Simple Gifts

We are truly blessed people here at the homestead. Seriously. If we want for something it appears. Almost like magic. Almost. But it's not magic, it's our kind family, or neighbors or fellow church goers.

Our washing machine gave up the ghost yesterday. Out of nowhere, it just decided it had had enough of laundry. I hear that, am I right ladies? I had to wash and wring all of the laundry that was midcycle when the washer quit. Of course it was a load of jeans. Sheesh. I have learned the hard way that women of yore had MUCH stronger hands than I. But the father in law called this afternoon and a new one will be here by friday. Amazing? I think so.

I've been thinking about teaching myself some basic piano but have been procrastinating actually doing it because, well, we don't have a piano. It's a dying art it would seem. In our church congregation I think there are two people that play. So they're stretched pretty thin when it comes to playing for meetings. As I've mentioned before I'm partially in charge of the youth in our ward. We always sing acapella in meetings because nobody plays. How sad. A few weeks ago a lovely woman in our ward came up and offered to give us her 90 year old baby grand. She's the wife of the man who gave Jonas the classical music guys. Anyway, it's the cutest piano you've ever seen. I am in LOVE with it. Now to get it to our house.

And the last blessing, that arrived just today. A CHICKEN COOP! As I said in an earlier post we've recently received the go ahead for chickens. On Friday my husband's boss, who also lives around the corner from us -and across the street from the inlaws- offered to give us his chicken coop. He built it himself and I am impressed. He and the hubs brought it down today and it is a thing of beauty to me. I took pictures but, alas, they won't load since Greg installed some sort of somethin' when he got a new camera for his birthday. Boo. But the pictures will be up soon. And you can all voice an opinion on what color I should paint it. I'm thinking yellow, but don't let that sway you.

Anyone else out there feeling blessed?

Hands Down Most Awesomest Free Knit/Crochet Pattern Site EVER!

I was reading a blog post a few days ago by a woman who lives in CALIFORNIA. She was very concerned about the impending winter (uhhhh...). To the point that she couldn't enjoy the beautiful weather we are enjoying. I'm sure you are all as befuddled as I am...impending winter, it's june! Also, winter in so cal, not that terrifying...quite balmy actually. So she's probably a bit nutty. My husband probably thinks I"m a bit nutty too. Here's why. A few days ago I started crocheting something. Nothing out of the usual there. The hubs asked what I was making, and when I told him it was a sweater his response was...OOOOOOOK. He left off the "weirdo." But I knew it was implied:) But what better time to crochet (or knit) a wonderful winter sweater than while you're enjoying crappy summer television?! Also, sweaters don't crochet (or knit) up fast people! So by the time I'm done it'll be time for wearin'! Perfect.
I searched and searched and SEARCHED online for the perfect sweater pattern. Nice crochet sweater patterns are hard to find, and if I'm gonna put the effort into it, I better be flippin thrilled with it, am I right? After stumbling through lots of free sweater pattern sites I finally hit upon this beauty and I HAVE to share it with you. I don't know why I didn't find it sooner but it is heads and tails above the other free pattern sites. Seriously it makes the other free patterns look like something the cat dragged in. I practically bookmarked every project, and there are hundreds! My absolute favorites are all knit sweaters but I'm just not advanced enough in knitting yet to attempt an adult sweater. But crochet is another story. While this is my fave.
I also LOVE this little number and it's what I finally settled on (sans the buttons, I've got different buttons in mind. And it's not grayish but off white) It's great because I plan to be expecting our number two little bundle of joy come this winter and I think this sweater will accomodate that nicely.
So enjoy the site! You're welcome.

Summer Time

Sorry about the lack of posts. Summer is a time-thief. Jonas and I spend almost the entire morning in the garden these days. I LOVE that. We come in around noon so he can eat lunch. Though he's always too full of sunberries and green beans and cucumbers and tomatoes to eat anything so I don't know why I even bother.
Proof of Jonas snacking away on green beans.
The plants growing around the new citrus trees are growing taller than the trees. Is that a problem?
Lemon Cucumbers. LOVE them. Jonas and I eat them like apples, right out in the garden.
The sunflowers are all about nine feet tall! The birds in the yard love to land on the leaves and peck away at them. At first I thought grasshoppers were eating the leaves. Turns out the sparrows find them delicious. Who knew?
The long island cheese squashes (seed purchased from seedsavers.org) are coming along nicely.
We'e getting zucchini in all shapes and sizes these days. The cross pollinated volunteer zukes are all pear shaped (none pictured here). But they all taste the same so who cares?
We've been sneaking some time in at the beach also.
Jonas is completely OBSESSED with classical music. At first the hubby and I were proud, now we're just over it. He begs to listen to it ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. And when he's not listening to it he's humming it...loudly...to a grocery store clerk. Or "meeping" it as seen on the muppet version of ode to joy. Anyway, the reason this picture is relevant is because a nice older gentleman in our ward heard that Jonas loved classical music -because we were at his house and Jonas was going on and on about beethoven and "bastian bach." So this nice man gave Jonas a set of plastic classical composer busts. Jonas calls them his "classical music guys." The Beethoven one has an angry face, per the usual. So the other day I look at Jonas who is sitting in his highchair making this face and I ask him if everything is ok, to which is replies, "I'm making my Beethoven face, mom." Duh. That kid is a crack up. Or as he says, "a crack out."

CHICKENS!

We got the go ahead for chickens! It's like Christmas morning...if christmas morning include looking at coops online for two hours! YAY!!!

I Have A Family Here On Earth, They Are So Good To Me.

I've been somewhat discombobulated lately...in case you hadn't noticed. But nothing too dramatic, or even remotely dramatic. Today I just felt, lucky. Or blessed if you prefer. Could I have a better life? I think not. Seriously, I am livin' the dream. I spend my days with Jonas, coloring, making bread, hanging the wash, staking the tomatoes. Greg did all of the laundry over the three day weekend, without being asked or even hinted at. My Jonas asks me every day to plant seeds with him in the garden. He says, "Mom I like your pretty pretty dress." He will make some woman very happy someday. The Mr tells me, "you look really nice." He already makes this woman very happy.
Jonas's favorite song at the moment is Families Can Be Together Forever which I sang to him once at bedtime and he's begged for ever since. He already knows both verses, and belts them out while grocery shopping. Jonas has started demanding what he calls, "being a family." This consists of the three of us either hugging or snuggling really close. He asks for it at least once a day and we love it. "Mom, let's be a family on the couch!" Who could say no to that?

The garden is booming, our home is filled with love, we're planning to add more love and some chickens. With all of this a happy ending seems redundant.