letting the bad bring us together

A horrid flu is passing through our house and has forced us to finally slow down. It is always so hard watching your loved ones feel so miserable. I must admit that i have enjoyed the slowing down part though. Many busy weeks accompanied by many busy weekends, although quite fun, has been very tiring on all of us. Then there was this last long weekend where we were forced to cancel everything, stay home, and take care of each other. It made me realize that we need some more of these without any sickness. We snuggled by the fire, played board games, read books, and carved those pumpkins. It was wonderful (all except for the horrible flu that is). And how about those pumpkins, huh? I was so impressed with how capable they were this year! Maiko and Layla did almost everything themselves (i just helped draw on the faces), and Eislee scooped out her pumpkin i just helped her carve it. Just another little thing that gives me so much hope... it really is getting easier, and soon i will have the time i've been waiting for.

picking apples

 Out in the orchard with some wonderful company. I get such a peaceful feeling when i'm out there. It feels really good to work on an important task like picking ripe apples, preserving the hard work of those beautiful trees. I love those trees. I have one that i worry about... it is so beautiful and special... but it has only been producing about three apples a year. We already have so many apples from the other trees that i don't feel we need those apples but i know that the lack of apples means that it may be injured or sick, and it is a very special tree. The most beautiful twisting trunk. It is in many of my pictures above. Often when i'm out there i wonder about who planted these trees. Who built this house. The barns. The old dock that used to run all the way across the marsh. I have heard bits of history about this place. In the past there wasn't a road. there was a path between the two old houses, where an old rose climbed up and over the road, and then the people went to town by boat. Doesn't it sound wonderful? I wonder where they had their garden too. They did such a good job placing the house. I used to think it was an odd spot on this hill because it makes the surrounding yard quite small when there is so much space. But now that i have experienced some flooding... i truly appreciate the placement... all of the pasture would have to completely flood before the house would have the slightest risk. They knew what they were doing and i hope in time we will learn the ways and make them proud.

little bits of fall

• we put up our autumn decorations. i love how excited the children get when i bring that big box down from the attic. i remember feeling the same excitement when my mom brought ours out when i was little. i avoid strictly halloween or thanksgiving decorations and just focus on the season... a couple scarecrows, pumpkins and winter squash, and lots of fall leaves. i just love having those colorful leaves in the house, especially since where we are we don't see a whole lot of them outside. we have mostly evergreens and apple trees. i buy my leave garlands at joanns. every couple years i add a few to my collection (they hold up wonderfully threw storage).
• finally finished one of the blankets for little jude. so simple. took one afternoon. my problem is finding an open afternoon.
• beginning to burn fires and it's so wonderful. there is nothing like a warm fire on a cold night.
• making the switch from tomato saucing and canning to apple picking. i actually love apple picking.... a little at a time..... too much makes my neck ache. but it's so peaceful out in the orchard in early autumn with the best little apple eaters. we have one box for the apples i pick and one box for the apples that fall because apparently you shouldn't use the apples from the ground for your fermented cider because they pick up bacteria that creates vinegar. so we use those ones for pie, sauce, and eating fresh.

life right now

lemon tea... or hot water with honey and lemon.... is always the first request when a cold hits in this house...

who bread dough.... link here... 

a new baby calf... born this morning....

special love notes from my children and beautiful tomatoes that are about to be sauced and canned....

knitting the hat for jude and reading my third issue of taproot, the most amazing magazine... find out more about it here if you're interested....

i think we have four chickens laying regularly now.... and do you see that egg in the back there? i finally have a minty green egg layer again!

i made this corkboard with two layers of cork and a layer of cardboard, wrapped in fabric, inside a black picture frame... the art came from my last issue of taproot that was torn apart by ollie...

sometimes.... i have so many thoughts bouncing around in my head that i have a hard time keeping my focus.
and sometimes i "encourage" (or punish) myself by constantly convincing myself to put whatever it is that i truly want to do each day at the very bottom of this crazy list in my head. in the beginning i always feel optimistic that i really will complete all of my chores and have time for something that makes me feel fulfilled. but after a time i begin to realize that i am never going to get to the bottom of that list. sometimes this realization makes me depressed, but other times i also realize that what i need to do is move my own fulfillment to at least the middle of the list.
so that is something i am working on.
when i read the editor's letter in my "taproot" i came across one of those sweet wake up calls. where amanda soule spoke of the importance of seeing "the joy in our work" and taking special moments for the things we love, which is "essential for creating a life which needn't be escaped from." she is so right. in order to actually enjoy these lives that we are living we must take time every day for the things we love, and realize that what fulfills us is just as important (if not more so) than the things that need to be done. so go and do something that fulfills you today because if you don't allow yourself to do the things that make you happy, then who will? and i will try to do the same.