Foggy Weekending

I woke up this morning in the dark, made my coffee, and realized as the sun started coming up that there was something special happening out there. So I grabbed my camera and slipped on my old garden shoes, and in my pjs I sloshed through dewy grass and foggy silence to try and capture a little bit of this magical start to the weekend.

May we all find something magical to savor this weekend, and notice. Happy weekending!

They're Baaaaaaaaaack...

Well, not quite a year after we scared away that big ol' roaming family of feral hogs, they're back. The hubs was noticing that telltale rogue rototiller look to our woods again, and the mud around the pond was trying to tell us the same thing- that not just a couple, not just the little ones, but the whole friggin' gang is back again (in addition to quite a few raccoons, too, apparently). And in case we had any doubt, upon pulling in the driveway after dark the other night, my car's headlights startled two huge hogs rooting around in the front yard, and I got a close-up doubt-free confirmation that we're on their nightly rotation again.

I'm sure part of their return can be blamed on the fact that this fall we've had a crazy-ton of acorns (which is a whole lot more than a regular ton). It must have been a good year for our post oaks, but that's not very good news for us.

I've reached back out to the trapper that helped us the first time, and I'm crossing my fingers that he feels up for another round with these unwanted visitors. These things are an invasive ecological nightmare, they reproduce like rabbits, and they have no qualms about tearing up whatever catches their fancy or gets in their way.

Here's hoping we can find some help (soon!) to remind them that they're not welcome here!

Driving for Milk

It's been a few years since we converted to raw milk, and we're still just as committed now as we were then. I've had a few people ask how it's been going since our initial plunge- if we're still going to the trouble of finding and buying raw milk, if the cost is worth it, if it's made us sick "yet."

So here's the story: we've had no illness from drinking/using raw milk, the cost (for us anyway, including gas to and from the dairy) is about the same as buying 1/2 gallons of organic grass-fed milk at the store, and honestly I haven't experienced regrets of any kind... well, except that sometimes it gets to be a drag that the nearest raw dairy is 45 minutes away. But so far, that's it... and honestly, even though it takes a little mental pep-talk to get me out the door when we're due for a few gallons, the drive really isn't that bad...

...and the reward is still totally worth it.

Interested in finding raw dairy resources in your area? Try looking here:

• http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/
• www.eatwild.com
• www.craiglist.org

Visiting :: Legoland

Ohmygosh, that was quite a field trip. I'm not sure how much STEAM learnin' was accomplished in the chaos, but from what I saw today- chaperoning a group of all boys- it was crazy-fun for all the Littles, anyway. Lego exhibits, Lego rides, Lego interactive games, build-your-own stations, and a 3D Lego movie that involved real blowing wind, real rain, and foam "snow" at the end... what more could a guy want?

...other than a nap on the way home, I mean...

Weekending

 We've cleaned up and put our tools away... stacked the scrap lumber and scrubbed (most of) the stain from underneath our finger nails... is the weekend over already? Ah well, ladies and gents, presenting our first wood shed! Now all it needs are some shingles...

Happy weekending!

Pecans

We picked ourselves a pecan pie today, y'all, and as soon as my nutcracker gets here, we're gonna make it happen. We took some for us, we left lots for the squirrels, and we kicked off the weekend with a good dose of this weird late-summer weather and some lovely late-fall light.

So...... favorite pecan pie recipes...... aaaaaand go!

A Mysterious Visitor

October went out with bluster and chill, and November has arrived with late-summertime temps and humidity. 90 degrees by tomorrow? Ugh.

But with these warmer temps came a little visiting water bird (we're not sure exactly what it is), bringing a little mystique with it's migratory pause. Our short-lived freeze has started turning everything the browns, tans, and muted tones we'd expect to see in mid-Fall, and even though it feels like early September (and will for the next week at least), there's still some autumnal magic to be found out there after all!

With this November magic comes a craving to find a way to express a little gratitude for all that special everyday stuff (for me, anyway), and so in keeping with tradition I'll be playing along with Positively Present's Gratitude Challenge again this year. It's the perfect little daily ritual for this month of thanksgiving.

One photo every day (hopefully), posted over on my Instagram account. If you're playing along, too, feel free to link up and join me in welcoming November!