enduring winter

I haven't posted in 3 months?!?!? atrocity!.. 

If you are still reading this, I guess you got over it. We have been making some decisions lately. Some big- taking the family on a cruise this June. Some bigger- bought a 95 Jeep Wrangler as a "fun" car- but probably the biggest is building a garage.

You wouldn't think that building a garage is a big deal, but when it goes past your imagination and into reality it is such a big deal. Where exactly are you going to put it? How big are you going to make it? What is it going to look like? Now for the four years that we have owned this house, I have fantaszied about this garage. I thought I had it all figured out, then implematation struck.

My brother #4 has done cement and concrete work for several years. I let him recommend who we should use for the foundation. Hubby and I have no idea what we are doing so imagine our surprise when we get the estimate on how much just the foundation will cost. After much freaking out on our part and reworking the size and location on the contractors part, we have come to some sort of agreement on what will work.  

Now onto the actual building. Brother #1 told us to go to our local building supply store and talk to Bernie.  Again, hubby and I have no clue what we are doing so when Bernie tells us its $65 a square for vinyl siding, we went home and did the math assuming he meant a square = 1 yard. We were so glad we were wrong, that a "square" = 100 square feet.  So after all is said and done, we are on budget for the upcoming garage.

One problem I have with it all is my antique lilac bush will need to be moved. This scares me so much. What if it doesn't survive? We are talking a bush that is at least 65 years old with the most beautiful, fragrant flowers you ever witnessed. I would weep if it should perish.  This single plant is what helps get me through winter. It is the flower I pined for most when I lived in the south and scheduled my wedding around its blooms. I know I can always plant a new one or get a shoot from someone else's bush, but it just wouldn't be the same. I would pout and be moody like a spoiled child if I was to lose it. 

My Mother's mother had gorgeous lilacs. The house I live in now was her brother's/my great uncle. Every spring when we went to grandma's on Sundays we would come home with bouquets of lilacs, peonies and roses.  I still think of her when I smell them.

I do have my daffodils and hyacinths blooming with tulips soon to follow. I saw sprouts forming on my Jacob's Ladder and  hydrangeas Spring really is the reason we endure winter. Savor every moment!

Whether we like it or not.

Crazy days and crazy nights. The weather has not been the most cooperative lately. It is February and this is what it does. Today being Groundhog's Day, the weather gave us a sampling of everything! It rained, thundered, the sun shone for a minute and now it is snowy and windy.  

"Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot, we'll weather the weather whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!" 

Old Phil did say spring is on its way as did the farmers almanac. Forgive me if I don't rush out and start planting just yet.I get my advice from mom and dad.  My folks do pay attention to the farmers almanac as well as certain times to do things and old wives tales. They are funny. I love that when they make saurkraut (yes they cut their own), that it depends on the phases of the moon. or "Rain before 7 done by 11" 

Gardening is their life. I love what they have done. My mom brags about a meal she made for "free" just by using the things they put up. There is nothing like these gloomy days to open a mason jar full of tomatoes that you canned in august. Its like opening a jar of sunshine! My kids prefer the green beans we blanched and froze  in the summer to anything the store has to offer. Don't even get me started on jam! Canning and "putting up" is new to me. I never did it much it all the places we use to live. I remember my mom slaving for hours working on fruits, vegetables, and sometimes meat,(canned venison and salmon). This year she even added bread to her canning shelf.

It is funny how food can carry so many memories. A tomato fresh from the garden will always bring me back to my childhood. the food I make is the same as what was made by my mother. Meat and potatoes, I don't know if its my German heritage or Irish, Its just pretty damn good!

a simple life

Today is the first day I have all 3 kids at school since last Thursday! Hubby is out of town, boy10 is over his illness, girl6 has been on antibiotics for strep and is ready to go back, and my boy 4.... well, he's back at school too.
Hubby has been in STL for work this week, So today is the first day I am home alone in months. So how do a celebrate such a momentous occasion? A quick shower and shopping with Mom.
I love my Mom. She is imperfectly perfect. She is my go to source for any information I may need. She has raised 9 kids that she never had to bail out of jail,. She loves to cook ( I don't ), and she usually has something she just made that she will force upon you to eat. She and Dad are retired now and spend their day much as I would imagine they would have expected. Dad will make sure the farm is taken care of even though my brother #4 is the one who runs it, My mom will make sure the house is taken care of. And together they will plan their garden, work in their garden, dream about their garden.
Their home is my fall out shelter for when the big one hits (whatever that may be)!  These people live off the land. There basement shelves are packed full of canned jam &jellys, vegetables, fruit, all kinds of pickles, relishes even mustard and horseradish. There freezer is full of meat from the farm or deer from their woods. My mom loves to bake, my dad seems to enjoy making obscure meat products.. liverwurst, souse, paun haus?, pickled pigs feet, lard, etc.. etc..
The have this lovely farm house on 30 acres that has 5 bedrooms, 2 bath, kitchen, living and tv rooms. The room that everyone seems to gather in is the BASEMENT. It is well furnished with a porch swing, picnic table, card tables and a butchering table. Snacks, pop and beer are free flowing. It has a stove, sink, and two refrigerators. My dad makes the best popcorn that they grew from their garden. He also orders peanuts to roast. He has XM radio and has now upgraded to a small tv for if "the guys want to watch the game" while they are butchering. He has no interest in it, but is the most accommodating host. You never know who is going to show up or why... My mom keeps a journal of the comings and goings. I guess someday we will read, remember and laugh.

Amish Parking only..

I about hit a horse yesterday....

Not exactly what I planned on doing, but as I was pulling out of my driveway in my grocery getter, I look in my rear view mirror to see an amish buggy parked across the street. I wonder how good they handle in the snow? I wonder if I'm gonna spook the horse as I carefully back out? I did make it out of my driveway with no injuries and was able to take girl to the doctors appointment to find out she, along with every other person in this town has strep. As we skip out to the parking lot with our new found illness, we were deciding which drive thru to have our celebratory lunch at. 
As we buckled ourselves in, and get ready to leave, I turn the key and nothing... not even a click...dead battery. My  mind starts racing on who is going to come to my rescue. Hubby is out of town on business, Mom is quilting at the church, sister is watching kids at her house, Dad won't answer the phone, SIL!! I know she is home and maybe my brother is too. She asks if I have cables, yup, but scared to use them. She will be there shortly-i.e. 30 minutes. My Ipod keeps little miss entertained, for awhile, but she starts to get restless. True to her word, SIL does show up but not with her husband, but my brother #3.  I have 4 and they are all interchangeable for each other. Little girl is excited to see her "uncle Boney" He, as usual, is not excited to be there. Asked why the battery died and I realized that one of the sliding doors was frozen when someone tried to open it. It was opened ever so slightly, but was enough to drain it. He does manage to get the battery jumped and we are on our way.


Its times like this I am thankful for living here. What would I have done if I lived elsewhere?  I would have had to go back into the office to see if they had a phone book so I could call a garage so they could charge me to jump my car. Here I never left my car, just picked up the cell and my SIL made it happen. We have such a sense of community here. People doing for others not asking for payment but because they can. Life is good!