Just Grateful

(Our first pumpkin pie - recipe for filling and crust from Nourishing Traditions)

This September weather has been so amazingly beautiful.  The skies have reached their peak of blue.  The sun's warmth is still felt but the air has a crisp fresh feel.   The nights are cool enough for wool sweaters and snuggling.

This past week I was reminded to be grateful for health - health of body.  I did something ridiculously foolish last Tuesday.  A woman stopped by the library to donate books and she had them in a large tote in the back of her car and said she needed help bringing them in.  I, of course, being the strong, capable woman I am - offered to do it myself.  My lower back felt the errors of my ways almost immediately and for the rest of the week I suffered in pain.  I was reminded to be grateful of how seldom I am in pain and cannot imagine how others deal with chronic pain.   I was reminded of how caring and helpful my husband and children are when push comes to shove.

Then Saturday night Emmy woke at 3:00 am complaining that her stomach hurt.   I lay with her in our bed comforting her, rubbing her belly, praying that God would give me wisdom to discern if it was something serious or just a temporary bug.  About an hour later I had my answer when she sat up to vomit.  Although we had to change our sheets and bedding, I felt so grateful to know that it was most likely a passing stomach bug of some sort and although it meant that I needed to be vigilant for the next hour or so (because as most parents know, generally another episode of vomiting is imminent), I was comforted and felt at peace.  

Today Emmy has the sparkle back in her eyes and color in her cheeks and the energy of an almost three year old.  And I just might carry my first bucket of water to the animals after nearly a week off.  All is good.

Simple Joys

Blowing bubble with homemade bubble mix.

Isaac working for our business.

Sarah's grasshopper home.

The beauty around us.

Johnny Jump Ups popping up among the weeds in the garden.

Abraham and Sarah nursing a sick chicken.


Warm wishes,
Tonya

Simple Joys

Wishing you a week filled with simple joys,

Tonya

Morning Joys

As I went about my morning work yesterday, I snapped some photos.

As the bread was rising, I stepped outside to gather some lettuce.

While picking the lettuce in the quiet of the morning, I could hear the buzzing above my head of the busy paper wasps flying around their beautiful nest just above my head.

Upon heading back inside, I spotted a couple of chickens just inside the front door that I had to shoo back outside.  I headed in to finish the morning baking, wash the lettuce that would go with our supper, and help the little ones with breakfast.           I reflected on the fact that so much of my energy each day is devoted to growing and preparing food for my family.   What an honorable job, though, as food is truly so very important.  Eating healthy and respecting our earth by growing as much as we can and then buying local and then finally to make as much as possible from scratch - those are our goals.      A blog that is particularly inspiring is Farmama.  She preserves so much food for her family from her farm so that her family can eat much of their own food the year round.  That is our goal. To accomplish this though, we take steps and make new goals each year. The old goals truly do become habit.  For example, baking two loaves of bread each morning is just part of my morning.

Warm wishes for a joy filled day,

Tonya

(Thank you so much for all that are joining in on the Handmade Holiday - this is lots of fun and so wonderful to be creating for those we love.)

Morning Joy

Abraham is usually the first to join Mike and I in the morning. We enjoy this time with "just" him before the others awaken.