Happenings!

Posted On November 8, 2010

Well, with all my talk of slow days and shifting my weight to accommodate the coming cold season, I do believe my hands will be busy and my mind stocked full this winter… So much to do already, and it’s only November. All in a days work, I say. This is my one wild and precious life, right? Better make it good.

I’m sore today. Likely from all the gardening and baby-wearing lately. It’s a good, accomplished kind of sore. Although I wouldn’t turn down a warm bath and a back rub later tonight if I can get it… we’ll see. Anyway, I’m a big believer in not letting the colder weather keep us from getting out- and so we’ve been walking every day if we can. Really good for the soul, but of course my house looks like a tornado hit it. But really, when there’s so much more fun to have, why would I spend that time cleaning? Plus, if we stay in the house too much then Vera gets it in her head that she will DIE if I don’t put on another show on the computer or nurse her around the clock… it’s just not healthy. So, out we go, or people come over. It’s good.

And Asa! Whatta little munchkin! He’s smiling all over the place, cooing, purring, laughing and giggling and just generally being the best. This little guy has me wrapped around his chubby little fingers. I’m his, oh yes.  

Eyes.

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Dancing. Lots of dancing and singing and story-telling from this little one. I’m loving it. You know, parenting has loads of tough stuff, but you know what? It’s got so much play and fun, if you only let it. I just play with her all the time. We dance, we sing, we splash in the bath, we paint, we explore and tell stories… how cool is that?
  

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A mocha torte that I made for my SIL birthday. There were two layers to the cake, one made from almonds and one from walnuts. Only 4 tablespoons of flour in the whole thing. Oh yeah, and Jeff’s sister is getting married! He’s a nice guy, although we barely know him compared to her last relationship. They haven’t been together very long. But, when it’s right, it’s right. Jeff and I got engaged after 6 months. So there ya go. Anyway, Vera is going to be a flower girl again in May.  🙂

I bought these little gourds from farmer’s market, thinking that I would place them decoratively in a bowl. Who knew that they were these super amazing fun toys? Every time I put them back in the bowl, the girls come and steal them away and scatter them throughout the house. Here they are in our popsicle molds. I just keep discovering these things all over the place and they make me laugh. I’ll likely get some each year (or maybe grow some), just for the kids. 

Some of Vera’s paintings.

Maya’s been loving the massive pile of leaves out back that we’ve collected from our neighbors. We are going to mulch them all up and just lay them over everything. The plan is to kill most of the grass and just let it all compost. Our neighbors have been happy to oblige, too. 

Garlic planted, albeit a little late. But I think it’ll be fine. Two beds this year- one bed just isn’t gonna cut it. As I was planting I had Asa up on my back, Vera yelling about how "no MOM, the baby garlic needs to lay down on its side!", and I had to keep shooing away 6 chickens who were just thrilled with my digging and just couldn’t get enough garlic. Peck peck peck. Maybe that’s why I’m sore. So I just gave them an old pumpkin and locked them back in the coop. I hate to keep them from free-ranging right now, but they can’t get my garlic! So, we’re going to lay some chicken wire over these two beds to keep them out, and then we’ll let them range until the spring. It was funny to me, though, I never thought to set up chicken wire to keep chickens OUT, it’s always to keep something else away from chickens.

Luffa. All dying back and getting ready to harvest. I’m excited about this one.

Our brussels sprouts are getting totally eaten by some small silvery bug (the green plant pictured below). I think I can still use the leaves though. It’s always weird looking out over an empty garden after so many weeks of amazing growth and fruitfulness. Until next year. 

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So. The job. I went and met with people today, and I’m so excited. Basically, I get to work for my dad. He runs a drug-treatment facility that is set on a 75 acre farm. They have animals, grow feed corn and soy, and they have a small vegetable garden. However, they don’t feel like they are utilizing their space or resources to the best of their abilities, and so they asked me to come and help manage it. The people there do such good work, and obviously the main important thing is to help people on the path to recovery. But it is a farm, and they haven’t even been storing their own vegetables and fruits. I actually went and scored all those pears from one of their trees, but the rest just fell to the ground. I think they saw me collecting them and just thought that they should be. There were probably hundreds of quarts of pears on that tree, I barely touched it and we got 60. So, they are right, they could really do so much more. I bet they could grow most of their own produce for the year. Honestly, it’s a bit intimidating. But, at the same time, I know I can help. I already have a bunch of ideas swimming around in my head, and what I don’t know, I’ll learn. I’m a rookie, but I have ambition, and I research like crazy, and I love love love growing things and good food. I think canning is no big deal, and I can’t wait to learn how to have a working greenhouse, etc. This is what I do for fun. In my own experience, even when things have "failed" it’s never really a failure. So, the actual reality that I’m going to get paid to have fun and learn is so awesome. Plus, I see a great opportunity to learn and spread the love. I mean, I never was able to think on this kind of a scale, and with these resources and the man-power available to me, I see great things being accomplished. Honestly, I’d do it for free. I’ve been thinking more and more about how to better serve my community and be more of an activist in my life, and this is really a great opportunity.  🙂

Quote of the day:
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." (Thomas Edison)