Finding Fall: Apples and More Apples

I always feel like fall is finally upon us when we pick the apples off of our tree. Then we make apple pies, apple sauce, apple juice, apple cake, apple crisp and anything else we can think of. We lost half of our tree due to a thunderstorm with high winds early in the summer and I didn't know how we would fair this fall with apples. But we picked one laundry basket full of apples so far!

I've been processing basket in little bits. First with apple sauce (recipe below!), then with apple pie filling. I am always intoxicated by the smell of apples and cinnamon. Is there anything that smells more like fall? Other than crisp mornings and slowly decaying leaves?

For the next few weeks, I'll share with you the answer to that question. As I seek to find fall and live fully present and embrace this season.

Easy Crockpot Apple Sauce

10 peeled, de-seeded, quartered apples
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar (I use a bit less, but the kids like it with this much sugar)
3/4 cup of water
1 tsp. lemon juice

Add the apples to the crockpot with cinnamon, water, lemon juice and sugar to the crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours or until when stirred the apples fall apart. Stir until desired consistency. Let cook for 15-30 minutes more to thicken up.
Freeze or process as desired.

Little Artists

I'm looking back on this evening and I am so grateful.

Grateful for an a set of listening ears and a good cup of coffee. A few minutes of sharing my heart, a few minutes of being listened to and my night was magically changed. Thank you, dear listener.

Grateful for four fabulous little people, two we borrowed, who smiles, giggles and hand prints warm my heart.

Grateful for a whole community of people who help our day to day life run smoothly. Teachers, grandparents, amazing caregivers and friends. I am blessed everyday. I am blessed with this day.

Loving my husband who works so hard to keep our garden plans for this year on track. Remember this table? It was too moldy to bring inside so there are now wild flowers planted in the drawer. And it's for starting seeds now, but (but!) soon it will be all kinds of gorgeous.

Even though I pulled out my wool coat and scarf. I love that our walk around the neighborhood in the drizzling evening was just what we all needed. Even in that gloomy weather, we looked at the spring that is facing us!
 
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Giggling that I have chalk pastel dust on my glasses. I guess I shouldn't have left the setting on the table during this type of art project but, it's a good reminder of a sweet afternoon.

We had two very special visitors stop by for a bit.
In addition to reading stories, playing cars, dressing up and stopping for a snack break, we broke out the chalk pastels. And our new favorite obsession, grocery bags. Everyone had a great time.

Isabel channels Rothko in chalk.

We put on aprons, and the dust was still covering hands and shirt sleeves.


There is so much to be grateful for.

Gardening

Yesterday we spent about five glorious hours in the sun planting our garden. It's a few weeks late but it'll have to do!

This largest section is our main garden. We have herbs, wildflowers and hot peppers in another section. And then cucumbers, pumpkins and yellow squash in a third bed. A full back yard it is!

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Thank you for such a great response to The Summer We Sent Letters. Some clarification: post cards, cards anything you send in the mail with a handwritten note is just perfect. Email me theyellowdoorpaperie[at]gmail[dot]com for a button. This is not a call for stringent rules-- just a challenge of connection-- to write in our own handwriting to those we love.

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A few things to start you off for the week:

Kerry is meal planning at What Am I Cooking?

Couldn't you just live in her weekend pictures?

Everyday journaling prompts.

This trip to Italy.

This family's adventure beginning.

Quick homemade pizza crust.

In Search of Summer: May 27th

We didn't have to search much for summer this afternoon, the warm afternoon just swept us there. The kids were itching, before the car was even in the garage to get out to the sprinkler.

We left Izzo's swim suit at our friend and daily babysitter's house, so we got creative-a pair of regular underwear and my old (so pre-baby) tankini. She thought she looked "fabulous!"

Truman had a very specific agenda for his summertime outfit, as little clothes as possible. He was sure his, "(S)wimmy trunks would be too HOT!"

Some baby birds were just born and live on our downspout. It has been fun to watch them grow!

*Please visit the list of other blogs participating, in my sidebar. It's not too late, you can participate too!

Lately...

This week was filled with lots of late working, and many helping hands to keep the kiddos snuggled, played with and barely missing me at all. It takes a village-- it really does, I am so glad to have helpmates on this journey,  our community keeps me grounded on busy weeks like this. And I am so grateful for them.

This weekend we are going to take it easy, Saturday breakfast, our regular Sunday Lunch. And lots of up keep, mow the lawn, mop the floor... you know. The usual!

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While I've been away here are a few moments that we've treasured. 

Sunday Morning Breakfasts::

Eric's Homemade Granola::

Playing in the Rain::

Shelter Awareness Day Picnic with

Our Friends from The Bridge::

After Lots of Playing::

Dress Up AND Playing Outside in The Mud::

What have you been doing?

i love:: bartering with eggs (26)

Bribery. For the last two nights. It's worked. And it's not for candy, extra time out of bed, a new train or book. Eggs. Yes, eggs. Here's the story.

For about 3 weeks, Isabel has woken in the middle of the night. Padded her little jammied self across the floor to our room. Around the bed to my side and climbed in because she wanted to snuggle. I'm a sucker for snuggling but then it got to be at two a.m. then one a.m. then midnight. Sometimes she'd wake up Truman in the process and he takes HOURS to get back to sleep if at all.

We transitioned her to her big girl bed a while ago. And I'm all for co-sleeping but when no one is getting sleep. It's time to rethink our bedtime plan, again. 

On Wednesday night, Eric said. "If you stay in bed all night, I'll make eggs in the morning."
Isabel: "Oooo ok. I'll stay in bed!!!"

And she did. Plus she did last night too. And that means two mornings of breakfast together. A cheery bi-product.

That means two nights of good sleep for the big people in the house. And that is a very good thing.

In everything give thanks...

Well, I had to start off my day with a mantra and it was: Thank you for today.

And that consisted of: I am thankful for this snow. I am thankful for the extra 2 1/2 hours with my kids. Thank you for our crazy dog. Thank you for this warm cup of coffee. Thank you for a car that works. Thank you for a heated house. Thank you for yellow and orange playdoh. Thank you for chickens who are still laying eggs.

Now here's where it gets a little harder: Thank you for the 50 mile an hour winds. Thank you for almost 3 feet of snow. Thank you for the ice on the road.

But with all that: Thank you for safety.

I love, love, love

It seems like this week has flown by. I’ve been fighting a cold (I know, I’m sick again... Grr). My companions have been earl grey tea, honey and lemon water (delicious), a warm quilt and going to bed early.  I felt worse when taking Claritin-D (stuffy and flakey— I don’t need any help in the flakey/distracted department) so I’ve opted for my body to just fight it out. Go cells! 

In the midst of my week, it snowed! The kids and the dog went out last night to ‘help’ Daddy shovel, they came back in red faced and giggly.

Isabel made snow pies, and proceeded to eat it. When asked how it tasted she said, “Cold!” Awesome. Truman wanted to take his still-dry pants off, right away when he came in. I’m still not sure why.

We ate dinner, did our candle lighting and advent reading and that was about it for happy memories from the evening. We spent most of it disciplining and talking about attitude changes. I’m hoping for a better night tonight. 

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There are a few things that I can't help but show you.
Number one, my friend Katie made this pumpkin crisp for our bible study the other night. I ate one piece and took another one home it was so good. I even refused to share with Truman (I know I'm a bad mom sometimes).

AND blogging friend Heather from Shivaya Naturals is now an founding editor of an online magazine, Rhythm of the Home. They have some great natural parenting articles and activities. A must read!

Then there is habit, I've had a love affair with this site since the day Molly introduced it. So many unbeleveable women in the same place. This month is their year anniversary. Potentially 35 women giving you a glimpse of their day. Beautiful.

Grace opened her new shop yesterday afternoon. Handmade waldorf dolls. They are just lovely.

I just finished a the book Farm City by Novella Carpenter, it was a fast read, but was super informative. And it proves the point that anyone can make a more sustainable life, just in your own backyard (or vacant lot). She has a blog too!

I think that's enough for now. Have a wonderful December weekend! I know I will.

Apples, Apples, Apples

We are so excited to have apples this year. If you have an apple tree, you know that they produce heavily every other year-- and this is the year!

Two years ago, I had new-baby-brain and when asked by a neighbor "Can we have some apples?" I answered, "take as many as you'd like."

The neighbor brought a truck, an apple picker and several friends. They cleaned my tree. And left me enough wormy apples to clean and cut into a pie. One of the wives brough me half an apple quickbread loaf and a pint of apple jelly (from someone else's apples).

Seriously.

Would you have cleaned an apple tree or would you have taken a few grocery bags?

Being extremely grateful this yearThis year, we're taking full advantage of our lovely apple tree. The variety, Winter Banana, has a very light colored skin, with a little blush to them. And they are wonderful for eating, sauce, pie. Not overly sweet, but crunchy and not too tart, they are now my favorite type of apple.

We've been trying to wash, core, peel and then do something with the apples every night.

On Monday we froze bags of apples, last night Eric made gallons of apple sauce and then boiled the  peels/cores in stock pot of water, then strained makes a wonderful apple cider. And you've used all of the the apple, the mush from the strained apples will go to feed the chickens, or our friends pigs.

Any good apple recipes? I'm dying to try something new.

Though I've had two requests today for apple crisp. We're going to be baking up a storm this weekend-- which sounds amazing.

30 Days of Happiness: Fall Party

 Tonight was our fall party, the kids were excited when I got home (from an outing with some co workers! So fun!). And they were very ready to start our little celebration.

With Dad they had already painted pictures, walked to play at the park and picked apples in the back yard.

We made a garland of pumpkins, acorns, leaves cut out of cardstock and natural paper. Then the kids colored them while they ate dad's homemade chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream and watched a Barney about autumn (yikes, I'm not a Barney fan, but it was Truman's turn to choose a show on Youtube)-- not much coloring got done.

On Monday night, the kids painted pumpkins with a dear friend, so tonight we made them sweet little tags. I love the idea of decorating pumpkins, with little ones painting is so much easier than carving!  We did this last year too and Isabel remembered!

Gratitude Friday.

I’m grateful for these two faces, sweet friend, baby Hazel and Truman. Hanging around on a blanket under the apple tree, playing with their 'toe-toes.'

Today I am grateful for the women in my life, for their friendship and kind words. Those who have gone before us in situations, guide us though the next stages in our life. Help us walk our dog, drink wine at our table, eat, pray, laugh and cry together.

For my children who crack me up. Truman who corrects us when me misunderstand his pronunciations of words. Indignantly, “No, Mama ATside (outside, which also sounds like inside).”

And for Izzo who said last night, “Mom I miss our white chicken, but dinner was SOOOOO good.” (Eric just learned how to butcher chicken, this rooster was HUGE so it was a big job!)

For the adventures the kids love to take and how everything turns into a story. We took Jayne and Lucy on our fairy walk last night.

For sleep (we didn’t get much last night) but it makes you that much more grateful the days you do get it.

I sound like a broken record, but for fresh produce... And for all the salsa it makes. I’ve made salsa for dinner the last 4 nights. Amazing.

For surplus, in so many ways.

Hope your day is filled with gratitude.

Eating and Gathering

Our favorite thing to do this summer has been, eating outside under the apple tree. We set a table with one of my vintage table cloths, and hang the paper lanterns (that are left over from our wedding decor-- almost 5 years ago)!

And after Eric's Birthday party in July, I made a goal to eat outside at least once a week for the rest of the summer. It makes dinner seem so special!


And we’ve had dinner, dessert and a party. The kids love this little adventure, a diversion from the ordinary. And we’re literally right a few steps away from our kitchen table, but since we’re outside the magic of summer is so evident. The night light is fading, but so subtly and softly.


What have you been enjoying this summer?

Late Summer Snack

We arrived home late last thrusday night. Covered in dirt, tired but energized.


After working side by side in the garden with sweet friends. We brought in 4 huge boxes of garden glories: cabbage, sunflowers, squash, carrots, potatoes, beans, peas, the first of the tomatoes and cucumbers! I didn't even remember we'd planted cucumbers until a friend said, "Do you want to pick the pickels?" Um. YES! (Thank's Charlene!)


After we bathed the kids and put them down, we cleaned and seeded 14 sunflower heads (which yeilded 2 gallons of seeds). I have a whole photo story, that documented the whole process. Coming soon!


And washed the beans/peas for canning and freezing on Friday, and washed the cabbages for coleslaw (that we made for a friend’s wedding).

It was getting late, the kids were in bed and lucy was down for the night. I took a shower then made my self a little bedtime snack.

My grandma used to make us a summer salad that was just peeled cucumber, ranch dressing and fresh cooked, crumbled bacon. O my. Getting out of her pool, sitting over the hot bricks in the back yard on the heavy, white, wrought iron lounges (which never had cushions on them) eating this cool salad was the epitome of summer.


I felt a tinge of sadness and memory eating this cucumber salad in my night shirt on the front porch in the summer evening air. I figured it was too late for the neighbors to be peeping out anyway (if not well, hello neighbors!).

So whether you dress them in olive oil or in bacon ranch, cucumbers are a nostalgic summer treat.


Summer Bedtime Snack
1 small tomato
1 small cucumber
1 hard boiled egg (I boil a dozen or two at the beginning of each week to have on hand)
Oilve oil
Balsamic Vinager
Lime Juice (or juice of half a lime, I was out so I used the real lime product... I’m not sure if it is ‘real’)
Salt and Pepper

Dice tomatoes, and gently salt. Cut ends of cucumber’s first, as they are quite bitter. Then dice cucumber, you could peel first, but hey I’m lazy and I like some extra crunch. Dice hard boiled egg and then dress with olive oil, a little balsamic vinager (a little goes a long way), squirt of lime (or lemon), salt and pepper.

It is so easy and so delicious. You could double, triple, quadruple if you wanted too! Add some cilantro for some extra summer zing!

Weekend Manifesto

This weekend I will:

Watch the sunset over the fields

Can peas, freeze beans, make dill pickels

Spend tomorrow with the kiddos

Clean my house Note: after I took as shower for five minutes, two complete rooms in the house looked like I hadn't spent hours in them...

Look for the little things This is a continual goal!

Go to the farmer’s market-- have to save for next week!

Make a trek to the neighborhood bakery

Spend the morning at the park Boo the rain! (except that it was gorgeous)

Get a shot for Bench Monday

Drink a glass of wine

Laugh with friends

Pick more tomatoes. Make salsa.

Take a Sunday nap, after church I wish I would have actually slept

Sew something Saved for next weekend, though I've picked out what I'm going to work on and with what fabric, that's a start

Knit a baby hatstarted!

What will you be doing?

*I'm crossing out all that I've accomplished!

Garden Update

A little later today, I'll give you some easy tips for preparing food for winter, but until then, I'll leave you with some images from our garden!

Tomatillos : :


Cabbage : :


Sunflowers : :

Lately... a photoless update...

I thought the week we left for California was one of the busiest to date. Boy, was I wrong. I don’t think our feet have touched the ground since we’ve been home. Lots of commitments and joyful busyness. I thought I’d let you in on a few of the things we’ve been up to.

Zestos, Inc.
Zestos, Inc. is a new non-profit organization that seeks to meet the basic needs of people in our community with food, clothing, shelter and prayer. Eric and I have joined with friends to make this organization a reality. Our friends Rod and Jayne, have had the vision of a place like this for years and we all have a big part to play, it seems as if our roles were divinely laid out for us.

We have a prayer meeting tonight (Thursday, July 30th) at 6:30 p.m. at Alton Reformed Church, this will be about 45 minutes. If you have time and are in the area, come pray with us!

I created the blog and a facebook page. If you want more information you can see this article, that was put out by the N’West Iowa REVIEW. If you wnt to ask specific questions post them on our facebook wall or email ZestosInc[at]gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.

The Garden
So I’d love to say that we’ve been out there more than once in the last three weeks, but that would be fibbing. However, we have lots of produce coming in, onions, potatoes, beans, carrots, dragon carrots, peas. Tomatoes that are just aching to turn ripe. Sunflowers that are taller than the house (ok so not really but they are HUGE!).


Weddings, Weddings.
We flew to one (in CA) and had the most lovely weekend. What sweet friends these two have been!

And we had one this weekend which I shot pictures at the reception, lots of photo editing in my spare time!

Plus... we’re helping out at wedding in August, lots of planning/meetings involved. But it should be fun!

Goats Milk.
I believe that I scalded the milk while making yogurt, and when it was finished, the ‘yogurt’ looked like runny cottage cheese, and no one really ate it. Better luck next week...

Farmer’s Market.
However this has been my best season yet, I will no longer be baking for the Market. It cuts hours out of my already busy life and though it is a hobby and creative outlet for me, I think that it’s more than I can sanely accomplish.

I am going to start to post some of my tried and true Farmer’s Market recipes (some are already posted). So that you can enjoy them on your own!

New Puppy.
Lucy is a sweet girl and she’s been such a wonderful addition to our family. But she is a puppy, lots of training not to bite, pee in the house, jump.... Funny, we’re trying to get Truman to not pee in the toilet, not bite, and not jump on the bed.

Raw Milk and Choo-Choo Trains

I am terribly excited today. Not only did I get to hang out with Emily last night: walk, talk, drink tea and youtube ‘depth of field’. I marvel at our same geekiness. It makes me happy! We took a field trip too...

A friend of ours has show goats. They are beautiful, mod-grey colored animals (I contemplated matching their PMS color-- I might still do that). Emily and I were just taken with their beauty. I've never said anything like, "what a beautiful goat you have." Have you??

The goats are incredibly sweet and are well taken care of.

And these goats get milked everyday. And what is done with this raw milk? Fed to the cat, the dog and then the rest goes to water their yard. Seriously. It’s just dumped. Which is fine, because they didn’t have a use for it.

ME? After I gently pasteurize it this evening... I’m going to make it into yogurt, ice cream and with next weeks batch of milk, I’ll make it into farmer cheese. O my. I’m excited. I will report back here with any goat milk related projects or the PMS for their coats color (:

Next milking season, I’m thinking homemade goats milk soap sounds amazing!

And next time I'm out at their farm, I'll try to have the pictures do them justice.
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On a birthday note: Truman is enjoying all of his birthday gifts, including his Elmo shirt which he lives in, I peeled it off of him last night. And his “pee-whoa” case. Wendy scored a sesame street pillow case at the thrift store and now it’s making one boy very happy. She used it as a bag for his birthday gifts. So ingenious!


Grandma P and Grandpa Carlos got Truman a train which came in the mail yesterday. He went to bed only after, Eric promised and crossed his heart that it would still be there in the morning. And this morning, we were almost late to work since we played a little too long with the train in our jammies.

Hope you are all well and have a lovely weekend. Next week I will be back to regular posting.

It's a girl!

And she's beautiful.

This is Miss Lucy, the newest addition to our little family. She is about 6 weeks old and just a gem.

Truman wakes up in the morning, not calling for me or Eric, but saying "Hello!" "Where's Woocy??"

Hope you're weekend was lovely!

What I am up to...

Instead of blogging here’s what I’ve been doing:


Making and eating chocolate chip pancakes.


Watching the apple tree begin to bloom.


Watch chickens waddle as Eric makes a new coop.


Preparing for the Tulip Festival. I was part of joint project with my beloved Grandma Bonnie. A little designing and printing of placecards. They turned out quite nice. I'll post a photo soon.

Playing outside


Sewing and screen printing. This delicate pink linen bag was for a friend at work, her 30 year anniversary.


Making some wine labels...



Picking up TAMMY! She is back here for graduation and we are very glad to have her back ‘home’. Even if she’s only here a week.


Designing a blog...



It was my birthday this mother’s day. And even though I don’t like a big deal made about my birthday, I do like when I feel known.

This birthday I felt very spoiled. My little family got me a lensbaby. O my goodness I love it. Watch for me at the festival with my camera-- its charging on the counter.


Missy sent an amazing gift box for me full of wonderful trinkets, books, scents and a pair of TOMS have you seen these. Missy got me the vegan variety. O goodness!


Cute and conscious. Ooo and comfy too.

I hope you’re doing as well as I am... I’m hoping for some slow time, but I’m glad I actually like what I’ve been up to!