Bits and Pieces

On Monday morning I received an email from my boss. She was looking for information on my flu shot. The one I didn't get... I told her I'd put it on my list of things to do that day. So I stopped at Walgreens, succumbed to the pressure, and was rewarded with a pretty red band-aid on my shoulder which scared the

Tuesday morning found me running a tad late and so I drove my vehicle down around the barn to let the chickens out on my way out of the driveway. I opened the door and they came pouring out. I filled their pan with feed and tossed some out into the grass, and looked in the coop to
see if I might need to collect an egg or two. All this gave Coq au Vin enough time to notice I was not carrying the customary stick (or camera). As he bravely strutted my direction, I grabbed the closest thing available, a jug with a few inches of water inside. I warned him of the impending shower, but he paid no mind and was rewarded with a splash on his pretty tail feathers as a result. While he regained his composure (and stupidity) I hopped into the van and drove off.

Today I left home in a world awash in sunshine. Since I'd left slightly early, I took my camera along and snapped a few pictures along the way. In spite of my lollygagging, I arrived a little bit early for my chiropractor appointment. The sun was shining bright when I went inside. When I came out 20 minutes later, there was not a ray of sun to be seen. All was overcast, but my headache was gone so all was well.

Baby Snuggles

Between Ladies' Prayer and going to work, I stopped for a quick visit to my youngest daughter. I noticed a clean laundry collection and asked if she might like some help with folding. She smiled and we set to work. I had a chance to snuggle Number Nine. He looked over my shoulder at the curtains and blinked. I felt him relax and closed my eyes for just a second, soaked in the baby love, and remembered the days when my own children were so tiny. Except Ben. He wasn't ever so tiny. But he was just as snuggly.

PS. That's not me. (ha ha!) But it is a snuggle.

November

Gorgeous! The word for today. Had I known to plan ahead, I'd have tracked down a friend and gone gallivanting. Instead, I responded to an email from my boss and got a flu shot while out running errands. (I hate flu shots.) After bringing my groceries home, I took my camera for a walk around the back yard.

Our crab apple tree is covered with wrinkled, red fruits.

Wild grapes in the old hedgerow.

Apples on the ground. They're falling off the trees.

One of my followers.

Coq au Vin letting me know the yard belongs to him,

 Um, I don't think it will be safe to jump in the leaves this year...

Covered in gold. Money really does grow on trees.

The other follower. He jumped out when I opened the window to take chicken photos.

Hey, Chicken!

The weekend is just about over. It was a good one as far as weekends go. We did a small bit of rearranging in the living room, the last of cleaning up after our spring kitchen remodel. Coat rack on the wall, a chair or two by the wood stove, and space for Christmas tree after Thanksgiving. Last night we had a family gathering in honor of Ben's 23rd birthday. It was a wild party. ha ha!



The chickens go to bed early these days. By five thirty they're all in the cage and heading up the ramp to the coop. This afternoon we stapled some cardboard on the northeast corner to block some of the winter winds, should that kind of weather ever catch up to us.

The girls aren't laying quite as many eggs these shorter days, but we get enough to get us by, and so far, still enough to share.

 Strange creatures. The hens like me, I think, so long as I don't try to touch them. :0)

I think Coq au Vin shall always eye me with suspicion. The feeling is mutual. I'm pretty sure he's an idiot.

But a nice looking one.

A Bit of R & R

Deborah and I walked the old part of the cemetery on Thursday. We climbed up and down hills, stepped over broken stones, and stared up at gargantuan trees.

Cracked and broken headstones always make me sad. This entire row of stones lay face down on the ground, like pieces of an old sidewalk, under a bed of fallen leaves. Did they all fall at once? Why they fall in a row? Are they all part of the same family? Did they always do things together? Were they practical jokers?

I've probably said this before, but as a very small child I had unexplained attraction for cemeteries, especially on beautiful spring days when there was a funeral taking place. It looked like a party in a rock garden to me, a celebration, and I wanted to go. I think, in my early childhood mind, was the memory of a family gathering in a cemetery, perhaps my grandpa or my uncle. The sadness of loss was lost to my innocent mind, or maybe the hope of resurrection was so strong that I only picked up on that...


I stayed home yesterday aside from a quick run to buy a canister of oatmeal so I could make apple crisp. My daughter was here with her little one and I soaked in a few snuggles. I had supper in the oven on time and we actually ate at the table with a few of our kids. By the end of the day I was feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Today was the birthday, tomorrow is the family celebration. There will be dinner and pies and ice cream. There will be brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, his mom and dad, and maybe a friend or two if he brings them along.

He is loved beyond imagination and irreplaceable. I hope he knows it.

Seeing Red

We gained an hour of sleep Sunday night and rather than waking up "earlier" I keep waking up later and later. Maybe it's all that fresh air... :0)

I must get up and get some things done, but here are a few photos from Deb's and my trip to Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester yesterday afternoon. So absolutely gorgeous!

It was another perfect day and I have a ton of pictures.

The Results Are In...

I feel a little like this today...

I did not stay up to watch the election results or listen to any speeches. I've been there, done that, and only found myself frustrated and sleep deprived, so last night I elected to go to bed instead. It was a wise decision, but I still woke up with a headache and an achy body. Fall allergies and an open bedroom window on top of a stressful week. And wouldn't you know it? I left my allergy pills and vitamins sitting on the table and went to work without taking them.

Life Goes On

So, the election is over for another four years. Here's to being hopeful no matter who you voted for.

Baby Cakes

It was a busy morning, but things have settled down now and I am at work sitting quietly while my friend sleeps. I gave my girl and her baby a ride to the pediatrician this morning (and voted while they were there). On the way home I remarked on how lucky she is that she already knows her baby's doctor. Not only was she Hannah's pediatrician, but we have been blessed to know her outside of the office as well.

When we got back to the house, I had a few moments to hold Idris and look into his sweet little face. He was wide awake and staring, Quiet and settled, and ready for a long conversation. Too bad I had to leave. He was gazing at his mommy as I went out the door...

The Long and Winding Road

The cobbled road, littered with fallen leaves, led the way to the top of the hill. The way was not entirely smooth, but it was clear and we plodded forward...

We've been walking down winding roads and unknown paths for several years now. They have taken us through years of raising children, seen us bid sad farewells to loved ones, and found us tripping over our own feet when faced with obstacles of unexpected proportions. I'm sure we've both looked back a time or two, wondering if it might be wiser to turn back than to forge ahead, but onward and upward we go never knowing what might lay around the bend or over the next rise.

Last week I was tired and teary. The road was rough and uneven. I wanted to stop and rest, fearful of what fate may await me, but today I am hopeful. Still tired, but encouraged by recent events and strengthened by words of scripture. God has not abandoned us in the trial, instead he offers a hand to hold when our feet ache and our legs are unsteady. And here and there, when we can no longer go on, He puts us on His shoulder and carries us for a spell.

Saturday

Before stopping in to visit our boy yesterday afternoon, we took a detour at Mount Hope Cemetery for a walk through the trees and stones.

Susan B Anthony has the most decorated grave in the cemetery, especially during an election year...

We took a selfie, just to show you the walk was a good idea.

(Yes, we're both tired.)

Naughty Cats, Apple Pie, and Chickens

The Naughties have been living up to their reputation lately. The other night they mauled the bread and bagel bags that have been living on the counter for months. Josiah was not happy to find his brand new loaf of bread sporting holes and chew marks. He tossed it in the garbage and I, of course, rescued it for the chickens. They like bread.

Thankfully, chickens also like apple pie. Someone Naughty uncovered the pie on my island table and took a few tastes of the top crust during the middle of the night. It had been hidden under a clean dish towel which apparently did not render it safe from hungry cats. At another time in life I might have been furious and tossed it into the trash can, but yesterday I took both the pie and my camera down to the chicken coop.


The girls were
all excited even before I unlatched and opened the door. I found, much to my satisfaction, that chickens do indeed like apple pie, and so the apple pie became a "chicken pie" and they gobbled it up. (ha ha!)

I gathered eggs while the birds had pie for breakfast. The egg in the lower part of the coop went into my pocket, and the ones from the upper nesting boxes, I gathered into my hands. When I got back to the house I marked one egg with the date and arranged them in an egg carton. Twenty minutes later I found I'd been walking around with an egg in my pocket and didn't even know it.

Getting the chicken coop locked up in a timely manner each evening has become a challenge. With darkness setting in early, and now the time change, we find them all tucked in and fast asleep well before we are here to close them up. I am somewhat concerned about coyotes and foxes and will need to find a way to ensure my entire flock does not disappear when no one is here to close and lock the door soon after darkness settles in. Do I sound like a mother hen?

Dad's Music

I went searching today, through drawers, cabinets, and boxes, looking for the CD that holds my father playing his guitar and harmonica. Not only had I mentioned his harmonica playing to a friend last night, but when my heart is hurting and tears sting, I find great comfort in hearing my dad play those old hymns. He can't be here in body, but he feels close when I listen to his music.



This isn't on the CD, and I've posted it before, but it's one I love too. I remember the days he would sing it when I was just a little girl, probably six or seven years old. I learned to love his music, the way he played his instruments and how he sang, but sadly, I never learned to play.

Sometimes listening to him play helps me cry, and sometimes it just calms my anxious heart and thoughts. I will be forever grateful for the gifts he left behind to  help me through hard times.

Stress Relief

I looked at the weather forecast last night and saw rain for today, so I wasn't surprised when I woke up to dark skies and a steady drizzle. After an entirely too stressful past week, I decided to decompress by turning my kitchen table into a bakery.  Baking was "once upon a time" a favorite activity and so it was my choice of therapy for today.

After a trip up town to drop off a few eggs to my Number 2 son, I started on the task of measuring flour and salt for pastries, and sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour for the apple filling. I've taken to bagging the dry ingredients in individual baggies so I don't have to start measuring all over again with each pie.

Once the bags of flour and sugar were set aside, I began the task of peeling and slicing, which was supposed to be easy with my handy-dandy apple peeler/corer/slicer, but the apples had a mind of their own and I ended up having to peel, slice, and core several portions by hand when the apples didn't cooperate.

I'd planned to assemble nine pies, but ran short on both time and apples. All was not lost though, because I baked two pies and put four into the freezer, and I think that's a pretty significant accomplishment. Somewhere along the way, the migraine I'd been fighting for three days evaporated, which is an incredible relief in and of itself, and I will sleep better tonight because of it.

We are still walking through some dark days, but the path is growing brighter. I am holding on to hope that God is doing great things.

Oh, Number Nine

He doesn't look anything like our other grandchildren, which isn't a surprise. He has black hair and will most likely have dark eyes as well, just what his mommy ordered. He is snuggly and sweet with little baby yawns and stretches, little baby squeaks and sneezes. We are in love all over again.

We needed this tiny miracle this week, a bright spot in a difficult week. I can hardly wait for his uncle to come home and look into his little face. He will be in love too.