The Bigger Half

Friday, August 29, 2008

Canning and seed saving

You just haven’t lived until you’ve put a supply of fresh food by for your family. The feeling is exquisite. I’ve been freezing tomatoes and peppers for pasta-sauce, planning on doing the cooking and canning on one of those chilly fall days. I’ve done salsa and some fridge-style dills (they are sooo good) and canned 5 qrts of dill spears. But yesterday (after a loooong but over-all good day at the doctor and running errands) I tackled bread & butter pickles. I was really looking forward to this as B&Bs stand out in my memory above all the things my mom ever canned or preserved. I suppose because nothing else smelled so strong. (They say the sense of smell triggers memories quicker than anything else.) Now the smell of boiling vinegar and spices will be burned in my own childrens’ ~~nostrils~~ memories forever. Ahhh... yesterday it smelled just like home. Farra came in from playing and said something to the effect of, "What is that nasty smell?" Seth came in and said, "Mmm. Smells like yummy pickles."

I’m totally hooked on seed saving. We let one of the cukes grow until it started to get soft... the thing was ridiculously huge, yellowish/greenish white. There’s more seeds in one cuke than I’ll need next year. I also saved some tomato seeds, which is easier than I thought it would be. The tomatoes only have to be good and ripe and once you get the seeds out you can still make use of the fruit, unlike the cuke (well, we tasted the fruit and it tasted kinda like watermelon rind - should have pickled it).

The method for both is the same. Put the seeds in a dish, cover with water. Let it sit for 1-3 days to ferment, which occurs faster in a warm room or in the sun. There’s a checmical in the gel-like sack surrounding each seed that keeps it from germinating in the fruit and the fermentation kills this chemical. If they set too long (when the stinky tomato goo forms mold across the entire top it’s done) they’ll actually begin to germinate in the dish. When it’s time, add a lot of water and stir vigorously. The good seeds settle on the bottom and you pour off the mold, bad seeds and other debris. Add water and pour it off a couple times to clean, then dump the seeds in a strainer to drain off as much water as possible. You can spread them on a plastic or glass/stone plate to dry (they stick too much to paper plates or towels). Spreading them on a coffee filter helps wick away moisture and they don’t stick to it at all.

Bell pepper seeds (I grew California Wonder) were even easier. Carefully scrape them out of a ripe pepper and onto a plate to dry. Bag and label. Eat the pepper.

So little trouble to get a great start on next year’s garden. By growing open-pollinated or "heirloom" varieties (you can save and grow seeds from hybrids but it won’t result in the same kind of plant as the one you saved from - oh and in some cases it’s against the law as the seeds are actually patented by Big Ag) you not only save money, help preserve varieties that big seed companies are trying to stomp out (thus helping to ensure our future)... but when, year after year, you save seeds from your best plants, your plants are adapting to YOUR climate, YOUR backyard, YOUR gardening style. I think that’s fantastic.

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Friday, August 29, 2008

Much ado about nothing... as usual

I was rather nervous on the way to see the doc yesterday morning. My sister went with me and I took Blue along because it’s just no fun going anywhere without at least one of my kids. I was nervous thinking what I would say... do I put my foot down immediately and make sure she knows where I stand? Do I just go with the flow? Then I’d remember the idea was to let the Lord have HIS way and I’d relax and pray for humilty. My dear sister was so patient with my nervous jabbering the whole time.

It went worse than I expected and better at the same time. Sonja works directly for the hospital now and I was rather disappointed in the atmosphere. There was a TV on in every room, which didn’t help. I hate being asaulted by media. The rooms were cold and bland with birth control advertisements (3 months, 3 years, permantent - I wanted to cry!) being the only other things to look at. But here’s a happy sidetrack... My sister and I were digging in our purses looking for something to entertain Blue who was naturally drawn to the cartoons on the TV. I looked over at my sister at one point and saw her pulling out a wad of cash from her purse. I noticed some hundred dollar bills and wondered what on earth she was doing with that much cash and why she was flashing it so. Then I saw her face, her dropped jaw, saw the paper the money was folded up in... and I realized she had just found it in there. She looked at me, stuffed the money back in her purse and read the paper. It said, "For the baby, from Jesus and us" with some other encouraging words that gave no clue as to the giver. It was even printed from a computer, no handwriting. "Praise the Lord!" I said, having had similar things happen myself. "How much?" I pestered. She carefully pulled the money out and counted seven $100 bills. She almost cried. Maybe she did... I almost did. That was quite the highlight of the day. Not so much the money, though that helps, but that people have the heart to do that sort of thing. She had no idea who it could be or how long it had even been in there (not long, she’s only been pregnant a month).

Well, back to my appointment.... I’ve long since realized that an appointment at 10am means only that you should get in line around 10am and has no bearing at all on what time you might see the doctor. I think we went in at 10:45. I’ll spare you the details, it was a regular prenatal exam with pap smear and all that uncomfortable stuff I was hoping to avoid. I hugged Sonja when I saw her and tried to be friendly and it’s not that she was unfriendly... But it definitely confirmed that when I saw her before and felt like I had no time with her it was because of her, not because of the "rules" of the practice she was with. I really think it’s just a job to her, like a factory job. She cruised through my (easy) medical history, did the necessaries and was gone. I had questions... she never asked if I had questions. I’d like to say it was because of our past... but that’s the way our past was! I think the reason I upset her before was because I made her aware that her patients are individuals, with individual needs, that require more of her than she is willing or able to give. I don’t want to make her sound inhuman... she’s a very nice person and just the fact that she’s willing to see me again after last time shows her heart (I keep saying that - am I trying to convince myself?)... but maybe she just has a hard time carrying these things over into her work. Hmmm.

Enough of that. I have an ultrasound on the 10th. She also scheduled me for a 1hr glucose screen that day. I guess that means she didn’t catch my specific request for care. I’ll refuse the screen on the grounds that I already know my BG is wacky and don’t want to send it sky-high with Poison-Cola when it’s unnecessary. Can’t wait to see how she takes that.

But, it wasn’t all bad. When the nurse, who was about my parents’ age, was drawing my blood she asked if this was my first baby. This type of question just gets more and more fun with each pregnancy. I wonder if my friends, who have 10, 11, and 12 kids, just bust up laughing when asked. I just grinned real big.
"No, this is my sixth."
"Oh. Well, you should have just stayed at home and had this one," says she. What a pleasant surprise. Or was she joking?
"I plan to," says I. "I’ve had most of my others at home." Cool as a cucumber.
With utmost sincerity she says, "Well good for you!" Okay, color me tickled. She asked me about midwives and I explained the situation. We didn’t chat long, but it was delightful. I wish she were a midwife or a doctor... I wonder if I’ll get the chance to talk more with her? Will it go somewhere or was it just one of those encouraging moments? It’s strange to find such people in such places. "Natural" minded people in the medical field. A couple guys in my fellowship that are totally pro-homeschool teach at the local high school. What if some parent confided, "I’m thinking of pulling my son out of school and teaching him at home..." or "my daughter is really struggling with her studies... I wish there were another way," my brothers would be such an encouragment! I think it’s wonderful that some have the temperament/calling to do that. I’m too hard-headed (hearted?). Too judgemental. We’re working on that.

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

new links

I'm not great at adding extras to my page like some of you folks (due to know-how, lack of time and love of uncluttered space) but I am trying to make use of the built-in links feature to share some of my favorite webpages with you (not including blogs that I visit just to keep up on friends' happenings). Here's a bit about them:

The Deliberate Agrarian I don't know Herrick personally but count him a friend and a brother and would stop by his house if I were in NY. First, he has a most delightful writing style, one of those really gifted types. Secondly, he has the most useful agricultural information on his blog - I originally found it by googling "grow your own chicken feed" and came across his article about maggots. Eeeew. But very interesting, useful, and funny. Thirdly, his content is thought-provoking. Maybe I shoult say VISION provoking. I hadn't ever given much thought to the connection between Christianity and Agraculture (Agranianism - I didn't even know that word until his blog). Why are so many people trying to get "back to the land?" Christians in particular? Herrick shares sobering information about the correlation between the rise of the industrial world and the world's rapid departure from God ways. I recommend it to everyone, country person or not, Christian or not. My faith and my vision are strengthened every time I read his blog. Even the maggot bit.

Here In The Bonny Glen Melissa Wiley is the author of The Martha Years books about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s great-grandmother, Martha Morse Tucker, and The Charlotte Years books, about Laura’s grandmother, Charlotte Tucker Quiner. At least, that's what it says on her page. I've personally never read them, though I hope to someday. I enjoy her blog mostly because she's another of those wonderfully gifted writers. Her stories about kids and family life leave us in tears, we laugh so hard. When I'm in need of a pick-me-up, I visit this blog.

ObeyGod.com Our neighbor, friend and brother-in-Christ, Peter, had a bumper stick on his car that said "ObeyGod.com - a website and a command." I finally visited. I believe it's hosted by friends of his in Michigan... They were down visiting but I missed meeting them because of Seth's birthday party. Anyway, the site has some great articles on Christian living that have certainly challenged me, even in areas that I thought I had figured out. These messages are not your typical watered down Christian living messages. Read. Pray. Change.

Glorifying Him The above-mentioned Peter also hosts a webpage to strengthen and encourage believers. There's great articles, photos, music and messages. A lot of our fellowship meetings are recorded and posted on here.

Diabetic Mommy I found this website during my desperate search last week for gestational diabetes support. They have good info, links, birth stories and a forum. I like.

Godly Christian Music Another of Peter's sites. I hadn't visited in awhile and discovered he's added tons more great music by believers. These are true from-the-heart worship songs, totally free. I'm blessed to know so many of the people on there. Hmm, a few of them are neighbors. I just wish I could make more use of the site... out here in the woods I can only get dial-up and it takes an hour to download a song. But I do have some of them on CD, 'cause ya know, I gots connections.

There ya go. Let me know what you think!

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Monday, August 25, 2008

The plan

Back to plan #341C. I have an appointment with Sonja on Thursday morning. Yup, the very doctor I butted heads with throughout my last pregnancy. I finally reached her at home last night. I told her upfront that we're planning on doing things the same way as last time (unassited homebirth) and asked if she could just do a few things like bloodwork and sonograms. She said she certainly could, but I'd have to sign something near the end that said I was going against doc's orders, like last time (regarding the diabetes and homebirth), just to cover her. She gave me her office number and here we go. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I have peace, believing the Lord has this door open for a reason. Again. Still. But I also wonder if I'm in for a rough time again. I'm bathing it in prayer... praying for wisdom, praying for humility... I do tend to be prideful when it comes to this issue. I don't want to be that way. But I do want to stay strong and not get pushed around. I'm really amazed she'll take me after what we went through last time. But it shows the goodness in her heart, her desire to help. I think this time will be much better now that we know where we each stand. I think we'll be more open to listening to each other... her to me because it's obvious I was right and she was wrong last time. And me to her, because I know that because of last time she'll be more careful about what she says and about drawing conclusions (one would hope). I'm almost kind of excited to see what the Lord will do this time. Please pray for me to remain humble. Gosh, even that last bit smacks of pride.
I'm keeping in mind that I may end up birthing in the hospital this time. (Ugh. Such an unpleasant thought.) Honestly, though, I'm considered rather high risk and there's not even a midwife out there that would take me (at home) at this point. But this, my friends, is entirely up to the Lord. I want to be open to his leading and not insist on my own way. Oh that I could turn over every aspect of my life like that! Well, one brick at a time. If we became perfect immediately there'd be no point in sticking around, right? We're being perfected. He's perfecting me. One pregnancy at a time. =)

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Gestational Diabetes: take one

This started as part of the last post but got too lengthy... thought I better break it up.
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I finally called this week to make an apt. with this totally cool doctor in Poplar Bluff that my friends told me about. Figured I might as well travel a little over an hour to see her a few times than see some local doctor I’ve heard bad things about. I was feeling really good about it. Maybe she could help with my gestational diabetes, which has kicked in full force. Well, they no longer accept Medicaid at that location but if I’d like to drive TWO hours to Sikeston, they can see me there. Hmm. That kinda blew that plan. I’ve been going around with the Lord on some issues of trust and I immediately felt like it was a slap on the wrist for wanting to put my trust in a doctor. Could be my imagination. I don’t think it’s wrong to have a doctor, even a good one. I’ve been praying the Lord would provide someone. But from the beginning this pregnancy has been about trusting him, being dependent on him.

I’ve started getting what I call "sugar shakes" again in the morning. I’ve had this for the last couple pregnancies but only with Royal did I learn it’s from high blood sugar. I started using my glucometer again and am slowly figuring out what I can eat and what I can’t. The doctors were of no help last time. My OB said, "Oh, you have GD" and never talked about it with me, just sent me to an endocrinologist who was no help either. She wasn’t American (surprise) and I couldn’t communicate with her. She looked at 1 week’s worth of my glucose log and prescribed insulin (2ccs 1/2 hour before a meal, if I remember correctly). I had had no guidance whatsoever about what I should or shouldn’t eat and so of course the log was mess. But such a small amount of insulin...? Surely I could control it with diet. I threw the prescription away, knowing with the Lord’s help I could do it... and, admittedly, I was terrified at the thought of having to shove a needle into my flesh a few times a day. I had just gotten use to the finger-sticking glucometer. I found a nurse, all by myself, at the health department that gave me a crash course in diabetes, taught me how to count carbs and helped me work out a meal plan of sorts. She was more helpful than anyone I had talked to yet.

The only thing was, even adhering to the plan, my readings were too high. I felt awful after I ate. I came to dread food. Hard when you love food. Of course, there was a huge amount of stress in my life at the time... from fighting with my OB, Bobby’s lack of work and our subsequent lack of finances, and the whole house situation. We were renting here and paying the mortgage on the house we were trying to sell in Ozark and the landlord was getting tired of us not being able to purchase this house... we didn’t even know if we would have a home when the baby was born. And we were planning a home birth! Oh yes, lots of stress.

So, here we go again. I knew before I became pregnant that the Lord would use this to draw me closer to him. I knew it would be hard and I was so afraid... but when you’ve been down every other road with him and seen his awesome power and glory... who am I to tell him, "No, I won’t go there with you"???

The first sign of blood sugar problems for me is extreme fatigue within a couple hours of eating breakfast. This usually begins around 20 weeks. I’ll notice the feeling after a big or carb-loaded meal later in the day, but it’s nothing like morning. Praying for wisdom and strength, I’ve undertaken trying to learn my body and how different foods and activities affect my glucose levels. I’m pricking my fingers more times a day than ordinarily necessary just to observe. I'm keeping a log of every reading, everything I eat, and my activity level. I get so discouraged in the mornings when no matter what I eat I feel fatigued. It usually leads to a time of weeping at my bedside as I seek the Lord, praying for strength, praying for the baby’s safety. Last week I was terrified, thinking I would end up having to take insulin... and it’s not just taking insulin that bothers me, but finding a health care professional that I could trust and all that that entails... Anyway, there have been bits of encouragement. A young lady in our fellowship, now pregnant with her 3rd, told me her mom controlled GD with diet. A strictly meat and veggies diet, according to her. She gave me her mom’s number but I haven’t called yet (I'm not so good at calling people I don't know). That same night (Wed) an older lady that I barely know, who’s had serious health issues her entire life, reminded me that it’s only the sick that need a physician...Christ didn’t come to heal the healthy. Her way of saying that God was using this to draw me to him, show me my need for him, and to heal me. Knowing what she's been through and the peace that she has... I'm holding onto that.

I’ve also found some good resources online. diabeticmommy.com is great. My confidence is renewed that this can be handled with diet. Small consolation, knowing what that means. I become fearful when I think about it... I’ve never undertaken trying to plan meals and snacks for a special diet. I don’t even know where to start. And, I must continue to provide regular meals for the rest of my family. I’m so terrified when I sit down to a plate of food that I can barely taste it. I am so relieved when I check my BG two hours later and find things normal. Even if it reads a little high, I feel better knowing. I figured out during the last pregnancy that if my reading is high or I even feel like it might be high, that 10-15 minutes of aerobic exercise (i.e. dancing with the kids) will set things aright pretty quickly (though that’s the last thing you FEEL like doing when your sugar is up).

When I become afraid, it’s usually because I’m overwhelmed thinking of the next few months. Taking these thoughts captive, I remind myself that God has only given me enough strength, enough grace, for one day. Today. "Give us this day our daily bread." (Mmm... bread... how I’ll miss you.) "Let tomorrow worry about itself." Can I eat healthy for one day? Just one? Well... it is pretty rough, especially in the morning, but Lord if you’ll help me then, yeah, I guess I can handle one day.

I was encouraged to finally read that mornings are hardest for most diabetics. The insulin resistance in your body is up during this time. I’ve figured out some things I can do for breakfast without my BG going sky-high (for instance, my usual bowl of cereal is out because milk turns to glucose and enters my blood way to quickly - I might as well drink a glass of fruit juice). I have to really be careful of what kind of carbs and how many. I’m eating eggs mostly, experimenting with veggies and whole wheat bread, but I’m running out of ways to prepare eggs and am desperate for other high-protein/complex carb combo breakfast ideas. I can keep my BG level down, but I can’t figure out why I still feel somewhat fatigued. Is it because I’m getting so few carbs that I’m not getting the energy I need? [sigh] I’m learning.

Well, this is what the Lord has for me and it’s definitely keeping me close to him. I’m also reminded to count it all joy... And I find I can actually do that when I think how good this is for me and how much glory it brings to God. And, I get another wonderful child out of the deal. =) It’s the kind of experience that makes you want to name a baby "Faith"... but that’s just too normal for this family.

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Misc happenings

Whoa... I better get to writing or I’ll never catch up. Last Sat (16th) was Seth’s 5th birthday. We were planning to have a gathering to celebrate the end of our pertussis epidemic and decided we’d kinda make it a party for Seth, too. We had kids of all ages and a number of adults. My kids and I made a piñata, which was a big hit (no pun intended) and we played a balloon game. Mostly the kids made use of the yard to run crazy with their friends, riding down the hill on the Big Wheels or in our big blue barrel. Oh, and cake and ice cream and all that. =) Here’s some photos.

At one point an older sister from the fellowship stopped by. She’s the one I mentioned that had brought me a bucket of pears when we first moved here. She hasn’t been here since that first fall (where DID last year go?). She was amazed at how much we’ve done. She kept going on about the garden and the barn and fencing and things. I looked around and ended up kind of amazed myself. We really HAVE done a lot. I was so encouraged. I spend so much time focused on the things yet to accomplish (and it seems like a rather large list). It was nice to be able to see it the other way around.

We’ve been enjoying the absolutely incredible weather. I can’t believe it’s August. Been bringing in about a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes every 3-4 days for processing. I’ll do a couple buckets peeled and seeded and stuck in the freezer for pasta sauce later, then a bucket for salsa. Everything is doing amazingly well. I finally had to water my garden last week, which I hadn’t needed to do for about two months. Wouldn’t you know it would rain a couple days later, on and off for a couple days. Watering your garden is one of three ways that are likely to encourage rain, the other being washing your car (so I’m told - we wash our beat up ol’ rigs once a year, tops) and hanging out laundry.

Still bringing in some green beans from my Blue Lake 274 bush plants. Great variety. I heartily recommend them. From 64 sq ft, I’ve frozen about 8 gals. The Straight 8 cukes made a wonderful pickle, even if you let them get big. Did I mention how good my pickles came out? I used the recipe I posted about only I did them fridge style instead of canning them. I split them between two gallon jars, 1 jar for whole pickles and one for spears because I had so many different size cukes. I just poured the brine on and stuck them in the fridge. How easy is that? The spears were ready sooner and were crunchy and delicious after only a few days.

Got to spend some quality time the Raddest Family in Town, and how wonderfully refreshing! I thank God every day for such perfect (for us) friends. We've also been able to enjoy meetings again now that we're well and that, too has been refreshing. Can't go as often as I'd like because right now the meetings are in the evening and conflict with my goat-milking schedule. But this coming weekend should be great. The annual "camp meeting" is upon us. People come from everywhere for a weekend packed with food and fellowship. It's kinda like what I enjoy about the feast of tabernacles... Only it's shorter and missing the bit about the feast of tabernacles... =) But it's a good time.

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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Midwifery = Superior Care

Oops. Didn't get around to posting this yesterday like I said in my comments.

"Heart & Hands - A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy & Birth" is an absolutely fantastic book. It was recommended to me by my first midwife and every midwife since. It has been the most helpful pregnancy/birth resource I've ever found. I got it out last week and was flipping through it, reading the section titled "Common Fears and Counseling Techniques" on page 39. The author describes common fears (duh) and ways to connect with your client ("client" not "patient," I've always loved that). It's so wonderful and balanced. The part I want to share stood out to me as I've been considering OB care...

"Contrary to the medical model's premium on detached objectivity, personal involvement is essential in the midwife/client relationship. Why so? By being personally commited to help a woman work through her problems, the midwife inspires commitment in return. And by letting her own character shine through, she helps her client feel confident and courageous enough to accept newly revealed truths about herself and her life. All this serves to elicit responsibility, for when the mother embraces her realizations and begins to make them manifest, the ultimate aim of counseling is achieved."

That is exactly what my first midwife did for me. I was so cluelses but she listened and taught without seeming like she was teaching (sharing?), she was open about herself (and boy did she have character!), she inspired courage and became a wonderful friend. During labor (my first two) she was such a comfort and always said or did the right thing just when I needed it. When I was scared and begining to fight the pain, she knew it and encouraged me. When she saw I needed to move around she got me moving, though I felt unable (this even aided in the easy birth of my rather large 2nd baby without my realizing we were experiencing a bit of shoulder dystocia). She left the room when she saw I needed time alone with Bobby and other times was right there quietly with her hand resting on my leg so I'd know she was present. She was everything a midwife should be. Look up Lisa Block-Weiser if you're in Arizona. She moved back there from MO right after my 2nd was born (right after - another midwife did the postpartum care). She hung around just for us. I'll never forget her and her daughter, Nora (her assistant and midwife-in-training). The more children I have, the more experience I have with other midwives or doctors, the more I miss the two of them!

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Monday, August 11, 2008

And doggie doctors, while I'm at it

I was a bit discouraged today about how much money it looked like we were going to end up spending on the new dog, Lucy. The officer who runs the pound said he takes donations and that dogfood and flea & tick shampoo would be great. I spent a little more than I should have on those items, I think. When I dropped Lucy off at the vet this morning I found out that if your dog has fleas or ticks they insist on treating it at your expense (so as not to spread parasites in their kennel). Well, the diatomaceous earth worked wonderfully on the fleas but apparently the ticks don't mind and the vet noticed, said she'd have to treat her with Frontline. Like a typical medical office, those things cost way more than if you bought them elsewhere. Also, she needed worm medication. I saw the bill racking up in my mind. I was a little anxious because we only had so much money set aside but it was a beautiful day and I prayed about it and just asked the Lord to somehow make it not cost so much.
We ran our errands and were home two hours after dropping Lucy off. The vet had called and left a message. I returned the call and was told that after they knocked Lucy out and shaved her they discovered a scar and think she's already been spayed. I still get the pound-puppy discount and they'll only charge me for the anesthesia, dropping the overall cost considerably. I'm trying not to kick myself for not remembering to ask them to check before they went through all that.... But hey! I'm quite happy, I must say.
Oh, in other news, Bobby finally got his pressure washer working correctly and was able to wash his boss's house. What a load off! Da Boss had pre-paid...and it was one thing after another with the machine... Won't ever let that happen again! It is for sale, by the way. craigslist.com, under St. Louis tools. Come on... you know you want it...

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Monday, August 11, 2008

Fruit and Doctors or Fruity Doctors

I'm already planning next year's garden. Why wait, right? Do it while things are fresh on my mind. I'm going to pass on most of the fall crop I'd thought about planting. Might still try some peas. I need to put some thought into next year anyway as I'll be planting garlic next month.
       I tried both a softneck (Silver Rose - I believe the same as you commonly find in stores) and a hardneck (German Red). The hardneck started growing shortly after we planted it and grew a bit throughout winter, in spite of the snow. The softneck came up about the same time as the daffodils. The hardneck bulbs grew bigger and seemed to need less attention. The hardneck varieties also have the bonus feature of scapes, which the softneck apparently do not (from what I've read and witnessed). The scapes are a part of the top which forms the seed head and they grow in this charming curly-Q. If you pick them young you can make a wonderful pesto or use them in stir fry's or as you would use green onions. They have a wonderful, but not too strong, garlic flavor and are a harvest all on their own. We didn't get to ours soon enough and they were too tough and woody to blend up well, but we did make a rough pesto with olive oil, parmasean (sp?) cheese, a dash of lemon juice and salt. Wonderful! I'm thinking of putting in tons of garlic (I love a plant that needs so little help from me), making it a sort of specialty. Maybe drying and selling the powder like my Deliberate Agrarian friend.
          Next year I'm not going to bother with carrots. Mine didn't do so well. I think I crowded them and the onions together and neither liked it. I do want to attempt onions again, but first I must figure out if the crowding was why they all died early. Squash, like I explained a couple posts ago, will go elsewhere and I've set my mind on sweet corn, probably Country Gentleman, to take it's (and the popcorn's) place. I can't wait to see how my mangle (aka fodder or stock) beets turn out. They sure don't like the heat, but if they grow to the size they're suppose to and I can feed them to the goats and chickens then I'll attempt to grow a bigger patch of them next year. I must say, if you're interested in growing feed for your animals and want to try mangles, check out rareseeds.com and order early. I went back to order more at planting time and they were sold out. Not many places carry them, but rareseeds.com (out of Mansfield, MO) is a fantastic source for everything heirloom. I am so impressed with them.
         I'm liking our tomatoes alright, but think I'll try a couple different varieties next year. The Siletz don't pack the big tomato flavor I was hoping for, but they're pretty good fresh and the size and shape is nice for processing.  When I settle on a variety then I'll grow it exclusively and start saving seeds.
        I'm also planning for fruit next year. I'm determined to get some black berries in and hopefully some strawberries. My sister did some blueberry picking this year with a friend and brought us fresh blueberries... we sure went through them fast. They were fantastic! We'd have to have a LOT to proccess because we enjoyed them so much fresh. I'll probably pass on blueberry bushes since we have so many local u-pick places.
        We are now harvesting our very first ever peaches. There are two peach trees and two pear trees on the other side of where we planted the barn. We call it "the orchard" and I hope we can add apple trees to it this fall. Last year we had nothing from the trees because of that late frost and I was able to get to the peaches during the winter and prune them. I haven't done another single thing to care for them, not spraying or mulching, weeding or watering, and they are bearing the most delectable peaches I''ve ever eaten. We'll, I've never even had a white-fleshed peach before. I didn't know peaches could be so good. I'm hoping beyond hopes that I'll have enough for preserves, but if we eat them all fresh I suppose that's okay, too. The pears, however, I didn't get around to pruning them. They're very tall and very overgrown and have fruit on only a couple branches between them. This fall I'll tackle that. My very first friend from this fellowship brought me a 5-gal bucket of her pears soon after we moved here and I made yummy pear butter. I'll never forget.

I'm going to interupt myself to tell you how special my kids are. I hear Farra and Atira in the bedroom singing, "... No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jeeeesus!" out of our hymnal. Not having been raised in church, I know only a handful of songs in that hymnal, but I know them well and we like to sing them though we're all quite terrible singers. It blesses me to hear them doing this together, without urging from me.

Okay, now about doctors. I finally got around to calling the first OB on my list today. The OB I had with Royal worked at his clinic at the time but has moved on to become employed by one of the hospitals. I never even caught a glimpse of this doctor (at his own clinic) and know little about him. I did see a picture and he reminded me of Colonel Sanders, of KFC. Anyway, after a bit of discussion with the receptionist and much waiting while the doc went over my chart, I was told that he wouldn't take me since Dr. Williams had dismissed me on behalf of the practice. Hmm. I kinda wondered if that would happen. I thought it was funny.  The offical dismissal was something about not being able to form a suitable doctor/patient relationship. He saw, "trouble-maker" and I can't say I blame him - that's entirely correct. I'm sure it has the diagnosis Dr. Williams gave me near the end and I'm sure it doesn't show the outcome (you know, since we did it on our own) which proved the diagnosis incorrect. But we mustn't dwell on these things.  Only, now I'm not sure which route to take and really wondering why I should bother with prenatal care at all.

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Sunday, August 10, 2008

Feast of Tabernacles 2008

I've had the FOT on my mind for a bit now, tossing about various possibilities. Bobby will have a week's paid vay-k and I'm sure we could get someone to watch our critters (the neighbors might be able to take our goats during this time for breeding, we'll see). We don't have the money to travel far, but would dearly like to get together with other believers. I know some folks in this area that keep the feast, but don't know what this year will look like for them. Anyway, I was just wondering if any of my readers, regular or first-timers, have feast plans. Mostly for curiosity's sake (what do people do when they don't belond to a large body of feast-keeping believers?) but also in the hope that maybe the Lord will point us in a direction. I'm often drawn to the CEM feast but they continue to hold it in Florida, of all places. Can you imagine? Leaving Missouri at the most beautiful time of year???
We've tried a bit of everything, feast-wise. Last year we camped in tents in our yard and were joined by my parents and now-brother-in-law on the Last Great Day. The year before that we joined my grandparents and the United Church of God in Branson, staying in a motel room. The motel room was fun (not something we do often!), as was being with my grandparents, but the rest we found unbearable. We were soooo uncomfortable. Too formal and dry, I guess. We cut out early (right in the middle of a sermon, actually) and spent the rest of the time visiting my parents (they'd just moved here to Fredericktown). A few years ago was the all-time best when we were able to spend the entire time in TN with beloved friends and their fellowship that were of no particular religious bent, they just all loved the Lord and believed the Bible (gasp). Everyone pitched tents in this big field, spent time together during the day (though most of the guys still worked during the week) and had wonderful food and meetings together every night. We would love to find something like that agian!

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Saturday, August 9, 2008

This weather is awesome!

The cool mornings are making me chatty.  =)
       I was thinking, again, how much I love a cool morning like this.  I go about my morning routine (rub sleep from my eyes, pat the dog on the head, grab the milk pail and head out the door) with a new energy, a peace in my heart, excitement about what's to come.  The words "in my element" came to mind. I am totally "in my element" in the fall. I feel out of place in the summer heat. I make do nicely in winter. Spring is a close second to fall but almost too exciting (and too close to summer) to be as peaceful. But fall... ah fall.  Cool mornings like this, though still in the midst of summer, get me excited for fall and all that it entails. Crisp mornings followed by warm afternoons, the smells, the colors, etc. etc... you know what I'm talking about, I shan't carry on. You know. My mom supposes I get this love of fall from my dad (to whom I owe thanks for my middle name, Autumn). For her part, she wonders how we can all be so enthralled with a season in which everything dies or goes dormant and the days are so short.
          There's just a peace to it. It means I can slow down, relax.... which is weird because I get more done in the fall than any other time. School and yardwork and all that. But I get more done because I'm more at ease. Does that make sense? Anyway, I'll shut up now... =)

Oh yeah...   I was thinking about being "in my element."  Thinking about other places and situations I'm comfortable in. A feed store. I'm totally at ease in a feed store. I understand why some ol' timers just hang out there all day. I'm dreadfully uncomfortable, "out of my element" in a shopping mall or fancy department store (there was a time when I could enjoy the mall for people watching - I used to love to make up conversations for them- now watching them just makes me sad and I'd probably spend the whole time weeping and praying for them). In my element - anywhere live hillbilly music is being played.  Out of my element- rock and roll or heavy metal music (those days are so long gone, thank you Lord. I'm sorry for the pain I brought to my parents' ears).   In- hay rides and pumpkin patches. Out- carnivals at night. In- church meetings in a yard, living room, or small room full of metal folding chairs. Out- church buildings with pews, matching chairs, religous wall hangings, greeters handing out bulletins, offering plates.   Places I can't picture myself in - beauty or tanning salons, new cars, roller coasters, restraunts that serve wine (okay, there was that one time when we were dating that Bobby miraculously had $20 and wanted to take me someplace, so we went to the prestigious Stake & Ale [this is much funnier if you've seen my spouse's facial piercings] and upon seeing the rather expensive menu decided to split a strawberry cheesecake and finish our meal at Burger King)...      My kind of places - wildnernessy state parks, used book stores, small fabric shops (JoAnne's or Hancock's don't count), hobby shops, farmer's markets, swap meets, demonstration gardens, picnics, rivers (not lakes - usually too commercial), Chinese restraunts...
        Now you know.

        May you be as blessed on this Sabbath as I am.

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Friday, August 8, 2008

Tidbits

It is woooonderfully cool this morning! The air is clear and easy to breathe, the humidity is so far down. It's got me longing for fall and looking forward to the Feast of Tabernacles. But for now I'll settle for a few cooler days and nights, which it appears we're going to have. Thank you, Lord!

You just can't trust winter squash. I've grown it a couple times, not very successfully, so I was most unprepared for what the plants could do when grown in good soil under good conditions. There's no stopping them. They refuse to stay where I want them, insisting on mingling with every crop nearby. They crushed the supports they were suppose to climb up and during a storm they toppled the popcorn they were suppose to gently grow around, not over. Some of the fruit of the butternut squash is larger already than the largest I've ever seen in the store. They can't be trusted. Next year I hope to have some 2'x8' raised beds in the orchard on the other side of the barn and they can just go crazy there, far away from my humble little garden. Or I'll try the method Herrick Kimbal suggested, over at my all-time-favorite blog, The Deliberate Agrarian.

We still have traces of whooping cough. Apparently the bacteria that causes the infection has little hooks that keep it hanging on forever, even after they die. I still find myself with a tickle here and there, coughing to clear my throat of excess phlegm. Seth, too, coughs and sputters a little still. But nothing, nothing like before.

The Lord had given me peace about our financial situation. Only after that did I find a little money I had stashed away and forgotten (stupid, because I had done so only last weekend! I'd set it aside for the dog's spaying). Bobby's paycheck today was larger than I had calculated. He got a call Wednesday night from my dad asking if he'd like to run some baseboard for a fella he's working with. Well of course! He'd love to! He started the next morning, yesterday. He and Dad are meeting in town and driving in together, since B's car's still not quite right and, well, it saves gas. And, he's getting paid very, very well (more than twice MO's maximum weekly unemployment pay). The work won't go on forever, maybe to the end of next week, but the Lord continues to provide as we trust him.

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Thursday, August 7, 2008

Okay, okay, I'll find one myself

This is where I always go for recipes when I can't find it in one of my books: allrecipes.com. Here's the link to the dill pickle recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Dill-Pickles/Detail.aspx    What makes this so great, in my humble opinion, is the 118 reviews! I haven't read even half of them yet and only one person had a batch turn out bad. Everyone raves about them. I think this is definitely the recipe I was looking for. I can't wait to try it.
         I learned a ton from the reviews. They were soooo helpful. If you've never made pickles I recommend reading through them. I feel totally confident now. I can't wait to get started and wish I'd put in tons more cucumber plants.
        Some things I learned...

Water bath canning isn't neccessary and can make the pickles mushy.
Chlorine water may make the pickles mushy, so get some well water from a friend if you have city water.
Start with icy cold cukes and add boiling hot brine for crisp pickles.
Crushing the garlic helps release the flavor (someone even recommended liquifying it).
You can use this for whole cukes, spears or slices and it's even good with green beans! Oh good... I was wondering if there was something else interesting I could do with green beans....
If you're impatient you'll find them delicious any time before the full 8 weeks.

I might run out today just to see if I can find some dill... I tried growing some in the garden but didn't put much effort into it. I didn't know I'd get so excited about pickles. I did grow garlic and it came out fantastic. I have tons, even after setting aside 60 cloves to plant this Labor Day. I wanted to have enough for my salsa and pasta/pizza sauce, plus drying some for powder. I should think there's enough for all that....

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

In need of dill pickle recipes

Okay everyone... you know I know how to search the internet. But turns out there are several ways to make dill pickles and zillions of recipes and I've never tried it before. I want your tried and true recipes, in as much detail as possible (did I mention I've never made them before?). My mom talks about the best pickles she ever made - she used a huge crock and it had this thick mold growing on top of the brine that you'd just peel back when you wanted a pickle... But when we moved from VT to MO she was never successful with that method, she suspects due to the heat. Well, I don't have a huge crock (would still like to hear from you if you're familiar with this method)... but I would love to hear all your methods and recipes!

(What's funny is I'm not even a dill pickle fan - I prefer bread & butter, of which my mom makes the absolute best, but the spouse and the kiddies love dills.)

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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

One of those long random posts

Well, we decided to keep "Dog." She definitely grew more comfortable with us... you could notice the difference every few hours! She and Murphy get along splendidly and I hadn’t thought how important that would be. She’s just so responsive and yet not wild and excitable. Her intense curiosity about the goats has died down somewhat after I tied them (the goats) out yesterday and she got to be around them as much as she wanted. She’s barked only twice this whole time and that only while sitting and watching the goats. Anyway, she goes in Monday for her little operation and shots which we really can’t afford right now... but as per usual, we’ll find a way. Oh, and though she nearly got stuck with the name "Dog," (I told Bobby we could use the excuse that we’re saving our creative naming energy for the baby - everyone has such high expectations, you know) we did settle on the name "Lucy" last night. So, Lucy it is.

We’ve had so many vehicle problems around here lately. Bobby’s car has been in the shop, refusing to act up for the mechanic. No sooner did we pick it up last night then it died on Bobby. Seriously, like within five minutes. He went right back to the mechanic and they drove it together. Sounds like the torque converter in the tranny, he says. Ugh. But try some much-needed routine maintenance and see if that helps. So, we spent the money on plugs and wires and a fuel filter and it is running smoother, but we have yet to see if it solved the stalling, hard shifting problem. I’m so tired of vehicles! The van’s been running a bit funny and sure doesn’t like Bobby driving it to work. Unfortunately that has been solved by him plum running out of work!

He talked to his boss yesterday and he has no local work. The next out of town job starts (tentatively) Sept 8th (it was suppose to be in a couple weeks). He said he probably could put Bobby to work around his house near the end of the week. Well, that’s what’s killing us! What little he makes doing that he spends in gas to do it. So, we filed for unemployment yesterday. It won’t be enough, but it’ll be something while he looks for fill-in stuff. It’s not as hard on me as it used to be... but I still struggle with discouragement.

His boss had wanted his house washed and Bobby has tried three times to go up there and wash it. Each time there’s been some mechanical difficulty and he’s come home without even getting started. He’s fixed it each time only to have something else go wrong. Little things, but time consuming. We’re still working on the latest... maybe today will be the day. The good news is that he’s finally decided it’d be wise to sell the machine. I ran the profit and loss figures on the business and since we bought it three years ago we’ve gone in the hole about $8,000. Ouch. Now I’m praying he’ll decide on a fair price (hard to pay for something new and sell it at a used price!). I’m thinking $3,500 (he's thinking much more) and it should go easy if we advertise in the St. Louis area. We could pay down half our debt with that (our debt is entirely from the original purchase! DO NOT borrow to start a business! Or for any reason, for that matter). We’d save $80 a month right away in finance charges, not to mention how much we’d save overall by paying down the debt faster. Anyway... surely there’s something more interesting to write about... Just one of those mornings I have a lot on my mind...

Okay, the best news is that my one and only blood sister, Galidee, is expecting her first baby in March. How wonderful is that??? We have oodles of pregnant women around here. Well, five I can think of right off, due Nov through April. We need a midwife!!!! Please! If you’re a CPM it is now legal for you to practice in MO and we desperately need you here in the SE corner of the state!

There is one midwife just a ways down the road from me (haven’t ever met her, but I’ve met some of her family and friends), but she’s moving to TX. There are no laws in place yet to protect midwifes (we’re working on that). The opposition is still so strong that the law that passed last year really doesn’t mean much, apparently. So what, a CPM won’t get thrown in jail... but she’s not likely to be patted on the back and welcomed to the hospital with smiles should she have to transport her client. It could only make matters worse, fueling the opposition.

So, we (all us ladies) have been talking and talking and praying fervently about what we’re going to do. The nearest homebirth/natural-birth friendly doctor is just over an hour away. She’s an MD who’s open to out-of-hospital birth, but I don’t think she’ll travel (which leaves RVs and motel rooms). She doesn’t have hospital privileges so in-hospital birth isn’t an option either. But I hear she's fantastic. For myself, I’d be happy to get prenatal care from someone who doesn’t mind Bobby and I being in charge of my health (that power struggle is soooo stressful) and then birth at home with the experienced friend we had with us last time. But, it’s not a good method for a first time mom and I really want my sister to have the best and I want to help her in anyway that I can... It really would be nice to get prenatal care somewhere together so we can carpool. I don’t even have the faintest idea how to shop for a doctor. I sure don’t have the time or money to drive all over creation interviewing them. Pray for us!

Yeah... my poor sister started off her pregnancy with a stomach bug so she wasn’t sure if her symptoms were from that or morning sickness. Now the bug is gone and she still feels awful! We’re in agreement that boiling chicken is the one of the worst smells while you’re pregnant. I’m so excited to share this experience with her! She’s pretty glad to have me, too, I think. How nice to have a sister who’s been through it five times already and is just a couple months ahead of you with number six, huh? I can’t say why, but I get the feeling Vince isn’t keen on us sharing this experience. Pray with me that he’ll relax and let us be sisters. I’m so excited for both of them... just a couple days after she told me I happened across a great yard sale and bought them a crib and a pack-n-play. A little early, but I couldn’t resist!

Well, the kids are all up now and just about done with breakfast. Guess I better get to work! We've been harvesting green beans and squash and now the tomatoes are really coming on. Today is salsa day. Yum!

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Sunday, August 3, 2008

Dog days of summer

Meet "Dog."

A Royal greeting
She's on loan from the local pound for the weekend. Tomorrow we can either return her or adopt her. Adoption is free and they give a coupon for the local vet to have all the shots plus "altering" done relatively cheap. We'd have to get her spayed right away because as cute as Great Pyr/Germ. Shepherd mix pups would be....   areyouinsane?Idon'twantpuppies!!!       We sold all three of Gran's kids at the swap meet this weekend (what? You sold the grankids??)  and we're in agreement that money can be spent on a dog.

We might call and ask for just a couple more days. She's finally settling in and we're getting to know each other a little better. I want to see how well she can learn what's expected of her.   I'm very wary of shepherd/husky type dogs because although very intelligent and great with livestock when trained, they can also be the world's worst dogs on the farm. They don't really fall into the "lounge around the house and eat scraps" category, you know?   They'd much rather be out doing something. So far she has chased after the chickens and cat, but more in a bored "I want to play" fashion than an "I want to eat you" fashion. And she responds imediately when you reprimand her for it. She's immensely curious about the goats but after a swift and forceful butt from Gran she's learned to keep her distance. So far so good. She's a fast learner. This morning she talked Murphy into taking her to the nearby cow pasture to roll in cow pies, which he hasn't done on his own for quite some time. I was very disappointed in them both. Guess who's getting baths today?

She's also not real interested in scraps, which of course is our main reason for getting another dog. She'll eat some things but, unlike Catfish, she actually smelled them first. Hmm.

She does very well in the house otherwise. She lays quietly out of the way (in fact, we haven't heard her bark at all, just a yelp or two while wrestling with Murphy), wants to be near us but not under our feet. She goes to the door when she wants out and again when she's ready to come back in.

We did shop around a little yesterday. The nearest animal shelter charges a $100 adoption fee. Ouch. There was a female black and tan hound type there that we liked, but...    I dunno. I would still like to wait for another one of those "we're moving from the country to the city and can't take our 2yr old spayed female dog with us" type dogs. But we're all so very impatient...

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

New look and the kids' stars

How do ya'll like the new look? You can click on the photo above at any time and it will take you to our Flickr page to view our other photos, which is kinda disorganized, but oh well.

A few months ago we swapped bedrooms with the kids and now when I lay down at night I have a wonderful view of the kids' star stickers on the ceiling (which is slanted, being a glorified attic). They're arranged in constellations, of which I can name only half. Last night after I turned out the light I happened to notice one of the stars twinkling. A lightning bug had gotten in and was flashing away right in the midst of the stickers! How funny. I had to poke Bobby who was almost asleep and share with him. He didn't find it nearly as funny as I did. That might have had something to do with the fact that he had to get up an hour earlier than usual in the morning. The bug travelled from one end of the visable universe to the other, blinking away, and reminded me of a satelite. (laf)

This brings up a question that's been eating at me this summer... when the kids bring in their jars teeming with fireflies... Would we like cockroaches a little better if their butts lit up?

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Monday, July 28, 2008

Officer Joshua Mikatarian

I don't watch the news. We don't watch TV at all in our house (I don't even know if we'd get reception if we tried). I listen to the radio about 10 minutes a month. I don't visit news websites online, except maybe the local newspaper to find out about a local event. I figured someone will let me know if the president is shot or we're invaded by aliens. So, I'm a little late with this and it's nearly outdated now, in the news world, but.... If you'd been watching the news or listening on the radio a couple weeks ago, the news of Police Officer Joshua Mikatarian's death on July 13, 2008 would not have escaped your notice. He was shot four times in the head during a routine traffic stop. I'm told it made national coverage and the local (Akron, OH area) press covered little else for over a week. I'm also told it was a hot topic on the Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh shows, for whatever that's worth.

This all came to my attention because Officer Mikatarian was the good, life-long friend of a brother in our fellowship, my neighbor Jason Robinson. Jason was invited to speak at the funeral (I believe he and his family are still in OH). The funeral was apparently quite the to-do and drew thousands of people. It was aired on four local TV stations and one national station. Jason was blessed to be a tool in the hand of God to deliver a powerful, undiluted gospel message at his friend's funeral (citing "it's what Josh would have wanted me to share"), to a viewing/listening populace of who-knows how many, maybe over a million.

You can view Jason's 20 min. sermon here:
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d93b7ee11e68ac9a1c4b

I got to see it for the first time last night at our church meeting. Strange seeing my friend and brother up there in all the pomp and splendor... in a suit... I'm used to backyard guitar playing and singing. =) I was impressed at his ability to get up there in front of so many. I shouldn't be... I know the Lord gives strength where needed. Anyway, you can join us in prayer that the seed planted will grow in many hearts... And for comfort for Josh's wife (and 3mo old baby girl), family and friends. While you're at it, Josh's murderer is facing the death sentence and could certainly use our prayers.

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Whooping cough fades away...

It’s one of those strange things... you just realize one day that you can’t remember when you last heard your kids cough. Was it yesterday? Day before? The vomiting stopped somewhere in there, too. You vividly remember the last time your little girl vomitted because she didn’t quite make it to her destination and apparently pizza and pertussis don’t go together well at all. Anyway, we seem to be on the mend. How wonderful!!! We’ve been drinking tons of fresh lemonade with honey... that’s the one thing everyone likes that really helps the cough. There seemed to be a marked improvement when we started that. But then, time-wise it was time for the paroxysyms to let up anyway.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that our beloved doggie, Catfish, died today. We’ve been her family since she was 2 1/2 and got her when Atira was 2 1/2. About 4 years. We’d had her two days and it seemed like two years, she fit us so well. She was our only indoor/outdoor dog, preferring to be wherever we were at the time. She earned her keep by cleaning up after the kids. I remember when we first got her and I was cleaning up the lunch mess, throwing away PB&J crusts. Bobby stopped me, "What did we get a dog for if you’re not going to use it?" Well, we limited her bread intake, don’t worry. We also limited other scraps. She was only allowed to clean up the floor and lick the plates after they’d been scraped into the scrap bucket for the chickens. In spite of this, and a tight dogfood ration, she was rather overweight. She would eat absolutely anything off the floor and I wonder if that’s how she got the name Catfish (she came with it).

Bobby when to scope out a new bit of wilderness today and since we’d already been hiking as a family this morning he took Catfish along for company, thinking she’d really enjoy being out and about. He wasn’t going to hike a lot, just find the trail head and explore a little. Catfish hikes all over our property with us, and explores it with our other dog, Murphy. It didn’t even occur to us that she might not be up to it. About 20 minutes into the hike she apparently had a heart attack or a stroke or something. Bobby carried her out of the woods and found some water but she wouldn’t drink and was in really bad shape. She died shortly after that. We feel awful. She was such a people pleaser she would have gone anywhere with us.

The kids are already asking if we can adopt a stray. It seems right that we should get another dog but I think we’ll just trust the Lord for the right one. No puppies! Preferably something that’s already "fixed" (broken?) and a couple years old. Short haired. Good with kids and critters. Laid back - not a barker or wanderer. Must like scraps. Hmmm... another Catfish?
---------------
Bobby’s boss is trying to keep him busy. But, just as I feared, he’s barely getting any hours and it costs so much in gas to get to work that it’s hardly worth driving in. The boss has work lined up Monday and Tuesday, and tomorrow Bobby’s going to powerwash his house (hopefully. This has fallen through twice this week already). In the middle of it all is Bobby’s car problems. Can’t seem to figure out why it keep stalling on him and have run out of money trying. This means instead of driving the car (25ish miles to the gallon) he has to drive our van (15 m2g) or his power-washing-rig (9 m2g). Praying for wisdom, for work, for patience...

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Monday, July 21, 2008

picture pages, picture pages

... and I never even watched Captian Kangaroo. Had no idea he was until I was a teenager.

Figure a link to my Flickr photos is better than nothing since I haven't the time at the moment to post them here on the blog. So here ya go. With love, from all the little Willies: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11114310@N04/

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