Benny Takes Over the Upstairs

Tuesday we made apple zucchini muffins (A-Z muffins) - lots of them - but I didn't take photos. I used applesauce and monk fruit and they were a yummy, sugar-free treat for dad...well, no sugar ADDED...though there IS sugar in apples....

Tuesday was our first Gather Bible study of the year.  It's going to be good. I am looking forward to having a couple of new facilitators on board this year.

Wednesday was our Benny day this week. Dad loves the days I watch Benny. I do too. ::snort::

Photo from Arielle

I am NOT done with all my canning, dehydrating and such...but it is time to clear the hearth in preparation for upcoming fires. "We" carried the pressure canner, two water bath canners, 2 dozen quart jars and 2 dehydrators downstairs.  We also carried the applesauce and pickles down to the shelves in the laundry room.

Papa likes Benny days too....their duets are awesome indeed. 

Somehow Benny convinced GG he would like to take a nap with him.... or so GG informed me. 

Dad loves to share how Benny played him. As soon as he fell asleep Benny was OFF.  He did go down for a nice nap. I sealed the frozen squash. 

In the afternoon Michael, Alex and Dad continued to work on brush. Stacia and I harvested garden produce. The first frost is predicted so we harvested the corn that looked edible, squash, beets, some kale, and cauliflower.

Alaska sized zucchini

Benny was full of energy in the afternoon at just the time Papa was ready to nap. 

We are experiencing quite a variety in eggs as the pullets begin to lay. 

Dinner was ready at 5. This is new on Tues, Wed and Thursday (all church nights for us). Last year we just skipped or scarfed down dinner.  We had the kids at church at the new youth group time...it's quite a race to get them there at 6 p.m. but it is nice to have the home earlier in the evening...and nicer still that Krista can drive them home. 

Dad and Michael ran a few errands during youth group. I worked out and enjoyed the stillness of the house - Nolan was in bed and EVERYONE else was gone. 

A man and his fire....he stayed out and tended it late into the night. 

Monday Projects

Monday was a sad day for our family - I'll write about it later, everyone is fine!  Enough said for now.

As we often do, we process by doing....the boys spent the afternoon finishing the Birch tree from yesterday....It was so pretty at the bottom.....

Alex is becoming quit the pro. 

 And very dead at the top. 

Nolan manned the fire today. 

Stacia and I stayed busy inside. We did a bit more baking. I prepared for the start of Bible study tomorrow. Then we worked on a joint project. We took everything out of the pantry and ORGANIZED IT AGAIN! This time we labeled the shelves. Anyone who can read should be able to assist in keeping it organized.

A place of beauty. 

 I cleared one shelf to be able to bring some of the canning up from the basement. 

Some Work and Some Welax!

The week began with a bang....church, lunch out with BreZaak, us all, and Josiah, and then an afternoon at home with Josiah, Arielle and Benny.  I believe Cory was working.

Alex and Michael have been busy felling trees all week. Most have been due to the spruce beetle but today they took down a Birch which was hollow at the top....Birch burns well....and this tree will do better keeping us warm than swaying in the wind. We hate cutting down trees. We are planting evergreens, fruit trees and hope to plant some Birch and Aspen to replace these that are sad and dying. 

Alex's chainsaw gave up - its been a busy week. 

As the men wrestled with the birch, Arielle suggested we go walk along the river. This plan was met with great approval by the gals and Benny. Who knows how much longer we'll have the fall colors to enjoy?  I love the fall colors against the backdrop of the snowy mountains. 

Auntie CoCo is very cool. 

Coco and Benny take advantage of their cool boots

 Love the colors...we live in the foothills below the thumb - the arrow points the way. LOL 

So beautiful - Pioneer Peak

 Goofy Sisters! 

Stacia, Arielle and Krista across the front

 I tried - I never got all 3 together. 

Glacial silt - it's clay like and VERY sticky. 

Benny enjoyed everything about this afternoon. 

River Ballet? 

No, throwing rocks in the water.

We left the river in time for Arielle and Benny to go babysit the D kids.  We stopped by CoRielle's new house so I could see the work they've been doing.

Benny demonstrates how to sweep up construction mess

 Benny was excited to welcome Bachan (grandma, aka me) to the shed. LOL 

Krista, Stacia and I came home and found GG enjoying the afternoon beside the fire. 

The guys were burning little branches and such. Dad and Krista hauled branches to the fire ring and Krista took over feeding the fire and hosing down the yard. I've been assured this was quite safe. 

I grabbed a few photos of fall colors at home. 

The 4 trees we planted are doing well. 

Stacia and I spent some time loving on Yuuki. The 3 of us went for a wonderful walk. 

Stacia and Yuuki

We ended this portion of the day with s'mores around the fire. Didn't see that coming, did you? 

Preserving the Bounty

It was a spectacular day of ordinary things!

One of the benefits of living in a multi-generational nest is the pop up chances to connect. I PLANNED to spend the day preserving garden bounty and harvesting more. I took the past two days off to enjoy conference and have stuff that needs to be dealt with.....BUT I'm also fully aware this is a unique and changing season in our lives....so when Arielle came upstairs early and suggested I accompany her and Benny to the library.....I reasoned the day would be long enough to play AND work....I hopped into the shower. 

When I got out the party had grown. Stacia and Krista joined us. We were at the library when it opened, followed by a trip to Bishop's Attic, and Fred Meyers. Nothing exciting bought - but fun had by all. 

Me, Arielle, Stacia, Benny, Krista

 We jumped right to our list of tasks when we got home. Stacia made Root beer Float cookies for Josiah. Um - well - enough for all of us to have one on Sunday and Josiah to take home a dozen or so.  Krista began quartering apples.

I cut up and blanched more squash than I ever want to see again. I got it in the freezer and then discovered this box in the garage. Ugh.

Somewhere between the squash and the applesauce we got the last batch of pickles processed for the year.

We ended up trying two methods for making apple sauce. On the left is the batch that will go into a strainer. On the right is the batch that will be mashed and canned. I really am not sure which is quicker.....even after doing this side by side trial.

One of Krista's fellow employees sent home his strainer for us to use. It IS slick. 

In the end we had this much applesauce. 

Photo via Krista

 We ended up with oodles of squash, 7 more quarts of Kosher pickles, 20 quarts of applesauce AND 2 dozen big, root beer float cookies.  It was a great day.