Blue Mound State Park

There are so many parks around us to explore! We have a great little park across the street with a wonderful creek to explore and fields behind it which we have yet to really explore and then the map is loaded with green space. Our first venture out as a family abandoning our mile long project list was 20 minutes south to Blue Mound State Park. Right off the trail we found a recently felled oak that was wonderful to climb and explore.

We found tons of acorns, ate hickory nuts and walnuts and enjoyed the October shorts weather.

I don't know that I will get my full fall love post this year, so I will just shout is our here, I LOVE FALL. I missed fall in Wisconsin and am so happy to be back for this season.

Oh, and these boys, they are rocking this move. I really expected some sort of problem. They have started to miss friends, but are dealing with their emotions well by role playing being their friends which is so wonderful I think I may have to do the same, as I think the missing of my gals is going to hit hard this week.

The Tree Farm

Just a quick post to let you all know about the awesomness that we stumbled upon! A pick your own vegetable farm! Oh, it was so what we needed, fresh veggies, fresh air and something unique so close to our home, in fact closer than the nearest grocery store!

The boys were thrilled to use the pocket knife to cut cabbages and salad mix. Dig up parsnips and carrots.

I am sure that Asher would have lived in the brussel sprout patch if given the option, he was so happy to eat the little things right off the plant.

And of course some large machinery to round out the perfect visit.

Just what we needed on Sunday afternoon.

The New Flock

After a week without our chickens, we could no longer go without.  A quick trip to a home on the opposite end of our street, someone who sells brown eggs and our new flock has arrived.

The boys were thrilled to have a new black chicken, as that was the one they named in Urbana, so now we have Peck the second, otherwise known as Peck 2.

We hope these new ladies will do some weeding!  The garden really needs some help and love, and I really don't want to do all the work.

Everyone took part in building the chicken tractor- sorry for the backwards order of the pictures.

Finding Home

We are slowly, ever so slowly trying to make this place our home. Finding new places to eat snack and watch the birds (so many!)

New places to color outside.

New places to hike and explore.

New places to read as much as we like.

And new places to dig and be in contact with the earth. I am not sure we have gotten over the hump of upheaval and am sure we will be slow to make our way out of this transition... but soon, my sewing machine will be set up, my winter knitting projects will have their spaces and I will be happy to document the actual living we do here.

Our Return

Thank goodness for some cooler weather. While we had a bit of a kick back into the upper 90's and a day of 100, I think that more of fall will be visiting us. And with this wonderful weather, we returned to one of our favorite venues. Again a goodbye of sorts, as we spend our last month of hikes in this particular wooded area.

It was a great day for deer, lots of mama's and their babes hanging out.

And a great day to bid a farewell. I have photographed this place for the past 9 years, since I first started my job at the nature center. I don't think I have ever captured the part that I will miss the least: the road right there, reminding me that while yes this is a great place to explore, it is a bastardized piece of land that was clear cut, filled and dissected by road ways. I am grateful that 10 acres were saved (eventually when a bitter old lady was sick and tired fighting the Audubon society to put in her strip mall) and the wilds took back over, that the park district restores and maintains it. However it makes it easier to say goodbye as I know I will be saying hello to places where we could actually get lost. A place where we can sit and not here construction vehicles and buses (to River's dismay).

We swung from the vines and climbed through the holes that are so familiar to us, walked barefoot in the mud, and were happy to return after avoiding the mosquitoes and heat of the summer.

I have been happy to have a place to ride my bike to. A place to spend hours without worry or need to provide activity for my boys and a place that we were easily able to visit often. Because becoming familiar with a place that is wild, even if not pristine or always isolated, is important.

Rainbows

I know this isn't too exciting for everyone, but I am so excited that Asher has discovered rainbows! My child has fully surprised me these past weeks, with his desire to create. We have logged hours at the table with paper and whatever choice of coloring implement. He has started drawing scenes (in his way) that tell stories and I love it!

Then on to rainbows, which he cut into pieces for mailing to friends. Such loveliness.

The Fall Garden

Remember all that great compost I was on and on about? Well, instead of letting it all just sit there, we decided to get a fall garden bed going and plant some fall things. None of which we will get to enjoy, but all the same, planting a fall garden seems to just be a necessity for us.

I adore our gardens. I love how many people in our neighborhood we have met via our gardens, I love that there are certain uptight neighbors who hate our gardens (b/c gardens should be pretty and vegetables aren't) and I love that I can tell folks where I live and then mention my gardens and they know exactly what I am talking about.

Our yard is unique. Ben and I figured out a while ago that our best sunshine was in the easement. With all our proper paperwork filed with the city, we were granted permission to garden it and we have made the most of our sunlight. You've heard about the cucumber tunnel? We have had cold frames, lots of flowers, lots of herbs and great successes in this garden without full sun.

I will miss it's statement, that people can grow food anywhere, but look forward to full sun and almost limitless space to really become the great gardeners and self sufficient food folks we are destined to be.

A Secret Place

We were lucky this year to discover our neighbors most secret place (upon her invitation). We thought it was pretty cool to lay in her hammock and then realized just how super awesome it was when we looked up and saw the first grapes ripening.

Then we got to go back as more ripened and eat a lot of grapes, real grapes, with seeds!

It was pretty incredible to eat off of these vines, both have been around for over 20 years!

Farewell Chickens

I started to a get a little sad and overwhelmed when I started a countdown until we move. Currently that is 24 days left in this town, in this house, in the place that we have been living and making home for 9 years. Moving is a big deal.

Instead of my sad, pitiful state of realizing that all of my friends will continue to enjoy playdates without me, that my craft ladies will keep crafting and all the people we cook for will continue to eat, I am hoping to embrace every inch of this place while I have it and take with me all my digital memories.
This fence we put in 2 years ago, Asher carried every single one of it's posts out of the garage pretending to be a busy worker bee. He was naked, doing his manual labor, River was 4 months old and spent the time looking up at the pine trees, it was a great day.

The chickens that the flock contained are now passed. Some passed on to friends, some stewed for us, and lots of feathers into the fly tying supplies. The current flock will be staying here for the new family. This flock is pretty awesome. Especially one of the Ameracaunas. Oh her green eggs are the most beautiful, the size is great and the yolks when you crack them open are unbelievable. She is a special chicken (to the right of the black- who the boys named Peck).

The boys love to work in the compost, which is truly spectacular. The chickens have been in this spot for the past six years, and with a home catering operation we produce a lot of food scraps. The soil in the compost yard is two feet deep of perfect black soil loaded with red worms. Whatever the chickens don't eat, the worms get in a week, it is an amazing live area in our yard. I so want to dig up as much of it as I can for our new gardens, and if I had my way I would probably fill a car load with it, luckily I have a more sensible partner who is adamant we can make it again with the new chickens we will get in Wisconsin this coming spring.

Posting Elsewhere

Just in case you really miss me I am posting over at our Community Supported Kitchen blog as we move our business to a new location.

An Update

Oh time. I am having a time places words with much these days, and I foresee a quiet place on this blog, while I enjoy this favorite time of year for me. I love the transition to fall so much and it is my last in this first little house of mine. I have a few things to share this week.

We have been taking on pet insects a lot lately, it is fun to watch the boys build them a habitat with food, water and a place to hide.

Potions

I put together a simple potions set for Asher. He is loving it while River naps.

Two bottles of colored liquids, one cooking oil the other soapy water. A spray bottle with vinegar. Powder bowls with tiny spoons of baking soda, corn starch and salt.

Endless mixing opportunities. I hope to find a few more things that will be as fun to watch as baking soda and vinegar.