Truth

“All you have to do is write one true sentence.
Write the truest sentence that you know.”

—Ernest Hemingway 

The day you decide the chickens are headed for the chopping block due to a lack of egg production-they will inevitably start laying eggs, mountains of eggs. 

Naming of the Year 2013

For the last several years I have named the year; using a word to help me focus on what I (sometimes God jumps in here) want to see accomplished throughout the year and within myself. This year however, my word presented itself to me in a most interesting way. Hello, God! As I made the little list of words that I wanted to see incorporated in my life one particular word continued to jump out at me. Over and over. This one little word that was not on my chosen words list. The word for me this year is:

Be.

Simply the word  "Be".

I am excited to share some of the interesting ways God is using this one little word to open my eyes.
Soon. Really soon. This poor space is so sorely neglected. My hope is for this place to BE active again.

Have you named the year? 

Farm Tour Day 3

The current state of the weather keeps me from taking many pictures, as camera's and tsunami's don't mix well. I am only exaggerating a tad. Every time the water stops pouring from the sky I scoot out the door snapping pictures like a mad woman. If only you could see me, slogging about in my muck boots, apron strings trailing- skirts a'flyin... A pretty picture indeed! Thankfully I can remove that image from your mind with these shots from around the farm and homestead. Enjoy~

I always plant flowers with my veg. This year I sprinkled Cosmos seeds in the Hot Pepper patch. Those pink blossoms really stand out amidst all the shades of green.

My darling menfolk made me a new squash patch this year and while it didn't produce scads of Winter Squashes as I had hoped, I was pleased that this special plant produced 3 healthy fruit. This is Red Kuri or Potimarron or Onion Squash. I hear it has wonderful sweet flesh that tastes a bit like chestnuts. I can't wait to try it.

For school the kids are studying Honest Abe. The youngest farmer boy finds Abraham Lincoln most fascinating. He writes himself notes so he won't forget a single detail.

Fall leaves make my heart go pitter-pat.

This is how I spent a healthy portion of the weekend. It was heavenly. The pounding/pouring/sloshing rain only distracted me slightly. 

Note: Pay no attention to the frown lines on my forehead this is a good book! It's about Depression Era farm women.

Inside/Outside:: Farm Tour

Time does slip quickly by when one has far more chores than there are hours in the day...  (Deepest apologies for the lack of photo editing here...not enough time!)

Garden harvest 22 October -in the torrential downpour/thunder and lightening storm.

                                                             

Bloody rotten APHIDS!! eating happily away at my Brussels 

Farm dog-Hard at work keeping watch for errant toys

Garden Mums. My favourite.

Never ending pile of laundry to be folded or Mt. Foldme

                   

New to the farm this year- raised beds in the front courtyard. Didn't do quite as well as hoped, but still blooming!

After-school mess making...er, playtime.

Raised bed #2 sporting a healthy (5.5 ft. tall) crop of Redbor Kale and the blasted aphid drowned Brussels.

I have carpel elbow from all of the chopping/stirring/slicing/stuffing I've been doing this last month. In the pantry: Cider and juice, salsa, dried fruit/veg, butters and jams and still more to can.

Raised bed #3.  Home to wayward strawberries, various herbs and Cole crops.

Outside-the rain tumbles from the sky. Inside-the fireplace crackles and the tea kettle whistles. Dinner is simmering in the oven and the water-bath canner bubbles steady.