farewell fall

Well, goodbye beautiful colours, anyway.

On Saturday, the girls and I biked (and I use that term VERY loosely, because both of them were in the bike trailer, so it was only I who was pedalling!!) down to the river a mile from our house. The trees have been clothed in multi-coloured splendor for the last week or so and I still hadn't gotten many good shots of the beautiful golds, greens, coppers, and reds. Many of the leaves are on the ground already, so even though it was somewhat overcast, it was reasonably warm and let's face it, I wanted to postpone washing the dishes and tidying up the house just a little longer!

Instead of just going down to the bridge, we veered off the beaten path and biked down what was formerly a cattle trail. The farmer that owns the land on the other side of "my" mile road used to graze his cattle in the field opposite our yard, but fenced the trail off and decided to turn that field into a cash crop this year. So I biked up to where the trail is blocked off, parked the bike, and we wandered down the well-worn cattle trails to the river.

Here we are at the very top of the trail, where it veers from its parallel course with the road and goes off towards the river:

Gettin' closer!

Looking back at the bridge:

The river is VERY shallow because we've gotten very little rain over the summer.

Oh, hello there!

Fidget, not surprisingly, set off at a jog to go pet the cows, but I reigned in her enthusiasm when I told her I really didn't want to meet up with an unimpressed bull. Nothing that exciting happened. After snapping a couple of pictures, we went back around the bend so as to be out of their view and we all lived happily ever after.

The Little Mermaids:

One last look before turning and heading back up to the road:

It's kinda hard to tell here, but this is Fidget's back and the neighbour's dog as they climb up the trail back to road level:

And here's Peanut, content to lag behind, further down the trail, pretending she's exploring all on her own:

A clear, blue sky would have greatly enhanced these pictures, I think, but I'm so glad we went when we did because it was a beautiful afternoon even without direct sunlight. And yesterday was windy and damp and significantly more leaves were on the ground. Autumn is definitely past its prime.

Ahhh, Fall. Your beauty is all too fleeting.

MSM11: Broken and Blessed

1. Share your most embarrassing moment or the funniest thing that ever happened to you. When I was 13-14 years old, I had this beautiful white lace sheath dress with a boat neckline and a gathered, dropped waist (which was high fashion back in the mid-80's!). It ended just above my knees, thus showing off the good part of my legs and hiding my somewhat less-attractive, friction-prone thighs. (That was a problem even back then when I was skinny.)

With the dress, we'd purchased a deep purple silk scarf, which I wore in an accordion fold at my throat, slightly off to the side. (Remember, this was the 80's, people!! Scarves were VERY in style.) It was rather tricky to get the scarf folded just right while still being tight enough to stay off-centre, and one Sunday morning, I just couldn't make both happen at once. As my parents waited impatiently in the car, I finally decided my only option was to concentrate on the perfect fold and then to TAPE the scarf in the proper position. Wa-la, problem solved.

Now, there was this boy in church whom I was desperately in love with and this particular Sunday, I actually managed to work it so that we ended up sitting next to each other during the service. And being in our early and mid-teens, we talked and giggled and made nuisances of ourselves pretty much the whole time. Halfway through the service, the scarf became too warm and uncomfortable, so I took it off, and continued to thoroughly enjoy myself with my teenage crush. It was undoubtedly the best church service in my memory to that point and likely the highlight of my month. Nothing could have wrecked my mood that day. I was convinced he loved me, too. How could he not?! I was positively floating.

Until I got home after church and I looked at myself in the mirror. In my euphoric, infatuated haze, I'd forgotten all about my scarf strategy.

And the two MASSIVE chunks of masking tape clearly visible on my throat.

2. Take the "Pride Test" (pp.170-71). In what two areas would you like most to grow? I'd say the two self-centered behaviours that stick out the most would be "Is rigid and opinionated" and "Resents responsibilities and the lack of peace that often accompanies them." The rigid and opinionated personality traits are ones I'm already actively trying to change (whether my efforts are noticeable or not), but I don't think I would ever have recognized resenting responsibility as a form of pride. I thought that was just laziness. Must mull this over a little more.

3. What was the downfall of the following people in Scripture? What happened as a result?
Uzziah (2 Chro. 26:16-18, 19-21) ~ King Uzziah figured he was "holy" enough on his own and didn't need a priest to burn an incense offering to God for him. Despite the advice of the 80 priests who warned him that he was being unfaithful to God, Uzziah angrily went ahead and did what he thought he had earned the right to do. As a result, he became leprous and was removed from the palace to a seperate house where he spent the rest of his life, excluded from the temple and the palace.

Haman (Esther 3:5; 5:11-13, 7:9-10) ~ Haman was openly proud of his status as the king's right-hand man and demanded that people bow to him to pay him respect just as they did the king. But despite his lofty position and that everyone in the kingdom paid him the same tribute they did the king, it drove him nuts that there was one man who refused. In plotting to kill all the Jews for Mordecai's insubordination, Haman ended up being hung on his own gallows.

Pharisees (Mark 12:38-40) ~ Here Jesus warns against being proudly pious and says anyone who tries to draw attention to their own 'personal righteousness' will be severely punished.

5. Look up the word humble in a concordance. Find two verses that speak to you and write them out.

Psalm 25:8-9 ~ Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. In other words, God can't teach those who think they know everything. Only when we submit our hearts and minds to God, can He teach us and show us how to live.

Philippians 2:8 ~ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! This is the ultimate example of humility and self-sacrifice. He didn't die on the cross to bring himself glory; he did it so that I would be able to spend eternity with him.

8. What spoke most to you in this chapter? I think the author's conversation with God about her inability to focus and write this book hit me the hardest.

Let me get this straight, I felt God whisper to my heart. Although I spoke the universe into existence and hung the stars in space... even though I promised to help you when you said yes to My call... and even though you've clearned your life and made time to write this book... you still keep saying you can't do it.

What you're really telling Me, the Lord said, is that you're the omnipotent one around here. Because no matter how much I help you, no matter how willing I am to give you the words and the ability to write... you just know you'll find some way to mess it all up!

Well, yes. That was pretty much what I was saying. Only it sounded so ugly and prideful the way He put it. Not nearly as humble and desperately pious as I felt.

"It's unbelief, Joanna," the Lord concluded. "It is basphemy. And it breaks My heart."

Ouch. How many times do I ask God for help with something difficult (like losing weight), but then allow myself to become tempted to just live my life the way I have been all along because it's easier? And chalking it up to laziness or "lack of will-power."

When what it really is is unbelief. Blasphemy. And I'm breaking His heart.

dear No-Reply Blogger...*

How many of you get email notices when someone's commented on your blog? How many of you type out wonderful responses and then notice the return email address is "noreply-comment@blogger.com?"

And you know what's funny? I didn't know until yesterday that my comments were appearing in your email inboxes with that same maddening return address!! Ack! I HATE that!!

Does this frustrate anyone else, or just me?!

I love to reply directly to you when you comment, rather than responding in my own blog comments. Or commenting on your latest post with a response that has absolutely nothing to do with the post. Or having to search for your email address and then remember what I wrote in my wonderful response. Because I'm a little lazy that way.

I'm betting some of you have purposely set up your profiles this way and I guess I'll have to tolerate respect that deal with it ;), but for those of you who, like me, just weren't aware, here are the necessary steps to change it so that when a blogger's email tells them you've commented, they can send a response simply by clicking the "reply" button and writing a short note via email:

Step One: Open your profile page, click EDIT PROFILE on left side.

Step two: Make sure the boxes marked "share my profile" and "show my email address" are checked.

Step Three: Under "Identity," add the email address you want comment replies to be sent, if it isn't already there.

Step Four: Scroll to bottom and click save!

There! You did it!!

Now when you leave a comment on my blog, I can respond easily right away.

Which means you're far more likely to receive long and windy emails from me on a daily basis now.

Aren't you glad you made that change?!

* This tutorial courtesy of Carissa @

Who kindly pointed out to me that she couldn't leave ME an email on Friday!!

Thanks, Carissa!

stairway to heaven

What IS it with me and farm pictures lately??!! I guess it's still a novelty for me, having lived in the city all my life until just 6-1/2 years ago...

Last weekend, we spilled out of my parents' car like a bunch of weirdo tourists at the farm where The Bushman works again, and I was once again struck by the enormity of the larger grain bins on the yard. What you see here is only about HALF of the stairway that leads to the top of the second-largest ones. These bins hold 45,000 bushels* ~ which is 4-1/2 times what those massive grain sausage bags I talked about a couple of weeks ago hold. (it's a lot, just trust me!!)

Here's a diagram to help you get some idea of the scale we're talking about. The stairway pictured above is between the two massive bins in the background:

Don't the bins in the foreground look small?! Understandable, since they only hold a measely 8,000 bushels. (HA) But even next to them, The Bushman looks downright PUNY!!! The extremely massive bin on the far right is the farm's only 75,000 bushel bin. SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND!!!

Someday, I'll work up the nerve to ask the bossman if he'll give me permission to climb to the top to take some pictures. What a view that must be!

Click below for more...

* One dry bushel = 9.3 liquid gallons = 35.2 litres

i'm c-c-cold

The dining room thermostat reads 21C/70F. Outside, it's partly sunny, breezy, and 18C/64F.

I'm wearing sweatpants, fuzzy socks, and my footbags.

I've got a short-sleeved T-shirt over top of a long-sleeved thermal T-shirt, and a zip-up hoodie over THAT.

I have a hot cup of tea in my hands and a blanket over my legs,

And yet....

I'm frozen!!

I just can't seem to warm up.

I guess summer really is gone.

Or it's just time to actually start moving. I've been incredibly lazy today.

Nope, it's because summer's gone, I'm pretty sure.

Papa Wheelie

One rusty old wheelbarrow...

Plus a pile of leaves...

Plus two little girls...

Plus one (seemingly) tireless grandpa...

Equals hours and hours of fun on a beautiful fall day.

i bet you'd already figured this out...

...but we had more company this weekend.

My parents this time ~ but they came bearing the same gifts The Bushman's parents did two weeks ago. I realized I'd been talking about donuts a lot here on the ol' blawg, but when MY parents offered to bring some (which they've never done before), I knew I'd finally gotten the message across!! So, YAY for more donuts!!!

(And for lasagne, too, which my mom also brought)

((Which is almost as much a dietary problem for me as donuts...))

But we needed the sustenance, I tell ya! We really did!

Because there was leaf rubbing,

Chokecherry picking,

(Which involved walking to and from the chokecherry bushes, of course),

Tree-climbing,

Other leaf-related activities involving wheelbarrow rides,

A two-mile walk to visit these beauties,

And another "tourist" visit to the farm where The Bushman works...

They were working on a field up in the hills on Saturday and so I've finally got some visual proof that I do, indeed, live in a valley ~ however wide and shallow it may be!! It was a bit of a hazy evening, so the picture isn't the greatest, but the cloud of dust you see on the field is a combine and you can see The Bushman's tiny little semi truck parked nearby. The larger light pink building further in the background is the grain elevator in the little village a mile from our house.

And the next day some light garden clean-up and pumpkin harvesting...

And after it all? Chokecherry pie!

Which was a good thing.

Because the donuts were long gone by then.

Now let us never speak of donuts again. At least not for another few months.

uh-oh...

I'm having the WEIRDEST sense of deja vu!

I could swear I've been here before...

Like history's repeating itself or something.

It's the DARNDEST THING, I tell ya.

disconnected

With all the computer nonsense that's been going on in our home (and continues to plague us...) and the amount of time we've been without one over the last several weeks, I'm feeling very disconnected. It seems all I've posted here in the last few months is pictures. Not that that's bad, of course, but it feels like it's just been fluff, you know? No thoughts required really, no time involved.

And before you misunderstand, this post will NOT be deep and/or soul-searching and/or thought-provoking. And it WILL include more pictures. But maybe I can feel like I've caught everyone up on the goings on up here in the valley. More or less.

First and foremost, I had the wonderful pleasure of accompanying a new friend to a small city two hours away last Thursday. She had a couple of doctor's appointments there, but in between those, we ate out, shopped, laughed, talked, and got to know each other better.

My most exciting purchase of the day was this pink short-sleeved sweatshirt from W*l-M*rt.

I know, you're all thinking, "Man, that hick-chick SO needs to get a life!!" And you're probably not wrong, but what I love most about this top is that for once, I DIDN'T have to buy an EXTRA LARGE!!!!! Woo-hoo!

And something that's been keeping me busy lately is the garden. The tomatoes in particular. Amazingly, we've had only one night where the temperatures dipped down to freezing, but we'd anticipated it and covered the tomato plants in the evening. So my plants are still producing like crazy. (Pardon me, The Bushman's plants!)

Last week, I roasted a HUGE tub-full in the oven, and before I popped them into the oven, they were sitting in a parchment-lined cookie sheet in front of the kitchen window. The extreme wash of sunlight, the bright red tomatoes, and the stark white parchment paper caught my eye, and I couldn't resist snapping a picture. You know, before it turns into a soggy, dark red, pan full of mush on splattered, browned parchment paper after roasting for an hour!!

Also ripening on the yard are the mountain ash berries, which the birds LOVE but I don't believe are fit for human consumption and the plums, which make delicious jam. So I'm told. You know, me not being into canning and whatnot...

The other night, I went for a walk, and all over the place, the signs of fall are appearing. These berries (I've got no idea what they are ~ some sort of ornamentals, I'm guessing) were on a little bush that's turned a wonderful wine colour now in the cooler weather.

I've also discovered the choke cherries are ripe, so this weekend when my parents are up, I think I might either go pick some myself or send someone to go get some and I'll try my hand at making a pie. There's several bushes in the ditch along my mile road.

When eaten raw, choke cherries ~ for those of you who are unfamiliar with them ~ produce a rather strange dry feeling in the mouth, but when baked in a pie, are really quite tasty. It's a great "fellowship" kind of dessert too, because each tiny little cherry has a tiny little pit that must be spit out!! You're forced to linger over dessert. Darn it, I hate that.

The Bushman's been super busy and working very long hours. He's had very few days where he's home during the girls' waking hours. Heck, he's hardly ever home during MY waking hours!! Thank goodness harvest is only a relatively short season!

This was one of those rare occasions when he had some quality father-daughter time. It was a beautiful morning and I'd promised the girls treats, so I sent them out with freezies. Fidget's hands were cold, so she came inside and put on a pair of gloves.

Speaking of Fidget (seen here still spoiling her kitten rotten!), she started Nursery School last week, too. I'd wanted to get her in on Tuesday and Thursday mornings each week, but imagine my surprise when I drove up to registration night and saw LAWN CHAIRS outside the building! I'm dead serious ~ people were actually CAMPED OUT to sign up their kids!! All that was left was four spots on Wednesday mornings. Nuts.

Oh well, there's a free (government sponsored) program called Better Beginnings that runs approximately once a week out of the kindergarten room at our local school, so I'll be taking Fidget to that as well. It's very similar to nursery school, only the parents stay in the classroom and are encouraged to participate with their kids. It's significantly closer and cheaper, so I've decided it's okay that she's not in nursery school two mornings a week.

So that's what's been going on around my neck of the woods. It feels like this month has just flown by; I can't believe we're already well into the second half. The first day of fall is right around the corner!! Yikes!

All right, well, since this post has been just a jumble of miscellaneous thoughts and disjointed ramblings, there's really no smooth way to end it. So..... bye!!


Are we feeling reconnected yet?!