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.