From Germany...

Wow!, originally uploaded by mama_marfa.

All I can say is we're totally blessed with loving family and friends. Today in the mail, we got a package from some of our friends who recently moved to Germany.

P.S. That's chocolate all over Olivia's fingers...yum!!!

It's apple season!

We picked apples today! They were $22 a bushel, and we plan on eating them, making pies and applesauce.
On a hayride...my family, I love spending time together.
Andrea and Wally got these magnetic earrings for the girls in Aruba! I remember about 20 years ago (before I got my ears pierced), getting magnetic diamond studs, I think, at Claire's, we showed them to Grandma, who was almost 70. She asked if she could borrow them and wore them to her Bridge Club, in her NOSE. So, her friends thought she got her nose pierced! Grandma Greene was so much fun!
That's the fun box I got from Xenia just yesterday! Those Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are vegan...I'd love that recipe {wink wink}!

Allium family...

Congratulations to Susanna and Kristina! I though it was chives, now I'm thinking it may actually be garlic, but it's flowering and so beautiful...you will both get a package!!!
It is in the allium (onion) family, but which one I don't know!
I'll leave you with this website and photo, so you can decide for yourself:
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Allium

A giveaway...

...to the lucky first person who can tell me what flower that is:

• bar of milk chocolate from Trader Joe's
  
• set of homemade cards


• a handful of my favorite teas from Trader Joe's, again (chamomile, raspberry infusion, orange rooibus)

Yes, we love Trader Joe's ...from the 1 # bags of organic carrots for 89 cents (our bunnies love 'em too) to finding Wart the frog, the friendly folk that work there, FREE samples, scrumptious sorbet, reward for recycling your bag and helium balloon at the end. Great place!

Homemade mozarella layered with tomatoes from our garden!

Typing

One of Hannah's classes is typing! Yes, here is a link to a fantastic typing class made for those as young as 7! I took this class when I was a sophomore in high school, but why not start younger? She's ready for it and LOVES it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

I got a package in the mail today...Aunt Ellen sent us a cheese making kit! Right away I got the stuff out to make a batch of mozarella. It was so easy, I just can't believe it! Now, I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with the leftover whey. Any ideas?

I made...

Do you like yogurt? I enjoy eating and making yogurt. I went to a Greek restaurant near Ocala with my Grandma Greene about 10 years ago and had the smoothest, homemade plain yogurt. Since then, I've learned how to make my own. When my firstborn was under 1, I made it for her and she loved it! Lately, I've been making about a quart of it about weekly.

So, I use this recipe from Joy of Cooking. After I add the starter (initially, I got Stonyfield Organic yogurt, which has L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei and L. Reuteri...lots of cultures, and sets nicely, now I just save 2 tablespoons from my previous batch) I mix it well, leave it for 8 hours before checking it and then put it in the fridge. It's great with raspberries and honey. One of our favorite breakfasts here is crepes and yogurt!

Click on the image for a larger version!

Next, I want to make mozarella! http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/Mozzarella.pdfI love to take photos and scrapbook. Someone made these cute butterflies for me with their Cuttlebug and I sewed them onto this page of the girls rollerblading. I make cards, too. I'm going to do a homemade giveaway at the end of this week! Keep checking...

What do you like to make?

Mr & Mrs...

Presenting to you my little sister....Andrea and Walter!Yesterday was unforgettable in many ways. About 3pm or so, the wind picked up, blowing our flag and trash can, along with lots of branches around. Walter called shortly thereafter, the church had no electricity. John & Rob each brought a generator and everything fell into place, miraculously. We ate by candlelight, but had chilled food and music! It was absolutely lovely! Click HERE for even more photos.

The small cake was tiramisu, very good! And the large cake was amaretto...absolutely scrumptious! I had both, of course!!! They were from Bon Bonerie, one of the best bakeries around here. In 1983 they made their first sale, 600 desserts for a reception for the Cincinnati Ballet!

All 4 of her nieces were flowergirls...

This morning on our front porch, my dad, mom, girls with Aunt Ellen and Uncle Jim, and Rob and me!

Full weekend!

Friday, I painted the girls' nails. Last month, before Mary's wedding, I had a french manicure done at a local salon school...I think it was $7. So, I bought a bottle of white and clear paint and did it myself, even less expensive!

Uncle Aaron's wedding was beautiful! They are now in Myrtle Beach.
This is how we opened our 3rd annual Russian Fest...with my dad, Fr. Paul, holding the icon of St. George and singing The Lord's prayer. In all, we made about $8,000 for our church. It was a lot of hard work, but so worth it. I met many kind people, the weather was perfect, maybe 70 and sunny!
I sang with the folk group this year, it was great fun, I learned several new songs....I am in the middle.
The "tea shop" where you can get baked goods and a few homemade blini!
Hannah and I...ready to paint faces! My favorite thing to paint was the "firebird."
Listening to the music...that's my mom, Emma, and Hannah!
Altar server, 9-year old Gabriel's "Little Russian Shop." Quite impressive. He earned $1,400 for our church!

Great grocery list from here!

Labor day weekend

We went on an 8 mile canoe trip Saturday morning. It was beautiful and sunny! We stopped a few times to take a break. It took us about 4 hours, my arms were a bit sore and next time, I'm packing a cushion to sit on!

I've been baking batches upon batches of piroshki. I also made some ginger meringues to sell at the "sweet booth." Our church is putting on a Russian Fest this weekend! See photos from last year: HERE. I will be working as cashier at the "main food pavillion," when I'm not singing in the folk group performances. Everyone welcome!

You must go over to A Tad Bit Prudish and check out Sylvia's giveaway. She is helping to promote the launch of Blissfully Domestic! I just read the article about vaccinations and then, making trendy and affordable wall hangings...love it.