BEEN A WHILE

We have been nestled in our warm home this  cold, snowy winter, finding things to catch up on that need taking care of, cleaning out and sharing things with others that are not used anymore.  Restoring things that have been needed repairing and of course feeding our birds outdoors.  So wonderful having them come and visit the birdfeeder and watch their antics and enjoy the colors and conduct. 

Now its time to plan ahead for the garden this coming summer.  Seeds are ordered and one Co already has sent them to us. 
To plan where and when they are to be planted is my next chore which is always such fun.  Starting some new things this year just for curiosity, such as Sorgham, which is a plant that grows quite high, needs lots of warmth and sun and is used to make a syrup from the stalks and takes the place of sugar.  Have to figure out a way I can press the stalks here at home to get the syrup.  No more Bees as it has proven to be detrimental to me as I have become alergic to their stings, so now I am planning a garden of Herbs and Flowers that are beneficial to them and that is the most I can do for the plight of the Honey Bee.

Since my last Blog we have had the honor of being Great Grandparents now three times.  How wonderful it is to see these darling little ones and watching them grow.  We havent been able to visit with them often but when we do it is a real treasure.  Trust we will be around a little longer to experience their growth. 

Life is still as awesome and inspiring as ever except for a few down times here and there we are still going along quite well and very grateful for each and every day, thanks to our Higher Power.

Blessings to you all

Nan and Pop

springtime again

Hi Everyone

Things have gone a bit colder here the last couple of days, and Spring feels a bit like Fall.  Never-the-Less we all have felt the warm weather these last weeks and flowers, trees and shrubs are bursting forth with their beauty and the Birds are singing their love songs.  So great to be a part of Life. 

There are also the sadder parts of life like losing a loved one or having a fall out with a friend or relative.  All of this is part of Life and there are lessons to be learned by everything.  It is so wonderful to keep the fond memories of a loved one who has gone beyond this Life.  Memories are the gifts we give to ourselves and create for others which make a relationship so much of a treasure.  So to all of the Mercer’s who have lost a very much loved one we send our love and remind ourselves how important it is to have these memories.  We live on and pass on the good things we remember of our loved ones who have left us.  It is my beleif they are really not that far away from us.  We keep them in our prayers.

It is new life that is making its way upwards in our garden.  The weather was so warm and the fruit trees responded so well, all coming into bloom and looking so beautiful when I left the other day.  Now I hear there was and is frost so perhaps that will be all there is to the fruit trees.  The blossoms cannot take the frost and of course that means no fruit.  I truly feel for the farmer who depends on his crops for a living.  It is a very touchy and uneasy life, never knowing what the weather will bring or ruin in their gardens.

It has been nice sharing with you and I trust you will visit again when I can tell you about the Bees that will be part of our life again and the crops that are making their way to fruition and the garden of flowers I have planted for the Bees.

Signs of Spring

Well for a few days it feels as though Spring is right around the corner.  In the 40′s today and tomorrow perhaps 50′s.  We will be going to the country tomorrow to check things out and see how winter treated us this year.  We know we have some broken water pipes so it will be a job waiting for us .  How many little critters visited us I dont know for sure but tomorrow will tell us by their little dropings if any.

It will be nice to be back to our favorite place again even though we will just about freeze until we can warm everything up.  It’s our home away from home.  Dont know which is better but we are blessed to have what we have and it is great to share it, even better when we can share it with family and friends.

Have big ideas again for the garden which includes many more berry bushes since we just love them, and the children look forward to eating them right off the bushes.  Oh such joy.  Planning on putting a few more fruit trees in too, we probably wont live to see them fruit but the Grandchildren will and that will be just fine.  Then I am planning on putting in some Grapes which I used to have but they were in the way of
 mowing so we had to take them down.  Also I want to do up much more food for the winter and dry a lot of things so I have lots of planning to get to and ordering.  It is a busy time for gardeners now because planning is the biggest and most important job . 

Next come my Bees.  I am in the process of cleaning up my old hive and Pop is going to get a hive too and we are going to raise bees together this year at home.  This should prove interesting and fun.  Already last year I planted lots of plants the bees will love and planning on putting much more in this Spring.  I have some Aster seeds along with Lupines, Sweet William, and a few more to get started next week so they will be ready when the weather warms up and I can transplant them.

Good news abound in our family.  Two more Great Grandchildren on the way and another Grandson getting marrried in July.  How Blessed we are.

Be back again come Springtime and more to share.

Enjoy each day and give thanks for family and friends.

Nan and Pop

 

 

Back again after quite a long time.  Winter has become a long, snowy and windy time this year.  We find ourselves staying indoors much more except for our 3/4 hour long walk each day, weather permitting.  It has kept us healthy all winter and even if one of us doesnt feel like going for a walk the other will convince us and out we go.  We are both gaining weight which is not so good but we promise each other we will do better. Ha Ha, I hope it works. I will never be able to do all my garden work in this condition and Pop will never get up and down those hills so we better get serious.

We are now following the Olympics and I love it.  The snow boarding is awesome and of course the Ice skating is my favorite. 

Linda came for a visit today and we had a million laughs over what I cant even remember, we just get so silly sometimes.  It was a fun visit, afterwards we went our to the V.A Hospital to visit Uncle Bobby.  He has never looked so well.  He is happy there and has picked up so much.  It is a very nice place and he gets to talk to some of the other vets. 

I have my Sweet Potatoes in a glass of water and rooting them for early summer planting.  Cant wait to get things going.  By early summer I will have at least 8 small rootings per potato and will have a great crop.

Ordered my new Bees for May and Yes I am going to be a BeeKeeper again.  I have to get my hives cleaned up and Pop has shown an interest and wants to join me at the Bee Meetings. This is great.  We are going to start with 2 hives and keep them here at home.  Perhaps by next Spring I can share some honey with you all.

Hope to keep up with this blog more often and in the meantime enjoy the winter .

Up-Coming Events

It is a typical November cloudy day, temperatures a little warmer than yesterday.  One can feel winter coming on and sadly we are leaving the more sunny and warm days, but we will have beautiful snowy days to come and crystal clear skies which makes one feel somewhat better.

I have been involved in making salves for winter at the Pfeiffer Center.  What fun we have.  Last Monday was a full and wonderful day.  We started the morning at 9:30 and got right to work on making the salve.  Earlier in the Fall we gathered Plaintain, Yarrow, Lavender, Rosemary and dried it and then prepared it for six weeks in Olive Oil.  Now we strained it and melted down Beeswax and put them together and poured into jars.  It came out the most beautiful green color.  It felt heavenly on our skin and we were all scooping up the leftovers in the pans and bowls to lather ourselves all over with this wonderful salve.

Inbetween we dipped candles from the Beeswax and were so surprized how long it took to do.  By now we were all ready for lunch and each of us brought the most delicious dishes to share and since the temperatures were up in the 70′s we took everything out to the picnic bench and had the most fun lunchtime.  What a group of girls.  We  all joined hands before eating and sang a song of thanks.  It is a blessing to have friends like this.  They are Gems.

Now that lunch-time is over we set our next task to preparing the Herbs for making Tea.  The sun was starting to fade out by now and three of us took a long hike up the hill and through a forest to the Cow-barn where we gathered some Cow-Pats,( manure which is fresh) for my Cold Frame here in NJ where it will keep it warmer during the winter months.  We also had the privledge of seeing the new born calf which was a bull.  Heading back to the Garden we arrived back in the dark.  I went to my car and gathered some books to read to pass the time until 7:30 when my Eurhthmy class started.  All of a sudden I heard a knock on the cabin door and it was Megan one of the Interns.  She brought her drum along , so I went and got mine out of the car and we drummed together for about an hour outside in the wonderful night air. 

By the time I arrived home after my Eurhymy class it was 9:30 and it was an exhausting day but one of the most wonderful ones I have had .

Life is so wonderful when you are doing the things you love with the people

Frost is on the Pumpkin

Alas winter is creeping in slowly and Fall is fading away just as the leaves are.  Beautiful colors this Fall, and now we see the birds flocking and making the most gorgeous patterns in the sky.  I shall miss their singing but also I look forward now to feeding them and watching their antics and beautiful colors against the winter snows.

We accomplished so much this past week in Pa.  Ed our farmer friend used his machinery to load up our trailer with manure and we spread it all around on the gardens for a good start for next years garden.  Lime has to go on still which I will do next time up.  Less trips up now that the weather is turning colder so I must get all I can in each trip.  Still have those bulbs to plant here in NJ and in Pa.  Harvested loads of carrots which were the biggest I have ever had. 

Pop really helped me out yesterday as my days have been filled with so many things to do and company coming last night.  I didnt get home until 5:30pm and left 9 am in the morning.  We had our long time neighbor friends in for the evening and the fireplace going .  Bill and Ginny come about once a month and we visit them about the same.  Bill is an artist a very accomplished one and gave me a wonderful picture he drew of a Shaman (Old Woman) some time ago.  Last night he surprized me with a Young Indian boy called a Jingle Boy which matches the Shaman woman.  I am thrilled with it. I have the Shaman woman hanging up in Pa and this one will go there also as soon as I have it framed to match the other one.

Stay warm friends and I will keep you posted of the latest events more often. 

Only Pumpkin I grew this year

Kind of cold out there tonight and Pop is in Pa. where I hear there is a good possibility of 2 inches of snow.  He must be wrapped up in his blanket watching T.V. about now and the fireplace cracklin away.  We are having a vacation from each other which we both enjoy so much and havent been able to do for a long while.  Pop’s eyes are in better shape now that he had the cataract taken care of.  Next month he has the other one done.  He has been the best sport about not driving , it’s time he gets away on his own and feels more independent.  He doesnt think  he will be able to hunt this year because of the operation so close to hunting season, but you bet he will be up there sitting on the porch or even walking through the woods.  He has done this for so many years that I can hardly imagine he wouldn t get up there and snoop around.

I have started taking Yoga classes with Linda  and we meet in Mendham every Thursday.  It is so great to be able to do this again with a class.   Sharing it with others makes it so much nicer.  We are planning a trip to the apple farm tomorrow after class if all goes well.  Want to do up some applesauce and apples for pie making.  Today I cut up my only pumpkin, cooked and packed it and roasted the seeds.  They came out so tender and good.  I’ve done up peaches when they were in season, jam and peaches.  Right now on my sink is a big jar of sauerkraut fermenting.  In about 3 days I will test and taste..  I love it right out of the jar.  Also soaked and roasted Pecans and Walnuts today,  cleaned out all the cabinets in the kitchen and drawers so I guess I will sleep well tonight.

Also took my first class this season of Eurythmy which is a form of movement that heals, calms and strengthens ones body mind and spirit.  I find it so powerful.  I explained my condition these past weeks , which has been depression and my Instructor gave me exercises in movement to do which really centers me.  I love this class as I do most all the things I engage in.

I went to a Bee Meeting last night and the speaker was a young man who just took  1st prize in making Mead.  Mead is an alcohol made of honey.  We had a tasting of it after the meeting and the only one I really liked was the one made with cherries.  That was delicious.  I can only sip a little as it’s alcohol content is quite high.  I am getting ready for this coming Spring and have put my order in for Bees.  This time I will start with two hives of  bees.  They will be picked up for me and delivered to a neighboring town which is great.  I have flowers already planted for next year for them and am planning on putting more in , in the Springtime.  Havc to get a day to work a long stretch and plant 100 bulbs of crocus.  They are the first to come up and the bees collect lots of honey from them.  They are so hungry in the Spring after a long winter it will be a welcome treat.  Anytime you have a little patch of ground to work with plant some flowers for the bees.  They are becoming so rare and are having a difficult time living in our mess that we have created.  Bee balm, anise hyssop, coneflower, crocus, are some of the seeds that would be helpful and also herbs, especially Thyme and Rosemary, they are medicines for them.

N.J. has granted the BeeKeeping club 22,661 dollars to develop a traveling display informing peoples the importance of the Bees.  Look for it in about a year or so.  There are two phases to it.  I will be working with them on this project as I love the bees and want to help in any way i can.  Will keep you posted.

 

 

 

and tonight I am feeling very very tired.  I should sleep well .

 

 

Summer’s Wind-up

There is so much to share with you and so many pictures that I will have to limit this Post to the most important.  To go back to August .

Our Goodbyes to a wonderful summer visit.

And now I have to guess what came next.  Without seeing the pictures first I will just wing it and see what comes up next.

This is the last of  the beautiful display of Phlox on the patio.

Peter entering the Zoo and being greeted by a Peacock.

We had 3 wonderful days with Peter as our guest.  The Zoo of course was the most enjoyed by him, also we had a great hike in the reservation following the “red ” trail and finding grapevines to swing on.  We made homemade currant jelly together and Pop made Peter a little sling shot, which I hope is being used properly.

Here is Peter falling from the grapevine.  After many swings and a few planned falls we headed for home.  A happy but tired Peter ate his supper and went to bed early, having a good nights sleep.  Next day home to Mom and Dad and family and his visiting Sister Becky. 

This was a happy August with the family and we always look forward to their visits in the country every year.  God willing we will see you all next year again for more good times and laughs.  Love you All

Nan and Pop

MID SUMMER ACTIVITIES

This has been a very rainy season indeed, since may and now into August we have had our share of rain which of course sets the veggie garden back a bit as it does need and want the sunshine.  Despite it though string beans are coming along and the corn is getting high.  Part of the Mercer family will be joining us in Pa in about a week or so .  I do hope there will be more for them to forage for. 

Have not seen a single honey bee this year in Pa.  Seems the bumble bees are taking over their job as are the beautiful butterflies.  Hummingbirds are still with us for a bit longer and there are plenty of frogs and toads this year a very good sign.  Lots of ants also, which I am told means there is a very healthy forest adjacent to us.  That is good news.

Pop has healed from his accident with cutting of a tree down.  His leg is healing nicely after putting a pretty big gash in it .  He tripped OVER the tree he felled , thank God he couldnt run fast enough or he would have been under the falling tree.  It caused enough excitement for a year or more.  His blackened ear is back to it’s normal color and the cut behind it healed.  Pop can get into the darndest things.  He is a tough one though and always come out okay.  Lets hope we learn our boundaries in these later years and act accordingly.  It’s tough to give up the young Spirit when it is so much a part of us. 

Well here goes, I will try and put some pictures in that I forgot to “blog” so it may be harder than I think. 

Keep cool and will be keeping you up to date more often. 

Nan and Pop

It seems impossible to get the pic’s in here except if I put them in blog which I didnt do with the last ones.  Better luck next time.

Special Visit from Becky

 

This is my solo trip and I succeeded in getting it all together.  Hopefully when a week passes by I will still remember how to do this.  This is our wonderful day together with part of the Mercer family and Beckys visit to New Jersey.  We are picking the first peaches from our tree in the back yard in N.J.  The rest of the pics are each other and the fun we are having shows on our faces.   Will be blogging more often so stay tuned.  Nan and Pop