Friday, August 31, 2012

this moment

 
~this moment~
 
A single photo...
no words...
a simple, extraordinary moment
provided by James...
Andy Warhol
style.
 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

more farmgirls

 
The new school year
is upon us...
here I am
at page 1006 of 1392
(no, I am not kidding!)
of Rainbow Resource's
Homeschool Catalogue...
still making our final
choices.
 
Focusing on the OUR
as I encourage reluctant boys
to take an active part
 in the process.
 
...1007...1008...
 
Take a break.
 
Not that one is needed
as much as
one is thrust upon us in the
form of two little...
adorable girls
who don't want to sit
inside on such
a sun-shiny day!
 
I know...
let's go to the
Orchard.
 
Erie Apple Orchard.
 
On the cusp of their busy season...
before the mad slew of
apple pickers and
tour buses.
 
Mid-week.
 

 
When the goats are bored
and happy to see
two little girls
and their companions.

 
Patient goats
who are understanding
of little fingers
getting
poked their way.

 
Eager to get
a treat...
gently from your
hand.



 
Goats that call out
to you with a bleating plea...
please come back...
we want to play
some more!

 
The chickens beckon
us to come
with their clucking
song.
 
We counted...
there were 3 eggs
waiting to be found!

 
Okay...
one more pet for
big mama.
 
They share a look of
contentment...
don't you think?
 
But there is work to be done.
A farm never
rests.

 
Farmgirl Kaylee
to the
rescue.

 
Farmgirl Kierstin
takes her role very seriously...
here she is saying,
"Drive! Drive...drive!"

 
Another satisfied smile.
 
On to the hay loft
where
grandma challenges those
little legs to make
there way to the
other side.
 
Ready...
Set...
Go!



 
We did it!
Now for the big climb to
Uncle James-ie...
as Kierstin calls him.


 
The big girl
gets there
first...
followed by

 
sister Kay-kay.
 
Look at that face...she's saying to
herself...
yeah, but we all know who made
it here first!

 
Looking...
pondering...
that climb
back
down.
 
 
Our final stop
the big barn
with the general store
for candy... apple cider...
donuts...
and peaches!
 
Down on the farm fun break.
 
Now back to the books.
 
 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

farmgirl

 
The recipe
for receiving a sweet
unexpected
compliment.
 
Orchard fresh peaches...
 ripe and juicy
almost going bad.
 
Can't let that happen.
 
Peeled and sliced
and mixed with fresh blueberries
along with some natural sugar...
basically following
your favorite Apple Crisp
recipe...
but substituting the apples for...
peaches and, well...
blueberries...
as I said.
 
Make the crumble topping.
Kept mine very simple mixing
oats, whole wheat, honey,
walnuts, coconut oil.
 
Press on top of the filling
mixture
and bake at 350 for 33 minutes.
 
Serve warm with Vanilla Bean
Ice cream...
my choice 
Almond Dreams...
yumminess.

 
Throwing peaches away...
averted.
 
Having your husband
call you a
farmgirl
for your frugality...
priceless.
 
Go farmgirls!
 
 

Monday, August 27, 2012

harvest church

 
Oh...
how the garden has grown.

 
These were taken
mid season...
 
 
The herb tires
matured
nicely.

 
I would stop by to
water...
weed...
snip some
basil
as needed.
 

 
On this day...
more was needed.
 
On this day...
the bounty of our
summer toils
stood waiting to
be plucked...
 
the peppers
in every color...
 
 
tomatoes
in vast varieties
of sweetness.

 
Washed and packed
for our short
journey
into the
city.

 
Where vegetable
gardens are
in short
supply.

 
My mind speeds
ahead in time as
I see the trees...
seek out green space...
dream of a day
when the
Community Garden
will be right
here...
where it is supposed
to be...
with this here
community.

 
A place that they/we
can call our own.
A place to take part
and share in
real
community.
 
Until that day...
 
in the near future
I pray...
 
We will transport
our garden harvest to those
who are filled
with
joy
at the sight of those
sweet cherry tomatoes.
 
Now...
this is
what I call...
 
church.
 
 
 
 

Friday, August 24, 2012

this moment

 
Joining soulemama
and friends.
A single photo.
No words.
A simple, extraordinary
moment
just outside
my car window.
 


Thursday, August 23, 2012

wacky wednesday

"It all began with a shoe on the wall.
 A shoe on the wall
shouldn't be there at all.
Then I looked up
and I said
"Oh, man!"
And that's how
wacky Wednesday began..."
for Theo. LeSieg
mine began in the garden...
 
 
Grandma Jenny...
picking tomatoes with her two
favorite little girls.
 
Who composed a song
that contained the line...
"We pick the reds...
not the greens."
 
All sang along.
 
"Always, always,
wash before we eat."
 
We went inside and I said
by cracky...
two more things are
very wacky!

 
An enameled pot
that contained
receipts was discovered!
( back in our Dave Ramsey days...ahem...)
 
A treasure.
 
Let's get the crayons out
and color each
one-hundred of them.
 
Why not?

 
Tatted up...
clip board ready...
let the coloring commence.

 
I went to the kitchen and
I said, "Hey!"
 
Three more things were wacky today.

 
Peanut butter and homemade
jelly sandwiches...
salty chips that Kierstin
found were yummy to lick...

 
Kaylee smiling
while saying
"Chee-ee-se!"
 
I know...
let's light the candle!
 
Pretty please...
 
Again, why not?

 
Let's sing
happy birthday to me...
and I will blow it out.
 
That was soooo fun...
let's do it again...
one
more
time.
 
Yikes!
Not so close.
 
Naptime?
No.
 
Park time?
Go.

 
Grandma...
follow me...
look at this...
higher...
 
drink please.

 
Then a real wacky thing...
 
camera shy Kierstin
telling grandma to...
 
take a picture
of
me on the tire swing!
 
Then
wacky Wednesday was done...
Grandma made dinner,
met with women at church,
and went to bed...
with dreams of
Kierstin and Kaylee
dancing in her head...
 
oh, yeah...
that's another story.
 
 
Footnote: Wacky Wednesday
by ,
Theo. LeSieg
is our book of choice right now...
highly recommended!
 
 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

90 / 10

 
A 90/10 Vegan.
 
After being a full on vegan
for a month
something miraculous happened...
I no longer needed to
take Allegra D every day
of my life.
 
A savings of fifteen dollars
every ten days.
 
My suspicions
told me dairy was the culprit.
Now I love my dairy...
ice cream, colby-jack cheese,
milk.
 
But I noticed each time
I consumed them I would
get phlegmy and
start coughing to
clear it all away...
yummy.

 
So after my 30-day journey
I began introducing things
slowly...
my first meal back (LOL)
was a Burger King meal...
no joke.
I won't lie...
it tasted
AMAZING.
 
Next day...
back to the vegan way.
The reason...
I feel fantastic, energetic, and
lighter
on this whole grain...
 vegetable, legume... 
sweet fruit
course.

 
Then why 90/10?
 
Meaning 90% of the time I practice
vegan eating and 10% of the time
I eat meat...fish...an egg...
and thank you, Lord...
feta and parmesan-reggiano.
 
I read about this concept
and to me it just
makes sense.
 
If my body requires certain
vitamins and minerals
I would much rather get them through
the foods I eat than in
another pill to replace my
Allegra D.
 
I know there are die hards out there
who may disagree
but when I heard that your
body will stop producing the
enzymes needed to digest
any meat in food...
even broths...
the world felt small and confining.

 
You can no longer have a bowl
of soup at a restaurant
without quizzing the chef...
or you will have to pay the price
back home...
with cramps and...I will skip the
gory details...
you get the picture...
 
sorry to put it there!

 
Beans.
(nice segue :)
At $1.50 a bag...
enough for three meals...
so $15 - $1.50 =
$13.50 worth of savings!
 
$13.50 to invest in a good quality steak...
or two tickets to a movie...
or better yet...
to bank!
 
I think I will continue
to invest in
beans...
it just makes
 cents.
 
 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

how we show it...

In a recent conversation with
mom...
she relayed another conversation
she had with a good friend.

When said friend...
we will call her Donna...
saw an on-going letter
to mom
written by her "kids"
while she was out of town...
"kids"
who were watching the house and
feeding the cat...
 left little notes with each visit 
like...
fed cat at noon...
love, Tim...
or
Welcome Home, Mom...
we missed you!

Donna was surprised and said
something like...
that is so sweet...your kids
write you notes?!
Mom told her how
it was our way...
going back to when we were little kids...
something we always did.


Okay... a long clumsy story...but



the writing
continues.

When I saw this letter I recognized
James' script and asked him
about it.

Turns out that he wanted to
take a shower the night before
and felt
funny leaving Dad
who was asleep in the recliner...

he didn't want dad to think he left him
all alone...
in the event he woke up.


Notes...
sticky ones...
to let those who are still asleep
(again)
know what you are up to...
where you went.

the extra xx's and oo's
are a bonus.


The back of an envelope
when paper is in
short supply.

reduce~reuse~recycle


Notes.

In prime...
not to be missed
 locations.

After Mom's story...
it warmed my heart as I started
paying attention...
noticing...
appreciating...

one more way
we show it.