A Year of Sunrises and Sunsets

     Sitting here this morning, my little Boston snuggled next to me and my cuppa Joe at easy access for my right hand, I am watching the final sunrise of the year. Looking back, we have had a full year of sunrises. Some we have been able to watch, others have been covered by clouds but everyday that big orange ball in the sky has made its presence known.

Sunrise at the Snake River in summer.

We have had many experiences this past year. Some good, some not so good, but all of them we have learned from. From planning and building our chicken coop, our first baby chicks, the first egg, yard improvements, family reunions, gardening, loss of dear ones, too much time spent at the hospital and too much time spent away in the big City and so much more. All of these events have taught us something in some way or another and changed our thought process' in either large or small ways. Then there were sunsets. Everyday the sun set. Shedding its golden light over the hills of wheat, sometimes peaking through the clouds, other times bathing the countryside in that wonderful golden light that makes everything drip gold. My most favorite time of the evening.                                                            

Sunset from the hills east of us in winter.

     This last day of the year beginning with the sun shinning and day of quality time spent with my son enjoying the last days of holiday break before we get back to the grind again on Wednesday. It's going to be a great day! The end of a very quick but long year.                                           

Blessings

      I admit at the beginning of the month and up until about a week ago I have been having a hard time finding that magic in Christmas. Well I realized it really wasn't about me finding the magic or Spirit of Christmas it was allowing it to find me. Finding the quiet time to really think about things, the Spirit came to me. Not by way of the usual sparkly-ness of the season or Christmas cheer or the ornaments on the tree or the music of the season but quietly and subdued (kind of like the birth of our Lord that special night). My magic has been with me all along in the "ordinary" quality time that I spend with my husband and son. In the realization that there is wonder and magic around us everyday - we just have to choose to see it. So the tree is up and we have gifts underneath and the anticipation and the excitement in the moment of giving and receiving are there but so will it remain even after those gifts have been opened in the blessings of enjoying my loved ones everyday no matter if it is for a few moments or hours or days and in looking forward to all the "Ordinary" times in our future. Blessings to all of you this Season.                                                                                       

Not So Ordinary, Ordinary

     A nice weekend spent with my guys. A little bit of shopping, a movie and relaxing at home watching a football game and being warmed by the crackling  fire in the fireplace. Sounds pretty ordinary. Something that a lot of us would do on any weekend. We have done this many weekends before too. What is different now? Now our family has made it through one heck of a tough few months. A something simple turned into emergency surgery and fortunate to be alive event for my husband. A routine doctors appointment turned to a consult with a specialist, to emergency surgery 4 days after the consultation appointment. We were blessed in so many ways during this time. My husbands doctor happened to be friends with a specialist surgeon who is the best in the U.S. and Europe at what he does along with the medical team that works with him and the hospital. My husbands recovery and healing process went quicker then expected and he healed leaps and bounds beyond what the doctors had anticipated or expected. An ordinary weekend spent enjoying being with each other. Ordinary us doing ordinary stuff. So blessed  and thankful to be doing the ordinary things with my guys.

SNOOKS

Good Architecture

     These white arches pull at my love for good architecture. Holding strength and beauty. Good bones. Pleasing to the eye. Something soothing in their design. I love good architecture. You can find good architecture in lots of places, when your eye comes to rest on it you know it. You know it because it stops you and holds your interest.These arches are in Seattle. There are many other beautiful structures in this big city but these arches caught me and made me take a picture of them. Speaking of structures, my structure, that would be my bones and muscles haven't been the same since this and a few prior trips to Seattle in the past 3 months. Too many miles on this structure. Maybe it really isn't the miles but the quality of the structure. You see I think I am the most out of shape I have ever been and my bones and muscles are letting me know it loud and clear. No excuses, just plain old out of shape and time to get back in shape. I'm not getting any younger and these bones and muscles of mine need to last me another 40 years at least. I need to give this out of shape structure a restoration so it can shine again. So, on to restoring my arches, giving my muscles a much needed continuous work out and keeping on going so that my structure doesn't start falling apart on me. 

Jack. Jack Frost.

     You all know him. Some of you may appreciate him more then others. I am one that appreciates him sometimes but I am oh so glad to see him go away. He begins his visits in the fall. At first quick little visits, maybe to test how well he will be received and where the best locations are to begin his stay for the winter. Sometimes he visits just a bit but other times he throws one big huge party, sometimes he just keeps going with those big parties. Just doesn't want to quit.     

     We had the unfortunate pleasure of his visit last night, well actually he hasn't left just yet. It wasn't a big party last night but he sure got his boogie on. Yes that guy named Jack. Jack Frost. He came through town last night and left his mark. He liked our town so much in fact he is still hanging around. It's looking like he may be here to stay for awhile. 

     Frost does have a way with the everyday sights around us. My favorite is when we have a heavy thick frost and everything is coated with ice crystals. Everything is white, the only color might be the black ribbon of road stretched out in front of you and the color of your car. Kind of enchanted looking and other-worldly. 

     It will be non too soon when good old Jack makes his exit. I figure I have a good 3 months, maybe a bit more  before he is edged out of town. In the mean time, pulling out my gloves, scarves and heavy coat so all he can nip at is my nose.                                                                                                   

Looking for the Magic

    Looking ahead to our next festive season, now that we have accomplished a successful and wonderful Thanksgiving celebration brings to mind the crisp smell of pine and spicy scent of cinnamon, the warm glow of twinkle lights, and sounds of old time Christmas melodies softly playing in the back ground. 

     I just can't get it in gear over here to be able to get myself into the "christmasy" state of mind needed for decking our home with holiday trimmings. My son said to me the other day that he loved it when it was Christmas. I asked why and he said he loved the way the house smelled and the feeling that he had with the house decorated. This coming from a kid who can be heard humming Christmas tunes in the middle of summer. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. Maybe that is what I am having a hard time catching a hold of-the magic. There is something magical about a home dressed in it's best and most festive attire of the year.     Some underlying current of magic in the season. Maybe this is what pulls our hearts towards the memories of the past, the tangible feelings and smells of days gone by. Maybe I should stop looking so hard for the magic and let the magic find me.

    

So Pleased To Meet You

     Today. November 19. Monday. Eleven years ago, today, November 19, Monday morning, we found ourselves, my Husband and I, checking me into the hospital for the birth of our son. I was induced, so the day wasn't necessarily a surprise but still full of unknowns. What time would this wonderful new life enter this world, would he have lots of hair, what color would it be? So many questions. I couldn't wait to meet him, to hold him, to smell him. This would take all day. Starting with contractions about mid day, brought on by medication and several laps around the maternity ward. By early evening I was pushing, not knowing that I would continue this for several more hours, into the night with no success at moving this child into the world but stuck a mere few inches away from his grand entrance. With a little help from the Doctor and some equipment to help move my son the rest of the way, we had success. I was so tired. Not an ounce of push left in me and barely able to hold my son as the Doctor lay him on my chest. My Husband, ever present by my side had to help me hold him in my arms. Oh so sweet this child. This beautiful child. Strong and healthy. We are so blessed. At this time that I am typing, on this day, eleven years ago, I was in the middle of contractions and pushing. In about an hour I meet my son for the first time outside of my belly. What a fantastically, wonderfully, exciting day!! So pleased to meet you my sweet son.

The Boston

     Special delivery, all the way from California. Yes this little package of sweetness came all the way up to the Great Pacific Northwest just shy of 1000 miles from California. My Sister with her Husband and daughter came to visit from California and brought us this little sweetie. Going on five months now with her here in our home and settling very snugly in our hearts. Not to replace the loss of our boxer Angus-nothing could ever take his place. But to secure a different place in each of our hearts with her little lovebug ways.

Josie

     She has had some learning to do, like not chasing the cats and leaving the chickens alone. We have had some learning too, like she can climb the chain link fence in the back, she is a quick little thing and all muscle. She is very strong and super smart.

Our little sweetie.

     Ever my constant companion and snugler. Never a moment when she doesn't make me smile or laugh at her silly ways. She has melded right in with all of our family and etched her way into all of our hearts. It has been just a few short months but it seems that she has always been a part of our little family.

The Stool

     This old stool-it is older then I. There are photos of me as a little girl helping my mom in her kitchen do the dishes, bake, cook, watch, you name it, there is me standing on the stool. Not this very stool but one just like it, except mine (or shall I say my moms kitchen stool) was white. This one that is in my kitchen is pale yellow.

Steps pull out from under the seat.

     You know what? I still use it for doing stuff in the kitchen, as well as everywhere else in and out of the house.   I am of the vertically challenged group. In other words short! I need help with, well it seems like everything. Why is everything up so high where I can't reach it? This is part of who I am. Part of the life I know, no other way. Always looking for an arm extension or few extra feet on the bottoms of my feet. 

Steps stored away under seat.

     For me, this is the most essential part of my house hold tools and most useful piece of furniture. Its location in the kitchen summons you to sit on it too. Right where it is. And I see my son using it in all the ways I used my moms kitchen stool and then some. Most of the time it is food oriented. Getting chips or bread from on top of the fridge, getting something in or out of the microwave above the stove or getting a bowl or cup out of the cupboard. This stool is a must have. I recommend one in every kitchen.

Good Night

     Tonight is an early to bed night. Not because there is anything new or out of the ordinary happening or going on. Just because we are tired. My son came home from school telling me "Mom I'm tired." He looked it too. The Husband fell asleep at 8:30 p.m. right here on our couch this evening. He finally gave up his battle just before 9:00 p.m. and said he was done. Good night. My son followed very soon after. Now it's just me awake. One of our cats, James came in from outside and is giving himself a bath on the entry table and my little sweetie, the new addition to our family, Josie (Boston Terrier) is snuggled right up as close as she can get to me and is....yes, asleep. I'll introduce you to her in another post. It's not often we find our house quiet, between the dogs and cats and us there is always some sort of traffic through the house. So it is time for me to enjoy the still, quiet, sleeping household. For a few minutes before I head off to dream land myself. Maybe I'll nod off with a good book. Tonight seems like it could be one of those nights. Good night everyone, sweet dreams.

Short Days

     As the days move closer and closer to that one, shortest day of the year in December, I find myself disliking the end of the day. I am a "light" person. I like the light. Natural sun light that is. I love the longer days of daylight during summer. My most favorite time is when the sunlight lingers through the evening past 9:00 p.m. So, when we get into the winter months and the time change and dusk falls at 3:45 p.m. - well, I am just not a happy camper. I hate it when it gets dark so early. Especially that early. It is really the pits. Some may like the early darkness and longer night times, not I. I long for the longer days and springing forward of time in the Spring. I quietly bide my time as we move closer to that shortest day of the year and as soon as that one day is over I start watching the time that darkness falls and with each passing day I am awarded a few minutes longer of light. I can't wait until it stays light again past 5:00 p.m. Even more so, I can't wait until those long, lingering days of light return in the summer. Yep, those long light filled days are the days for me.                                                                                                                      

Long Weekend

     Last day of the long weekend. I love long weekends. You can really get things done and still have time to relax and enjoy before the work week starts again. This time my son and I are the lucky ones. The Husband had to work today. We had a busy weekend cleaning up the leaves-we kind of cheat a little. We use the mower to help pick up the leaves. Makes quick work out of a chore that would take a good chunk of time to accomplish. Yay for the John Deere lawn mower. The clucks got to get out and forage in the yard. They found all sorts of fat juicy worms and bugs. While they were out in the yard I cleaned out the coop. Raked the leaves from the outer run area as well. Our son chopped up some kindling for the wood stove.We did all of the other mundane tasks like washing dishes and doing laundry etc as well. All and all a very productive weekend. Just in time to get things in order for cooking a big Thanksgiving feast. Gathering ideas for some new dishes to try, as well as our tried and true old favorites.                                                       

A Drive in the Country

     Well here we are already in the month of November. I am so amazed that we are at month number 11 in this year. The Husband and I, along with our son took a day a few weeks ago to just take a drive out in the country. Follow what ever dirt road looked interesting and enjoy the sights and sounds around us. Here are some of the sights that we came across. 

Fall color explosion along the creek bed at the base of the hills.

Sunrise with the on coming most recent storm.

 A friends century plus old barn.

Looking north up the valley towards our little town.

The looming storm coming in.

Moving Forward

     Life gives us so much. Sometimes what we are given is easy, sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's work.  How we let it affect our lives is our choice. One must make the choice to take what they have been given and move forward with it. To put one foot in front of the other and move ahead, even if it is baby steps.                                                                                                                                                                                      I am amazed at how fast the last month and half has gone. Looking back over this year - the entire year has moved along quickly for us. But the last month and half has been fast. Full of the unexpected and leaving us to digest events after the fact instead of as they come. I think we are still in the process of digesting things but now we have the liberty of quiet, un-scattered thoughts and time for reflection.

     I have found in myself an un-wavering strength and solid core that even surprised me at times. I also found that in my most un-confident times that instead of standing tall the best and only place for me to be was on my knees. Here I found myself renewed in strength and felt a blanket of peace enveloping me that I had not known or felt before. 

We as a family have sailed through rough waters. Currently we are blessed with a safe harbor to rest and heal and reflect. We are all changed and look at things a little differently now. Have we climbed a mountain? Yes, absolutely! But only by making the choice to keep putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. When we look back on this mountain we can see that we have climbed a big one, but when we look ahead we can see the peaceful meadow we rest in for now. We have more mountains to climb but with each one we gain more strength, more knowledge, and a stronger faith and relationship with our Jesus. Through Him we can do all things.

The Big City's beauty. Different but still pretty.

     

One Happy Girl

The colors of our oak trees. They were still green a few weeks ago.

     Our family here at 3Beeze has had quite a run of unexpected events through the month of September. These events took us away from the comfort of our little homestead and into the Big City for a few weeks. While away from our country home Fall happened. It was quite a surprise. We left with green leaves on our trees and 80 degree temperatures. The arrival back home was in the dark of night with a gigantic harvest moon to guide our way. Couldn't have asked for a more picturesque welcome back to the country. With only the silver moonlight to see by, everything was bathed in silver and grey, so the change in color of the trees leaves wasn't noticed till morning. As I stood at the kitchen window the next morning with my cuppa joe in hand watching the sun rise on the clucks coup I noticed that our fire pit area was covered in leaves. This brought my eyes to the trees - to my surprise they were painted with bright color. Then the realization set in, while away in the City our Fall season had happened. Another nice welcome home. I tried to appreciate the different beauty that the City had to offer and in it's own "city" way it did offer up some pretty sights. However nothing  holds a candle to the beauty that is offered up by the rolling hills, open spaces, blue clear sky and groves of trees the country has to offer. Not to mention the sounds and smells are much nicer too. Instead of street lights shinning in the window at night it's the moon light. Instead of sirens screaming in the night it is the distant howl of a coyote or the soft hoot of an owl. No exhaust to smell, only clean fresh air and the smell of earth. Yes, I am one happy girl to be back home in the country.             

Our oak tree leaves.

Priceless Treasures

"My Sister's Quilt". The twin to the one I made for my Sister.

Now that fall is in the air it is time to pull out all of the quilts. There are always a few favorites that remain out through the summer. But with the coolness in the air coming on, all of the others get to come out and be used in some place or another around our home. I have a small handful of heirloom quilts that are at least 100 years old. These hang on the wall or stay folded in a nook in our den where they can be seen and appreciated but not used. Many of the quilts I have were made by my Mother-in-law who is an expert quilter and several others were made by my Mom who is an accomplished seamstress. So one could say that the crazy-ness of cutting up perfectly fine fabric and then stitching it back together again runs in my blood. One of my most favorite quilts is one that I made for my dear Sister. Actually it was two quilts that I made at the same time. Twin quilts. One for her and one for me. This quilt, "My Sister's Quilt", is one that is always out and always on the end of the couch or in the chair where I happen to be sitting in the evening. My Sister keeps hers in the same place and uses hers like I use mine. I find comfort in this quilt knowing this and her love for her quilt. Even in the summer I cover up with it. I have made several others as well and sent them to loved ones out of state. I have also made some that have remained here in our home. There is something therapeutic in this crazy-ness of cutting up perfectly fine fabric so it can be stitched back together again. I can't really put my finger on the exact reason why, I just know that it is. Receiving a quilt that has been stitched just for you runs parallel to receiving something priceless.                                 

Summer

My goodness how time flies! Where did our summer go? Over the last few weeks we have gone from blistering temps to the comfortable low to mid 80's. Fall is in the air. You can feel it with the cooling in the evening as the sun sets and in the moist dewy mornings when the sun rises. The sun is setting sooner and rising later. Of course the wheat harvest is rapidly coming to a close as well. Fitting I suppose with the easing of the temperatures and shortening of the days. Although I will miss the long summer days and the warmth summer offers, I look forward to what the fall season will bring. The plants will be able to rest from the long scorching dry summer days, the evenings are full of a moist earthy scent, fireplace smoke drifts in the air adding it's spicy smell to the soft earthy scent and the dust goes away. Everything around seems to take a long deep breath and embrace the ease that fall brings with it. Soon the leaves will change and the cool refreshing evening breeze of summer will change to the crisp subtle wind of fall and bring with it the giant bright white cotton ball clouds that gallop and chase each other across the sky. We still have some warm summer days left and I intend to savor these days and save up all the warmth that I can. I will most certainly miss the warm summer sun and long lazy days of summer.

Harvest

One of he big guys. It is not uncommon to see 3 or 4 of these big guys  cutting in a row.

       Harvest. It is a way of life here. It is what our small town revolves around. The ground is tilled and prepared for seeds. The seeds are planted and then they grow. Then the wait. The wait for the wheat to be just right to cut. Then it happens.The wheat turns and becomes ready for harvest. There is nothing but harvest. That is it. Nothing else happens until all the wheat is harvested. Hundreds of thousands of acres of wheat. There are some peas and garbonzo beans to harvest too but the majority is wheat. As far as the eye can see 360 degrees. The big combines come out of their resting places and set to work cutting the wheat. Fine white chaff dust sparkles in the air and floats on the breeze. Settling on everything. Not a surface is left untouched. Only good part about this is I don't dust anything until after harvest is done. Usually about 3 weeks. I learned my lesson early. If you dust in the morning, by late afternoon things look as if you never touched them. So we just wait. Hay fever sets in too. Traffic jams occur often. When it's time to move the equipment to the next field that needs cutting the roads are how these big monsters get to where they are going. Sometimes they get a ride on a big trailer but are so wide they hang way over the bed of the trailer and there is only one speed, slow. These traffic jams make me smile. Grain trucks are on the roads pounding gears to get their heavy loads to the elevators and then back to the fields again for another load. This is hot, sweaty and dirty work. For some, harvest may be a time of hanging fall decorations and trees leaves changing color. Here harvest is 3 or so weeks of hard work. 3 or so weeks of combines, tractors, grain trucks and farmers working non stop to get the wheat into the safe clutches of the grain elevators. Then and only then is there rest and celebration. What a celebration there is when it is an end of harvest celebration. Just as the urgency to get things harvested is a viable "feeling" in the air of daily activity, so is there a tangible "feeling" of relief and celebration in the air when the harvest is complete. In a word, HARVEST. It sums it all up.                                                                        

The First Egg

I will let this sweet egg be the words for this post.

Our first egg from our girls. Can't wait to see what we find tomorrow.

A Good Visit

     Mid July. More guests to arrive. This time our guests were my Sister and her family. It was so good to see all of them again. Too much time had passed since our last visit. My Sister did most of the cooking while she was here so I got a much needed break and lots of great food. We had so much food we ended up putting some of it away in the freezer. My Sister and Brother-in-law got a much needed break away from their day to day routine and were able to rest and relax. We had great conversations and good quality time together. The cousins sunk into life with each other with out missing a beat and acted more like siblings then cousins. My Sister and I spent as much time as was possible by each others side trying to get as much of the other as we possibly could. Knowing that our next visit with each other wouldn't be soon enough. We are so alike, we know what each others thought is before it is said but then again so completely different from each other that we can provide each other with a different outlook on a situation. We are lucky to have each other. I was lucky to have them visit.                                                                                                                               

Growing, Growing, Growing

  

Summer has finally hit and we are having the warm temps, blue clear skies and the occasional thunder storm with rain. Some days have been just a bit warm but others are quite nice. Had to pull out the hose and set out to watering regularly. Had a stretch of really hot days all in a row and some of the ferns dried out but everything else has responded with blooming and ripening. We have had a large harvest of berries almost daily and even shared with the birds and critters, tomatoes have been turning red, zucchinis are growing larger, corn is getting taller, sunflowers and daisies are blooming, it keeps going from there. Seems like we have the sprinkler going constantly on some part of the yard or garden. Weeds are doing their fair share of growing too. I have been ignoring the weeds in the flower beds and tending to the ones in the garden, even still I have parts of the garden that have weeds knee tall. I wish all of the plants would grow as well as the weeds do. None the less things are growing and I am very pleased. With warmer dryer temps and no rain the harvest of the wheat has begun and is full throttle to get it cut and to the elevators. The harvest is about 3 weeks late this year due to the cooler temps we had at the beginning of summer. With shorter days and dew setting in the mornings and the mid August thunder and rain storms approaching the rush is on to complete cutting the wheat as soon as possible. Combines are running like mad to beat Mother Nature and Father Time.