i is for infant

Especially this day, wishing you simple gifts...
love, joy, peace.

H is for helper

Just a few days left in the countdown to Christmas. Couldn't we all use a little help?
Above is my best helper, Dovey, assisting me with my greeting card production. That was before our latest trip to the city.
Since I've been back at the farm, Dovey has insisted on being within sight of me constantly. Today she wants to be on my lap any time I sit, like now, for instance, at the computer. Earlier today when I decided I needed a power nap, she lay her little self right across my chest. And this evening she has tried to keep me from crocheting my last minute snowflake ornaments. When she saw I had no intention of stopping, she just made room for herself the best she could.
Love you, Dovey.

botanic garden under lights

Still visiting the city! I've got the annual Christmas outing with my garden shopping buddy/teaching colleague Barb along Chicago's Michigan Avenue tomorrow, and an order of soap oils to pick up for an Amish friend on Friday. That's given me  lots of time for area shopping and a little visiting, too.
Yesterday I stopped at Quilter's Destination, my favorite quilt shop in my city home area. Patti, the owner, is currently running her annual 12 days of Quilting shopping specials. (As if I need an excuse to shop there when I'm in town!) Her husband has just put his hand to some in shop installations of new display and sewing spaces which came together beautifully.
I squeezed in an eye doctor visit yesterday and I'm happy to report all is well on that front. Twenty two years since my first eye surgery, doesn't seem possible!
Today I have some sweet discount coupons to try to use and plan to stop at Chalet, mostly to fill my senses in their greenhouses.
After school yesterday Jerome and I picked up Phil and Kelly at Loyola Academy (where Phil teaches and coaches) and drove to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, intending to see their train exhibit and view the holiday decorations. They always do a great job with holiday lights. The photo above is a shot of the floor in one of the greenhouses, snowflake lights beemed to your feet from above!
Unfortunately, all of the tickets for the exhibit for that day were already sold. Bummer. Well, we enjoyed the greenhouses and displays that we were able to see inside and the lovely lights outside.

Inside tropical greenhouse looking toward entrance to the train exhibit, Wonderland Express

             .

 an enormous sphere of moth orchids inside tropical greenhouse

                            

  lawn outside exhibit hall.

  

                              

 Phil and Kelly

                                    

We ended our too short visit with the kids at Bonefish. Dinner was delicious and we lingered over shared desserts, not willing to let the evening end.
Bliss for this mom who spends far too much time away from her lovely family.

G is for gaudete sunday

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete

Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice.

I've been in love with Latin since studying it in high school. No, actually, I've been in love with Latin since  my earliest memories of attending mass. I truly miss hearing it in worship and was pleased to be reminded of it yesterday.

I'm once again at the city house. I arrived on Saturday as a surprise for Jerome. His church choir, accompanied by a string quartet, was to present Bach's Christmas contata, For Unto Us a Child Is Born, during worship the following morning and I wanted to be there for him and for me. The worship folder for the service contained the above quotation and at the lighting of the advent wreath we were all reminded of the third Sunday's rose colored candle of joy, the gaudete candle.

If you look closely at his baton lying across the score, you can perhaps imagine the breadth of its history. I am delighted that he is once again directing a choir. He is truly gifted as a director.  Yesterday I witnessed just how much he is already loved there, after just short of a year in the position. The tiny choir, 8 voices, was so moved by the combination Bach and Butera that we were all brought right into that lowly manger. 

Gaudete.

of christmas cards and coyotes

I put the finishing touches on this year's holiday cards this morning. I do enjoy the process once I get over the planning stage! Simple punch, embossed image and rubber stamps.
Yesterday I had a brainstorm about the garland of lights on the front porch railing. Last year I had to go out and plug in and unplug the lights every night. One night last season Dovey ran out the door as I went out to unplug them. I was able to just barely grab her by the tail as she dashed for under the porch. I was terrified!
Some little bit of grace made me think of an outdoor timer, really how dull could I have been not to think of it sooner? So last night was the trial run. It became very cold and the wind was right out of the north across the front porch. Then just after dinner I heard the coyote pack howling so close to the house it gave me shivers! I was simply thrilled to know both Dovey and I would stay safe indoors and our lights would still shiny cheerily in the darkness and turn themselves off at bedtime.

December the 5th

My mind wanders this morning to my mother, whose birthday anniversary it is today, and to my daughter who will be bringing home two additions to her family before day is through. My heart swells with the thoughts of both of them.

But I'm also beginning to feel the now insistent  tug of the approaching holiday season, trying to fix in my heart just what Christmas means to me at this time of my life. What beliefs I still hold about the 25th of December and thoughts of a new year on the horizon.

As has been my custom since long before I was married, I will be making my greeting cards again this year, and today's goal is to decide on a design. I have been collecting the "stuff" needed for years and years, and can't begin to remember each and every stencil, rubber stamp, or punch I own. I have saved some of my old cards as sample designs and feel some anger at myself for not saving one from each year. I hunted today for one I remember seeing recently, a silk screen print of the Chicago skyline with the tall Ls of alleluia strategically placed in the tall buildings against the night sky, but couldn't find it here at the farm. Perhaps it's filed at the city house??
I should let go of how my card will be received and focus instead on what I want it to bring of me to the receiver. Not an easy task. Settling for an idea has always been the hardest part of my creating. I'm listening to holiday melodies on iTunes, and looking out at the soft dusting of snow outside my window, flurries in the air. Yesterday I nearly finished decorating the farmhouse and it looks quite festive. I've got a few lovely candles lit now and have spread my tools across the table. The box of cards from former years is out as well.

The card below was our greeting 33 years ago when Phil was a babe in arms and we were worshiping at our new church where Jerome had been appointed director of music just months before. Only yesterday he and I were talking about how special attending that church was for us in those beginning years.

It's just a simple line drawing of our family. Jerome had not yet grown the beard he has worn for over 30 years and he was still an avid pipe smoker. It was a  time when everything seemed clear and easy for me. How has life gotten so complicated??
Now you can see how I get so sidetracked from settling down and getting the job done. A simple task of creating holiday cards has turned into a stroll through memories and the morning is gone.
I will eat some warm lunch and strive again to begin.
Don't forget to put out your shoes tonight for St. Nick and look tomorrow for word from Anne about "the boys" and from me regarding the card situation.
And as you go about this week so near the holiday mayhem, be purposeful and peaceful.

F is for friend

Recently I had the need for a few quick birthday cards, for a young male teen and a one year old, that I didn't have time to make myself. (Where has time gone recently?)  I was nowhere near the small shops that I can count on for beautiful, thoughtful greetings. I was near a large card and party store and so, "needs must," I took my chances. Scanning the shelves of cards, lots and lots of them, I felt as if I were being assaulted. Ugly often suggestive illustrations, base puns, and not very cheerful notes inside. Even the "funny" cards were questionable. Either that, or they were so saccharine sweet you'd gag reading them.
I did find blah cards that would suffice, sadly chosen because of my lack of foresight, and not at all representative of me or what the recipients mean to me. But it got me to thinking about how I tell people what they mean to me. Not only family, but the many lovely people in my life who give my days depth and dimension though I spend so much of my time alone.

Maybe it is because my days are mostly quiet that thoughts come to me frequently of so many dear friends. This morning while mixing my favorite cranberry muffins, I let my mind dwell on Diana, whose recipe I used. She and I often spent time together while I was raising my children, a woman's circle colleague, a member of my Jung study coterie, a fellow cross stitch nut (her work is exquisite) a fellow bell ringer, someone who appreciated Jerome's organ and choir work at out church nearly as much as I did. Our lives do not intersect as they once did. Sad. Perhaps it would lift her to know that today I sent healing energy her way and felt blessed to know her.
Each of you who read this post should know that I hold you dear and count myself extraordinarily lucky that you are in my life through this marvel of technology. Perhaps having read it you may give thought to sending a "real" note to someone who means something special to you. I hope you do.

with a grateful heart

According to Blogger, this is my 100th post (though I think of the first two as nothing more than microphone checks.)
It's hard to think of a time when I wasn't tapped into this world. What began as a means to keep Jerome close to me and the everyday ordinary/extra-ordinariness of the farm, has morphed into a sort of IV transfusion for this sometimes dispirited soul. In the spirit of Thanksgiving and gratitude, I think it is most fitting to celebrate my 100th post by sending my deep appreciation to each of you who have become my good friends.

11-11-11

Some folks say that 11 is a lucky number. Well then, yesterday should have won the triple crown of good luck days.
It was a good fortune day for two little Chocolate India Runner Ducks named Pixie and Tootsie. As sad as I was to say goodbye to the little girls I'd been interacting with daily for the past 5 months, I was very happy to have found such a perfect home for them.
Dwayne, a young father who works at Chet's Seed store in Richland Center, agreed to take them in. He raises Runner Ducks and has a wonderful setup for them. He also has 2 young sons who really love ducks and are eager to help their dad take care of them.

They couldn't have been cuter when they first arrived. Their bills and webbed feet were like the finest deep chocolate leather. They never really liked being around people, although Phillip, who has the most remarkable way with wildlife, was able to get Pixie to stand on his hand.

Originally we had 3. Snickers, the largest and self-proclaimed big sister, lost her head this past September. They stayed close to each other all the time, and I wonder if they'll continue to do so when they are with others at their new home.

They did venture out onto the snow, but quickly waddled back into their little house to snuggle close together. They were braver about the snow than the chickens were.
Now they'll have a large shed with a deep bed of straw to snuggle into. They'll have two little boys who will adore them. They'll live out their short lives, 3-4 years, doing what ducks do with access to food, water, and other ducks, and without the fear of predators. They may become moms!
So goodbye, Pixie and Tootsie. I'll deeply miss hearing your laughter out there near the potting shed. I'll miss tucking you in at night. Happy lucky new life.

e is for egad! and eleven

I've just waved goodbye to Jerome after another wonderful few days spent together working here at the farm. He arrived just at sunset on Sunday. We had checked the weather forecast and knew we only had one good day to complete a long list of outside jobs before rain and possible snow arrived. So Monday we worked til near dark, a while after the chicks and ducks were secured for the night. The nearly full moon was already being swallowed by thickening clouds. Just before the last of the daylight left the sky we saw one enormous V of geese flying very high overhead, calling encouragement to each other.
Tuesday we worked around the rain in the garage, the basement, running to the store and trying to find someone who could identify what made the check engine light come on in Jerome's Jeep. Wednesday morning he had planned to leave late morning but when we got up we were in the midst of the first snow of the season. And though it wasn't quite what folks experienced in the east at Halloween, it was enough to cause a widespread brown out and then a black out, cause people to end up in ditches and keep our electrician from being able to spend the day here, and to keep Jerome from driving back to the city as planned.

Now our 5 and 1/2 month old chickens and ducks had never seen snow. And fortunately the large limbs that fell from our giant pine above the potting shed landed outside the duck enclosure.

When I opened the chicken door those in front stood absolutely still as the entire flock pushed against them from behind.  I can't help but wonder what they thought as they saw nothing but white and felt the heavy wet snowflakes hit their little beaky faces. You can see one of the Auracanas is practically climbing the tin wall to keep from going down into the snow. And Number One, one of our roosters, wouldn't leave the house at all. That's him above watching through the window.

By late afternoon the sun was out and the moon rose in the sky side by side with Jupiter. However, this morning once again it was snowing when we got up and continued to snow until just as Jerome left. Here and there I can see a tiny patch of blue trying to erase the chalky clouds around it.
Without having to look very hard I find some bit of grace to fill the heart just when it's needed most.  It's always fun working side by side with Jerome here at the farm. And always agony to have to say goodbye. But I'll be traveling to the city soon and Jerome plans to come spend New Year's Eve here again this year. We both look forward to living here together all the time. We both know what's involved between now and then and I am ever thankful that we have the strength and courage to face it.

Oh, and what about eleven??? Well, yesterday, the chickens produced 11 eggs, a single day's record.

confession of a pinecone fanatic

 

I have to confess: I've taken pinecones out of every national park, botanic garden and arboretum I've ever visited. I cannot resist. Who could doubt the Divine while contemplating their perfect form?

While putting things to rights after the electrical disruption I came across a pinecone stencil I purchased and hadn't yet used.

I had forgotten just how much I love to stencil! Delightful fun.

d can only be for Dovey

One year ago this weekend Dovey began her great farm adventure. She is the single reason why I have the strength and courage to stay here on our ridgemeadow farm on my own.
Dovey is a full throttle, no holds barred, all or nothing feline. She chases, catches and devours with relish almost any bug she can find, though she's learned that Asian Lady Beetles should be left alone. Every window needs to be clear of obstacles so she can perch at will and monitor all activity beyond the glass.

She loves to lend her paw to any project I'm working on.

She will literally get in my face while I'm on the computer to get my attention.

 
Most nights she's curled up around my legs while I'm sleeping and accompanies me to the bathroom no matter how often I need to visit there. Her favorite toy is the inside plastic ring of a Scotch tape dispenser and she will chase, hunt, catch and return it or leap to try to catch it in mid air. She is ready to initiate these games numerous times of day, or night... If I don't put this "toy" away at bedtime, she may drop it on me as I sleep or I may step on it next to the bed in the night, or worse, on the stairs going down to the bathroom in my bare feet. Not pleasant nocturnal activities, and so I usually try to show her I'm putting it in the drawer at bedtime. She actually will sit under that drawer in the morning and ask to play. I've tried to teach her that when there are others in the house we don't start playing until everyone is up. She seems to know this now. If you ever visit, and you come down in the morning and find Dovey sitting under the drawer farthest left on the buffet, she's asking you to play.

She's in a bit of a hurry when using her littler box, not thorough and fastidious like her pal Mya.  But she is a remarkable groomer. Her white is very white and she always smells so clean. She's what Anne calls a loud licker. You can hear her grooming from across the house. Her purring, on the other hand, is very understated. Not rumbling and  boistrous, but  soft and unmistakable when she's decided to climb up on my lap, put her paws up on my chest and snuggle. This is a little ritual of hers, after dinner while I'm crocheting in front of a movie borrowed from the library. She'll jump up beside me, look at me as if to say "Move that stuff!" and when I clear my lap she moves in. A little bit of heaven for the both of us for as long as she's willing to sit still.
She knows when I'm feeling unwell, blue, lonely. At those times she postpones her own agenda and keeps me in sight offering herself in whatever way seems best.
As hard as she plays, she has the enviable ability to turn off and go into a deep sleep in a blink.
Mya can see into my soul. Dovey knows every contour of my heart.

one year anniversary

Today SallyMomSprouts is one year old. It's fun having Halloween as my blogging anniversary. And it's hard to comprehend how quickly that year has gone. Once in a while I look back at early posts and wonder about that newbie blogger and naive farmgirl in the making. I worry that some day my old posts will disappear and I'll not have a record of them, as they stand as the only real journal I have of this precious year. And I do so easily forget what I've done day to day. . .
I'm moved by life at the moment and will end today simply by saying Happy Halloween.

last sunday

Last Sunday morning began with a light frost but some sun as Barb and I drove to Spring Green. She had bought tickets for us to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's famous home, farm and school there as a belated birthday treat and an even more belated congratulations on following my farm dream.
As we traveled south along Hwy 14 we passed Reeds Creek Nursery, nestled in a valley just outside Reedstown. All of the nursery trees looked as if they had been flocked. We experience magical frozen fog in the driftless region with some frequency at this time of year, spectacular and nearly impossible to describe. We were both awed.
We had participated in the DesPlaines Public Library's book discussion of Loving Frank by Nancy Horan    Barb and I had each lived most of our lives aware of the famous architect being Chicago area folks. We've been to his home and studio in Oak Park, Illinois and seen other of his famous buildings.
I wasn't entirely sure how long the drive would take. We had to gather in the visitor center by 10:15. Not to worry, we pulled into the lot at 10:08 with plenty of time for a potty stop first, as we had been warned that no facilities were available to the public on the tour.

The visitor center is built into the side of a hill overlooking the lovely Wisconsin River. I say lovely because at this location the river is gentle, wide and shallow. Even in its flood of 2008 it behaved in this region. It is particularly lovely inside looking out at the river from the dining room and gift shop, both of which we'd visit after the tour.
Our tour was to last 2 hours and is the Highlights Tour. It was a perfect first visit on a nippy autumn day.

Frank Lloyd Wright's mother's family settled in this area generations before and he had worked his uncle's farm as a young boy. Taliesin means "shining brow" and the name was used to describe his buildings, built not on the crown of the hills but lower down, akin to a brow on a face, a testament to his deep belief that buildings should look as if they are part of the land from which they spring.
FLW lived a long and troubled life. He was talented, arrogant, and always short of cash, as he rather buy beautiful things than pay his bills. Even in death he could not rest in peace. At his death in 1959, he was buried at Unity Chapel,  his mother's family plot. When his third and last wife died over 20 years later, her will stated his remains were to be removed, cremated and joined with hers. Wright's descendants refused. So his body was snatched in the night. Only his marker remains in Wisconsin.

This is the 100th anniversary of the home at Taliesin. Fortunately there is a foundation that now has the enormous responsibility to keep the 600 acre estate, properties, artifacts, buildings, and legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright alive. The school of architecture is still functioning, its students, staff and some emeritus individuals are now moved to Taliesin West in Arizona til May.

We had a most delicious lunch and enjoyed the gift shop. Each of us bought several things, and sadly did not buy everything we loved there. There were even Lego models of some of his buildings!

Tomorrow, October 31, Taliesin closes til next spring. I was delighted to be able to visit with such a good friend on a day much nicer than today's constant rain and cold wind.

of electricity and eggs

I've been nearly devoid of energy today. It was a very full week.
5 full days of seeing the house get totally out of hand and 5 evenings of sweeping, dusting and generally trying to clean up the major messes before the next day begins. I'm not saying that my electricians weren't careful. On the contrary. They were amazing. But at every opened outlet or light cavity, fragile, old, crumbling, insulation and plaster bubbled forth. At one point the skeleton of a mouse was discovered among the cloth covered wires in the light switch by the back door. I'm not sure what was more unnerving, seeing the poor mouse or seeing the frightening old wires sitting exposed in the insulation at the cavity.
As the electricians braved the complexities of our electric upgrade they've discovered clues to the age of the house. Their best guess, in light of the materials they've encountered and the construction techniques, is that our house was most likely built very near 1910.
5 full days of work and we still have much to finish.  Some happy results so far:

 
there is a sweet pendant lamp hanging over the kitchen sink where there was no lamp of any kind before, I now have an outlet next to the kitchen counter that is a single circuit so I can go ahead and buy the toaster oven I've wanted since I got here, and the house lights no longer flicker, glare, or dim when the microwave is on. I'll know exactly what is powered by which circuit. And when it's time for the Christmas lights I could go absolutely crazy if I wanted to and the electricity would flow.
Just look at the breaker box so far. I love it.

It's oddly quiet without the workmen here today. Dovey and my chickens have been blessed company. The chickens hear me approach and come running to their gate. A few often perch up on the gate top calling to me as I walk from the house. They all swarm around my ankles making it difficult to walk without stepping on their toes. Several of them stop and squat for me to stroke them and no longer verbally object to my picking them up. Even John Wayne allows frequent strokes. They're getting heavier each day too. Maybe it's the snacks...
Each afternoon I bring what's comparable to an after school snack. Today it was apples, popcorn, sunflower seeds and a few dehydrated green beans. Yesterday they devoured the insides of the jack-o-lantern I carved. Snack time is also when I prepare their food and water for the night and check for the last of the day's eggs. Today was our first 5 egg day!

The eggs are still pullet size, but lovely shades of tan and brown and their yolks are so orange! I made a vegetable omelet for lunch with garlic, onion and spinach from the garden. Such happy satisfaction.

The Help

Last night I saw the movie The Help. Go see it. Even if you haven't read the book. It is excellent.

c is for culinary challenge

It has been a wonderful whirlwind weekend, enjoying so many things with my good friend and colleague, Barb. She arrived Friday afternoon and after a quick tour of the house and grounds we hurried to the 3rd annual Harvest Challenge at our town's middle school/high school.
(Immediately upon entering and spying the library I was overcome by an urge to call and volunteer myself to the librarian. I guess I miss it more than I let myself think.)
We were escorted to the registration table by a diminutive middle schooler named Garret, no bigger than a minute and hair sprayed bright orange red. Cute as could be. After paying our entry fee we first watched the world premier screening of a documentary film titled Chefs Move to Schools introducing our local Farm to School program.
Under the direction of Monique Hooker, the schools in Vernon county have developed a curriculum that pairs the ideas of growing and eating in the school setting. To focus community attention on this remarkable initiative, the local high schools began a friendly competition.
Our meal for this year's event was prepared by 5 participating schools:
Viroqua High School: creamy chicken rotini, vegetable medley, fruit pizza
Youth Initiative High School: Thai peanut pizza, fall spinach salad, sauteed apples with cinnamon
La Farge High School: wildcat willy chili, savory harvest bread, purple pride apple salad
De Soto High School: pirate pork easy wrap, garden mac and cheese, pineapple slaw
North Crawford High School: zucchini casserole, fruit salad, pumpkin carrot swirl bars
Each school's student team, under the direction of a staff mentor and a chef mentor, planned and prepared the meals with strict culinary guidelines and a tight budget.  We tasted samples of all these, served on small plates, but displayed on school trays as the students would get in the lunch lines of their school cafeteria. Each paid attendee and a judging panel of 7 were given one vote to cast. I did cast my vote, but Barb couldn't decide which should be first and declined voting.
I have not as yet heard which school's team won the challenge but will post the result when I hear it. Congratulations to all. I already look forward to Challenge 2012.

b is for bowl...

Yesterday I had dinner in the basement of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Viroqua. They were hosting an annual event to feed the hungry called Empty Bowls. Local potters donated hand thrown bowls which were then used for a soup and bread dinner. The entry fee of $20 bought you the bowl of your choice and two servings of soups, many donated by local restaurants, others made and donated by residents.

I went by myself thinking I'd probably see someone I knew, and if not, would just sit and talk with whomever was sitting near me. I walked in from the parking lot with a very sweet lady who was also alone. Once we were given the instructions as to how to proceed we went our separate ways trying to choose a bowl. Not easy! The room was very full already and it was a joy to see so many young families as well as seniors. And it was fun just watching people choosing bowls. I finally did find THE bowl, shown above. After paying my fee and rinsing my bowl in the tubs made available for the purpose, I then had to choose a first soup. Not an easy task! The bread table was overflowing with homemade breads, including some my friend Jeff had baked. (I had taken a bread baking class with him last April.) Once I had my food in hand I looked about and found my neighbors Kathy and Kelvin. We sat together for a bit and then a young fellow joined us who was one of the contributing potters (50 bowls!!) He lives in Bangor, Wisconsin, north of us about a half hour's drive. He said he wanted to contribute to the cause in a personal way. It was fun for him to find his bowls, as he had thrown them and turned them over to Viterbo University students to glaze and fire and he hadn't seen the final results. He had chosen Borscht, a beautiful deep claret color, then garlic potato, and had not chosen one of his own bowls.
After chatting a while he left and his seat was taken by a woman I had learned about that morning at the farmers' market, but had not as yet met. Well, we had a lovely conversation. Her name is Philothea and she has a spot on our local radio station WDRT every Saturday morning at 10:00 called Who's in the Kitchen.
Her program yesterday was interviews with some of the participants in this Friday's high school cooking competition, the Harvest Challenge, which I hope to attend with my friend Barb who will be visiting this weekend. There will be a showing of a new documentary created about the competition and the efforts of our local schools to be involved in better food choices. Can't think of a better area of the country to develop this idea with all the interest in eating local, organic, in season, etc.
I would have loved to stay longer, as there are so many good people to get to know. But I had to arrive home in time to tuck in the chicks and ducks. All the way home there was the most incredible sunset which cheered me to my very center. It's not easy being here alone and going places by myself. But every time I do I am so very glad I did. Not once have I been sorry that I pushed myself. Many many of the folks I've been meeting are transplants like myself and have arrived here in much the same way I did... fell in love with the land and then the people. And the beauty that is everywhere serves to underscore the rightness of the decision to be here.

playing with Picasa

Computer applications never come easy to me. I need a workbook with steps to follow. Trying to make Picasa work to create a new banner has taken me way too long for the results. I just don't do it often enough. I like changing photos up there, but can't seem to make them look like I want. Oh, well. I guess I'll keep trying until I've created some hand crafted image that will work better. Dovey says enough is enough for today. so, for what it's worth, here it is.

A is for...

Absolutely adorable!

As if my chickens were giving me a hug on a day I needed it most, our first egg.
Grace abundant in an eggshell.