All things gardening

Last evening I grabbed my bucket and headed to the garden with fresh salsa in mind. I was thrilled with my find of tomatoes, hot peppers, green peppers, onions and garlic. I have never enjoyed gardening, but with a wood chip garden! I actually get side track out there pulling weeds. And mind you there are not a lot of weeds, very manageable. I grabbed lettuce for the salad, and than fixed a kettle of Mexican rice. A cheap feed for a family of 11. And they all loved it! Or at least the ones that hadn't been taken out for lunch at Dairy Freeze. 😊

Gardening is slowing becoming a passion of mine. Ever so slowly, I am being pulled more and more to the garden. In a few years, I should be a full time gardener 😉

Feeding a crowd takes several things. Time. Imagination. Money. And a garden. I am thankful for my man that makes the latter happen. Folks come and glow over the garden and the lush beauty of it, because around here is mostly red clay soil, and ours is black and beautiful.Thank you Wayne for all the time and heart you put into gardening, to you, its therapeutic not work.

A lot of water has crossed the dam...........

On April 5th, I lost my best friend, that seen me through life, from the day I was born till I turned 37. My Dad. Grief is amazing. It hurts, leaves you feeling nauseas, incapable to handle things as simple as brushing your teeth, washing dishes or bathing your children. You are exhausted at the weirdest times.
It has been almost four months now that dad is gone, reality is starting to set in. But, I also felt myself slide from the ugly grieving into just grieving. Is that called grieving with joy? I don't know, but I do know that there is more peace as time goes along. We are able to take a day at a time instead of an hour at a time. We feel more functional where as before very dysfunctional. We shut school down back in April. The children took there CAT tests... they done fine.
Every day my mind is flooded with memories of dad. And we have really been reliving that Wednesday in April that dad so suddenly died from Cardiac Arrest. Dad's Dr told me the other day that if there was ever a man ready to die, it was my dad! And yes, dad was ready to go Home!
More later...............

It's been awhile. A lot of water has crossed the dam since the last time I posted something.

We have had a graduation from Allegany Boys Camp

We have added a Sweet 'Emmy Lou' to our home

Our oldest was enrolled in our Community College.

I could write a whole post on each of those changes that has taken place. How they each have affected us and how we have responded well, and not so well to them.

Grace is a huge thing.

We kiss these littles little toes and thank God that there are 10 of them to kiss. And we Thank Him that she was born so healthy and not with suspected health issues.

 I have been blessed watching these little and big ones learn. It is rewarding as a parent teaching them to see progress being made.

This year, I have 6 in school (homeschool) and our oldest taking her last year of school in the local college. Actually let me say this. She has tested so well she was able to do all her pre-requisites for the RN program in her last high school year. That has been a huge mile stone

 This year has held the normal. Butchering. Scrapple making for the entire year.

And there is this little girl that loves her daddy. She gets so happy and excited when he walks in the door. I love seeing the eagerness to get into his arms.
I will write more later after our trip to get the lingual arches checked in two of the children. This is a visit I always enjoy, the Ortho is like family. We sit and talk deeper than just smiles!

As the clock chimes, telling me it is 11:15 pm, I settle in for a few more minutes of blissful quiet before I turn in for the night. Today was one 'of those' Mondays. Everybody woke exhausted, and with Austin still home, school was the last thing they really wanted to think of doing. But we muddled our way through the books and manage to get it done. There were just a lot of tears today..
I had a Wellness/Physical for Austin this afternoon. Wayne took him last year.. but since Wayne so sweetly offered to take return trip this home visit, I knew I couldn't ask him to take off work early to do the Doctors visit. Everything checked out well, and within an hour and half we were on the road again. You know you have a good Dr. when nearing the end of  the visit, she checks in with the other children, even though you left them all at home. From Jesse's UVA appointment to Cheyenne's frost nipped toes to Annie's extremely low iron for the last 3-4 yrs. Trying to get some answers to the questions we have with her health. I left encouraged by what she (the Doctor) told me. We do need to move on with getting answers to Annie's issues, so I guess that will be my next Drs. visit.
Supper was on the table once we got home. And after sailing through the dishes, the children excitedly watched as Austin made the phone call to see if the 'Morris Code' was going to work. You see where we live we still walk to visit folks-at least the children do. They will without hesitation walk a mile to sip lemonade with the neighbors. And these neighbors will be glancing out the back windows down through the meadow hoping to catch a glimpse of the children climbing over the gate and trudging the last hill for a visit. They take them in and feed them well, and than they haul the children up to what is called "Seneca Bluff Private Library" for the children to all pick books to take home and read. There are times the children are gone for hours, but they always come home when it is supper time. And instead of phone calls to let us know something or say "Thank you" She will send a sweet card, even remembering to give "Fireman" (Dakotas Dog) their regards. These are the things, I don't want to see end. The memories that are made and will last a lifetime. The joy both families get from this. Well, back to my story. We invited them to Austin's birthday party, and Greg 'the gentle giant' as he is called because he is just shy of 7 ft. Gave Austin a flashlight, along with a printed out paper. Well here it was a Morris code. Now Greg although 53 will quickly lower himself to a child's level- as he says, when it snows, I turn 8 yrs. old quickly. He is a wonderful friend. He writes Austin lots of letters, keeping him informed of the 'Seneca Bluffs' news. Tonight we found Austin and Greg flashing their flashlights at each other from their upstairs windows. Excitedly saying, YES! 4 flashes? YES! I saw it. Next 'code party' is set for March 22nd. And they are both about beside themselves.
I am feeling really sad tonight because Austin leaves tomorrow, but along with that there is joy, because Wayne so sweetly offered to take off work and take him back, because of the amount of snow that is called for tomorrow, I really had a bad, bad feeling and couldn't make myself pull out the yard.

Wanta good laugh?

Wayne has been getting his truck ready for inspection.. which consisted of things like changing the bearings in the axel, and things like spur of the moment calls to see if I was still in Altavista to pick up a brake cylinder. I have so far been his right hand when it comes to 'bleeding the breaks" I can't tell you how many times I have pumped that brake peddle over the weekend. But we got 'er done. The last job was that cylinder. It was after dark Monday evening, I was struggling with low blood pressure-again, tired. And Carter asked if I could come out and help Dad 'bleed the brakes'. Sure, I will, after all, I love anything mechanical. I even took small engines in high school. So I go out, pump the brakes... they keep going to the floor. No brake lights. 5 minutes of pumping the brakes, Wayne came up and looked under the hood to see if there was enough brake fluid. On the way to the back, he mentioned in passing, " Your not pushing the clutch are you". I was. 5 minute leg work out- pushing the clutch. Oh we had a good laugh, and the joke now is to check my hair color when asked to help with something that big.

This week has been another crazy week. My calendar was full. We were exhausted and suffering from adrenal fatigue, with all the emotions of home visit and School sale prep, not to mention a frantic moment when Dakota and his cousin Kyle, had a head on collision playing tag after dark, Kyle fared fine-Dakota was totaled-resulting in a trip to the ER for a major concussion (throwing up blood three times). This was two nights before the school sale. *sigh*. He is recovering well, still suffering headaches, but very little to no nausea now.

Wednesday evening was home groups. Not a big turn out. Wayne and the children plus Sonny's family stripped 100's of pieces of gum off the dance floor @ Hodges. I hear it was disgusting. Sonny is planning to have a Bible Study twice a month for the neighborhood, and serve soup and fresh bread for the meal afterwards.

Thursday noon we had an appointment for Cheyenne to have her spacers put in between her teeth- she has 6 total. She is living off of soft mushy food for awhile. Friday Nov. 6 she gets her braces on than we go to get a tooth pulled after that The Orthodontist is hoping to get the baby tooth pulled and permanent coming down before it kills one of her other permanent teeth. Most our children have the Swarey teeth. 

Today, Kayla climbed Humpback Rock with the youth group. She came home pretty wore out-it was a big climb, and since it was a lovely day, it brought the crowds out. We were here for the most part, Wayne took Dakota hunting this evening. Dakota was more interested in Squirrel hunting over Deer hunting ;)

By 10:30 pm I had the house cleaned, bathrooms scrubbed, floors mopped, whole house vacuumed kitchen cleaned-it is CLEAN! Thanks to Cheyennes help.. And it feels so good, that I think I am going to sit and enjoy it for a bit before turning in for the night.

Next week is another big week, Wednesday we get to serve the Woodsmen lunch. Wayne is planning on fixing a dutch oven meal, Grandma is bringing salad, and we are fixing something pumpkin for dessert since it is Austin's all time favorite! We are so excited to have the whole group here! Wayne is going to give them a tour of the shop on their way back to Mission Home area where they will stay in a cabin for the night. Than Thursday head back to camp. Yes it is mixed emotions. It is going to be really hard to be able to see Austin for probably just several hours......
Going to turn in while the house is quiet and baby dear is sound asleep yet, he usually wakes crying before 12:00 am.

Kristena

Sometimes when it rains it pours.
This week has been a roller coaster, twists and turns in everyway possible. It started out Monday morning bright and early with phone calls and emails  about the Canned Goods stand for the School Sale, to a meeting in the evening planning a meal to feed 50 people. Tuesday morning dawned bright and early with a Cardiologist appointment with the 4 yr. old glaring me straight in the face. That went fine, and the 4 yr. old was cleared of any heart issues, unless her symptoms climax. Wednesday I was home, we cleaned house, and it felt S.O. R.I.G.H.T. in everyway. It was just a wonderful feeling to be able to be home.
Thursday had us rolling a little earlier and faster. I had 5 dentist appointments lined up. Including a tooth ache for me. Several of the children that didn't need to go to the Dentist  were going to my sisters house to play for the day. 30 minutes before we left, a text came through that nobody wants to read, I gasped and crumpled to my bed, as I read "I rolled my vehicle" and the next text said, "Call my man". I was shaking and weak, as well as all the children. There was no way I or Kayla could even drive to town. So I called my brother in law to see if there was anything I could do. There was nothing, so I just sat on the couch processing the fact my sweet sister had been in an accident. Her and the two littles were fine, just a few scratches. 6 minutes before we were supposed to walk out the door my brother in law called and needed a carseat, so  we sailed. My children were almost terrified, buckle up, drive slow, are there going to be police? Oh the questions. Yes the state troopers were the best  I have ever met. Soon after I got there, My other sister came, and the two of us went in the Ambulance and were able to talk a little. I had to leave unfortunately due to appointments, but another sister stopped in than too. I hope those troopers know she is a well loved sister! This evening I sit, weak, emotionally spent.
Half way through my day, Carter came to me and said LOOK! And there was blood coming out his ear, I wasn't worried since we are actually trying hard to get a big blood clot loose and out. But I was concerned when I seen it was actually draining liquid. Worry turned to relief when I  remembered that tomorrow morning we leave @ 7:30 for an appointment with the surgeon. We really need that blood clot out, so we can make further decisions and plan on those two ears...
Tomorrow is the big day... We have enough orders for the first load of Golden Delicious Apples, 5 bins (100 bushel) We will need to make a 2nd run later. We love fall time with all the fresh apples we could want and Apple Crisp, apple pie, apple cakes, you name it!
I told the littles, I was coming outside to enjoy the fresh air.. So off I go!