Random 5 Friday

1.  Over the last several years we have had two deer that have made the orchard at the back of our property home.  It seems over this tough winter the group has expanded to five, with one very large one.  When we harvested our dried beans last Fall we had a great yield, but there was also a number of beans that never finished.  We learned a couple of years ago that if we leave our trellis' up over winter instead of trying to de-tangle the vines in the fall, that the vines come right off come spring.  This week, the hungry deer were scavenging the remaining pods off of the trellis.  Truly a complete use of all that the plant had to offer.

2.  Yes, I know we shouldn't encourage the deer.  Yet we seem to have a symbiotic relationship with them.  The garden can sometimes take a hit from their snacking early on, but we have never had complete devastation from them... knock wood, and they tend to come around less frequently come summer.  In fact, last summer they did stick around.  We always grow lots of Swiss chard, but last year we did not harvest any until the end of the season.  For whatever reason the deer came in regularly and ate that, only that.  Almost like it was our offering to them to share our land.  After all, Mother Nature does like balance.

3.  We are trying to settle on our infrastructure project for the farm this year.  I think this may be the year to build a large hoop house over one of our raised beds.  With our extended winter..snow as I speak, and the forecasts for the next month or so remain cooler than expected, we may have an abbreviated growing season this year, and it should be a good year for cool weather crops.  Putting the hoop house in may allow us a taste of summer if the overall weather doesn't support a long warm seasons growth....must have tomatoes for canning!

4.  Have you ever read a book and come across a sentence that was so beautiful or profound that you had to read it over and over?  I find that language is fascinating and what speaks to people can greatly vary, yet some words when strung together just right can speak to everyone.  This week American Scholar magazine came out with a list of the ten best sentences.  Take a look, and see if you are transported.

5. A week of anniversaries, as I'm sure you heard, March 24, 1984 was the date that the Breakfast Club served detention.  Wow, 30 years ago, feeling old yet?  Another 30th anniversary was honored in a fantastic way. Did any of you see Kevin Bacon re-enact his famous dance from Footloose on Jimmy Fallon?  The man has still got it, take a watch, it'll make you smile!

Random 5 Friday

1.  We had brunch at a friends house on Sunday.  What could be better than the shrieks of dads and kids participating in some good old fashioned play?!

2.  This week as been a little warmer and the sap has been flowing well.  It looks like we will have another batch of maybe 50 gallons to boil down tomorrow!

3.  Have you ever wondered about what your favorite ice cream says about you?  This is a fun little article.

4.  Here is a very thought provoking article about being too busy, and why we do it.  Shouldn't we all strive for this dream  “leisure . . . will be abundant, so that all can develop the life of the spirit, of reflection, of religion, of the arts, of the full realization of the good things of the world.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

5.  Speaking of dreams, today on the first full day of spring sixteen years ago, I married mine.

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Random 5 Friday~ The Dells

We took a mid week excursion this week, to do something for the kids' split spring break.  For this week's random 5, I thought I would do a brief re-cap.

1.  Mid-week vacations, if you can do it, are the bomb.  They are almost half price, and when doing a theme park type of thing, much less crowded.

2.  In the thirteen years that we have lived in Wisconsin, we have never been to the Dells.  I know, I know, almost treason worthy.  Funny how life has moments of cross-over.  From the moment we walked into the Kalahari, I was transported back to our years living in Las Vegas.  The big, bold colors, attractions and a massive property, felt so familiar.  Such a throw back!

3.  I just finished reading a book called Joy for Beginners.  It was very enjoyable and I guess that you could say the theme of the book dealt with doing things outside of your comfort zone.  It must have been the lingering spirit of that book that lead me into doing a 3 story high ropes course yesterday, and quite successfully I might add.

4.  Boys will be boys in an arcade, but mom reigned supreme on the basketball shoot out, being the only one to make it to the bonus round.

5.  A location with a huge waterpark, theme park and bowling ally to name a few of the activities leaves very tired kids.

Random 5 Friday

we have a little stone garden turtle that sits next to our cold frame, look who I found peaking out as I was shoveling the walk earlier this week.

1.  We had another five inches of snow this week, but it looks like we are headed for a real thaw over the next week with daytime temps hitting the mid to upper 30's!

2.  I can not wait until next year when the kids are at the same school.  Right now their breaks are on different schedules which puts a real crimp in trying to plan any fun family travel.  Charles' spring break is next weeks and Sidney's over Easter, so not even close.  We will be taking a long weekend next weekend and packing a weeks worth of fun into it.  Exhausting?  Probably, worth it definitely! :)

3.  We seeded all of our onions in our basement greenhouse last weekend, as of this morning I am on sprout watch.  It is down right crazy how excited that I get seeing those first babies poke through the soil!

4.  I always like to cook traditional dishes around any holiday or festivity.  On Tuesday I made a traditional gumbo for Mardi Gras.  We used to cook Cajun food regularly, on those weekends when I would spend the afternoon watching Justin Wilson and Paul Prudhomme on PBS but it has been years.  It was so tasty, and the kids did not even mind the kick of spice from the andouille.

as found on the paintedpear via pinterest

5.  Who else is ready to throw their windows wide open and let in the Spring air?  I may even try to do it later next week, near 40 is a heat wave, right?  I came across the above graphic last night and had to laugh, oh so true!

 

Random 5 Friday

1.  I know that I have been posting a lot of sunrises, but sheesh, the colors have been so awe inspiring and such a treat in contrast to all of the snow.

2.  I am really getting the hang of this bread making thing.  The batch that I made this week rose like crazy and ended up perfectly light and airy on the inside.

3.  My new lens was waiting for me when we got home from our little weekend away.  I did upgrade it to a 18-70mm to bridge the gap between my 18-55mm one and my Christmas 70-300mm telephoto.  I found it used on eBay and it is perfect!  Now I can save my pennies for a fixed focus lens.

4.  Kids say the darnedest things.  In response to our swim and ski weekend here are a couple of beauts.   Sidney:  "When I think vacation, I don't really consider it being around a bunch of other kids....it's just more for me to tolerate."   Charles:  "I am so excited to go on a ski lift!  That is on my bucket list."

5.  We are headed towards the upper 30's and low 40's going into next week.....break out the summer gear! ;-)


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Random 5 Friday

It is hard to believe that it is already Friday again!  Though I started a number of drafts this week, ideas churning away in my head, I only managed to post one.  That is a bit off my blogging goal, but my full days are making fodder for posts to come.

1.  As you can see from the above picture, B has busted out the elderberries that we carefully prepared last fall.  The 2014 wine making has begun.  He began 4 gallons of  Elderberry Melomel and 3 gallons of Gooseberry/Rhubarb wine this week.

2.  I have re-committed to bread making this week thanks to this wonderful book.  There is something so calming filling the house with the smells of fresh baked bread.  Speaking of bread, I also began a new sourdough starter.  I did one a year ago, and though it turned out fine, I couldn't keep up with it. This new recipe, from the same book, is slightly different in its process and I must say, it is a very happy little starter only three days in!  Let's see if I can keep this baby around...maybe even pass it down!

3.  I am so excited to be going out with some dear friends this evening to see the Moth Story Slam, I just can't wait!

4.   B always snow blows our parking area against a big old maple tree.  Then the kids use it as a mini sledding hill all season.  This year with plenty of snow and the deep cold, the hill has turned to mostly ice.  Perfect for making an igloo!  I would say that it is more than half done.  Charles and a friend dug a tunnel through the side of it, so they will use those holes plugged by some colorful sledding disks to make skylights.  It is a work in progress, based on its sheer girth, and another couple of months of winter to come I would say, much of this igloo will grace our yard well into April, and we will see remnants into May!

5.  I had my first committee meeting for Charles fifth grade awards/graduation celebration yesterday.  This morning I am sifting through the last six years of photos.  Wow, they grow fast!

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Random 5 Friday

1.  This morning's sunrise over the lake made the early morning school carpool, so worth it!

2.  We got to 17 degrees yesterday, and the weather person called it a warm up.  Yup, it has been that kind of winter.

3.  We booked a short weekend trip with a ski and splash package in a couple of weeks.  A little reward for the kids since we ignored them for their patience during the great basement clean out of '14 the last few weeks.  Everyone is excited and we are looking forward to finally teaching the kids how to snow ski, hopefully it will be slightly warmer.

4.  I am looking for a new book.  The last few that I have read have been fairly entertaining, but not great.  Any suggestions??

5.  This week I was fortunate enough to be able to register for two upcoming events that I am so excited about.  The first is a slow money event discussing how to invest and gain investors in programs revolving around promoting healthy food choices an education in our community.  Secondly, is the TedX Manhattan--"changing the way we eat"  viewing party in our area.  I am enthusiastic that the insight gained from these events will help us in our efforts locally!

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Random 5 Friday

1.  When I went out to take pictures of the ice on Lake Michigan earlier this week, I captured this little guy dancing.  It is amazing how calm and smooth the lake was that day!

2.  28 degrees has never felt so good.  Nuff said.

3.  We managed to get a big chunk of the basement cleaned out last weekend, it is amazing how much accumulates over time.  It was like a walk down a memory lane of old kids crafts and garden start remnants.

4. Our chickens are really troopers, perfectly content with their heat lamps in this weeks cold.  Interesting fact...when eggs freeze in record overnight lows, they crack and split.

5.  Speaking of eggshells, we have been saving all of our egg shells to crush and use in next years garden.  This morning I came across an interesting article on re-purposing dried crushed egg shells and using them instead of oyster shell. It is supposed to be just as good and also act as a deterrent for any egg eaters.  Have you tried this??

Happy  Weekend!

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Random 5 Friday

The year is fresh and along with reflections of last year, I have been thinking about what is ahead.  I have not so much made resolutions this year, but I do have a handful of goals in mind.

1.   I lost a little of my photo mojo this last year, but with the brand new lens that I received for Christmas, I am back on task and ready to go.  I also think that I am going to begin a Instagram photo challenge.  A daily shot that is #365grateful. A little diary of a moment each day to be thankful for.

2.   I need to get better about scheduling posts, and utilizing drafts when blogging.  I have already started to put a few thoughts in draft and I must say, it is nice.  Why have I not done this before?   I am also eager to begin a new writing project with some friends.

3.   I read 36 books last year.  This year I want to up the ante and aim for 50.

4.  Nothing like the weather to drive a goal.  With high temperatures expected to below zero and waking up to -10 this morning,  our focus will easily be directed to organizing the basement.

5. Christmas has been taken down, and some simple winter white decor put up.  I love having a few days after travel, to spend with the family just hanging out and readying for whats next.

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Random 5 Friday

Yes, yes, I know, it's Saturday. But after a 12 hour marathon car ride Thursday, we are enjoing a mini family reunion in Kansas.  It is the first time in 4 years that all of the siblings have been together.  So this last random five of 2013 is a day delayed but only due to the mass chaos that ensues when 10 people converge in one place, all talking at once and living under one roof for the first time in many moons.

1.  While perusing flipboard I came across a recommendation for paprika.  This recipe ap is the best that I have tried and I love it!  

2.  It is 50 degrees here in Kansas, which after the last six weeks in Wisconsin feels like summer break.  No jackets for us, oh no, just faces turned toward the sun basking in the light.

3.  Though we spent the better part of yesterday trying to see The Hobbit, it just was not meant to happen.  The first theatre that we walked into we were shocked by the 60" screen on what looked like painted plywood on the wall, not how we were planning to see this cinematic spectacle.  After hurriedly removing ourselves from that situation we headed 35 minutes away to a larger theatre which when we arrived, 25 minutes before show time, was completely sold out.  Sheesh talk about differing experiences!  We will re-group and try again tomorrow.   

4.  We seem to have a solid offer on the house that we have been trying to sell for six and a half years.  Please send good thoughts our way that it successfully closes at the end of January.  I can think of no better way to start 2014 than without this burden.

5.  When traveling, blogging is an adventure from my blogger for iPad ap.  I have no idea how the formatting will look, where the photos will end up, and I can not seem to hyperlink.  Do you have any tried and true methods for blogging on the fly?

Happy Weekend!

Random 5 Friday

Nothing but anticipation in the week prior to Christmas, but I've tried my best and I think been much more organized this season than last.  What does one do this final week before the kids are on Christmas break?

1.  Treat making:  We got our Christmas cookies made, 10 dozen dusted snowballs and chocolate dipped pecan shortbread.  Some for gift giving, and far too many for us!  I used some caramels that I made with a friend and melted them down to make caramel coated pears.  As a last minute thing I tried a simple recipe for Gingerbread Spiced Nuts.  They are so good, I may just have to make a batch to bring with us to KS next week (along with another batch of peppermint marshmallows as promised for my BIL Mark :)

2.  Winter White:  maybe because we will be gone through New Years, or maybe because our weather has been so very cold, but I have made real progress making seasonal decor for the house to replace the festive holiday items.  I am obsessed with the beauty of winter whites to help bring some rustic and bright cheer to the post Christmas house.  It also has such a clean feel which feeds into my annual new year deep cleaning (which I started early with our travel schedule).

3.  Poor Kiddo:  Sid came home from school on Monday with a horrible sore throat and fever.  As it turned out a first time case of strep.  Yuck, never seen a kid get so sick so fast.  I'm happy to say that with 1750 mg of Amoxicillin a day she is feeling much better!  Now I am just praying that the belligerent hand washing, laundry and dish cleaning, and vitamin taking will protect the rest of my clan before the holiday.

4.  Crazy Active Weather:  We have run the gamut of weather already this season.  Overnight we began with freezing rain that is predicted to last most of the day and then we are readying for what may be a decent winter storm for Sunday!  The bright side, the second Christmas morning in 13 years that we will be at home in Wisconsin, will prove to be white!

5.  5 Things Left To Do Before Christmas & Staying Zen:  friend visits and cheer, family games and movies, menu plans, year end wrap up at work, read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  

Linking up with Nancy at A Rural Journal, what have you been up to this week?  Please join in!

Random 5 Friday

through the car window after last Sunday's epic storms

Time has just flown the last couple of weeks and we are now headed full force into the holiday season. I feel more prepared than normal this year.  I think we have finally gotten a good timeline down for farm clean up and transitioning into in home activities.  I am ready to hunker down and simply enjoy.

1.  We are headed to CA today to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. The kids have been in full countdown mode for over a week!

2.  Trying to wrap up work, home, and school concurrently is at once overwhelming and invigorating.  It never ceases to amaze me how much can be accomplished.

3.  We are very fortunate that some wonderful work friends help us out on the farm when we are out of town.  Thanks so much to Heather and Steff, the chickens and bunnies are grateful, as are we.

4.   I hit the big 4 1 last Saturday.  It has been so heartwarming the kindness of friends near and far all week long.

5.  I always try to post when we are traveling, but much depends on how my iPad behaves.  Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving full of family, food and thankfulness.

Random 5 Friday

1.  Man this time change has thrown me for a loop!  I am thrilled that we have sunrise before 7 am but dark at 4:30 has me wanting to seek my pillow by 8pm! 

2.   With lots of wind and rain this week, we are headed into a weekend of massive leaf clean up and composting.  At least it is supposed to be beautiful out this weekend....our first chance of snow is as early as Tuesday!

3.  B started a master swim class with a friend last week, it has me feeling like I need to get myself back to the gym...maybe will help with added energy during the darker days of winter.

4.  This week, also inspired by the thoughts of being indoors more, I began to do a re-arrange and re-organize.  What is old is new again as I moved around pictures and knick knacks to give the house a fresh feel.

5.  Don't you just love this fall light?  I am so taken by the sunrise warming the ice crystals from last nights frost.

Linking up with Nancy at A Rural Journal

Random 5 Friday

1.  A secret:  I love the holidays.  I always go all out, and make the house feel festive and warm or spooky, whatever the case may be.  We participate fully in the event, suspending our disbelief wherever possible. But when it's over...it's over.  Halloween came down first thing this morning before work, and what remains is the harvest decor that will last through Thanksgiving. 

2.  Finally:  After two full weeks of battling the funk I finally get to meet our latest little tastebud today!

3.  Oh Poo!:  One of our tasks this weekend is to give the hen house a thorough once over and freshly bed the ladies down for the winter.  Fun stuff.  Ha!  At least the compost pile will be happy!

4.  Cured:  We cut into our homemade pancetta last night to give it a taste.  Oh my!  All I can say is there is more curing in our future!

5.   Treats:  These bar cookies are to. die. for.  I am always amazed at how some things that I imagine are difficult simply are not.  Take the ten minutes to make the homemade salted caramel for this one!  Happy weekend!

Random 5 Friday

1.  Grey & Gold::  After months and months of very little rain to speak of, every storm coming through seeming just to skirt around our community, we had two days of grey drizzly weather.  No real volumes to speak of, but a steady drizzle that left wet heavy leaves dripping and falling.  Last night, the sun broke through the clouds just prior to sunset to give us the most dramatic light.  Perfect for taking our evening walk and planning the next steps to our fall finishing in the garden.

2.  Dehydrating::  Maybe it was all of the rain this week, but I have been on a huge dehydrating kick, as I mentioned here.  This morning I put the last of  ripe hillbilly tomatoes in.

3.  Tastebuds::  One of my nearest and dearest friends and member of our close knit tastebuds dinner club had her baby yesterday.  We are all so excited!  Maybe it is because my babies are tweens/ almost teens now, or because this group of people is our family here with ours being so far away, but it has been especially exciting waiting for this baby to come into the fold.    Welcome Charlotte Quinn and a heartfelt congratulations Daniela and Scott!! xo

4.  Sickies::  It has been one of those weeks.  Charles came home from school Monday not feeling well, a cold, no biggie, but the bigger concern the sharp right side abdominal pain and low grade fever.  The kid never complains about anything and this was a big deal for him.  By Wednesday things were subsiding, though we are still watching him closely as he had the low grade fever again last night.  This morning Sidney seems to be falling with the cold.  It has been a horrible allergy season here, yet I am afraid that what I had hoped were continued allergies for myself may be something else.  Between that and the fact that I am care-giving sickies, I am afraid that I won't be able to visit dearest Charlotte in the hospital as not to expose her to anything...this makes me very sad  :(

5.   Farm Chores::  Last Sunday after soccer we brought out the cover for the cold frame, reinforced it and reinstalled it over our budding greens.  Just in time it seems as we had our first light frost in the forecast for that night.  We are hoping for a break in the drizzly weather so things can dry out some and we can get outside and do some more winter prep this weekend.

Happy Friday!

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Random 5 Friday

1.   Pests::  It is that time of year; the last of the ripening tomatoes, apple season windows wide open AND  fruit flies.  Ugh these pests are a pain.  They will make a bee line for my glass of wine in the evening just so they can take a swim, but if I leave a glass out for them they avoid it like the plague.  We have tried many home remedies, and none that we have been successful with.  Suggestions??

2.   In the mist::  The fog in the mornings this week has just been magical.  There is something about a crisp October morning blanketed in fog that gives everything a dream-like quality.  Yesterday, as I was snapping a few, our resident deer family was out.  Our bigger than life farm poodle was off like a shot after them, he fears nothing!

3.   Farm Poodle::  Speaking of farm poodles, ours has just not been quite right the last ten days or so.  He's our little problem child trooper.  He is a rescue, that B did a PDA (heart) surgery on when he was about 4 months old.  A year ago he was diagnosed with Addisons disease (adrenal),  we medicate him and keep him on an even keel.  I was concerned he was on the verge of an Addisonian crisis with his behavior, so we took him in to work to do some labs.  Now, our sassy farm poodle is having liver problems.  We have him on five different meds right now, and hopefully things will be improved in a couple of weeks, the next step will be a liver biopsy.  He is already feeling better as you can tell from the deer chasing above, a grand effort on his fifth birthday yesterday :)

4.   Literary hugs::   I just finished this book this week.  I swear, every time I sit down to a Barbara Kingsolver book, I just feel enveloped.

5.   Soccer, Soccer, Soccer (in best Jan Brady voice)::   This weekend Charles' soccer club is hosting a big tournament.  Between games and working the tournament, oh and the predicted rain, this weekend is all but accounted for!

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Random 5 Friday

1.  Harvesting Now:  We picked the first of our drying beans earlier this week.  This peck basket yielded 5 Cups of dried beans.  If canned, these will produce roughly 5 quarts of beans!  These are our lazy housewife green beans left to dry.  They are duel purpose and make the most wonderful drying beans.  Best yet... this was only 1/3 of one of our two rows of these beans, and the part that was a bit more stunted because it was partially shaded!

2.  Compass:  Thanks to Uma who posted the Native American Code of Ethics on her blog earlier this week.  Truly words and actions to live by, that calmed my spirit.

3.  Eating:  This week began October #Unprocessed, a great exercise, and not to late to join in!

4.  Light:  The fall light completes me.

5.  Soul:    So does ^^ this guy.

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Random 5 Friday

1.  Good Eats:  We jumped into Fall with both feet on Sunday.  We started our week on the equinox itself with our dinner club (The Tastebuds).  This was a most auspicious, beginning of our week with a kicked up picnic theme  full of gourmet treats and the dearest of friends.

2.   New Venture?  We are hosting our first wedding on the farm tomorrow!  Yesterday was filled with deliveries and set-up with the bride and groom.  The weather looks like it is going to be perfect; a warm fall day and crisp fall evening lit by floating mason jar lights.

3.  Truckin:  Between school, and soccer and volleyball practice, I've driven over 250 miles this week.  I know this may not sound too bad, but we do not live in that big of a town (not more than about 10 miles to get from one side to the other)!  I can not wait until the kids are at the same school next year.

4.  Dunzo:  Though I do not want to rush cold weather, I am increasingly ready for a first hard frost (followed by Indian summer) :), a little allergy relief is much needed!

5.  Ready: I am ready for a relaxing fall weekend...well after the wedding :)  Wishing the same for you!

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Random 5 Friday

 1.  After a three year hiatus, this year we brought back the Hillbilly Tomatoes.  Still by far our favorite, and they are just getting ripe.  Our crazy season has left us with late and only moderately producing plants, so I think that we may just end up with about a dozen quarts.  I may hit up the farmers market to supplement so we can put more away.

2.  You never know what you are going to find while walking around the farm.  This little snapping turtle that B found this morning in the garden, was a bit out of place, and is swimming inside for the moment...at least until the kids can take a peak at it.

3.  Aren't firsts wonderful?  After many years searching and scrimping by without, we are now the proud owners of our first and forever tractor for the homestead!  Sorry for the blur in the picture, but the first driving lesson went fabulously, and Charles was burning rubber!

4.  This time of year is my absolute favorite and as we head into the equinox this weekend, I am decking the house with the beautiful feelings of fall.  As I picked Charles up at soccer on Wednesday, the sun was as large as I have ever seen it while it was setting.  The fall light is just magical, wouldn't you agree?

5.  Today was crazy hair day at school.  Whatcha think??

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