All Within Five Miles

Last weekend we went to a book-sale at our local library, I walked away with two bags of very old history books for two dollars! The best part though was when the librarian announced that they were handing out bags, each child could fill a bag with any of the children's books for free! We enjoyed reading some of those treasures this morning!

 On the way home from this event we stopped at a farm that has Jersey cows. I was hoping to speak with the farmer and see if they would sell me milk for the pigs we may be getting soon. No one was home but I did meet the neighbor lady on the way to my car. She kindly agreed to give them my card and let them know that I was interested in buying about five gallons ( I came up with that amount on the spot, a good question, one I had not thought of, sigh ) of milk per week. 

 Now if you know me the fact that I stopped at a complete strangers house might come as a shock to you. The fact that I have been driving past this small farm for months trying to figure out what to say if I ever worked up the nerve to actually knock on the door is not a surprise to you at all. " Do I say my full name? Will they let me bring my own containers for the milk. How much do I want to pay? Do I admit that I would love to come and milk one of their cows by hand...hmm, maybe leave that part out." 

  Today we stopped at another farm and bought eggs. I love shopping this way, supporting the local farmers and knowing that we are putting fresh, real food on the table is wonderful! 

  TTFN! 

 

Blue Sky and Sunshine

The sunshine and open pasture is calling my name. I want to run outside so that I can run and jump in the warm rays of the sun. I want to smell the earth coming alive around me and rejoice with the birds!
 From the looks of these pictures, my nephew had the same desire. I love the openness Anna was able to capture in these photos.

"Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April showers." ~Byron Caldwell Smith, letter to Kate Stephens

Off to catch some sun! 

Thoughts...

This quote really captures how I feel about winter. I love each season but I do need a time to rest and winter gives me that time.
 Now that we live in the country again we are enjoying how the world shuts down during and after a snowstorm. The mail does not come, the schools and stores close ,the roads are quiet, there is a silence that only winter brings.
Winter is coming to an end and I can honestly say that it was a wonderful season of rest and time with family. We enjoyed hot coffee with lots of milk in the morning and reading books by the fire at night. We enjoyed the wonder of freshly fallen snow. We wore woolen hats that kept us warm even when the Polar Vortex plunged temperatures below zero. We embraced winter and now we look forward to spring a time of rebirth and hope for what the coming year holds.


~"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you...
 In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself." ~ Ruth Stout

Fear not, spring is coming. :) 

Fruits of our Labor

Growing up Mom would pack us into the car with buckets, containers, coolers, water, and snacks. She knew how to prepare for picking blueberries having started when she was young, working on a local farm in Holland, MI.
We arrived in sweaters walking through a light frost. We would leave sweating, our bellies and containers full of blueberries.
 This past summer was the first time in years that Nina and I would join Mom again for a blueberry picking adventure. This time we had our own children with us and like in years past we packed up the cars and headed for the fields. Our thoughts went to Anna who miles away was heading for fields too with her little one in tow. She would not be harvesting blueberries but working on other crops.
 The summer of 2012 we had a week of very warm weather followed by a heavy frost that killed the chance of a blueberry crop. Blueberries were expensive and scarce. Drought followed and needless to say fruit prices were astounding.
This past summer started out slowly and we feared a cold summer was ahead but we need not have worried. The heat came and so did the rain. The blueberry bushes burst forth with tiny white buds and soon luscious berries weighed down branches.
 So it was that we arrived with the sun already hot on our backs as we started to fill our buckets. The children ate as much as they picked enjoying every moment. Mom worked quickly, filling containers faster than Nina and I all the while answering questions from her grandchildren and encouraging them to help with the harvest. We all brought home pounds upon pounds of blueberries, some we ate fresh and some we froze for winter enjoyment. While visiting Eric found the container of blueberries under the cotton cloth on the table set out for eating just as it had been growing up.
 Today I used some of the frozen blueberries in a smoothie, truly enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Looking Out the Window

 Photo Friday, from top to bottom, Michigan, Iowa, Florida, and Indiana. 

Socks for Anna

These socks are for my sister Anna. Although it is way too warm for wool socks right now, she can wear them on chilly mornings or in the fall.
These socks are often called "Frankenstein socks" but I tend to call them crazy quilt socks. This is a great way to use up left-over sock yarn.
I hope she likes them!

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Style Cents

Often as women we start out our adult style career copying other people then start mixing in touches of our own selves and then just as we switch to dressing in a style we love and can own ....we have kids. Suddenly it's all about dressing them and FOR them. Our trendy tops give way to tshirts that can easily have spit up and grubby hand marks washed off. Those short flowy skirts dont work so well when you are trying to bend over at the park to pick up a sippy cup, heels and stroller brakes I swear are enemies! So we lose ourselves to jeans, ponytails and flip flops or tennis shoes. The Style Cents posts will focus on easy ways to break out of the mold and throw some fun in the mix for pennies on the dollar. Example. The first picture is of me in typical Mom errand wear. Ponytail, tshirt, flipflops jeans and my trusty purse. The second picture is the renewed errand wear. I upgraded to flip flops with some design and shine $5 (Big Lots), I switched the ponytail to the lower side and added a flower I made with a clip, flower and glue gun $2.00 (Michaels Crafts) a colorful bead braclet made from spare parts of jewlry $free (craft junk drawer) and I swapped out the old stand by purse for a super chic tote bag with vintage inspired art design. $free gift (otherwise $4.50 at amazon.com) So for less than $12.00 (assuming I bought the tote) I was able to put a little of "me" back in my style without crimping the practicality of my wardrobe. - Nina the Middle Daughter

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Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8