24th anniversary

I was 23 when I married my husband.  It's now 24 years later and feels like an extra special day, since it falls on a Sunday, and is also the same number date as the years we've been married!

Our daughter, Hannah, is now 23 and we are getting ready to go to San Antonio, Texas for her wedding!

We had our turkey early, as Thanksgiving falls during the Nativity fast, a 40 day period, where we fast from meat, as well as some other things.  I made cranberry sauce using dried, sweetened cranberries soaked in hot water and the used my immersion blender in the wide-mouth pint jar and just served from it and put a lid on it, to store in the refridgerator.

A few days ago, we woke up to at least 6 inches of wet, heavy, beautiful snow!

I made several pies, apple, pumpkin and hazelnut (instead of pecan). The hazelnuts had to be toasted, first. I poured them out on a tray and gave them a few minutes on top of our woodstove.  I make all my pie crusts in the food processor, either with butter, lard, rendered from our own pig's fat (can you tell I'm excited to have raised our own pig and have it as food?), or coconut oil.  I tried a gluten-free flour blend with lard, didn't turn out well, edible, yet crumbly.  So, overall, it's felt like a cozy fall, with savory foods and the wintry scenes from our house.

Crochet pumpkin

I found a tutorial on how to crochet a pumpkin last week and just finished it today.

https://brianakdesigns.com/pumpkin-spice-crochet-pumpkin-trio/

For some reason, I thought I'd do it in a day, but there are always other things I need to do.  She has 3 of different sizes stacked, which would be nice as a centerpiece on the table for Thanksgiving, if I can do 2 more by then. 

I used one skein of wool that I bought in Rhinebeck at the sheep + wool fest a few weeks ago.

All the leaves have fallen to the ground after a really lovely fall.

We also had another birthday in our family this past week.  

I baked a pumpkin and pureed it and have already made 2 batches of muffins with a sweet cream cheese middle and pumpkin bars, but am now hoping to make a savory dish with some, maybe pumpkin curry soup?

Baptism + cookies

I have a new Goddaughter, Mary, who was born in September and just baptized this past week. It's our tradition to have the baptism at 40 days.

So, as I did last year for our Elijah's baptism,  I made butter cookies in the shape of a baby like "matryoshka."

My favorite recipe for 

Butter cookies (this is the recipe my mom always used, about half the sugar that the average sugar cookies recipe calls for and they are scrumptious):

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Blend butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together well.  Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the butter mixture.  Chill for about an hour.  Roll it out to about 1/4" thick and then cut and bake at 425'F for about 5 minutes.  Allow to cool.  And then you can ice them!  ♥

Rhinebeck

There's a sheep + wool festival every fall in the town of Rhinebeck,  NY.  I was invited by a nun who weaves on a loom and wanted to go, but injured her foot and was unable to drive herself.

I took Elijah with us and he watched the llama, alpaca and sheep intently.  I bought some colorful yarn and was inspired! Many women were wearing a sweater designed by Andrea Mowry, but with their own color selections.  At 2pm they took a group photo on the hill there.  Such a great community feel! Here's the fest website:  https://sheepandwool.com/

We've had a few days of summery weather this week, although we did have a frost last week.  Yesterday it was 76° F and sunny!

Animals

We got a kitten from a friend today.  

Yesterday we had a nice surprise. One of our hens brought out 9 little chicks that she hatched!  I have no idea where, likely somewhere in the barn.  Over the past month, we loaded our barn full of bales of hay to feed the animals over winter.  We have 3 cows, about 15 sheep, 4 hogs, 6 bunnies, and now 3 cats, and over 50 chickens, if one counts the new chicks!  Most of them are not yet laying, either they're too young,  some are 4-5 months old, others are molting. 

I have been sick this past week and haven't had the energy to cook.  My husband ordered pizza one night. A video of Elijah with his 1st big slice of pizza to himself.

I am frustrated that I still can't seem to share photos here any longer.

ONE

Elijah is one year old and has done so many things lately to show he is growing and understanding. He signs for milk now, and I think he could have done it a while back, but chose not to, for some reason. Our oldest daughter, Hannah, took a course for American Sign Language (ASL). I know just a handful of signs, like thank you, please, more, all done, yes, no.  I'll try to teach him more.

George and Paul started pottery class which is once a week for the next few weeks. We are headed to co-op shortly.  I teach a nature study class to the 5-6 year olds. They are also doing gym and indoor swim lessons with other homeschoolers 1pm every Tuesday.  

Olivia has been working nights as an RN now. 7pm to 7am. Sounds like everything is going well.

Most exciting, Hannah is officially engaged to Yun Jae!  We are planning the wedding now.  I worked on the invitation, and we decided to order it not as paper, but a magnet with a photo and date.

Tea and such

We had a wonderful visit with Hannah and Yun Jae.  They brought us many gifts, clothes (a flowy dress and cropped, possibly cashmere sweater for me and necklace), face masks, and wonderful teas from Jeju, Korea. Dare I say, the best tea I've ever had?  The company is Osulloc, Korea’s most beloved tea brand. They have cultivated and harvested tea from Jeju Island since 1979. Osulloc is a premium tea brand worldwide, having placed first in many global tea competitions.

We hiked, went to the beach, enjoyed making food together, had a bonfire, loaded hay into the barn, visited my father's grave, and everything was perfect weather wise.  I wish i could share a photo here, but still am dealing with some issues. Thankfully I have a few video clips:

Apple cider pressing!

Celebrating a birthday!

Strawberry piñata! 🍓

Here is a video of Elijah with one of his birthday gifts, Father Photie gave them to us after church yesterday: https://youtube.com/shorts/BzSCZEm5RAU?si=xi7ii0K3SdjNP6Be

His Godmother is currently in Taiwan.  She is there with family, as they are celebrating her grandmother's 100th birthday.

Bee sting!

It's my fault, not being cautious, mowing with Elijah in the carrier on my back near our hive, when suddenly I hear a buzzing.  I wasn't sure where the bee was, but took Elijah down and saw it in his hair and gently brushed it out.  I rushed inside and put Elijah in the bath tub, and could see the stinger and a reddish spot, like a large mosquito bite.  I took his clothes off and turned on the water, as he enjoys baths and I could check him all over.  I used my credit card to scrape off the stinger and set it on the sink and took a photo.  I still can't seem to share photos.  It appears that a photo is uploading, then goes back to the original page.

In a week, we'll celebrate his 1st birthday!  He's been walking so well.  Here's a video https://youtube.com/shorts/nNIB3tyTKjI?si=a184YR8EkNsYVM23 

Another one, at the lake https://youtube.com/shorts/E11dyCCxnv4?si=DuMwe3wjIZ2EbT5n we should have more days in the 70s this coming week, so maybe one more day to swim.

We started homeschool this past week. I'd share the self-portaits if i could, love how they capture the details, like teeth, or nostrils.

Cider!  We pressed our 1st bath of apples and got a little more than gallon and half.  So three half gallon Ball jars plus enough in our cups to drink fresh cifer.

Korea

Our oldest daughter, Hannah, is in Korea.  I am looking forward to hearing about her trip eventually.

I talked to Olivia on the phone this evening and she said they used leeches on a patient recently.  She's enjoying her work.

A little over a week ago, I started with Amish friendship bread starter. I just baked cinnamon muffins today.  It was cooler today, in the 60s.

We went swimming in the lake on Wed. as it was 88°f and sunny.  I'd share photos of Paul using his one piece scuba face mask and swimming so well, or George on the inner tube with Elijah on his lap, but i can't upload still.

Last night, we went to a honey tasting with several beekeepers.  Father Paisios set up hives with a couple families near us last year and.an additional four this June.  We are ready to harvest our honey soon.

Apples, already

The weather has been cooler this week. Today we got a bunch of apples, from our trees and, also, from the monastery, the neighbors and friends of ours.  Some are good and we made apple crisp, apple sauce and others are bruised andna treat for the pigs!  Upstate New York is one of the best places for apples to grow. I've always been intrigued by what studies they are doing at Cornell with their fruit trees. We have 2 mature apple trees and 8 young apple trees we bought from Fedco:  honeycrisp, wealthy, Cox's orange pippin, sweet sixteen. blue pearmain, Golden Russett, Keepsake, and Belle de Boskoop.  None had flowers this spring, but some are now taller than me.  Next, we need to learn how to properly prune apple trees.

We brought apple crisp to a friend's house this morning.  The kids played nicely outdoors while we walked to their garden, saw their butternut squash, picked some cherry tomatoes and ate them, admired their calendula and other flowers.  They're growing loofah.  I remember buying seeds and never getting a long enough growing season to harvest it as a washing loofah, although I did think of eating them as they are edible.  This family also homeschools.  It's nice to talk about our plan for this year.  We'll start on Monday Sept. 2nd.

My birthday

It's been a wonderful week, the end of July and now, the beginning of August already. I got an instant pot as a birthday gift.  Do you have one?  Will you share a fav recipe, if you have one?

We picked blueberries again this week.  4.45 pounds of organic berries.  Last time, we got 3.15 pounds.  I may go again once more.

Friday was St. Elijah's day!  We went to Liturgy and after, swam at the lake for an hour.  Our little one loves the water and tries to swim.

Six of my nieces and nephews were at church camp in the Pocono Mountains last week. One of my nephews is here for a week.  The boys are having a good time together, helping feed animals, collect eggs, lay in the hammock, play hide and seek as the sun set and now we are all ready for bed.

Blueberries and lavender

I haven't posted recently, because I can't seem to upload photos.  It wants me to sign into Google, and when I am and browse for a photo, try to upload it, nothing happens.  

This past week, we picked blueberries at a nearby farm.  I made fresh blueberry muffins yesterday!  

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. lard, melted and cooled to room temperature, which we rendered from fat from a recently butchered hog (you can also use butter)
• I blended the 1st four dry ingredients.  I mixed the egg, milk and lard, then added it to the dry ingredients. Filled 12 liners, about halfway. Bake at 350° f 20 minutes.

Elijah is 10 months old now and has 7 teeth.  Unfortunately, he has a cold right now.  He woke up with a runny nose and one eye shut with discharge.  Thankfully, he's cheerful, but nursing a bit more than usual and sleeping more.  All things we need to heal, fluids and rest!

I went out with a friend of mine (our husbands had the children) to a lavender farm and then to several small town shops, with pretty paintings, ceramics and a soap shop.  I came home with a bouquet of dried French lavender, a Munstead lavender plant, and one pretty bar of soap. Inspiration to pick up my paintbrush!  And a rejuvenated mama!!  Also, thinking of making a lavender blueberry muffins next!

The Atlantic

Low tide in Gloucester, MA yesterday. The kids found clams, sand dollars and crabs at the beach.  We didn't take anything with us, although the kids wanted to, because this is their habitat and we can't recreate it.
Strawberry season just ended, although there are "ever bearing" strawberries!

My sister and her family came for a visit.  

Also, two of my cousins, Jeff and Beth came with their spouses for a day trip.  I didn't take any photos that day, unfortunately.

Elijah enjoys bananas and here's a video to go with the above photo. I do take a lot of little videos.

And a beach clip: https://youtube.com/shorts/YfMlVVYLzJ8?si=dmJ4FlcwXYOZ7PCm

I'm reading a book by Kristin Hannah called The Women. It's about a young nurse and reminds me of our daughter, Olivia, who finished nursing school this past spring.

Beautiful

We went to an infant baptism.  It was so very beautiful and to hear the prayers that were read for me in my baptism, when each of my five children, and as Godmother to my Godchildren.  The Godfather here was especially sweet.

These chicks are a month old now.  Growing well and I'm looking at the comb developing on 2 of them and wonder if we'll only have 5 new hens.  Our other batch of chicks are doing well, still under the red heat lamp.

More garlic scapes to chop up and cook with eggs one day and ground beef the next.

Camping

With every child, I've documented their firsts, whether writing it down on a calendar, in a scrapbook, or taking a photo. Some are hard to see in a photo, like 1st tooth, so I wrote that down.  However, a photo documents Elijah's 1st time camping!

I made homemade marshmallows using gelatin, water, sugar and vanilla extract.  I let it sit in the mixer too long afterwards, so it wasn't easy to spread smooth, but after it set for a while, I was able to cut it into cubes. I put them into 3 jars. We toasted them over a fire, SO good and melty for s'mores.

On the summer solstice, we went hiking to the caves and waterfall that we like so much.  We walked in the water, cooling off on the 90° day.  It's been hot and humid all week.

Yesterday, we had field trip to the Farmer's Museum.  The school teacher rang a bell out by the door, she had two maps on the wall, long bench "desks," and everything written on the chalkboard as it would have been in 1845.  She also had a basket of individual small slate chalkboards. I prefer chalk to the dry erase markers and shiny boards.  She said all work was done in cursive.  That's something I want to do more of, as all old letters from relatives and documents are in cursive. We saw sheep, pigs, chickens, and cows.  The same animals we have at home, but different breeds. Oh, there were goats, too, we don't have goats!  The calf below is a Jersey Hereford cross.

The ride on the carousel is always special.  The animals are local animals, beautifully depicted, maybe personified, with clothes, or a crown of flowers. Can you tell Elijah is on a loon?  He didn't like it once the music started and we began to move up + down and around.  He clasped onto me with both hands, but didn't cry.

Honey bees

We got honey bees on Wednesday, from our friend, Father Paisios, who is a monk at the monastery.  Here's a little video of him showing us the frame and transferring them from the box to the hive in our yard.

I spent $10 at a yard sale and got this Japanese paper print, a set of 8 wide teacups and saucers, 7 books, a watering can, plus, the boys had their own money and got an old wood rubber band gun and a backpack.

From the eve of Ascension this past week, they have the Litia outdoors when the weather is warm.

This little guy will be 9 months old in a couple days.  He crawls and is starting to pull up and hold on with just 1 hand.  Here, he is tossing the blocks to the carpet.

And here is another video, little bubbles for little brother. George is wearing his suit, because we just came home from church. The boys do dress nicely almost every Sunday (as we've gotten a lot of nice hand-me-downs from my nephews) at least a button up shirt and slacks.

I made a macrame hanger!  I ordered this cotton and bamboo cord from this Belgian company about 6 months ago: https://funemstudio.com/ We've made about 10 already using the natural colored fiber, gave most away as gifts.  Now, we are using the teal and blue cord!

These days

Did you know Smokey the Bear has been around for 80 years? 1944 is when the campaign started, so we read the story at the library about how we can help prevent forest fires.  The librarian had a craft to make a flat Smokey (like Flat Stanley, which is a laminated cartoon character on a popsicle stick, and you can document the adventures you go on with photos, or draw, or write what you do together). First stop was the lake! 

Second stop was visiting Dad at work!  He's with 2 other guys painting a bed + breadfast this week. Cream and a pale dusty rose color.

I made queso fresco and added delicious chive blossoms on the top. Below, you will see the hive my husband has built.  We'll get bees this week!  We all love honey.

We made a dozen cupcakes for a friend's birthday.  I made homemade whipped cream, by skimming the cream off the top of our raw milk.  I've had a Kitchen Aid mixer for a year now and it's easy to make whipped cream, butter, cookies, cake batter, yeast bread dough (although I DO like kneading by hand), etc. I keep thinking about getting the ice cream bowl that you can freeze and the special paddle attachment, but am just not sure.  

Here, the chicks were 1 week old.  Now they're 2 weeks old. Out of 20 eggs only 7 hatched, so we put another batch of eggs in the incubator.

We started a wilderness class and this week, focused on learning knots and how to use them when camping, setting up a clothesline or to tie your drawstring pants in a way that will be secure, yet easy to undo.  These videos by The Bear Essentials are great!

This was Sunday afternoon at the lake. Two families who we are friends with also came later, which was really nice.

My mom commissioned this icon of St. Elijah from Father Paul Akmolin.  Isn't it just beautiful?