Dried orange slices

I thinly sliced 2 oranges and let them dry on a tray with parchment paper on top of our wood stove.

Our 5 year old has been drawing a lot recently.  You can see he drew 3 tubes in the person above and, he said this person is eating chocolate.  Below, is a drawing of him and the two different ice cream shops that he likes on either side. Then, a chocolate birthday cake with 6 candles for his next birthday, which he cut out after coloring his drawing.

My nieces came to NY for a conference.  Here they are with Elijah.  My sister and family gave this soft and warm lion snowsuit to him.  It's 3-6 month size.  I have to take a photo of him with the hood, so you can see how cute it is...

I got a new journal as a gift and like how one can circle the date atop the page.

Paul got a Yoda blanket from one of his big sisters.  We're looking ahead to celebrating Nativity on Jan. 7th, which is Dec. 25th, on the Julian calendar.  I hope it snows then!  We've had nothing but warm weather and lots of rain this past week. 

There is a proposal for 2 wind turbines (650 feet tall!) to be installed a few miles from our home. I've heard many things about how they will produce very little energy, and with the manufacture and transportation, in the end -19% investment!  To install such a big turbine, they will need to prepare the land and blast a hole, so a 15 foot concrete foundation can be poured.  The well water and ecosystem may be affected. There are also other places with turbines and the noise it makes is a pitch we can't hear, like a dog whistle, but can harm our neurological system. We fear it will be the start of even more.

Just a cardboard box

Pushing around in a simple cardboard 

box with a blanket or pillow is fun!

We just celebrated St. Nicholas day yesterday. After church, a friend gave us this Trader Joe's gingerbread kit!  It's made in Germany and what I think is the best is that they used all natural colored sprinkles, no red 40 or yellow 6.  Most of the time, we don't eat it at all. It is edible and was really fun!  

Now, 3 months old!  This time has flown by.

Buckeyes

We made buckeyes!  You know, those sweet peanut butter balls dipped in melted chocolate? We made a vegan recipe. 

Last year, I bought a potted Norfolk pine tree at Lowe's for $24.98. It only lived a month, maybe two, dried out, from the heat of the woodstove. It was crunchy, but looked pretty, so I kept it until this past Sept.  I guess I hoped part of it might make it.

I bought one again, same price, even the same good-looking pot!  We'll use it as a Christmas tree and then hopefully keep it as a houseplant.

Our little farm looked so pretty with an inch or two of freah snow.  The sun came out yesterday and it all melted.  The pigs were looking for a treat.  I did give them four frozen pumpkins we had left.  Did you know it's a natural dewormer?

We saw a flock of birds flying south! Can you see the tiny dots in the blue sky?  I also took a video:  https://youtube.com/shorts/cB2VwHwigIY?feature=shared

Bread

Baked bread on top of the wood stove. I put it in the oven under the broiler for just a few minutes to brown the top. Now that every night gets to the 30s, we keep a fire going almost all the time.  I can put a pot with oatmeal on the woodstove, or a kettle of water for tea, or soup to warm up.  

All 3 of the boys had doctor's appointments this week.  They've all grown, 12 pounds, 38 pounds and 44 pounds. The 2 older boys had a pediatric dentist appointment.  I wish I could be a patient in their office.  

We saw the Nutcracker ballet at a beautiful old theatre.  I took this photo in the foyer there.

At home, we cut pine boughs and made a swag with a bow to hang!

We got a bunch of hand-me-downs and this red bath robe is one of them.  Elijah is wearing the onesie Paul painted for him.  

I've addressed the 1st few Christmas cards and put stamps on them.  I got two already, one from a sister of mine and the other from a friend in Ohio.  Here's our card:  2023

We got some snow this past week.  An inch one day, and about another inch or two the next.  The kids went out right away to play!  We will give the frozen pumpkins to the pigs to eat.  It's very good for them.  Helps prevent worms. 

I am planning to make lentil soup and buckeyes today.  I want to make gingerbread soon. I just need to get more ginger! 

23 years

Today we celebrate our wedding anniversary! Since my father was an Orthodox priest, he married us.  My mother made a traditional old English 3 tiered fruit cake with pretty white icing.  We saved the top tier for our 1st anniversary, but I think we actually ate it before the actual day. 23 years is a long time, yet it really doesn't seem that long.  I still remember some of our first few dates together, like going sledding, a summer outdoor concert in the park, and him helping me with my overheated '88 Toyota Tercel's radiator.  The first time I met his family, I was a bit overwhelmed by all his younger siblings, and his mother gave me a red plate to eat on, I think it was ceramic with "you are special" painted around it.  AND the first time he met my family, my mother wanted to make something nice, and then I was so excited, choked on the steak!  

We cut open one pumpkin and counted the seeds...grand total 444.

The boys did almost all the work for this apple pie.  One peeled, the other chopped and I worked on the crust.

A friend named Katharine knit this for Elijah!  She used to live near us, but moved 6 months ago.  We were glad to see them, back in town for a quick visit.

Chai spices

 Pinwheel cookies:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter 
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons organic chai spices (I used this Harney + Sons blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut, also, with chaga mushroom)
  
• Directions:  Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.  Blend butter and sugar, then add eggs.
• Combine to form the dough and divide in half. Add chai spices to one half of the dough in the bowl and blend thoroughly. 
• Chill both halves of dough in refrigerator for about an hour.  
• Roll out each portion to roughly the same size, then place one on top of the other and roll up.  Refrigerate again, then slice.  
• Bake at 350° F for 5 min.

Inspired by this recipe, which I slightly modified from Mountain Rose Herbs. The boys each had three.  I brought the rest of the cookies to the ladies Bible study to go with tea.  I enjoy these gatherings.

And we went hiking again.  We're planning another hike!  The fresh air is just what I need. 

Paul put the wampum beaded belt he made on Elijah.  

George says, "I'm making myself as small as him!"

These 3 boys are pretty special.  I wish our 2 girls were here, but understand that the next stage, when one becomes an adult.  We all leave the nest at some time.  I'm getting a little more sentimental as Thanksgiving approaches. A cup of hot tea is comforting for now.