november cleanup

FOR TODAY
november 9, 2009...
Outside my window...clear, gray november dawn, 46 degrees, 43% humidity

I am thinking...i may have some more months before i sleep well with the end of night nursing for one and nightmares for the other.
i also am thinking of deer hunting. i don't think i'll get to go again this year, which makes me a bit melencholoy.

I am thankful for...the reasons i don't sleep, healthy and normal boy and girl babies. also for a husband who is in serious fall garden cleanup and nesting mode.

From the learning rooms...way is really getting good at sounding out letters (thanks PBS and leapfrog) i really don't want him to think this is work, nor push him at all, so he plays at learning to read.
and of course, nornor is learning to walk.

From the kitchen... the last of last years' venison roast tonight, with roasted vegetables.

I am wearing...black pajamas, gray wool triangle sweater, sage crocs

I am creating...hard cider for christmas, beer too. i have a name picked out, the under the desk brewing company.

I am going... no place like home today! though a fair amount of tidying to do, as well as setting up the 2010 calendars and such.

I am reading...childrens' books and childrens pyschology books

I am hoping...the plumber comes on wednesday to fix the floor

I am hearing...two little kids happily playing in the living room, chickens scratching leaves outside, coffee maker heat ticking on the counter

Around the house...it's a bit chilly, but should warm up later, warm enough outside today to open the windows for the afternoon.

One of my favorite things...coffee with milk

A few plans for the rest of the week: playgroup tomorrow with sarah and zeinab, nornor's birthday on thursday and grandma and grandpa come visit on saturday! we are going to the country store for dinner, woohoo!!
i also hope to get gardens more tidyed up for the winter, it looks better for these gray months, and it's so much easier to start in the spring.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
in the cupboard under the stairs

the original daybook:
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

fall cool sweet potatoes

it sure feels like fall today. the leaves are almost dying and falling off without changing color much. probably becasue we had so much rain?

way looks for snow every day now, and asks 'why does it rain?'
nor is crawling faster and cruising everywhere. i don't think it'll be long before she walks.

we are having candied sweet potatoes and grilled venison chops for dinner. plus the last of the fresh bread. i like baking bread this time of year.

gotta go. miss nor wants me NOW!

Daybook

FOR TODAY...august 11, 2009
Outside my window... uncomfortably hot & humid, 70 degrees, 88% humidity, no wind

I am thinking... about maybe turning on air conditioning today (i almost never do this - but today i might)

I am thankful for... love, health, little kids, chickens

From the kitchen... grilling outisde today. if i get ambitious, i might make a cold salad too.

I am wearing... white and tan muu muu, sage crocs

I am creating.. less clutter, maybe work on cleaning up the photo folder on the laptop today

I am going... no place but home. car is headed for the shop.

I am reading... the chicken blog. why won't my biddies lay?

I am hoping... to find an egg today

I am hearing... cicadas and song birds through the open windows. mr miner driving by. norah harassing a bagel half, waylon watching pbs

Around the house... the flotsam and jetsam of summer lack of cleaning. good clean dirt.

One of my favorite things... ice cold pond water.

A few plans for the rest of the week: miss baby head's 9 month checkup, garden rip out on friday, cabin on the weekend??

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

mr. curly head and miss baby head on their horses (midnight and sunshine) made by grandpa!

check out daybook original (on vacation until september)
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

pond breach

the big news here yesterday was the amazing amount of rain, and the pond breach.
my rain gauge, though not totally accurate, registered 6+ inches in 30 minutes and a total event of 8 + inches in about 8 hours.

the pond totally breached banks in 5 places, but the damage is not as horrible as i might have imagined. the original banking job (hooray for mr.b and father-in-law, with grandfather's transom) the grass, and the pond weeds held most of the soil in place. there are some washed out spots in both upper and lower falls, plus the garden.

things are back to 'normal' now, but it was very scary during the storm.

hawk

i saw three broad winged hawks hunting together on our pond and front yard yesterday.
one confirmed kill = big garter snake from the front yard.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/broad-winged_hawk/id
one is back again this morning, hunting in the garden.

also saw a decent sized buck in velvet just up the hill yesterday at noon,
and a doe and fawn eating clover on the far side of the pond at dusk last night.

i love the northeast forest!

best little henhouse in (old) chatham

congratulations to ginger for winning the naming contest! please come to the front of the auditorium to collect your prize!

the little biddies are happy in their new home, but have yet to start cranking out the eggs. soon...
Mr. b thinks we have all roosters. minus the crowing.

Daybook July 14

FOR TODAY (July 14)...
Outside my window... sunny, 62 degrees, 37% humidity

I am thinking...i need to find a way to get norah to sleep longer

I am thankful for... health, sunshine, clean air and water

From the learning rooms...the on-going plan to learn how to ID more than 20 stars needed for navigation

From the kitchen... ah well, leftovers from last night - chicken in an onion, maple, mustard sauce, poached on the grill with sides of jasmine rice and melon and grapes

I am wearing...sage crocs, tan shorts, pink and orange tee, gray sweater, hair in the pony bun

I am creating... more lists, with hopefully less clutter

I am going... to take the kiddos to the sheep farm for a lunchtime picnic

I am reading... "the no cry sleep solution" and "le petit appetit"

I am hoping...to get more sleep tonight

I am hearing...howard on the radio, waylon watching and talking back to sesame street, birds outside, frogs in the pond

Around the house... laundry almost done for the day, but kitchen a disaster...

One of my favorite things... target practice with poppa's 22 rifle

A few plans for the rest of the week: do the shopping list, prep for next weeks' guests at the barn & breakfast, maybe get one day on the desk done?

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

friends playing in the pond with mr. curly head

the original (on vacation until september)
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/