paralysis from Mareks disease. He decided to take make one last effort to make sure there were no foreign objects and empty her crop, then we would see if she refilled again confirming our concern, and make decisions from there.

Full Crop

Little did our staff know that they would be intubating and performing anesthesia on a chicken Monday morning, but that is just what they did. To our surprise, she had a crop full of straw! I don't know why she decided THAT was a good idea, but as you can see from the before and after pictures, it was substantial. So, our concern for Mareks disease has minimized to more a concern for a neurotic straw-eating hen. We are keeping her seperate for a few days to monitor her and get her as much food and water as possible, but so far so good!

Empty Crop

The sign at the top that hangs in our office, was a gift to B from my parents about 18 years ago, ironic isn't it?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T07:19:00.001-05:00

Whooo Are Youuuu?

2011-09-11T18:32:00.001-05:00

Over the last week the kids have been feeding a caterpillar that they found in the garden (yet another great use for a mason jar). This morning I noticed that it had stopped eating and settled into a sleeping position. I loved the way his stripes came together when he scrunched up. As if he was asking the question Whooo (inhale hookah) Are Youuuu(as he exhales)?

Then right before my eyes as I snapped some shots of the markings, the little guy began to shake and shimmy, and those beautiful markings began to shed, just like he was pushing up a sweater sleeve.

Then he began to wriggle like mad, trying to get that old skin off. Those markings were so last season!

Finally, he assumed the position, all cocooned, which took all of two minutes. Now he is (and we are) patiently waiting to find out who he is going to be.

Silent Sunday

2011-09-11T08:31:00.002-05:00

A Watched Pot

2011-09-08T06:59:00.001-05:00

Does Sometimes Boil. Elderberry/Rhubarb wine fermentation appears to be well under way!

When Life Gives You Apples..

2011-09-07T13:37:00.002-05:00

It has been downright cool the last few days. Enough so that a light sweater outside is perfect. The last couple of years our apple picking has slipped passed us and we have headed out late in the season, when the best, in my opinion, were over. This year with the onset of crisp air, I jumped on it and we spent some time Monday exploring a new, to us, orchard about 45 minutes from here. It wasn't the pick your own that we are used to. They pick and then we get to sample and load up on all we want. Very reasonably priced too.

I was especially impressed with the reduced price "seconds". These are the fruit that have some minor blemish on them, and they were selling for $1 a pound. Fantastic! These morsels rarely had a bruise, mostly an abnormality in the skin that for whatever reason tainted their appeal (pun intended ;). Well not for me! What do you do when life gives you apples?? Make applesauce, of course. Yesterday after work, I opened all of the windows to let in the fall-like breeze and began slicing and dicing.

Of the many applesauce recipes that I have made over the years, I find that the easiest is always the best. I don't like it too sweet so for a large pile o' apples (20) I used 1/2 C sugar, 2 1/4 C water and 2 tsp. cinnamon. I let it simmer for about 45 minutes and then gently took an immersion blender to smooth it out, but only a little bit, some chunks are just fine! The batch made six pints of applesauce which I processed in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

I'm thrilled that we so eagerly began the season, Charles wonders why we bothered canning them, they won't last a week! Well, I have good incentive to make more batches of my four ingredient applesauce, so we can taste the first glimpse of fall the rest of the year!

Monday evening we finished watching the Walton's with the kids. All nine seasons plus the movie specials, all in order over about 18 months. Tonight I am including the applesauce in an old fashioned applesauce cake for B's birthday. A favorite made by Livy Walton, and a little taste of the simplicity that we strive for. A happiest of birthdays to my 'old fool'!

Feeding My Soul

2011-09-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

Shorter days, that bring twilight at supper time.
Crisp mornings that glaze the surroundings with droplets of dew.
Soft breezes begin to coax the trees of their heavy burdens,
swirling leaves just tinged with color to our feet.
Windows flung wide open welcoming.
Fresh apples, full of the promise, just waiting to be transformed.
The garden's gift, wrapped in hard work, with a bow tied by mother nature's elements.
This, the beginning of Fall, a season that feeds my soul.

Silent Sunday

2011-09-04T07:54:00.000-05:00

Beating the Heat

2011-09-02T15:21:00.000-05:00

This first Friday of September has been very productive. We have farm bag number seven ready for pick up and are thrilled that everyone will be able to taste the beauty of late summer in their meals. It is funny how I start out a week wondering if we are going to have enough, to deliver the variety and quantity that I want to. Then, by the time we are ready for people to pick up, the fridge is bursting and I am jotting handwritten notes on my typed contents list to add on extra goodies. This week's bag has three types of tomatoes, tomatillos, beets, eggplant, enough green beans to freeze a few batches after eating fresh, and some of the first new potatoes and peppers.

As I walked around the property last night, I noticed many of the elderberry bushes were heavy with ripe berries, ready for picking. So this morning we also spent a little time downtown at a great shop called D P Wiggly. We got an impromptu lesson on wine making and bought the necessities for getting our first batch put down. The first steps have been completed, but this topic deserves it's own post, so there will be more soon.

We also canned our first jars of roasted tomatoes this season and blanched more green beans for the freezer. All in all a great way to beat the heat on this 92 degree Friday.

Happy Weekend!

August In Review

2011-09-01T06:28:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that September is here. Truly the fastest summer ever! With as many photos as I took in August, it seems there were a few days that I took none. I guess I was busy loading the volumes that I took in Colorado and at Girl Scout Camp, or maybe I just took a moment to stretch in the final lazy days of summer. Whatever the case, here is a glimpse of August through my lens.

New Perspectives

2011-08-29T06:46:00.000-05:00

"Mom.... now, which other tree around here shall I climb a new way??"

Isn't this how we should all look at life? It is all in seeing the same things from different perspectives and cherishing the experience.

Happy Monday!

Silent Sunday

2011-08-28T06:53:00.000-05:00

Reclaiming Space

2011-08-25T18:38:00.002-05:00

We came home tonight to this lilac just beginning to bloom! A second blooming this year!!

It's hard to believe that the kids are starting school next Thursday, just a week from today. The summer has flown by and I can say it has been our best family summer yet! We have seen a return of some warm late summer days and are finally beginning to pick a few tomatoes. This time of year I begin to contemplate fall; harvest, storing food, school, new beginnings.

Funny, the meaning of fall harvest is so profound to me now. We have to pick our food, slowly clean up beds as they fade, plant crops for late fall harvest, plant beds to winter cover crops, and store the fruits of our labors away. All of this frenzy is for a clean up that leads to tucking our little farm in for the winter. With that thought passing though my mind, I came across a blog post last week from Mama Schell. It discussed the catharsis that comes from purging, simplifying. Her post was called 40 bags in 40 days. The basic premise is to pick forty different areas, clean them out and dispose of or donate what you no longer need, use, want, have grown out of, etc. By taking a space, even if it is as small as a drawer at a time, this overwhelming task becomes much more manageable. So when I think of the settling in coming soon, I want my space to be as simplistic and comfortable as possible.

Since school is approaching, I began today with organizing the attic closet and all of the school mementos that I have collected from pre-school forward. Everything is now better condensed into manageable quantities. The kids in turn will spend some time tomorrow going through closets and drawers to determine what fits and what type of school shopping we may just need to accomplish before next week. Then I will continue on through my forty areas.

1. ~~Kitchen Drawers~~                                         21. ~~Basement Food Storage Shelves~~
2. Sewing Room                                             22. ~~Basement Craft Area~~
3. Our Bedroom Closet                                   23. ~~Basement Work Bench~~
4. ~~Sid's Bedroom Closet~~                                24. Basement Junk Area
5. ~~Sid's Bedroom Dresser~~                                25. Holiday Decorations
6. ~~Charles' Bedroom Closet~~                             26. ~~Hutch on Porch~~
7. ~~Charles' Bedroom Dresser~~                          27. Garden Tools
8. ~~Kids Bathroom Cupboards~~                          28. Chicken Coop
9. ~~Linen Closet~~                                                29. Grainery Storage Area
10. ~~Attic Toys~~                                                  30. Upstairs Bookshelves
11. ~~Attic Closet~~                                                31. ~~Entry Closet~~
12. Our Nightstands                                         32. Hall Tree
13. Our Bedroom Dresser                                33. File Storage
14. ~~Our Bathroom Cupboards~~                          34. Canning Supplies
15. ~~Powder Room Cupboards~~                          35. ~~Spice Cupboard~~
16. ~~Desk~~                                                           36. ~~Liquor Cabinet~~
17. ~~Kitchen Cupboards~~                                     37. ~~Knick Knack Shelf~~
18. ~~Dining Room Hutch~~                                   38. Irrigation Supplies
19. ~~Basement Craft Area~~                                  39. Trellis Supplies
20. Root Cellar                                                 40. ~~Laundry Room~~

Isn't this a great idea? Fall is coming and when you go to open your windows and let in the amazing fall air, wouldn't it be nice if that air could fill your newly reclaimed space? What forty areas can you look at to begin to simplify your life?

A House Guest (Colorado Chronicles)

2011-08-23T07:00:00.005-05:00

The first morning we were in Colorado, we had booted the kids outside to play and we were scurrying around getting ourselves put together so we could meet our friends, and gracious hosts, for a acclimating hike. As I with somewhat bleary eyes walked through the house I came toe to toe with a chipmunk....in the kitchen! Somewhat startled I yelled out for a "boy" to help. The little chipmunk meandered his way, quite knowingly, through the living room and out a crack in the back screen door. After we secured the screen, he hopped onto the screen door as if to say...'hey, I didn't get a treat for my trick!' We had to be careful of this little guy the whole trip. He was quite the opportunist, always looking for entry.

On the flip side of this, we were two of four families in our little cabin. A first time vacationing together and it was quite a dream. During the night, I would hear footsteps stirring upstairs a number of times during the night. I just chalked it up to kids or adults needing to be up during the night. No biggie. Well, we found out after we left that our housemates also had a similar nightly experience only thinking it was us. Interestingly, they realized it wasn't when the footsteps continued downstairs after we had left. Funny, we were all so courteous of one another, that had one of us actually mentioned it we may have come to the conclusion that we had a house guest of another kind.

To house guests, invited and uninvited, always make for amazing memories!

**though the second photo has nothing to do with this post, I thought the orb like flare was appropriate :)

Ebb and Flow of the Mountain (Colorado Chronicles)

2011-08-22T07:44:00.000-05:00

Living in a circa 1930's log cabin for a few days amplified the splendor of mountain wind. I don't know if it was the time of year, a typical day, or if all of the currents that pour East into the plains come swirling through the Rockies in rapid succession. Whatever the cause, the weather was simply fluid. One moment it would be pristine, the next gusts of wind would usher clouds and thunder in.

Just when I would get set to hunker down and watch the storm or figure out what to do with the now indoors children, it was gone. This wasn't just a one time deal. It cycled repetitively over the time we were there.

It was like a ballroom dance in the sky moving from waltz to polka. Ebbing and flowing. Always blowing the sounds of the mountain through our lovely little cabin.

Silent Sunday

2011-08-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

Free Range Hiking (Colorado Chronicles)

2011-08-20T17:00:00.002-05:00

I had forgotten how much I adore hiking. When we lived in Las Vegas, a lifetime ago, we spent many a weekend hiking at Red Rock Canyon or on Mt. Charleston. Now, ten years later, a hiking mountain vacation was on the agenda. Not only did it feel oddly familiar, like riding a bike, but I also had a number of flashes back to the past as my muscles remembered the drill. It felt like I could just glide over the terrain moving rhythmically like a pulse (which was elevated, by the way, in the altitude). What was even more exhilarating than being back on trails, was how the kids both took to it.

It was hard to keep up with Charles. This child has to climb everything in sight when we are not on a gorgeous alpine mountainside. Our cabin was situated in the gully of a boulder surround. When we kicked the kids outside to explore the first morning, what struck me most was how fearless Sidney was too! She thrived on made up games, climbing and just being outside (as always). I now know I can take this farm girl and put her in the mountains and she is still my outdoor girl, regardless of the location.

We were a group of sixteen, eight adults and eight children and these kids had begun to accumulate a multitude of scrapes, scratches, and bruises, which they all seemed to be wearing like a badge of honor. Something that was hard earned, meant to be compared, and marked their passage through the vacation. We gave them quite a bit of freedom with their climbing within a few basic guidelines. They tended to watch out for one another and thrive when their parents gave them the ability to do a little bit of free range hiking.

What a Difference Two Days Makes (Colorado Chronicles)

2011-08-20T07:30:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that it has already been a week since we left for Colorado. Last Saturday, after the final garden tour attendees had driven away, we finished packing the car, loaded up, and headed West caravaning with friends. We cut the sixteen hour trip into two day busy days. I mentioned how much I love a car trip. There is something about seeing the country up close, the experience of a slice of life from every area, and with this trip, the wonderful camaraderie of two families in the long hours together, that make even the fatigue of driving feel oh so worth while.

Our first stop was a family favorite, and a little better than half way to Des Moines, our evenings stopping point. Iowa 80 is the "Worlds Largest Truck Stop" and it does not disappoint. The kids could run around and jump in and play in the huge cabs that were in the show room. This was followed what was a mediocre supper, but nourishment none the less. We didn't arrive at our hotel in Des Moines until close to midnight. We were fortunate to get two of the last three hotel rooms in town what with it being the opening weekend of the State Fair and the little fact that the Straw Pole had just finished hours before.

Now you would think that two advanced degreed, technologically pretty advanced families could figure out how to self check into this hotel whose lobby had now closed. Well let's call it extreme fatigue that we didn't see the coded lock boxes (that contained our room keys) as we walked in and proceeded to wake up the night manger who explained this simple fact over the phone. Yet, I couldn't get the darned box open. I only needed to put in the first three letters of our last name....well that's easy since our last name has all of three letters. Well after three attempts at my three letters it locked me out for four minutes. The problem was solved once we determined that they had spelled our name wrong...you know the three letter name. That four minutes felt more like thirty, but once it finally finished it's absurd countdown, it freed our hostage room keys, so we could finally lay our exhausted heads down. We were only able to pour our half asleep children into their respective beds,after we located sheets for the pull out beds they would be sleeping in and got said beds made! I did mention slice of life, didn't I?

After long hours, fun chatty stops, a huge downpour, an after dark arrival that had us searching winding mountain dirt roads for our sweet rustic cabin, we ended our trip and began our vacation. When the light of day once again kissed our world, this is what we saw. What a difference two days makes!