Homesteads are made for kids

It has been quite a rainy week.  Rain we love, humidity we are not used to but it's the hail and tornadoes we don't take a liking to.  We are powering on despite not having our tractor right now... it is in the shop due to one of the recently tornadoes that threw the horse's manger into the window of the tractor.  The rains have brought up seeds we planted back in March. It made me laugh and feel blessed all at the same time. We may have pumpkins yet.

It rained today.  I didn't get to do what I wanted to today... vehicle is still in the shop but we made the best of the day.   It began with tea...

And a frittata from the homestead...

Then we got a surprise text that my son's wife's nieces and nephew wanted to come out to the homestead.  How cool , they are visiting our state and asked to come to the homestead. 

We showed them the greenhouse and picked a few things.  We talked about how plants are pollinated differently. 

Then collected eggs...

The turkeys came to say hello. 

We gave biscuit scraps to the chickens.

Everyone shared.

The sheep saw someone visiting and wanted to say hello. 

Then it was craft time. We finished up the last of the birdhouses. 

My grandson asked if he could come and spend the night. Sure. He loves to wear his new "chef" hat everywhere.

He wanted to help prepare the corn and learn about cooking.  We were making corn, baked beans, hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone. 

Everyone else crafted on .

It was a great day to stay indoors and create things and eat.  Storms were all around.

We had a wonderful visit with everyone. Our friends will fly back home on Tuesday. They left with a kit of mustard seeds and containers to plant them in. I told them I will try and send them craft kits every now and then. They loved it. 

Grandson stayed for the night.  He spent most of his time with Papa Red.  They caught toads and fed the animals before putting them to bed. 

They watched Hook together. 

He asked me to make a shark cozy for Shark Week like I made for his cousin. 

I crocheted while they went for a walk. 

They walked over a mile. Papa taught him about corn and showed him inside the fields. 

Then back home for milk and apples with the cats. 

And his new shark cozy! 

This is what homesteading is really about... at least it is for us. 

peace 

Relaxing Sunday

The day started out very hot at 95*… hot and hazy. I decided to go ahead and put up the mug holder I made a month ago.  Despite how hot it was today, Colorado had more cool and cold days for a hot beverage than these warm days. 

This one is made from a pallet. 

Another from a rake that broke. 

And this one from a hat or jacket hanger. 

I brought in the plants. 

Outside the grapes finally are coming back but I fear it might be to little to late but we'll see. 

Dude was madly trimming the tomatoes in the greenhouse. I'm glad I went out.  I rescued the green tomatoes. He was going to trash them.

I did get a batman chef hat made for one of my grandsons. 

And prepped a quilt I made a while back to quilt this week. 

I grew up near the beach and every summer I think about those days laying out and swimming in the waves and... when I was in high school the movie Jaws came out.  It...freaked... me … out but I loved it. Today I wanted to crochet a shark and found this .

I want to try the pattern again since I obviously got part of it wrong - smile. (Dude thought the fin was a nose...ohgoodlawd)

But you can see the resemblance of a shark. 

Give it a try and see how yours comes out. 

I did post some recipes on Facebook that I made today. 

By the end of the day it became cloudy and in the 70*s with a bit of rain.  We will take whatever we can get. 

Here's to the start of a new week. 

Cheers! 

peace 

A rough week but things are coming together.

The whole message this week has been not to give up.  I really wanted to give up on almost everything this week. Work was rough, my car was in the shop and I wasn't sure if all our hard work in the gardens would come to fruition this year. 

So, what did I do …make cookies. I like to bake. I like to see someone when they enjoy a really good cookie.  Dude had never had snickerdoodles before so I made those. He loved them.. yay! 

A friend gave me a large box of cording that was going to be thrown out. I thought it would be "easy" to make a rug from one of the rolls.  It wasn't … at all. 

I got burned, it took longer than I thought and then the glue gun died. 

Going outside always makes things better.  It was so hot the dog decided to stay indoors. 

I wanted to finish the container planting I began. I recycled cans and a coffee container. 

Painted all the containers and got to planting. 

I love how they turned out. 

Then off to mass with my mom.  There are so many times I want to give up on mass... so many rules, so many things that don't make sense at times, and at times... I just can't focus , prayer can be difficult… 

Then tonight … I went to the church my youngest was baptized in and confirmed, where my sons went to teen youth classes.... a place of comfort.  Tonight there was a visiting priest.  He took his message from the reading tonight of Jeramiah:

Reading 1 Jer 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
"The LORD our justice."

He points out that there will be times when those whose job it is to guide us will fail us... who focus on the rules more than on Jesus (who did not always follow the rules). You expect compassion and sensitivity and instead you get scolding from your pastor.   Forgive them and remind them they are here to be a good shepherd.  And for us , the flock, we are obliged to take care of each other.  We are to be open to each other, be kind, considerate, compassionate, and open our heart to the way Jesus has taught us. We need to come together as a community, as one. 

I needed to hear this.

Then home again.  It was a very hot day.  The turkeys  had their first day to roam wherever they would like. They stuck close to home. 

I love their ears. 

The sheep saw me and came running for some love. 

The horse said hello. 

Then out to the garden... finally things are taking shape!  Cucumbers! 

A friendly toad to protect the garden and eat any bugs. 

The rooster protecting his flock and...

the turkey.

Tomatoes!!! We are getting tomatoes. 

Beets, lots of beets to juice, pickle, roast and toss in salads.

The tomatoes are taller than Dude.

… and yes I am still working on the rug.  It is taking way longer than I thought it would. 

So, yes, there will be those days, weeks, even months but stick to it.  Things will begin to look up and make sense but always, along the way , be kind.

peace