Martinmas

Today is a great day to give the gift of warmth to those in need.   We traditionally, take coats, gloves and scarfs to a local thrift shop that gives to the poor. St Martin also, remembers our family with warm gifts.  This year it was hand knit red mittens for all.

Our breakfast table for the feast, even involved finding the hot cocoa mugs (not so easy) and serving red velvet cake.

You can read all about St Martin and learn about his devout life and service to the poor.

a stictch in time saves nine......

I recently had the opportunity to peek at this book, it is a delightfully illustrated reminder of days of yore. Taking me on a journey of women who use to pause prior to throwing away a ripped sock or torn dress.  It invokes simpler time when we did nto run to malls or shopping center, rather ran to our sewing baskets.........
Enjoy!

Chestnut picking time

September and October brings the ripening of the chestnuts, and planning our Christmas season.  A beautiful day to stomp around an orchard and make a few Christmas dollars for the children.

the world is our classroom

while other young souls are climbing in school buses and sitting in stuffy classroons, we took advantage of the summer weather to frolick in the water, explore herbs growing along the Great Lake Erie and enjoy just being together.

mushrooms and cornholes

I am loving these wonderful stools and tables that we recently finished making for Zelie.  The inspiration came from a blog source that I can no longer locate.  The stools are simple wooden bowls I had found at thrift stores, painted red and screwed to logs. The table, is plywood cut to shape and mounted to a log, so simple,. yet so whimsical to play with.

The cornhole game, painted in Steelers colors, is a recent addition, after having borrowed a set from our friends for a 4th of July party, and everyone enjoying hours of play, we made our own.  I confess, I really do not get the obsession with the game, but I do love seeing my kids enjoy themselves so much.

the laundress

Keeping little hands busy, Zelie hanging her dolls clothes out to dry.

Fishing on the Ohio

We are not naturals to fishing, I have never fished, my husband did not grow up fishing, and yet my boys really want to learn.

Armed with fishing manuals, making us look like the true green horns we are, we have been hitting the local fishing holes-that is if you can call the Ohio River a fishing hole.  WE have yet to catch a thing, seems we need to read a few more manuals, or better yet talk to some local fishermen.............

Another birthday-Flannery is 15

Pizza cake

 with her siblings

 new boots for the fall

 a little Joel Salatin reading

Happy Birthday sweet Mary Flan!

Yarn Along

Joining with Ginny this week in the Yarn Along.  It has been awhile since I had a chance to participate, but these gnomes of  Tonya are to cute to resist.

My summer reading has been all Juliette de Bairacli. I first read her Herbal for Farm and Stable and wonder WHY I had not read her before.  She was a charming eccentric lover of animals, herbalist, mother and gypsy.  She is a wise teacher and herbal mentor.  All her books, I have read thus far, inspire and remind me why I started studying herbalism years ago. If you are at all inspired to learn to appreciate herbs, I would highly recommend her books. 

Zelie is 3!

Balloons from Grammy

It was a great recycled birthday, handmade, thrifted or reused like the doctors box. All wonderful thoughtful gifts without ever needing to go "shopping"
A lovely celebration of family and the blessing of each special one.

preserving

Busy days filling the larder for the winter months, makes for busy hands and happy kids.

{this moment}

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

angora fleece carding

sadly, this will be our last fleece from our favorite angora goat, Nanny. Nanny gave us her last fleece just prior to her leaving us for that big pasture in the sky. Angora goats are so wonderful to keep, they are friendly wonderful weed wackers and twice a year they bless you with all this glorious fibers.