more tree cutting pics

Just couldn't resist putting in a few more fun pics -what a great time!!

Christmas Tree Cutting 2009

The names and faces have changed a little, but our long standing tradition of the tree cutting expedition
is alive and well. Wow, did we have fun! Clam chowder and hot cheese bread and hot chocolate and yummy treats made the day great. Nothing is better than sharing these times with our family. Justin & Cari, Treighton, Dax and Dave & Traci, Layne & I, Ty & Clayton and Becca and Liz all came. Uncle Brad, Michael and Kymber joined us too! Boy, did we miss our Casbeer kids!

Thanksgiving brought with it knee surgery for Liz and a visit with Sharry and Alan Baumgarten and family from Lantana, Texas , a great lunch with old Springlake friends and lots of time ( actually there never is enough) with family. Too much great food and probably not enough sleep or exercise came with it too. I gave up the 20 year tradition of Thanksgiving brought with it knee surgery for Liz and a visit with Sharry and Alan Baumgarten and family from Lantana, Texas , a great lunch with old Springlake friends and lots of time ( actually there never is enough) with family. Too much great food and probably not enough sleep or exercise came with it too. I gave up the 20 year tradition of the day after Thanksgiving sales- its getting Too Dangerous . I sure missed shopping with my girls.

Thanksgiving

I love this lovely old hymn
"Come, Ye Thankful People Come"

Come, ye thankful people come; Raise the song of harvest home.
All is safely gathered in. Ere the winter storms begin.
God, our maker doth provide, for our wants to be supplied.
Come to God's own temple come; Raise the song of harvest home.

A Season of Harvest

At this great time of year I always pause to relish our "Harvest" for the year and it is always much, much more than fruits and vegetables. Another year of learning, another year of  blessings, trials, lessons learned, new friends and even some new family members. So much to be grateful for!

This is Tyler's kitten Figaro. She, yes she, has been a lot of fun this fall. She not only sleeps with the dog she sleeps on the dog.

feathered friend

I have always loved watching and listening to chickens-my grandparents may have had some influence here because they both raised chickens in Pennsyvania while I was growing up. Some of them were beautiful. The different colored eggs and the fact that they could give us eggs was wonderful, I remembered thinking as a child. I love how they just wander around scratching and pecking for bugs and food. A simple thing. Here's to a chickens life.

Halloween Fun

Jack-O-Lanterns and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Our boys and I carved some of the pumkins we grew in our garden after we had shared with family & freinds. I enjoy roasting pumkin seeds, they are very nutty in flavor and nutritious too. This year I tried flavoring them with Ranch Dressing. -at my sister's suggestion. They were yummy!  To make them:

Clean and wash pumpkin seeds from freshly carved pumpkin. Boil 3- 4C pumpkin seeds in  4 C water and 4Tbsp salt. Simmer 10 min. Drain. Using about 2 Tbls oil, grease .large cookie sheet and spread seeds out on surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 pkg Ranch style powdered dressing mix and mix it in a little and re-spread seeds to a thin layer. Roast in a 225 degree oven for about 1 1/2 -2Hrs. Cool, and loosen from sheet.