A little like Little House...

Fall Harvest 2008

Potatoes, Onions, Squash & Canned Goods

Applesauce, Apple Pie Filling, Apple Butter & Pickle Relish

Dried Beans & Garlic

I totally recommend a Foodsaver!

I remember reading Little House on the Prairie as a child and vividly picturing in my head the attic in the fall when the family harvested the food they grew and raised all summer. The images - bushels of apples, onions and beans hanging from the rafters, canned goods, etc. And of course, my most memorable part was the pig bladder that Pa blew up like a balloon for the girls to play with. Now, we haven't blown up the pig bladder (yet...), but as I walk around the garden and see all that has grown and is still growing and I look in the cupboards, the freezer and the basement, I feel a little like Ma in those books. And I think she must have felt a great sense of accomplishment.

I hope Cory & Cayna look back on this stuff like Laura did in her books - the good stuff, anyway.

Fall is in the air

What caption can you think of for this picture?

Maple Leaves





Here are a few pictures of fall in New York. This is one of the main reasons I love the Northeast. You can't beat the gorgeous color of maple leaves! And yes, my kids are adjusting their underpants on top of hay bales! I could not resist. This is a proud mommy moment.

A Smile from God

God's smiles at us in so many ways!

I had to pass this on to you...

Another Song

I was listening to music while mowing the lawn today - (I actually got to mow without any underage help - they were both in school) and I remembered another song that reminds me of KC and I together. Well, really it reminds me of how funny KC can be. And I remember hearing this song for the first time and thinking, 'Yup, KC would DEFINITELY use this line!' And maybe for most of you, it isn't something you would expect out of him - Sooooo, that is why I am adding a youtube video for you to listen for yourselves! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm6dqMsZCrc&feature=related

Sunflowers

I was grumpy today. Honestly, I was only grumpy towards KC.

Here's my story - When I woke up this morning (for the 50th time), I was being pushed off my side of the bed. Cayna has taken a liking to cuddling with Daddy in the middle of the night (she knows I'll just take her back to her own bed). It would be cute if I didn't lose my sleeping space (our bed is only full size). Anyway, I know I shouldn't get upset with something so trivial - one of these days she'll be all grown up and won't want to cuddle anymore. But seriously, I need a little sleep (or I'm miserable). So, that did not start the day well because I blamed him for not putting her back in her OWN bed.

After that (yes, there is more), I was going to get some things accomplished this morning while Cayna was at preschool - one task was to mow the lawn. KC informed me that he used all the gas! I didn't overreact (which is hard for me sometimes), but I wasn't real happy. I know, you're thinking - just go get some more, but I'm on a limited budget and I had planned it just right that I would be able to finish up the lawn. It's frustrating when you have something planned and it doesn't work out.

To continue - KC was out in our woods (cutting up firewood) and he put a log through the back window of the truck... It was an accident and he assures me that he did NOT throw the wood. But when he came back to the house, the first words out of his mouth were 'are you in a good mood or bad?' How would you react? I didn't yell, but man - what a mess! To give KC credit, he cleaned out the entire truck and 'fixed' the window. And it isn't like he did it on purpose!

This evening, as I was pondering all that occurred, I decided that none of it really matters in the larger picture, does it? And my attitude really stunk towards my husband. I'm not taking any of this 'stuff' with me when I die - and I better enjoy my time with my daughter and my husband while I can because tomorrow isn't promised to me. And if I don't get something done, maybe it wasn't meant to be done today anyway.

To end my day today... there is a severe weather alert in Upstate New York for tonight - Heavy Frost. And all I could think of was EVERYTHING still in the garden, including all the sunflowers. That made me remember something in a magazine I was reading a couple days ago -

Sunflowers, at one time, were considered a symbol of adoration, possibly because it follows the path of the sun as it travels across the sky. The sunflower is the perfect example for us to follow the Son of Man and to grow in His love and presence. And that made me realize that every single day is precious. And it isn't going to go how I want it to or by my schedule. Things happen, life happens and if I stay committed to my plans, I miss following the plans God has for me. I adore my God, but I sometimes forget to follow Him in HIS plans when He is moving and I miss things. I don't know what I missed today, but thank you God, for your beauty in nature (for your sunflowers) and reminding me of your mercy and your love. Tomorrow, I'll try to do better!

And KC - I love you and I'm sorry for not being more understanding to all that happened to you today! You did a great job handling it all (and you're a GREAT daddy).

Random Thought

Cory was listening to U2 yesterday and that music is always a reminder of things from my past.
As I thought more about it, I came up with a list of songs that have special meaning and invoke memories of my relationship with KC (It's been 10 years by the way). Here is the list of what I've come up with so far... (I'll keep adding as they come to me).

I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis
Strong Enough - Sheryl Crow
Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks
When You Say Nothing At All - Alison Krauss
Where The Streets Have No Name - U2
Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel
God Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flats

Each one sparks a memory every time I hear it...

Cory and Cayna's list -

You'll Be in My Heart - Phil Collins (Tarzan soundtrack)
Hoedown - Aaron Copland (aka the 'Beef, it's what's for dinner tonight' song)
Goodnight Sweetheart - The Spaniels
Cotton Eye Joe - Rednex (please don't ask)

A Can of Paint

Before...

After...

First of all, my father-in-law rocks! He is a HUGE help around this place and we get a lot done when he is here. (My mother-in-law rocks too...I can't even begin to describe all she has done)

This week, Ken and I, with 1 can of white paint and 2 hours, took care of something that has been bugging me for 3 years (if I knew it would only take 2 hours, I would have done it a LONG time ago). We painted the garage. Our house was built around 1840 and I enjoy the look of our old farm house, but it does need a little TLC done on the outside. When the timing is right, it will have new siding (some done with local fieldstone), a new roof and we will demolish the existing garage and add on to the kitchen.

Anyway, back to the can of paint. It amazes me what 1 can of paint can do. It transforms a wall, a room and even the garage. And it makes everything a little brighter. It also helps me to be patient until we can do all the work I'd like to get done.

Pictures

I will keep adding pictures to our Shutterfly website (at least until I figure out Picasa) - you can check out the family and farm in pics there - http://www.manginefamilyfarm.shutterfly.com

Am I crazy?

Ok... so I've decided to join the ranks of blogging (a true blog here, not just Shutterfly). I can't imagine that this blog will be nearly as clever or fancy as others that I have read, but seriously, who doesn't like a blog about a mom with somewhat interesting and possibly even outrageous issues that you can laugh at and identify with? Of course, how you feel about my blog is up to you. I don't have an extraordinary life (I'm not moving to Haiti with my whole family (3 kids under 5), but I would classify it as different - (Side note* for the more amazing half of the family, check out this blog - http://www.mangine.org/). Now there is a supermom (Gwenn, you are a supermom). When I grow up, I will learn how to make parenting as fun (and funny) as they make it!
Why is my life different - well, if most people saw the way we live, they would think that KC and I are trying to move backwards in time. KC and I bought a small farm in Upstate New York 3 years ago and we are making a go of turning our farm into a sustainable living so we can be home with our kids, we can eat what we grow, we can survive on our land completely if we need to. Some intereseting things we grow include Shiitake mushrooms, garlic, Egyptian walking onions, regular garden stuff; we also raise pigs, chickens and 1 cow. We have many, many other little adventures going as well. (Side note #2* for details about what we do, it is better to talk with KC).
The funny thing is - neither KC nor I grew up with much farming experience. KC picked vegetables one summer during college and I helped scoop manure from a cattle truck for a summer in high school. I will try to relive some of the things we have learned and are learning about raising our kids, working a farm and just trying to live together in harmony.