Cutesies

Today is my baby boy's 10th birthday:)  I can't believe it's been ten years!  He's grown into a wonderful little person and I'm so proud of him.  I'm really hoping the upcoming hurricane will not affect his party...

I decided that this year I would not take sweets to the school for the kids' birthdays.  I already have to make a large cake for his party, and the schools do not allow you to bring homemade treats.  I priced cupcakes at a couple of bakeries, and WOW...I'll have something special for him at home this afternoon! 

On another note, I "sparkled" a shirt for Nadia-she designed it, I sewed it:

(I don't know why it's sideways--the org pic is not!)

                
I'm really excited about the upcoming Christmas holiday season, as I will be creating some things to sell--it's been a while since I've done that.  I'll be posting the items on FB.  Exciting times!

Great Day

Today is such a lovely day:)  It's warm out, all the neighbors are piddling on their Saturday at home.  Luke and I raided a few yard sales this morning and I picked up some yarn and sequins, some zippers and a canning jar. Luke got a book about dogs and a new video game and I got Nadia some clothes.  Everybody's happy!

After we got home we chowed down on some homemade chicken nuggets (even Greg liked them) and as we speak the aroma of freshly baked cookies is calling my name.

I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my day at home sitting on the couch between loads of laundry.  Aaahhhhhh!

Past tense

There are so many times where I just want to move out in the middle of nowhere and do things my way.  But I would miss so much of city life.  I love walking down my road in relative assurance that I won't get bitten by a dog (which has happened to me).  I like that I can run errands in a short time, and food is still hot if I get takeout.  And I don't spend as much gas or time doing things away from home. 

I can just imagine my husband now, getting irritated about a chicken coop and having to help in the garden:)  Mental pictures say it all...

As I've written before, I plan to actually grow things we'll actually from a garden next year.  This plan would be a lot less complicated if I didn't work.  I know a lot of people work and still get everything done, but I just can't function that way.  I definitely need a more leisurely pace and a lot more money!  HA!

I miss my old life; the one where I had two small children to take care of and school to teach, and lunch, and what I miss most of all is having real conversations with my children.  These days they just want to play with their friends or play video games--when they actually come inside.  I never realized how many times we ended up talking about important stuff just because we spent so much uninterrupted time together.  I miss homeschooling.  I miss my kids...

You like my pun in the title??

Ode to Harvest

I have been dreaming of apples.  Applebutter, applesauce, fried apples, dehydrated apples, apple jelly....  I am so glad that you only deal with a type of produce once a year!  It stinks that most of them ripen back to back or even at once.  Wouldn't it be so much easier if we could garden year-round.  If the trees would produce a bushel or so every month-no more, no less.  Instead, you can think of nothing else except what else you can do with all that produce, until it is mercifully all preserved in jars, freezer or bags. 

I have determined it's a really good thing I don't have room to grow too much.  I can't imagine what it'd be like if I grew all the wonderful food I wanted.  We would be overrun, but our friends would be happy!!  As I am to be the grateful recipient of organic, local food. 

I decided to actually pull out my dehydrater this year and decide if I wanted to keep it.  It was given to me a long time ago, and has sat lonely in a corner just waiting for me.  Well, that thing is worth it's weight in gold!  I am actually looking for more trays so I can use it more:)  They're round if you have some-about 13 1/2 inches across.  I have dried apples, blueberries, spinach and basil so far.  I plan on drying more next year, and this year I should be able to get some raisins done.  I've seen recipes for fruit roll-ups, too.  That sounds interesting, providing it's easy.  I'm planting some herbs to grow indoors now, so I can dry those anytime of year.

So exciting!  I have already begun plotting my garden for next year.  It's small, but I'm hoping to do great things with it.  Right now I'm growing pumpkins, and if my zucchini comes up I can look forward to those.  I can also propagate some grapes, blackberries and cherries.  I guess there are things to do all year; you just get all the food in a couple of months' time.  Will it all be worth it?  We'll see.