Knocking out Projects

This was not our typical Labor Day. 

Stacia met Jenni at the church to work on children's ministry stuff. She will be leading the kids again this weekend so Jenni can attend service. After they finished up, they took Millie for a jaunt around Reflection Lake. 

Allie barricaded herself in the study and caught up on homework. She went out to a picnic with college folks this afternoon. 

Jamin came over and helped Michael clean the chimney - getting ready for winter. Mike has created quite a technique...they knock loose the creosote and such and much of it falls into the long pvc pipes which are connected to a shop vac. LOL 

Jamin headed home after they cleared the chimney. Michael moved on to burning brush and thistles. Yes, we discovered this year if you give the land a rest it grows WEEDS. All sorts of weeds. Weeds taller than me. Michael pulled thistles and hauled them to the fire pit. There are still so MANY weeds. 

I spent the morning working on women's ministry plans...conference, small groups, Bible study, and team building plans. A mug of tea was essential to the process. I debated, but in the end...THIS mug was chosen. It makes me smile when I think of Carrie and Liv picking it out for me. 

GG went down for a nap. I headed outside to mow the yard. Stacia and Millie got home.  Stacia started on the riding mower, and I started in our mico-orchard. We have two trees with cherries on them.  The Rainier trees look better than the other kind, but they have no blossoms this year. 

For the first year we have apples bigger than a superball. If we can keep the birds and moose out, we may get to eat these before the first frost. There are seven apples on one of the trees. The other apple tree has no blossoms this year. 

The peach trees are hopelessly dead. The plum trees behind them are doing well - but no blossoms. It has been an odd summer. It's rained often and never got very hot. 

The hearing protection Mike wants us to wear when we mow on the riding mower hurt Stacia's jaw. Her jaw has been bothering her a lot. She is scheduled to have her wisdom teeth out on the 18th. They assure us that will help. Anyway, she begged to switch mowers with me. I usually do all the push mower work...the orchard, the edges... Everyone else loves the riding mower and it has intimidated me...but I discovered it is fun! Michael seems a bit alarmed in the photo below. 

I mowed the yard and then I tried to push further into the woods. It was pretty hopeless - but it WAS fun. 

I finished the yard and went inside to prep burgers. We decided a burger burn on the deck was in order. I believe Stacia suggested it first. It was a GORGEOUS day with no rain or wind at all. We may not have many more like this.  Dad huddled inside the house in a sweatshirt...I could not get him outside to enjoy the sun. HOWEVER, eating on the deck and enticed him outside for a bit of Vitamin D. 

Stacia, Allie, GG, Michael 

Allie stopped at the store for me on the way home and picked up buns...we had everything else ready to go. We ate, visited, watched prime, talked some more and the girls headed to bed.

It is 11:52 and I am going to follow their example and try to be in bed before a new day begins. 

Termination Dust

It's officially fall. Termination dust is the first light snowfall on mountain tops at the end of the summer season.  Fall has started...winter is on its way.  Termination dust arrived on the tip-top of our mountain on September 2nd. 

We are working busily to prepare for winter. There is NO WAY we are going to accomplish all we'd hoped to before winter...but that's OK. 

In year's past we dreaded the steady approach of winter. We worked hard to embrace winter last year. Both Stacia and I have commented we are "sorta looking forward" to winter this year. I hope it's not as long as last year...but I AM looking forward to slowing down a bit, dark skies and stars, being able to SLEEP again. 

Carrie and Livie found this mug for me at the State Fair. It's locally made. I love it. I used it this morning in honor of the termination dust on our mountain. 

#mugshot

Winter is a pretty wonderful thing when it brings hot cups of tea and scones. I mean we enjoyed hot drinks and scones all summer with the rain - but with the snow - PERFECTION. LOL 

Any bets when the first snow will arrive? 

Fall @ Pyrah's Farm

If we knew this would be one of our last outings with Josiah, would we have done anything different? The only thing I can think of is we would have dragged all those who had other things to do that beautiful, sunny Saturday along with us.  When I look back at this day from today (Nov 15th) knowing Josiah would be shot and killed in October, I see such an example of who Josiah was in our lives. He was unassuming, gentle and humble. He's checking on sisters, helping with others' young ones, cutting up apples and making sure everyone has some, spending time with Carrie and Liv...he even went to intervene for a little gal being poorly treated by an older sibling.  I'm so thankful we had this day together. Good job, Arielle. Thanks for orchestrating the outing. 

Josiah and Arielle

When Arielle and I took the boys to a Field Trip at the Farm, we realized we enjoyed all the fun of the Fall Festival without the crowds and vendors, or the expense. She decided to ask everyone if they'd like to meet at the far some Saturday.  All agreed - the farm without the crowds sounded great. Bre brought popcorn, Arielle and I brought apples and there was caramel, MnMs and such in which to roll apple slices. 

We've come out to the farm with CyRi for the past 3 or 4 years. THIS year Carrie had newly announced her pregnancy. 

Arielle was also pregnant - but at this point we were still not public with the fact! I promised not to post this photo until she was public with the pregnancy. I didn't think it would be quite THIS long. 

Carrie and Arielle and babies

CoRielle

We didn't have hayrides, but many of the other play structures and such were up on Saturday. 

Charles and Danny

Feeding the goats

Charles, Bella and Bachan

Cory and Danny 

Benny loves Mario. 

Bella and Annie

Nine of our twelve grandblessings were at the farm. Trudy is not in this photo. 

Charles, Liv and Annie on top 
Gideon, Danny, Bella, Benny, Jojo inside 

Jojo - Bre and Izaak's Josiah

Livie (CyRi's) and Bella (BreZaak's)

We gathered for snacks. Jojo and Stacia enjoy their popcorn. 

Bella

Such fun - Bella and Charles

Danny LOVES golf!  House rules. 

Uncle Josiah with Charles

Krista and Luke on the obstacle course

Josiah and Charles....

Climbing web structure

Cutting our apples and prepping the toppings...

Aunt Krista and Livie on  - whatever this pad is...We were happy they had up all the bouncy things. 

I still think Michael needs to make us one of these slides and tunnels....and a zip line! 

Krista and Stacia

Bre and four of her children. Trudy was sleeping in the stroller. 

Cory about to get Charles' attention. 

Gideon 

Go, Danny! 

Liv's a pro. 

Krista checked the website before they came. There was nothing on it about not bringing dogs. We'd seen dogs at the farm before. Reno was satisfied to pull kids in the wagon. They told us dogs are not allowed and he spent much of his time in the truck. He seemed happy to wait in the truck too. 

Charles got braver and braver. 

Josiah and Livie

Fall Decor

 Around here fall doesn't last very long. I've noted if I don't have the fall decor up early, I'm simply not motivated to decorate for fall when there is snow on the ground. LOL That being the case I decided to utilize some free time to get the fall decor up. 

I do love having the fall things out. Once again, I am going to embrace fall for fall and NOT spend all of fall dreading the upcoming winter. LOL 

I do find all these touches of color to be pick me ups in the midst of the fall rain.