A Week in Pictures

We've been busy enjoying autumn. I realized that the Facebook status updates *feel* like I've blogged, which is bad, since I haven't.

I have, so far, 12 half-pint jars of ground cherry jam on the shelf. Homestead Mama made 10 pints of tomatilla salsa and it too is in jars. We have a half bushel of apples & pears to turn into applesauce, and a few gallons of Concord grape juice to turn into jelly and juice. Every night after the kids go to bed we get a little more food canned. It is delightful.

We've been to pick elderberries at our friend Noona's house [at least that's what the kids call her]. She grew pumpkins, and that is so very exciting! I burned the elderberries when trying to reduce the juice, so no jelly.

We went apple picking to get our applesauce supplies, and found blackberry bushes there too.
We have had a pumpkin carving binge, and sit on the front porch with popcorn most nights and watch the jack-o-lanterns glow and sing pumpkin songs. The kids like to wave good night to them from the nursery window before bed.

And this morning? I woke up to a toasty house and the stove on for the first time this season. Bliss.

My 1-month post-LEEP cervix check went well. The doc has never seen a cervix bounce back this fast, and it looks super. Great, I say. If I have to be a star in some way, why NOT a super hero cervix?

We are off now to get our farm share and gather all the green tomatoes and the last of the ground cherries since frost is wreaking havoc with the crops. Then to find more canning jars, as I've run out.

Monito's Maracas

Monito has...I believe the kids today call them 'mad skilz'. Just look at what he can do with a maraca. He clearly has a future in films. I shudder to think what kind, though.

Yes, I dress the boy in orange and fuchsia. He looks marvelous, and perks up an otherwise grey day. Pequita also is cheery in her special snowsuit. Sadly, she cannot right herself once she falls after bending over to eat snow. Bad mommy, bad, for stopping to snap a photo before picking her up.

First snow

Sure, Pequita was in the snow last year, but was completely unaware of the possibilities. This year, she is eating it by the handful and completely in awe. Monito seems to recognize that his view has changed, too.

One muggy day too many

I prefer cool and dry to hot and muggy. I love the onset of autumn, the pulling out of the wool sweaters, the dry rustle of leaves on the ground. I look forward to this every year.



Here we are in September and it was in the 80s and 80%ish humidity yesterday at the farmers market. Blech, I say. When I came home, Homestead Mama watched the babies while I showered off the sweat and dust. That was not quite satisfying enough - if I could have gotten an appointment with my hair guy Donald I would have, but he's got a steady 2-week wait for appointments (he's excellent). So I took matters into my own scissors. Five minutes later, voila. Instant cool.

Sunday's Nor'Easter chez nous

Sixteen inches of heavy, wet snow fell this past Saturday & Sunday. My belly is too big to shovel, so poor Homestead Mama had to deal with it all, despite being on antibiotics for her sinus infection. It was lovely, though.

This is our front entry. The branches are usually at least 8 feet off the ground, but the weight of the snow has really weighted them down.