Five on Friday

1.  I made these scrumptious Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins via the Martha Stewart website  this week.

photo from Martha Stewart's website

2.  And also this week I cut a chicken into pieces in 8 minutes!  I was actually quite surprised that it only took me a few minutes - it sometimes seems like such a big job.

3.  Beet relish, zucchini relish and spaghetti sauce are still on my list of "to-makes" this fall.  

4.  The kindergarten students and I joined the rest of the student body yesterday and did the Terry Fox Run through our community.  As long as I've been teaching, this has been a school event, raising umpteen dollars to support cancer research.  

5.  Photo of the week:

Bob's photo of the gigantic red sun

disappearing over the hill -

I love the ribbon of road that leads straight into the sun.

Gratitude Gifts Today

#4588 - #4623

- a new journal to fill with counting
- photographs from when I was a child
- summer memory of Revels in Grampa's freezer
- leftovers
- book club gatherings

- tractors and combines and big farm machines
- fresh flowers gathered from outside
- visits from our grandchildren and their parents
- little boy who's our wakeup call
- quiet evening conversations

- long days of sunshine
- work gloves for a little helper
- family suppers
- cousins playing together
- perogies and peaches

- safe road trips
- a friend to go along with my craziness
- afternoon naps
- grilled peaches and nectarines
- cooking for family and for guests

- making cookies with Samuel
- gifts yellow: golden zucchini for lemon loaf, yellow sunflowers, yellow school bus
- wedding pictures and details of the party
- all the veggies for supper from our garden
- tomatoes ripening on our plants

- shopping with our daughter
- seeing how much Malachi has changed in 3 weeks
- treehouse climbing and building
- washi tape for scrapbooking
- squeezing in every last moment of play

- golden grain laying in long rows down the field
- pansies, reminder of my Gramma, blooming on
- Meadow's reaction at smelling something baking when she came home from school
- juice popsicles to ease a sore throat
- making supper with a little helper

Busy

Too busy -

- canning tomatoes
- making salsa
- picking squash
- stomping sauerkraut
- husking corncobs
- cutting silage

and dealing with the craziness of September to post!

Back soon - hopefully before the snow flies!!
Thanks for your patience.

My Mom and Dad's sweet pea 'wall'

On Going Home

Dearest Melinda and Tyler,

It has been an absolute delight to have you and your two beautiful sons here at home for the past 19 days!  We have loved every moment of this precious time and the memories we've made together have been so wonderful.

 Tonight at supper you were talking about favourite moments and it got me thinking about:

- that special moment in the morning when a certain little boy pushed open our bedroom door and came straight to Grampa's side of the bed with the biggest smile

- "Grampa, do you wanna play baseball / feed the chickens / go for a quad ride?"

- "Gramma, are you gonna miss your daughter?"

- "Yes, I am - and I'm gonna miss my grandsons too!"

- "my very own work gloves!!!!" (and how they'd sneak on to little hands at meal times and even went to church with him on Sunday morning)

- baking cookies together and sneaking bites of dough

- the great treehouse building event

- how a pry bar, a hammer and a handful of nails can make a little boy so very happy

- sweet, sweet smiles and cooing from a baby

- how much Malachi grew and changed over the 3 weeks

- how long Samuel's hair grew too

- cooking favourite meals for you all

- Sunday's weiner roast

- the chickens - ah, the chickens - and all the trips to feed and check on them

- how a certain boy grew to be very brave in the chicken house

- "I'm gonna miss Cripply - he's my friend."

- sharing pictures and stories about Mommy as a little girl

- reading stories while Malachi watched the pictures so intently

- what a novelty he was while shopping

- evening games and cups of tea after the boys were settled

- hugs from each one of you!

I know that it's been a challenge some days but I am so very thankful that you came here for your summer vacation.  Please remember that you are welcome here any time - the door (and our hearts) are always wide open!  Travel safely tomorrow - we'll be praying that all goes smoothly.  And we'll be planning for next time too and praying that it comes very soon :)

All my love,
Mom  XOXOXOXOX

Five on Friday In Photos

1.  Lake Okanagan and orchards seen from Wind Rosa

2.  Red Haven peaches

3.   Loaded to the rafters!

4.  My friend and travel companion

5.  Boxes of goodness :)

At the Fair

Judging at local fairs is one of the rites of summer for me.  I love seeing the baking, sewing, crocheting, quilting and photography that so many people have done over the year.   I admire the (mostly) seniors who are still showing their projects and volunteering to see that the bench shows are held.   And I applaud the young men and women that are becoming involved in their communities in this way too.

My mom always encouraged us to exhibit things in the local fair and our years in the local 4-H clubs helped too.  My still packs up the car with all kinds of baking, canning, handiwork and garden samples to enter.  She amazes me!  And now we often meet at other fairs and judge at opposite ends of the hall.  Important note to self:  I must take a picture of the two of us together next summer!

Let me show you some of what I've seen at fairs this summer!

There's always great baking.

This painting is really beautiful.

In the "All Things Christmas" section, this tiny creche' with molded figures

was also awarded the best of section ribbon. 

Great photographs are some of my favourite exhibits.

And then there are the quilts - 

of all sizes -

from baby crib

to king size-

in every pattern you can imagine!

The detail on needlepoint makes for exquisite designs.

There are beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits 

in the horticulture section to admire too.

And in this town, outdoor gardens and yards 

are judged as well.  The winning yard had a beautiful 

outdoor fireplace and living area - it looked so inviting!

So there you have a little walk through a day at the fair.  If your community has one, I highly recommend a visit to check it out and then encourage you to participate next year.  

Five on Friday

1.

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.”

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894); essayist, poet, novelist

2.  At book club last night we had a great time discussing 

and catching up on all the news, including engagements!,  from everyone's summer.  Good times!

3.  Beet relish and zucchini relish on the work order here today.  I have 3 jars of each left from last year so that worked out pretty good. 

4.  I'm planning a little road trip for next week to get some of these lovelies. 

I can just imagine how good they are going to taste :)

5.  Photo of the week:

licking the whipped cream beaters!

Gratitude Gifts Today

#4552 - #4588 -  August 13 - 20, 2012

- 3 gifts in green: garden full of growing plants, green leaves + yellow sunflower faces, green walls in our kitchen
- our very own "Green" family!
- cucumbers from Mom K's garden
- a wedding gift sent
- my engagement and wedding ring set - a reminder of our partnership

- defusing a situation with a smile
- tomato globes slowly turning color
- more new baby chicks
- beans hanging heavy on plants
- cucumbers hiding in the leaves

- text messages to keep us informed
- birthday present shopping
- pictures at family gatherings
- an old, old car
- celebrating 50 years with my aunt and uncle

- my girls cooking supper
- cousins playing together
- raspberry jam on toast
- devotions with Bob
- a bit of reading, here and there in the day

- waking up with a grandson
- rocking Malachi
- words from Ephesians
- singing and reading with grandchildren
- keeping meals ready and the kitchen ticking along

- hearing exciting news about an engagement
- watering the greenhouse with a little cuddler
- friends for supper
- sharing travel stories
- playing games together

- weiner roast lunches
- all the good things our Father places here for us
- watching them read the Bible with Samuel
- his prayers at mealtimes

Hello, Monday

Hello second half of August.

Hello New Brunswick visitors - we are thrilled you're here.

Hello, grandsons - we've been waiting for you!!

Hello days of cutting silage.

Hello hot weather - +31 again this summer.

Hello time spent watering plants.

Hello ripe tomatoes :))

Hello yellow beans and burgundy beans, so many of you.

Hello pickling cucumbers and dill.

Hello big zucchini.

Hello relish making.

Hello squash - so many of you growing so nicely.

Hello book club - I missed you last month.

Hello early birthday party.

Hello wonderful life!!

(And good-bye to our last chickens from batch #1.)

Five on Friday

  1.

“You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get. ”

Michael Phelps (born 1985); American swimmer; most decorated Olympian of all-time

2.  In 16 hours this little family will be arriving to spend some time with all of us in Alberta!  The beds are ready, some meals are planned, the sandbox is waiting - just a few things like vacuuming and washing floors to still do.  We are so very excited to see them - and for Grampa to meet Malachi.

3.  This was the week of the bean!  2 more ice cream pails of cut yellow beans are blanched and in bags in the freezer.  There are still green ones but maybe we'll eat them this weekend.

4.  These little Mac and Cheese Bites are on the menu this weekend.  I think they are so cute!

photo from annies-eats.com

5.  I'm judging one more fair tomorrow and I'm looking forward to seeing what this little community has to show.  Watch for a blog post next week showing some of the great exhibits I've seen lately.  There are so many talented people out there growing, cooking and creating things - and showing them to the rest of us!

By 9 A.M.

It's quite amazing what can be accomplished when I get up with the sun!  We got a new batch of chicks yesterday so after I went out to check on them, I stayed up and:

- blanched 3 batches of beans (2 green, 1 yellow)

- baked a big batch of granola (20 cups of oatmeal plus extras)

- shared devotions with Bob
- started a load of sheets in the washer

- posted a gratitude entry to my blog
- had oatmeal and raspberries for breakfast - and enjoyed the big yellow sunflowers from the garden!

- and now I'm cleaning a pail of raspberries.

I'm just about ready for a nap!!

Gratitude Gifts Today

#4512 - #4552 - July 31 - August 6, 2012

- asking for forgiveness
- resting in Him when I feel hopeless
- words that leap right out of the sermon to speak to me
- that He loves me so much and cares for me
- worship music

- blank pages of a new journal
- white chickens wandering on green grass
- big jug of milk
- haircut
- de-humidifier drying out the basement

- stack of books from the library
- 3 gifts eaten: raspberries with brown sugar and cream, saskatoons fresh from the bush, all our own garden grown vegetables at suppertime
- bright yellow-orange pumpkin flowers
- grain beginning to ripen
- pink, stripey petunias

- freshly mown grass
- yellow beans to pick
- tall tomato plants hanging with green globes
- 2 pails of saskatoons cleaned and spread on cookie sheets to freeze
- groceries to fill the fridge and cupboard

- conversation with siblings
- sweet peas, my Dad's favourite flower
- my childhood church and the foundation I gained there
- cuddling Peyton
- supper with family

- listening to vacation stories
- helpers to make alot of potato salad!
- care packages to send home
- freshly made beds
- floors vacuumed, cupboards clean, dishes put away - our home

- sitting under the trees on a summer afternoon
- birthday celebrations
- the respect my father has in his community
- stories from years past
- watching him with the great-grandchildren

- words of honour given to him as gifts
- Mom's pies
- pastures of cattle grazing
- a sermon about finding manna in our wildernesses
- this little light - one life lived for Him

(catching up slowly - the lists are recorded but not posted)

Things I'm Loving This Summer

Just wanted to share a few things I've found lately that I love!

1.  These soaps from Bath and Body Works are favourites on our bathroom counter this summer.  Bob loves how they clean up his greasy hands so easily and I love the delicious smells!  They have some yummy new pumpkin ones for fall.

2.  Buying footwear is a nightmare for me so I was thrilled when I found a Soft Moc store in Southgate Mall last week.  These lovely cork sandals are so comfortable and they were really affordable (kind of a Birkestock knockoff, I think).  Our daughter has a navy pair that I've been admiring all summer :)  I'm going to shop there again when the winter stock comes in.  

3.  I've long been a fan of Burt's Bees products and their lip shimmer sticks are my go-to for lipsticks.  I've given some of the tinted lip balm as gifts and I'm looking forward to trying it myself.  I love all of their products!

4.  This body lotion is my new fave,  thanks to my Aunt who gave me some earlier this summer.  

5.  Cute clothes for little girls going into grade 1 are in most shops now!

38 Years

38 years ago I spent a year  (actually 8 months) with these women -
and we can pick up right where we left off in the blink of an eye!

By the numbers we -
are 5 teachers + 1 pharmacist (can you guess which one that is?)
have 14 children
have 12 grandchildren
embraced 1 newlywed!
have survived some health scares and losses
still have 3 go to work regularly
have 1 is a jet-setter (that's what her business card says!)
can still talk up a storm
laugh a lot and have right from the beginning
lived together in residence and later some of us shared an apartment
drank cups and cups of tea years ago
have been bridesmaids for each other
colour our hair - except for 1 brave soul!
think we'd study something different if we went to university again - except for one of us!
have travelled to many places
last had lunch together 8 years ago - how in the world can that be???
need to round up 3 who couldn't join us this time
are still friends!!

The bond of living together in a college residence is a powerful thing.  I grew to know and love these women as if they were my sisters.  And even though we don't see each other or even talk often we are still close, close friends.  Seeing them together yesterday was wonderful!   Thanks, Girls!  Let's do it again next summer :)

This Week

Accomplished this week:

- an afternoon of sewing with a friend
- daily watering of many, many plants
- picked 6 pails of saskatoons
- picked 5 pails of raspberries
- made 8 jars of raspberry jam
- toured my dad and mom's garden
- came home with a veggie box from that garden
- fed umpteen pails of grain to the hungry chickens
- gave grandchildren 2 baths in one afternoon!
- took a quad ride through the pasture
- spent a day with 3 busy little ones
- had supper with Bob's family
- grocery shopping
- trip to library to pick up 5 books - like I have time to read!
- new haircut and colour
- dug and gave away potatoes and beets many times
- fell into bed exhausted every night :)

It's been a slice - and the weekend should be even better!

Five on Friday

1.  Have you ever wondered what's ahead for you?  Around the Corner by Jan O'Daniel at Amplifying Joy is an excellent read.

2.  Making potato salad for a birthday celebration on Sunday!  2 dozen eggs + 25 lbs. of potatoes + 1 jar of mayonnaise + 4 bunches radishes + 2 huge metal bowls = a lot of work + a whole lot of yummy-ness!

3.  Olympics, Olympics, Olympics!  I love that I can turn the TV on at any time of the day or night and there's Olympic game coverage on to watch, even on our peasant vision plan :)

4.  One of the things I love best about watching the Olympic games is the opportunity it gives me to learn more about the host country, its cultures and its people.  Now I really want to go to England!

Olympic Stadium

5.  Peyton's coming to visit tomorrow - it's her first visit to our house and I am so excited to have her (and her Mommy and Daddy) here to see us!!