cycles

new and loss....the cycle of life. lots of it going on around here, mostly in the loss though, but the new thing is in the way we are thinking I guess.

 we are getting eggs now. almost a dozen a day. they disappear as quickly as they come with a large family. we sure are enjoying having fresh eggs again.

Aliss' beautiful cat Leon died. it was horrendous to say the least. he ended up with sepsis in his blood. he was at the vets overnight and then we brought him home the next day because they said there wasnt anything they could do for him. i was giving him antibiotic shots and iv fluids as they said and he started doing better. then he went down hill and was gone. the anguish after believing so whole heartedly for something and it going the other way.


THEN two days ago Sophie said her guinea pig hadnt been eating. what? I wish animals could tell us when they didnt feel well. We tried what we could for beautiful Zoey but lost her too.


this Sunday both beef will be butchered as we were raising them for my mom and neighbor. that will be a big adjustment because they have been here at this home almost as long as we have. we will adjust, but it will be weird at first to not see them or hear them calling from the pasture.


not everything in life is wrapped up in neat little packages. 

grief is part of life. 

change is too.


on a lighter note (because we have to have that), Sophie and I found some puff pastry in the freezer and made some little apple desserts. they were so delicious! Since we borrowed brown sugar from Ernie our neighbor Sophie took him one and he was most appreciative. ;o)


Are you doing any fall cooking?


sorry to be a bummer, but life is all about recognizing our emotions isnt it and not running from them? well a healthy life is at least ;o)


Lori
xo

the reason for my absence

i really havent been just being rude and vacant here. there has been so much going on. the exterior of the house is almost done...my oldest daughter's wedding is 3 weeks away, school is progressing and life is in full swing.

:: i am tickled at how God is providing for Tessa and Elijah's wedding on November 19. I am also tickled at the community of people that are gathering around them to make their day so special.

:: the garden is coming to an end. some half ears of corn are being eaten by my family. corn stalks by the horse and steers.

:: some lingering green tomatoes here and there on the plants that havent already been thrown over the garden fence to the livestock or chickens.

:: we are in full swing of eggs now...we average about 9-11 a day. just right for my bunch.

:: the woodshed has seen the first delivery of winter wood. yep! we are behind, but i have faith that God will see to that aspect of taking care of our needs as well as He has everything else.

:: I am tickled that I found the big burnt orange velvet vintage covering that I found thrifting a few years back. just in time for some sewing for my girls wedding. her colors are burnt orange, teal and charcoal grey.

talk to you more soon! hope you are all snug as a bug in a rug! (who made up that saying? its really pretty gross!) hehe!
Lori
xo

busy, busy, dreadfully busy.

tonight is the first class for me this school year. taking psychology and am really excited.

pulled out the pea plants from the garden this morning. threw them over the pasture fence to the steers and took the broccoli flowers to Joey the horse.

what is up with waking up at 6:30 for no reason? i better get a nap today because class doesnt get out til 9:30 tonight.

the new electric fuse panel went into the house yesterday. what a sigh of relief was exhaled.

Don and Donnie Miller are working full steam ahead on getting the exterior and support of this ole gal all up to par. Tessa helped me pick out the paint. it is called bee's wax from sherwin williams. you know i have been a home owner for over 20 years and am just now finally putting the paint i picked out on the house. different house but same dreams.

picked out new lighting for a few areas in the house too. one of my favorite purchases was the barn lighting style pendant from Home Depot.

it is going to hang over the bar in the game room (pool and darts). when i call it the pool room to people other than my family they assume it is a water style pool. i think it is too much to call it a billiards room. it is what it is.
anyway.
this pendant will hang over the bar and when the majority of the work is done around here I will then start on the beautification process...like putting a sheet of brushed metal on the top of the bar to match the light...i    cannot     wait!

i better get crackin around here...long day ahead.
have a good one!
Lori
xo

being present

to be honest
I am struggling.

there are many hats that i am adjusting on top of my head and  trying not to let one or the other fall that i am feeling like a butterfly flitting from one flower to another and not really enjoying any one of them

starting today i am focusing on the moment i am in and trying not to think about one to come or one that has been.
i really need to feel connected and my mind is fighting it with all of the different aspects of my life right now. it feels like a wire sending out bursts of electric information at all times.

focus on the moment

focus        on           the         moment

xo

ps i have been thinking about here a lot lately. i would really like to be a better friend and share more in this space. soon. thank you for visiting today

eggs!

 the other morning I was looking at the hens and noticed that some of them had dark red combs. I said to them "girls, you have the red combs. where are your eggs?"

I hadn't even checked up until this point because by my calculations I thought they would be laying around Thanksgiving.

I thought I would check anyway and headed over to the hen-house.

Looky what I found! boy, was I squeeling....so excited to be getting eggs again.

the first eggs were 3/4 size and now we have reached full size. Sophie loves being able to go get the fresh eggs each morning. She knows which of the hens are the early layers too.

Tessa made me an omelet this morning from our eggs and filled with ham and tomatoes and broccoli from the garden....so satisfying!

love having some of the hard work pay off. xo

twelve

sitting here in a quiet house and wondering where the time goes. the saying is that it flies. well somebody give me a net so I can catch some of it back and let it go more slowly. we would all like that sort of net right? xo

One of my youngest babies is TWELVE today. twelve. sigh.

twelve is the age of change for sure in a little girl becoming a young lady.

for me it is a second stage of toddler-hood independence except on a bigger level. so much learning about yourself and stretching wings.

so much wing stretching in this house.

its good...really. I keep reminding myself that my job as the momma is to help the wings to stretch and enjoy the view.

my girl Hannah is no exception. she is a tough one and also so pure and feminine. i love the balance of those two characteristics in her. a true gem.

i am so proud to be known as her momma and will continue to be proud as she continues to grow.

she shares her birthday with her dad. i still remember the day when i came out of the O.B's office telling my momma who was visiting and Andy that the Dr. would induce tomorrow. Mom looked at me and said why dont you see if he can on Andy's birthday? I hadn't thought of that really. I just wanted to have this baby. so i waited two more days. pure torture...act of love. what a gift to her daddy.

her Bompa's birthday is the day after too. special time.

this morning we celebrate with the traditional breakfast in bed and presents. tonight she goes to her dad's house and she celebrates with him and all of her siblings, tomorrow we watch her first soccer game of the season and next weekend we have a big party for her with lots of friends and family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY HANNAH SUZER KOOZER!
Go get em!!
Love you more,
Momma
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

construction

boy it has been busy around here! the construction has started on the exterior. lots of wood being removed-all lap siding and skirting.

balancing between starting the schoolyear with the kids, working part time and helping with clean up from remodel.

i am tuckered out!

the excitement of a fresh start is fueling the fire though...we have a couple of changes that we are possibly going to be able to do in regards to a wrap around porch. weeeeeeeeeee! to be able to grab a cup of coffee in those early morning and watch my chickens in their yard...ahhhhh.

getting hay for the winter...thinking of a plan to get wood too.

thinking of the garden as we progress into fall. making an access point for the the chickens to scratch it up through the winter and fertilize it for me. oh the thingy in the  photo above....i love that stand. i want a few of them for peas....thinking since i dont weld though that mine may be made out of wood slats. improvision is the backbone of life!

hope all is well with you!
what have you been up to?