Community Garden

We have a little allotment, a piece of land in our town's community garden. And it has been such an enriching experience.

I think the kids are more apt to help in this garden than at our home. As soon as we get to our garden plot they take their shoes off and stick their toes in the mud. Because what's the point of gardening if not barefoot?

They rake and hoe, they shovel and run around like crazy.

Truman likes to water plants and people (mostly his sister who HATES getting wet unexpectedly). Then runs off with my camera to say to our other gardening neighbors, "Hi! I'm a news man, I've come to take your picture" Snap a photo then run away (:

One of our 'neighbors' lives just beyond the garden, so she told the kids she had bugs for them and she would be right back. She came back with a handful gummy worms and gummy butterflies. The kids laughed so hard! Truman kept saying, "WOW. Mrs. Korver, I thought you were bringing us real bugs!" And Isabel chimed in with, "These taste much better than REAL bugs!"

Eric spends the most time here, I think it's soothing his soul. He has a natural grace for gardening.

Thanks for taking a peek in our second gardening home.

Have a lovely weekend!

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.

Project Life: January 2012

I love the idea of project life, but doing something daily or weekly seems a little too much for me. Plus, I LOVE the supplies. Well designed and systematic. And I know I'd go a bit crazy on them. In an effort to memory keep in a sustainable way (and save a bit of money)-- I thought I'd do one 12x12 page a month and share it with you here. So I can keep a record what joys we've had, perhaps at the end of the year I'll print them all and make a scrapbook.  O my, did I just say that?!

make believe: The kids went on a "date" pretending to be Eric and I. Isabel wore 'more jewelry than mom usually does' and Truman told her that their date was important, "makes us better mommies and daddies."

weekend visit: The four of us traveled up to visit Kerry and her beautiful family. There was lots of love, conversation good food and coffee. Next time, perhaps, Truman will sleep. That will make it waaaay more fun!

date in omaha: Eric and I took 24 hours to ourselves. He surprised me with a night away, a new outfit and my nails done. Then dinner at our favorite restaurant. I think this is where Truman heard the speech about dates making us better mommies and daddies. It's so true you know.

on a walk: In the first week of January, we took a walk to visit Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa John. It was very cold so Isabel decided to wear everything she could fit on her body. She loves layering you know. It makes Truman's wardrobe of hat, gloves, coat, scarf seem so... simple.

snow play: Eric and Isabel made their first snowman together. Truman and I stayed warm and baked chocolate applesauce muffins. Then we made faces as they threw snowballs at us.

ready for bed: One night we cut Isabel's hair before bedtime. This photo of Truman clowning around (:

garden planning: Sketchbook Saturday Morning a few weeks ago, Isabel decided to plan the garden for next year. So she drew everything she would like us to grow. We're going to have to think about bananas and plums. I'm not sure we'll be able to have a exotic orchard in the back yard.

grand arrival: My bestest friend had a beautiful girl. And they sent us their Christmas video. What a treat. Oh I cried when I saw that new little bundle. Truman kept kissing the ipad screen. I can't wait to see her in March!

adventure: We were on our way to Sketchbook Saturday Morning looking for patches of snow to stop in. And half melted puddles to jump in. What a good combo for a 4 year old adventurer.

sketchbooks: We love our Sketchbook Saturday Morning. A few hours of relaxation, coffee, books, coloring, knitting.


This template is from Rebecca Cooper, a month in photos. I've made a few edits to it.

Tasty Tuesday: A Summer Table

Is there anything better than fresh summer produce? I feel like in these months where the gardens are bursting and farmers' market is bustling we are blessed with the most delicious, simple meal.

This is our typical summer dinner. Meat on the grill, roasted veggies or simple brown rice, lightly salted tomotoes, cut up raw fruits and vegtables.

On this particular night, celebrating Father's Day. We had T-bones... Catherine Newman's recipe for Ausparagus with Lemon and Parmesan (made three nights in a row), roasted potatoes, tomatoes, apple, sugar snap peas, carrots. In the words of Truman, this dinner was 'Nice and Fresh!'

What is your favorite summer produce? Do you dinners change in the summer?

*Linking up via Trailer Gypsy to:

FTLOB
All The Small Stuff
33 Shades of Green

Welcome Back!

Hello friends,
I've been on an unintended blogging break. But for very good reasons! So many NEW GOOD! things coming up.

But for now I'll give you a quick update to our spring/summer manifesto!

Read with the kids everyday-- We're reading Ramona the Pest (with Auntie Jayme!), Five Little Peppers and How They Grew  

Read something for myself, everyday-- I'm reading Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Grow! Cook! Eat! Invite!-- The garden is growing, pies have been baked, meals have been shared! 

Dry herbs for winter-- I first dried chives in the oven. Tutorial soon.

Use fresh herbs now-- Mint for mojitos, chives in herb dip, bits of basil on eggs, cilantro in salad...

Sing-- We've been singing as we work, as we drive and as we play. 

Plant flowers-- Hydrangas, peonies and lilacs...

Be gracious to my children, slow to anger and abounding in love. I am diligently working on this, it makes for a much happier household. I heard Sylvia Boorstein's interview on On Being with Krista Tippet.  She told a story about watching a family on an airplane. Their kindness to their upset child was just gracious, attentive and productive-- the child settled on her own. "Do not ask am I pleased?... {but} in this moment am I able to care for the child and myself in a kindly way?" Because getting upset and flying off the handle is not kind to me and it is not kind to my children.

Eat outside-- We went camping so we had lots of eating outside! And we've been taking picnics with Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa John plus this week Grandmommy, Papa, Megan and Jayme.

Get into the sunshine-- next time I'll go easy on this... I'm a bit sunburned today!

Let worry go-- When my heart is full of gratitude, there is no room for worry.

Farmer's Market, every Saturday-- Orange City, Sioux City and Omaha.

Coffee and tea with girlfriends-- A few impromtu coffee dates with some special girls, hopefully more!

Do you have a manifesto-- written or unwritten?! Have you been slowly bringing beauty in your life this spring/summer?

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I've been writing letters for The Summer We Sent Letters! Have you? It's been wonderful to get a bit of mail and to send a bit of mail (plus a few boxes)!

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.

What's in Store for the Weekend::

In the spirit of my Summer Manifesto, this weekend we will be:

• Eating outside.
• Baking for Farmers' Market
• Spending time with friends 
• Flea Marketing with Rebekah!
• Playing in the sprinklers
• Creating some time for myself in my space
• Taking a nap
• Go out for a walk... Thanks to my beautiful friend Ann for the idea. 
• habit
• Mow the lawn... so long overdue and a little yard clean up
• Finish this book

What are you doing? 

corner view:: gardens

This weeks corner view is gardens. And even though ours is not blooming yet, we have taken some time to get it ready for the season. Moving sticks, mowing the grass, and starting seedlings. Our chives came back strong from last year.

Remember when we did all of that gardening? A HUGE plot out on our friend's farm?

This year we are scaling back-- the garden. Even though I loved all of the fresh produce, it was a little tough with full time jobs, two kids, and a ministry we were trying hard to get off the ground. But did I mention we're taking on a chicken endevor this year. 50+ chickens. Same farm, same friends, different venture (:

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.

Weekend Update

We had an amazing weekend, one where everything got done and we were not over-booked. I’m not sure how this happened but I want to replicate it.

On Saturday, we went to the farmer’s market with tons of breads, goodies and jam. Next week will be the last for the season. I’m a little sad to have this season ending-- but having Saturday morning time, is such a treasure.

A sneak peek of the kids bedroom: 

We napped then I proceeded to tackle the kid’s playroom. It too hours and my ‘helpers’ were um, quite helpful. These photos need a whole post, look for it tonight!!!

After this project was completed (at 8 p.m.) and after all the kids were showered and jammied up. We decided to leave the house for an unexpected adventure— we ended up in Sioux City for a little treat. And on the way home, Eric and I got a few quiet minutes to sip our cherry-limeades, with two content babes asleep in the backseat.

On Sunday after church, we went to lunch at our friend’s farm. We made homemade calzones, so delicious.

We had a loaf of apple cinnamon bread-- not gooey quickbread, but a yeast dough made made with apple cider as it’s base liquid instead of water. Yum! Eric made it into the most wonderful bread pudding, from Paula Deen’s recipe. Friends, I was a tad skeptical, but o my. I could have polished off the whole thing with a pot of coffee.

We picked the near-end of our garden. We still have peppers, pumpkins and tomatillos that are holding on for another week or two.

During nap time on Sunday, I got the rest of my housework done, and the laundry all folded and put away. I was a cleaning machine. It feels so good to have the whole house in working order!

How was your weekend?

30 Days of Happiness: Leaves Turning

          (day 27)

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house.

So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
Nathaniel Hawthorne

30 Days of Happiness: Accomplishing

(Day5) Sunday was spent putting by. 

Remember last week when I said I'd be doing this forever... um, I meant it. 

Even though we canned our brains out, I still have two laundry baskets in my kitchen just waiting for some attention. We made pickles (hot pack and refrigerator), pizza sauce, marinara, hot salsa (it was meant to be mild/medium... oops).

We took an afternoon break for the kids to have naps and a trip to the park (with our favorite people) before we started back up again.

30 Days of Happiness: Weekend Edition

(Day 3 evening) Friends
A night with my girlfriends and all of our children (eight of them!). Talking, laughing, eating, feeding, caring, wiping, listening... it was a really busy but peace-filled eveing.

(Day 4) Taking Time
We all need to take time to be together as a family. This weekend we took our time on Saturday, we slept in a bit (with kids thats like 7:30, right?), ate breakfast, went to the park and the kids took naps while I went to the farm (where are garden is located) to go pick tomatoes.

When I got there, I realized there was a lot more ready than I'd expected. So Jayne and I gathered: pickling cucumbers (a TON of them), sweet corn, some melons, peppers of all sorts and zeppelin squash. Then we snuck in a piece of apple pie straight from the oven and cup of coffee before I went home.

I got home and super crabby kids preempted our nights plans so we went to a new park in a different town. A lot of family time plus little change of scenery did us all some good.

Morning Routines

First off, I have to say a big thank you to Lynette Kraft for featuring me on her blog late last week. What an unexpected treat!

Thanks for all the special ones who took the time to visit and comment! Did you know you could join us on facebook too?

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This morning we started a new routine, we’re getting up earlier, so we can all eat breakfast together. I think since, time is such a commodity around here, we need to make the most of it, and breakfast is a way we can do that. Start the day as a family, food in our bellies, a little reading from the bible together, a quick prayer before we’re out the door. Hopefully to center our day, and to cut the craziness out of the mornings. To start a new morning routine, we had to start a new nightly routine, so there’s no more hurriedly packing bags and hunting for shoe-mates in the mornings. Is there something that you do that really helps get the morning moving? I’d love to hear any advice you have! (This picture is not from this morning, as it is still darkish when we're up before work.)

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This weekend was a good mix of relaxing and work. We froze about 36 quarts of corn for Zestos, Inc. It is really awesome to come together as a collective group and work towards the goal of feeding people!


We picked tomatoes by the 5 gallon bucketful. I made some marinara sauce after the kids went to bed. I love tomatoes, I really do. But I think I’ll be doing a batch of sauce, whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, salsa every night for the next three weeks. Boiling water here I come...


The kids helped Rod move calves, they more stopped to pet and take turns holding the bottle. Aren’t those babies so sweet?

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.

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!

Let's Make: Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) is a really easy way to keep fruits and vegetables in their most natural state but preserved for the winter. The idea (for me) is to have loose veggies that I can use a handful or two for soup, risotto, cassoroles....

Simple Process
1. Wash and dry fruit.
2. Line sheet pan with wax paper or parchment.
3. Trim and slice veggies or fruit.
4. Lay fruit/veggies in a single layer on cookie sheet.
5. Freeze for 2-5 hours (or longer), place frozen veggies in Tupperware or a plastic bag.

Fruit that I have tried with this this method: Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb

Veggies: Green pepper (sliced for fajitas), cauliflower, broccoli, any kind of hot pepper (freeze whole with stems).

Zucchini or carrots— grate with skin on, portion into cups. Lay each haystack of zucchini on a cookie sheet. Then if your recipe calls for 2 cups, then you’ll grab two haystacks out of the freezer bag.

Sliced Carrots— I cut carrots into rounds for soups or stews

Strawberries— I just trim the green stems and freeze whole

Peaches, Pears and Apples— I cut into slices, sprinkle with fruit fresh and freeze.

Peeling Peaches and Tomatoes for canning
1. Score the bottom of the fruit by cutting an x just through the skin.
2. Bring water to a rolling boil
3. Boil peaches for 2 minutes, Tomatoes until the skin starts to peel up
4. Cool on a baking sheet
5. Peel, it’s so easy!

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 : :

O My Peach Pie...

This week has been filled with deliciousness. I love the part of summer where you work like crazy to have food for winter. So far this week we’ve IQF (individiually quick frozen--more on this tomorrow) some carrots, sliced for soup and grated for cake, bread, more soup and whatever else. We’ve canned beans and ate our filling of cabbage and potatoes.


And then we found them. This is the week I wait for all summer. When the boxes arrive.

Boxes of peaches to be exact. The flats get stacked up high in the local grocery shop, waiting for people to come and can them. The buzz starts around town ‘the peaches are in.’

So, I succumbed and now we have a flat and a half of peaches frozen. Some in a pie and others on the counter just waiting to be turned into jam. (I will give a detailed on how we froze and processed peaches along with IQF tomorrow).


The intention was just to peel, pit and dice the peaches for freezing. Izzo was the designated peach peeler. And then Izzo says “We should make pie. I love peach pie!” But she goes on to say “I don’t like apple pie, I don’t like the ingredients, just apples alone.”


Did I know the word ingredients at three?


We pulled out two freezer pie crusts, and Jayne’s recipe for “Crumbly Topping.” We scooped the lightly sugared peaches (with a tad bit of corn starch for thickening) into the pie crust, then generously sprinkled with the cinnonmon/brown sugar goodness. And that friends, is how you make 10 minute pie. In the oven for 25 minutes and it’s delicious.

This I believe: there will be copious amounts of peach pie in heaven, and good coffee.

I’m so glad that I could have slice of pie and a cup of coffee for breakfast, lunch and dinner today if I wanted to. And I want to.