Monday, December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas, Granna & Pap

Thank you, Granna & Pap, for the sweet, encore Christmas present. I like the barn "suitcake" very much and I feed the tractor at the little trough...

I see you soon in Switzerland
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, December 20, 2009

A joyful Christmas season to you!


We wish you a joyful Christmas and a New Year filled with contentment!
Posted by Picasa

Saturday, December 19, 2009

In awe...

Look at our Southern farm cottage beauty...at 110 years of age, it creaks under the snowload and the windows frost over with condensation...but it looks so picturesque...

Jacob tossing - of course - a snowball at the photographer...

The blizzard of '09 - an event that will be remembered in Brevard's annals. Funny how we deal with snow in the South. We endure it, then we scrape it into big piles and truck it off to the dump...I wish we could close the roads and let the kids try out their might at sledding, something most of them see on TV more often than in real life...they did sell out of sleds at the local toy store, though...

Our street into town...everything is so calm and pretty...
Posted by Picasa

Friday, December 18, 2009

Wow!


Check this out, same view as earlier this morning. It's been snowing non-stop since 6:30. There is a almost a foot on the ground now and the city is eerily silent. It is asolutely gorgeous out there! I can't believe it.
Standing at the window, grinning. Planning my next trip out.
Posted by Picasa

Powder Day!

I know, I know, you Coloradoans won't be impressed, but if you're as snow-starved as I am, or just plain used to the cold-but-otherwise-uneventful southeastern winters, this is BIG!

It started at 6:50 this morning and hasn't let up yet. The forecasters - using somber tones usually used for news of death and destruction - call for a foot (ONE FOOT! IT'S A BLIZZARD!!!) all the schools are closed, there is virtually no traffic on the road and people are hunkering down with bread, beer and milk (that's what you see everyone piling into their shopping cart the day before a snow day threatens) and wait for it to go away.

Me, I'm excited, strapping on my gators and planning a solitary walk through town. Jacob has been at the firestation since the wee hours (traffic accidents and downed powerlines will keep him busy all day long) and Gus, ironically, is in Alabama spending a fun-filled weekend with his Granna & Pap.

So I'm all left to my own devices to have my very own powder day. If a foot falls, I will put on the teles and ski to town. I will. Stopping whatever traffic there is along the way.
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, December 17, 2009

The Appliance Guy

The first indicator that something suspicious was afoot, came from a soft humming in the laundry room, I looked around wondering where Gus had gone (really, not pretending). Then I noticed the dryer door wiggling and a set of tiny fingertips grazing along the top edge of it.

Voila! He's got his Grossbape's penchant for household appliances and their inner workings...in his defense, the kitchen and laundry room were freezing and the dryer had just finished running a load of diapers...so he did pick the warmest and coziest place in the house...

I know I'm supposed to discipline this potentially harmful behavior, but he caught me off guard and by the time I had come to my senses (and grabbed my camera) we had already shared a laugh about his adventure...check out the piece of paper diaper liner sticking to his cap...it was funny....I'll be keeping an eye out whenever we're in the laundry room...
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Santa again...

Gus hung out with Santa again, yesterday as the Brevard Fire Department hosted a sweet and very family-friendly Christmas Dinner. Still not worried one bit, he enjoys telling the man in red about tractors and firetrucks...once he got his little gift, he was content to stay on Santa's lap and discuss the present some more...he had to be ushered off...

Merry Christmas season, everyone!
Posted by Picasa

Market Day!

Voila! Here is our beautiful booth (those awesome sawhorses & the green door, courtesy of True South LLC, thank you, sweet Jacob) with all our wares on it. I offered my friend, Lindsey a corner to sell her soaps, and she took me up on it, so not only did the booties and hats look sweet, they also smelled good.

I had a good day, full of sales, compliments and even some special orders. Feeling quite like the entrepreneur these days. Give me a basket full of scrap wool and some needles and I make money....

Well, I'm a bit full of myself right now. But it was fun. I'll do it again.
Posted by Picasa

Friday, December 11, 2009

Growth Spurt

I never measure, but this morning it struck me how much he's grown. Same long legs as his Daddy, same behind. I'm amazed and pleased.
Posted by Picasa

Done!




All done. Feeling accomplished. Excited to go to market. Happy to put the needles down for a bit.
Posted by Picasa

Monday, December 7, 2009

Knit-o-mania

Just a quick update for the curious and demented...15 pairs of booties finished, 4 more waiting for the finishing frill. In other words I have 5 more days to knit up one more hat and one more pair of booties to reach my goal of 20 pairs and 4 hat/bootie sets to go on sale at the local crafts/Christmas market.

I'm waiting for carpel-tunnel (spelling?) to set in, but so far all I suffer from is a hearty aversion to knitting...understandably so, I like to think...I knit whenever there is a spell/break/pause/opportunity...it doesn't just border on obsession, no it wades right into it...I'm have a daily quota and I can't let it go...people give me extra space whenever I pull out the knitting needles...

Wish and pray for me that at least some of them will sell...otherwise you all - regardless of your size and parent-status - will receive tiny booties for future birthdays and Christmases...
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Samichlaus & Christmas Parade

December 6, is St. Nickolas Day in Europe, where children will visit Santa Claus in the town square (or bank as is often the case in money-saving Switzerland) recite a verse and make a plea for a specific gift and receive a small giftbag full of tangerines, nuts, sweets and - traditionally - a "Grittibaenz" (Sunday bread baked in the form of a potbellied man). It is also the day, children keep an eye out for "Schmutzli" (Santa's sidekick, who looks like the Grim Reaper and specializes in the bad kids. He has a big burlap sack and is shrouded in vague rumors about running labor camps in the forest...it was very effective when I was a child). Anyways, I get to reminiscing...in honor of St. Nick, I attempted to bake a couple of Grittibaenzes (there are how-to's on YouTube, if you believe it) and they taste OK, however they are the two ugliest ones I have ever laid eyes on...Gus and Jacob don't seem to mind as long as I slab butter on it...

On to something much easier on the eyes...I know, aren't they handsome?...I should just call myself a fiber artist....I'm talking about the hats, of course...the two guys are pretty cute too though...

Gus waiting for the Christmas Parade...I love that little red button nose...winter cold (without snow) is good for something...
Posted by Picasa

Friday, December 4, 2009

Santa is so Sweet!

Talking about a clean concience, Gus practically ellbowed his way through a line of hesitant, nervous & and a few downright terrified kids to sit on Santa's lap - not to talk about gifts, mind you or inquire about Rudolph's well being - no, Gus, simply saw Santa's ample supply of candy canes and wrenched himself free of my hand to go climb on a strange man's lap.

They almost cuddled, he got so cozy, all for one candy cane (he did get two in a return appearance that made Santa laugh). This kid is definitely made of sugar and spice and all things so nice...

We'll see you this weekend, Santa! In Switzerland, Santa comes on December 6, and brings the nice kids tangerines, a grittibaenz (sweet bread), candy and nuts,while his sidekick "Schmutzli" - who bares a striking resemblance to the Grim Reaper - sacks the bad kids in a large burlap bag and takes them to the forest...what happens to them there is subject to much conjecture of Swiss parents whenever faced with an onery child. I myself, was terrified all through my childhood of having to go live with Schmutzli in a sort-of-elf-run-labor-camp-for-bad-kids, despite the fact that I never saw Schmutzli ever sack anyone)

I'm pretty sure, Gus isn't worried. Not one bit.
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Thanks-Giving

Thank you, for countless hours spent with my most beloved friend on the farm - the big blue tractor.

Thank you for my first driving lesson... I did pretty well and even better on the 4-wheeler...

Thank you, Pap, Granna and Aunt Laura for reading "The little Engine that could" to me (my Momma says to say an extra special thanks from her)

Thank you for disciphering whatever my little heart's desire and making it come true, even if it meant reading a book for the third time in a row in the driveway. I truly had a very good time in Locust Fork over Thanksgiving.

PS: Thank you for all the wonderful meals, laundry service, goat specials, baths, walks, assorted garage adventures, diaper changes, rook games, dominos matches, putting up with surly almost loosers and intermitten temper tantrums, take-home food packages, Granna's special dinner rolls, many many wonderful and toughtful early Christmas presents and many more little and big things to plentiful to remember all at once.

We are very grateful for family.
Posted by Picasa