My Life In A Little Red Farm House

Painting Day...

2012-01-29T00:40:00.000-08:00

11, June 18
journal page

Today was a day of brushing....as I rolled and brushed new life to the worn faded
scraped wood, of the back mountain porch...
thoughts of days spent in the mountains with mom and dad filled my thoughts.

At times it was laughter that filled me with joy as I brushed,
with all the memories of our many projects we did together...
when I would come to stay here for weeks and months at a time.

At times tears of sadness as I miss those times and miss them both so much...
with each stroke a story...
with each stroke a fond memory...
with each stroke a treasured memory ... always.

Arctic Snowy Owls

2012-01-29T00:10:00.000-08:00

11, June 14
journal page

As the sun was nearing its days end...
and dark was settling in, Ed came rushing into the house to gather me,
grab the binoculars... come... quickly!
Hurry!
Out of breath we scurried back to the big barn, he had just noticed a small flock of blackbirds chasing a rather large bird...
it looked like a Snowy Owl he exclaimed!
As we slipped underneath the outside cross boards of the barn door,
we stood still barely breathing as our eyes scanned the darkness...
searching the beams high up.
There he was...standing tall and very still...every bit of 16 inches in height!
As we stood in awe for some time, the Snowy Owl took flight right above our heads right through the side window of the barn.
A few months later, there was quite a write up in our local paper about the Arctic Snowy Owl traveling south, far away from their tundra homes in search of prey. That many are showing up in increasing numbers in Ohio, mostly along the lake. They had mentioned there were 15 reported sitings. I guess we should have reported our siting. There is always next time. What a privilege to have stood just below this beautiful breathtaking species.

the Allegheny mountains

2012-01-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

11, June 10
journal page

What do porcupines and pileated woodpeckers have in common?
Well, they both are seldom seen in the Allegheny....

As we drove to fetch water at the spring in Endeavor this eve, we came upon a strange looking creature near the middle of the road. From far away, we knew it wasn't an opossum, nor a raccoon. What was this mystical creature waddling in the center of the road? Nearing long quills were evident ... very long quills ... very long raised quills! Looked like a porcupine on steroids...

Our thoughts crossed as we came to a stop, could this creature of the night shoot those quills into our tires.. surely wouldn't want to find out.

Early on, peering out the sliding back porch windows, whilst looking out towards the swift rivers current, we saw the pileated woodpecker, quite the site to behold! It was sizing up yet another wild cherry tree. Earlier we found a damaged cherry tree along the river bank at the edge of the property. Quite a bit of damage, its pecking left holes as big as our hands and as deep.
They are pretty birds...sadly pretty destructive as well...

two thousand eleven where did you go

2012-01-11T00:12:00.000-08:00

as minutes tick into hours
... hours pass into days
as days slip off into weeks
... and weeks flow into months

2011 passed by quickly...
or so it seemed...

In December 2010 I worked hard to shed my walker for a cane. Coming into 2011, though having so many limitations, it definitely slowed me down. I had to learn new ways for the old. I started my new year out full of determination and had many goals set for myself. With insurance changes I was on my own to better my health, to work to get stronger. I found quickly that I was not just on this new journey to build physical strength within, but to remain positive even when I didn't think I could achieve the next step. I must admit, the thought of giving up never occured to me, but there were many times I wanted to give in...in to the numbness, in to the pain, in to the hurdles that were before me..for there were many times I felt hopeless and helpless.

Ed was my hero through and through. By May I was excited that I could start cooking and do laundry again. Crazy huh? My biggest accomplishment in May, was that I was learning to climb stairs again.

It was always a boost when the spring gardening catalogs arrived in the mailbox. It gave me hope and filled me with ambitions to plan my garden. I had quite an assorted mixture of family heirloom seeds started under lights near the south window.

Star Gazing

2011-01-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

At night when all are asleep
in the stillness of the night,
I pull the shade and snap it high
to gaze through the pines at the bright
stars above.
Now and then I catch a shooter
to wish upon.

Thoughts of my day
rush through my stilled mind.

A distant train 3 miles away,
across the road that once was
an open field,
now strewn with houses...
most vacant.

Making wishes and thinking
about life...
and
things to come.

Idle Thoughts

2011-01-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

I have been sitting idle these last months
watching the days and life slip by.

In mid September after a wonderful vacation
in the far northen part in the Upper Peninsula
of Michigan, I mysteriously lost the use of
my left leg.

My life has changed in a blink of an eye. My
limitations are many now. Much of the leg has
regained feeling, though I often wonder when and
if this is going to happen again.

Life can merely be held by the tips of ones fingers.

Apple Crisp

2010-07-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

(this is my favorite recipe to make with any fruit)

Heat oven to 350.
Spread in ungreased 8 inch square pan:
4 cups of sliced unpeeled or peeled apples

Mix with a fork and sprinkle over the apples:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup regular oats
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) softened butter

Bake about 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and apples are tender.

Start to finish, about 45 minutes. Serves 6

Raise Your Hand

2010-07-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

Beth, raise your right arm and wave,
now your left hand, raise it over your
head and wave..

looking at me with just a quick glance
he muttered now
raise your left hand and wave..

hmmm Ed said...
...as he stared forward
beyond me, past Beth, straight forward..

there is a shadow on the wall,
over there,
and it's neither one of you!
...it's gone now..

goosebumps!

..every hair stood on end..

chills ran up and down my spine,
they permeated my soul..

we have a visitor my breath whispered..
..we have a visitor..

we ponder in deep thought..
..who has come to visit?

have they lingered awhile..
or are they just passing through? stay awhile!

Time

2010-07-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

Time is..
Time was...
Time will be again....

My days slip by like fallen snow melting into the crevices of the day...

Whispers

2010-02-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

I hear your voices
whisper through
the breeze,
I fall to my knees
and want to see your
face once more.

Another summer has past
another fall has slipped
quickly by,
a few leaves and
your favorite apples cling
tight now in winters
wind gusts.

The bitter cold stings my face
numbing my fingers
through thick gloves.

Christmas is just past
your voices and laughter
echoed deep
within our hearts
within our thoughts.

Your whispers...linger....

Night Fall

2010-01-31T23:42:00.000-08:00

I am like a mouse
scurrying in the night
finding things to do to stay awake.....

I know...
that when I close my eyes,
I will reclaim dreams that waver deep
in the depths of my conscious.....

Seeing your angelic face
motionless on falls crimson morning,
my arms envelope you
as I hold you close to the bosom of my soul.....

Lavender

2010-01-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I was asked "if you could be a plant, what plant would you be?" Without hestitation I said ..... Lavender. I love EVERYTHING about Lavender!

Scent...color...texture...taste...
......it calms and soothes my spirit...

Lavender, as with other herbs have been used since ancient times. The Romans used Lavender to scent their bath water. Its name comes from the Latin verb, Lavare, to wash. The ancient Greeks prescribed Lavender for coughs.

Today Lavender is widely used in so many ways - from bath scents, to medicinal, to chocolate. Lavender is an effective sedative and calming remedy for digestion. It relieves aches and pains and encourages relaxation.

I have been stretching myself with being more in touch with herbal uses versus over the counter remedies. I am presently trying a hand at mixing an heral remedy to help Eds and my symptoms of creaking joints, aching bones and muscles. We are also trying new ways of eating to relieve our arthritis aches with dietary changes. While cleansing herbal remedies to help alleviate our arthritic condition by clearing toxins from our systems. We both suffer from backaches and sciatica.

I am presently gathering dried herbs and essential oils to make an infusion found in one of my home herbal books.
Lavender oil is a mild analgesic and can relieve many types of backaches, while thyme is an antispamodic that relaxes overtense muscles and eases pain.

Juniper oil is midly analgesic and increases blood flow to the skin, encouraging healing.

Eucalyptus oil helps to encourage blood flow to the surface and is effective for aches and pains.

St. John's Wort oil is an anti-inflammatory helping to repair damaged tissues and ease pain.

Pine oil is a tranditional remedy for sciatica. It eases muscle pain and is a stimulant helping to counter act fatigue.

Be sure to use 100% Pure Grade Essential Oils. You should never skimp on the quality of oils used.

LAVENDER THYME RUB
10 drops Lavender oil
10 drops Thyme oil
5 drops Juniper oil
5 drops Pine oil
10 drops Eucalyptus oil
18 ml St. John's Wort oil
Mix oils in a 100 ml sterilized dark glass bottle and shake well. Pour about a teaspoon of oil onto one palm and gently rub your hands together before massaging into painful areas. Repeat at least twice a day.

Base oils to use with the Lavender oil are Sweet Almond, which contains vitamins, minerals and protein that are absorbed into the skin. Grapeseed oil and Olive oil can also be used.

I like to dilute 1-3 drops of Lavender oil in a teaspoon of Sweet Almond oil and massage my temples and neck for tension headaches and migraines.

Some uses for Lavender oil are..... 2-4 drops of Lavender oil in 2-3 cups boiling water ... inhale vapors for headaches, insomnia or depression.

2-3 drops of Lavender oil on a minor burn will decrease pain.

A few drops of Lavender oil on a wet cloth thrown into the dryer will deoderize and freshen your laundry.

Rub Lavender oil on the bottoms of your feet for a calming effect on the body.

A drop of Lavender oil on an insect bite will stop the itch and can help reduce swelling.

Fall

2009-10-10T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ring around the rosey,
a pocket full of posies,
ashes, ashes
we all fall down....

This echoed through my head as I swept leaves from my steps.

Fall .......... Down ..........
YES IT'S FALL!

The days have grown shorter, the leaves whirling and twirling in the slightest breeze becoming part of natures dance.

Firey maples screaming to be noticed ... orange, reds, wild choke cherry glowing yellow through the density of the woods. In our yard some apples cling tight, as others shake loose to the ground below.

The days and nights have been very chilled, a quick reminder of what is soon to be.

Last Wednesday I spent hours in the garden gathering the last remaining peppers and tomatoes, as our first frost warnings were announced. I sat next to my herb garden stripping basil from their stocks filling a roaster, thinking to myself the whole time of all the wonderful pesto I'd be making.

The frost wiped out the weaker plants left in the garden, while adding sweetness to the kale and beets.

Tonight we fired up the outside wood burner. The clanking of the registers bring added chills to my spine, as I dread winter.

Seems only yesterday that I got sunburned and tonight another frost warning is upon us.

"Things Are Getting A Bit Seedy"

2009-10-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year...
........time to choose the best heirloom tomatoes in the garden to save seed.
Not just for the following summer, but summers to come and seeds to share. I have been saving heirloom tomato seed for over 30 years. The majority of my seeds are over 50 years old.

I started saving seeds from Ed's gramma in southern Illinois back in the early 70's. Who knows how old her seeds were that she saved year to year. She always had the most wonderful tasting tomatoes, the flavor pops in your mouth just thinking about them. The seeds I have saved year to year from his dad are a bit similar, yet a different blushing on them.

This year I bought a couple different varieties of tomato plants from the Athens Farmers Market in Southern Ohio and have added seed from the best ones to my collection.

"Purple Russian"...they were an interesting purple black plum like tomato, very meaty and flavorful. They originated in the Ukraine.
"Mortgage"... dates back to the 1930's. It is a cross between German Johnson, Beefsteak, Italian and English varieties.

Bethany introduced me to "Orange Oxheart".. a very flavorable orange heart shaped tomato, "Golden Plum" and "Black Brandywine".

Although I started out with 91 tomato plants in my garden, I lost quite a few to drought and groundhogs. My soil conditions were a bit bleak as well. We just picked up a testing kit to take soil samples in our garden and send them in to get tested at a lab in Holmes County.

I am dreaming of lush bushy plants in 2010.
"

Fall Migration

2009-09-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

I just brought in my last hummingbird feeder yesterday, although I haven't seen any hummers since the first week of September, I thought there may be a few stragglers coming through.

The male hummingbirds leave in the first part of August. By late August, the majority of the females are gone. The "juvenile" hummingbirds are the last to leave.

By the end of May, I have my feeders up for the females who start to show up in our area come June. Every year we have nests in the pine trees behind the house and near the pond.

The females have 2 pea sized white eggs that hatch in 14 to 16 days. They are nearly full grown when they leave the nest in 21 days. Every year I watch to catch a glimpse of the new hummers in the yard...it's near impossible to tell which are the juveniles.

Every summer I like to stand still nearby where I usually have a feeder hanging and hold the feeder close to my face...it takes only a few minutes for the hummingbirds to come for the sweet treat. Seeing them so close is just awesome!

I am feeling the loss of not seeing the hummingbirds whizzing around the porch and in the perennial garden at the feeders. The winter will drag on until they arrive again in the spring...they will quicken our hearts and catch the eye as no other birds can...

Is It Kosher or Polish?

2009-09-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

For the last weeks, I have been trying to track down pickling cucumbers. This year many gardens, including mine, were hit hard with an "air blight". It took quite a toll on the cucumber vines. A few days ago I ordered a bushel of pickling cucumbers from an Amishman, he has been able to buy large quanties to sell from the English/Amish Auction Barn a few miles away.

This week I have been making batches of Kosher and Polish pickles with a twist. I have to wait until all are nestled in bed before mixing my hot peppers and garlic concoction, as its enough to choke the toughest soul out of here, once the brine starts boiling.

As I choke, gasp, and sneeze from the hot peppers I am boiling in the brine, I am continuously telling myself, it's going to be well worth it in the end....

The Harvest Moon

2009-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

The Harvest Moon looks like a big ole pumpkin in the sky, just before dark...
... the moon should be full September, October, November...the Autumn moon often helps the farmers working in their fields late in the night trying to bring their late crops in.

There were many nights years back that old man Garver would be harvesting a late crop of soy beans across the way by the light of the moon. Sure miss hearing the chugging of the old John Deer forgaging through the fields.

The Harvest Moon also brings on garden harvest time...
... the last couple weeks I have been busy harvesting near dusk, tomatoes...
for salsa,jars of stewed, and many to freeze...

A neighbor down the road has been very generous with his bumper crop of zucchini. Every few years I put up a slew of zucchini relish. I have not bought relish in over 30 years. This relish recipe has been passed on to many.

Zucchini Relish
10 cups zucchini, minced
1 cup pickling salt
5 cups onion, minced
1 cup celery, diced
3 green peppers, diced
2 sweet red peppers, diced
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
6 cups sugar
5 cups white vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Prepare zucchini, combine with salt and other vegetables. Allow mixture to stand overnight. Drain; rinse thoroughly and drain again in a colander. Press bowl down on top of vegetable mixture to force out as much liquid as possible. In a large enamel or stainless steel pot, combine remaining ingredients; add vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently 20 - 40 minutes, stirring often. Ladle relish into hot sterilized jars and seal. Makes 8 pints.

Change...

2009-08-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

Change...
in a childs dictionary
... to make different or
replace with another

in Webster's
... to undergo transformation
... to give up one thing for another

As a child, I was oblivious to changes as my days were filled with hugs and play time...surrounded by cousins, always outdoors playing, stretching our imaginations...
bouncing on long low branches for horses, cowboys and Indians, dressing barn cats in doll clothes, swinging on ropes in a hay mow, playing jacks - onesies, twosies, eating pepperoni swinging on a back porch swing, running through summers rain...to name a few.

My dad was a coal miner at Robena Mines his whole life, as his father and grandfather before him. There had been a gas explosion at the mine when I was 8. Within months, mid winter, we were packing up for a move. My dads only sister had convinced him to move south..Florida..leaving nearly all our treasures behind. I think dads thoughts were if it didn't fit in the Uhaul, you didn't need it.

Little did I know my life was soon to change...drastically..from a rural farming community to sand and sidewalks.

Through the years I have learned to adapt to change. I don't think change is ever easy.

A few weeks ago the neighboring farm across the road sold. The auction for household miscellaneous and farm machinery brought many. Whether to purchase canning shelves to weathered paned windows, tractors and antique machinery.

Walking through the farm one last time brought much sadness to my heart, as change was soon to be. Within weeks the new owner has divided the 68.5 acres from 5 acre to 20 acre lots. This is not a change I want to adapt to....but know I must.

Notes from the garden

2009-08-17T10:40:00.001-07:00

94 degrees.

Afternoon harvest, heirlooms doing well in the heat. First time 'Russian Purple' are exploding in size - their flesh sweet and juicy.

'Juliet's', I am favoring over the common 'Cherry Tomato' or 'Grape Tomato' in flavor and size.

My beans are struggling this year... different from years past. High production with first picking, they're giving into the heat. Shaena and I strung some of the biggest beans onto strings to dry, hoping to save them for later in the year.

Most surrounding gardens were stricken with an air blight. My pickles and English cucumbers are starting to show signs today. Hoping the nearby Amish will have small pickling cucumbers for me to purchase. I need to do a run today to the Amish in hopes of finding onions and more peppers for zucchini relish tonight.

Heat or no heat, canning time is now.

Getting things started

2009-08-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

I live in an old farm house, approximately 1831. It was rented out and badly abused for 35 years, until we rescued it, painted it red and have been rehabbing it through the years. This old house sets on a 5 acre plot of land, surrounded by the whispers of nature. Deer, fox, coyote, rabbits, geese, owls, birds of all kind inhabit our land and surrounding land.

In the spirit of a year full of big projects, I think it would be fun to share some of the goings on in our life on the farm. This is my first blog, and I'm hoping to share some of the fun and informative things in my life with family and friends.

"It's the red house on the corner.... you know the one..."