When Hop Was King in New York State

Last September Matthew and I went to the hopfest which is held near us every year. I bought this hop plant and look at it now!


The vine is now taller than I am and loaded with flowers. (What you see on either side are the morning glories that MK planted.)
The hop flowers have a beautiful earthy, musky odor reminiscent of the smell of . (I wonder why)
The flowers don't look very "flowery" but this is a hop blossom. These are harvested, dried in kilns and used in the brewing of .
The lovely sunflowers that Mary-Kate and planted last spring. The make a cheery sight by the road.
I think MK will like these that I brought inside for her visit home this weekend.

Labor Day Weekend

Farmers don't get Labor Day off. They labor on Labor Day. Especially if the weather is right for making hay. Since this summer has been such a terrible haying summer, all the more reason to not take the day off.

But that doesn't mean that farmers cannot celebrate Labor Day.



We went to Cayuga Lake on Sunday. We got up early and packed a picnic lunch and then we packed the car. We drove to Mass at St. Joseph's because they have an 8:30 mass and that would get us on the road fairly early.
The drive was beautiful. Doug took advantage of the fact that I was driving and listened to a couple of Peter Kreeft talks on his MP3 player. Mary-Kate and Matthew watched a DVD. (the drive was longer than 2 hours so they are allowed to)

After eating our lunch when we got there we took a hike around the gorge at Taughannock Falls. The walk is about 3/4 of a mile and it is an easy walk. We enjoyed the beautiful views of the gorge and falls from up above. At one point we were able to see all the way down the gorge to the lake. That was pretty awsome.
The falls at the end of the gorge doesn't have a lot of water coming down them but they are pretty wonderous to behold.
Doug and I also took the trail that goes up the gorge from down below. We enjoyed the cool of walking in the river all the way to the falls at the end of the gorge. My goofy husband had to pose for this picture of him sitting on the wrong side of the wall, in spite of the sign.
While we were walking Mary-Kate and Matthew stayed by the lake and engaged in their own kind of appreciation. Matthew sketched what he saw out on the lake and Mary-Kate spent her time wading in the lake and taking pictures.

The Last Roses of the Season

Some pictures of the last of the roses of the season. I planted them in the garden that we made for Doug for our anniversary.


All of the flowers have thrived but the roses have been the most beautiful.

When the Cat's Away.......

Yesterday was such a lovely day. Doug and Matthew had to work so I was home alone all day long. So I took advantage of the time and spent the day sewing, sewing, and more sewing. i lunched when I was hungry, which was not at all, instead of when matthew is hungry. I played my audio book on the speakers in my work room instead of using headphones. All in all it was a lovely, quiet, productive day.

That is the first thing that should have disturbed me. When all is peaceful and going well around here get suspicious. Around 4:30 when I was getting ready to take myself to church for my holy hour the phone rang. it was our neighbor 1/4 mile up the road saying that Mary-Kate's heifers were in the other neighbor's corn. She and her son were trying to keep them out of the road and would I come quickly. There goes all of th etranquility from my day. My first thought was, I'm home alone and I don't know what to do with those heifers. I don't do bovines I do pigs!!!!!! So I picked up my trusty cell phone and called Ian. He was out in a friends field tedding ou the hay that he cut and I knew that he could handle anything. Then off I went to help with the heifers.

They were indeed in the corn and they were reluctant to cross the paved driveway to head home to their own pasture. Ian arrived and choralled the little steer and haltered him and tied him to a tree. Then he herded the others up and started to drive them home through the fields behind everyones houses. While he was doing that my neighbor and I decided to lead the haltered steer down the road. Now, it is a mistake to think that you can lead a calf. you need to stay behind their head and then they usually will walk along with a little prodding. Mary-Kate is able to lead this animal anywhere. She can also just call all of the heifers and they come to her. This little steer knew right off that I am not Mary-Kate and neither is my neighbor. He would not move!!!!! He literally dug in his hooves and would not go. Ian finally came and tied the harlter rope to his truck and then we towed the steer down the road and home to his own pasture.

There went my holy hour (I called someone else to take it for me) and also my plans fo going to mass afterward.

Yesterday morning I checked when i went to mass and they were all happily in their pasture eating. When I got home they were nowhere to be seen. i wanted to panic. I called Doug and told him that I could not find the heifers. i drove around th eblock and through the fields (thank God for four wheel drive) and they were nowhere that I could see. Doug and Matthew came home and they started to look. Then I got the call. The same neighbor said they wre in another neighbors hay field and heading up the road to town. Doug and Matthew drove them home and checked the fence to see where they got out.

They found a line of fence down from the woods to the roadway that runs through our farm. My wonderful husband and son took two hours off to fix the fence and trim the grass underneath it so that there is now good juice on the line.

The moral of this story is never count on heifers to stay where they should be.

Mary-Kate at College

This is the beautiful restored Victorian home that Mary-Kate is living in at college. It is called Honors House. There are only two freshman there, the other five residents are seniors. No guys!!!!!!! and no guys allowed upstairs. There is no drinking in the house and they cannot even bring alcohol in. I really like this place. It has a nice view of a large back yard and a greenhouse room upstairs. Mary-Kate's room is large and bright and the bathroom is right next door.

We couldn't have asked for a better place. It is also off campus so she has been walking or riding her bike to classes. She is close to the public library and next door to the post office and a Nice and Easy.

First Day of School

Monday was our first day of school for another school year. Matthew settled down for another year without any complaints and with a lot of enthusiasm. Let's hope that he can keep that up for the whole year.
Now the snag, our first week is being interrupted. The people that Doug works for are going away for a few days and they have hired Matthew to help with the farm work while they are gone. That, of course, means that there will be no more school work done this week. They leave for work about 7:30 AM and get home between 7:30 and 8:00 PM. Oh well, that is all part of the homeschooling gig, flexibility.
While they are gone all day long and I am home alone I think I will finish some outstanding sewing projects. This weekend I have to meet clients. I will be starting some commissions next week. Thank you God, the business is starting to come in pretty steadily. Maybe I can really make a success out of this business. A friend is also coming over Sunday to help me work on my website and hopefully make it look a little more professional and effective.

Simple Woman's Daybook Monday, 25 August 2008

To get the rest of the daybook entries, don't forget to visit Peggy at the Simple Woman.

Outside my window..... it is sunny, cool, and breezy. What welcome change from all of the humidity.

I am thinking..... it is way too quiet around here.

I am thankful for..... my most loving and understanding husband. He is so tolerant of my flights into creativity which leave him supperless.

From the learning room..... which is really Matthew's bedroom, the sound of papers rustling and mumbling. (he must be doing a subject that he doesn't particularly enjoy.

From the kitchen...... pasta with sauce and cheese and stuffed tomatoes.

I am wearing.... green capris, yellow tee shirt, flip flops

I am reading..... Dressing With Dignity by Colleen Hammond

I am hoping..... that Mary-Kate's first day of classes goes well.

I am hearing..... the sounds of Matthew changing into his barn clothes so he can do his chores. He is done with schoolwork for the day and is enjoying the freedom of being outside.

Around the house...... the laundry is off the lines and needs to be put away, beds need to be made, and supper has to be served.

One of my favorite things..... the apparant change that the seasons are about to undergoe. I am so looking forward to fall, it is my favorite time of the year.

A few plans for the rest of the week...... school, daily Mass, finishing up a few sewing projects, planning some activities for this coming weekend with Mary-Kate.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you.....

Sunday afternoon spent with Matthew and Mary-Kate. I am so thrilled that they get along so well with each other. She was lonely at school so we packed a picnic and picked her up.

The sight of the windmills on the wind farms that are near where MK goes to school. I am always thrilled to see them.

Matthew concentrating very hard on his first day of school. It does my heart good to see him thus.

Serious Updating!!!!!!

Since I last posted much has been happening around here. Now this update is not going to be in chronological order but merely to give an idea of the state of our household.

Since last posting my soldier son has been home on leave twice. He is now back in country from Afghanistan and stationed in Kansas. This is a picture of him at Mary-Kate's graduation party doing what he likes most, holding little babies.


One of the things that we have been doing is celebrating Mary-Kate's graduation from high school.

She has been spending time with her friends this summer before they all go off to college.
We have been having bonfires. This one is at her friend Grace's graduation party.
Mary-Kate and Matthew have been taking swimming lessons three or four days a week.
Matthew was confirmed. My last child to be confirmed. Now their reception of the sacraments is up to them. An end to a chapter in my life but the beginning of many others.

As I said, Mary-Kate graduated from Holy Cross Academy. We are all very proud of her.
Mary-Kate, Matthew and I took a trip to Kentucky to see Jason graduate from basic training. On the way there we stopped to see Niagara Falls. They were suitably impressed.
What fun to share this wonder with my children.
While Ryan was home the second time we went up north and climbed Bald Mountain.

We also spent a couple of days ending an era in the lives of all of my children. We tore down their fort affectionately known as The Balcony.

We also built a dog run to protect our dogs from the increased traffic on our road. Unfortunately it couldn't keep Moses in and he ended up getting hit.
Doug and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. The kids and I got him a lovely statue of the Sacred Heart and planted a garden for him to stand in.
On Father's Day we took the patriarch for a picnic and a hike at Whetstone Gulf.
Lupus and Moses in their new yard before Moe got hit.
These are just a few of the many busy days that we spent since I last posted. Now that the summer is winding down we will be starting school and spending more time at home and in the house.

Update

Many months I have not been posting but I have not been idle. My daughter and I have been trying to start up our own business. It has turned out to be a lot of work but very rewarding because we get to spend a lot of time together.

To get a look at our work and what we have for sale just go to my other blogsite,http://rebekahandmarykatesplace.blogspot.com. Please feel free to comment and to buy what we have to offer.

Now it's time to hit the sewing machine and create more lovelies for selling.

This Is A Hoot

96 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!