i’ve never been too good about keeping a paper journal, but just recently i realized this space is my journal. it captures the little moments, which i like, such as our sunday of making applesauce:
+ a friend dropped by with two big brown bags full of apples from the farm nearby just because. we’re blessed.
+ i finally brought out my box of old quart mason jars that i grabbed for $2 at a garage sale last summer. the box included some interesting jars such as a “magic mason jar” like this. it also included original advertisements & a recipe. my life resembles the “creative homemakers” advertisement perfectly, hah!
+ we used our new apple corer (also snatched that up for $2 at a garage sale) with the help of some tools to keep the cutting board in place.
+ the chickens were happy with the scraps!
+ two hours later, we were the proud owners of 10 quarts of cinnamon applesauce with a few apples leftover for pie.
how was your weekend, friends?
love,
natalie
tuesday was such a treat. i, along with a handful of other traditional & nontraditional educators, participated in a free {!!} nature journaling workshop facilitated by project learning tree at the beautiful botanical garden of the ozarks on the most perfect day.
throughout the day we used all of our senses to engage with our journals. during one activity, we were led to a tree with our eyes closed. we then felt the tree’s limbs, trunk & leaves. once we used our sense of touch to identify the tree’s characteristics, we were led away from the tree & then asked to open our eyes & search for the tree that we just touched. back at our landing spot, we wrote in our journals about our experiences in using touch to identify our tree.
more than anything, though, i was in awe of the beauty surrounding me. i felt like a little girl sitting in the shade beneath a tree, writing & drawing in my journal. it reminded me that i should do more things like this. taking a moment to go back to our childhood is incredibly valuable.
luke & i will definitely be back for more adventures.
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congratulations to grace richardson for winning the peach butter giveaway!
she said…
“Waking up late, then drinking coffee on the porch with the newspaper is my idea of a perfect, restful Sunday. Especially if my favorite dog is curled up next to me. It brings back peace for the rest of the week. I manage to make it happen at least twice per month. 🙂“
thank you all so much for participating! it was wonderful to read all of your thoughts on setting aside a day of rest. happy thursday!
love,
natalie
if you hang around long enough, you will most likely find jars of vegetables fermenting on our counter or a crock on the shelf boasting a large amount of kraut. open our fridge & i promise, the bottom shelf is strictly designated for fermentations only. all the work of my husband & his love for good bacteria, probiotics, healthy gut flora & foods that are alive.
come over for a beer & conversation often leads to a bit of farming, growing your own food & luke’s love of sandor katz. stay until deep into the night & the wee early hours of the morning & you will find luke chopping vegetables & creating the perfect brine long after i’ve fallen into a sleepy slumber.
a few sundays ago, i found him packing up fermented pickles into large ball jars. the whole process is incredibly beautiful to me – his love for it all & the vibrant colors – so i snuck around capturing a few moments. the leaves? yes, gleaned from our backyard & promised to keep the pickles crunchy.
i am not the expert here- in fact, let me just share with you his thoughts on fermentation right now-but i do notice those little stacks of books next to his nightstand & the very important reference books on his desk.
here are just a few all about fermenting, brewing & making with food:
– wild fermentation & the art of fermentation by sandor katz
–homemade soda by andrew schloss
– strong waters by scott mansfield
– beer craft by william bostwick
– nourishing traditions by sally fallon
i sure do miss him this morning, but he’ll be home tonight for dinner.
love,
natalie
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don’t forget to enter the peach butter giveaway! it ends tomorrow morning!