Happy Halloween!

 Lia said "Mommy me pumpkin too" and I told her yes, you are both pumpkins. 

She had to go and kiss the "other" pumpkin who was "just like her".  :)

 This home we go to - where they have SO many Halloween decorations...this is the back yard...

Lia is a little scared of the cat (and the other decorations!)...altho she really wants to LIKE the cat...

She wanted Mommy to hold her!  Then she felt safe.  It was SUPER sweet! 

 Daddy tried getting her up there with the dancing skeleton band....

 Here Lia and I are with Jan, who is one of the couple who puts on this incredible array of Halloween decorations ever year in their home and yard.   Lia was kind of scared!  Imagine that!

And here are Frank and I with Lia in OUR costumes....silly....gumball machines.  We just tried to put something together for the ONE HOUR Lia and I would be at the "other" party (a costume one) before Lia had to go to bed.  I got the idea from a lady at Goodwill.  These costumes cost us $2 (balloons) - bags free from Goodwill lady - plus the signs Frank made.  Super fun for a silly costume.  Thanks Frank for the sense of humor it took to make this happen.  (He insisted that we put "giant gumballs" on the sign vs my idea of just 25 cents He wasn't sure anyone would get it).  This makes me laugh.  And we both cracked UP putting on these costumes...so all in all... a GREAT Halloween for us!  ♥

Gorman Heritage Farm Hay ride!

In between teaching 2 classes at CFEC today Lia and I went to GHF for their last day of hay rides! 

It was really fun!  We also picked sunflowers!!!

In defense of our Norwood Chickens!

                                   

I made 20 of these chicken pins last night for us to wear & to pass out to any friends who came with us to the Council meeting.  Frank (luckily) helped out by cutting out the feet & combs (and designed the comb) or else I would have been up until 3 a.m..  We originally were going to have a friend show up in a chicken suit, but he chickend out.  I put together a party for about 20 people before the meeting and  served several menu items featuring our chicken's eggs, one of which was deviled eggs.

Lia drew circles around the chicken that I drew on her easel.

This year our "Halloween theme" was, well, chickens.

This is Frank's carving which I love!

A little nervous, but fueled by my thoughts & feelings about how GOOD it is to have backyard chickens and how they help reduce our carbon footprint on this earth as well as provide us with delicious healthy eggs, I read my letter to council outlining exactly why I hoped to keep our backyard hens. 

Lia did pretty well during the meeting, we were proud of her.  I was also glad to have her at the meeting to show them one of the reasons we want to keep our hens - to feed our family.

We had the support of family and so many friends, this is just a small group of the folks who came out to support us at the Council meeting - thank you for your support!

We left the meeting feeling excited & positive.  I know it helped so much that I invited and had 2 of the council members out to our home this past Saturday.  Both of these people already gave us positive feedback but I also presented to council almost 100 signatures from neighbors and other Norwood residents, as well as letters written from 3 (next door) neighbors and another resident in support of our choice for keeping hens in our backyard.  At the meeting, council passed a motion to send a letter to the Health Department asking them not to enforce the law requiring us to get rid of our chickens until the matter had been handled, and they all seemed very open to at least giving us a variance, with the understanding that other Norwood families can apply for a similar variance.

At the end of the meeting, two council members publicly thanked me for my approach to the process. One thanked me for my sense of humor and willingness to prepare and present research in a positive manner. Another called it "a textbook case for how to approach government to make positive change."

So?  We are feeling pretty fabulous about changing this law in Norwood for our hens!!!

Apple Butter!

The only photos I got of Apple Butter day were AFTER all of the hard work prepping apples all morning!  Colleen had a great crew of friends to work with us who really helped out tremendously.

 Frank, Lia, Elena, Brynne & Hans

 Nick, Noah & me, tasting Colleen & Andy's home made hard cider, delish!

 Lia was having a good time!

 Brynne was super sweet with Lia!

Jake had Lia mesmerized!  He was singing to her at the end of the night!

Apple Butter Prep

 Colleen asked me to make my White Chicken Chili for Apple Butter day.  When I do this, I make a huge pot so that there is some left over to freeze even if I serve it at a party!

                                    

I also prepped 1 1/2 bushels of the apples, which calculates out to 30% of what went into the Apple Butter.  This I did so that we hopefully will NOT be canning the Apple Butter late into the night!  My kind of "insurance".  :)

 Lia and I were in the back yard doing some work this afternoon and I got some fun shots of her inside the "coop" bonding with the ladies!

 I harvested the rest of my arugula and am going to saute it up.  Lia loves it!

 Silly chickens!

 Silly Lia!

No, we don't live on a farm but Lia is signing farm in this picture!  Maybe I shouldn't take her to the council meeting where I plan to explain to everyone that chickens are NOT inherently FARM animals!  ;)

Buttermilk-Onion Pull-Apart Rolls

I had so much fun making these!  Especially because the buttermilk was something I made by making the butter.  These are delicious!!!  There is not only buttermilk in them but LOTS of butter (and carmelized onions) so how could this go wrong!?  :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pizzelles!

I LOVE my "new" pizzelle maker!!!  Next is Lemon Poppyseed and then Herbed Parmesan Cheese!  

Making butter in my food processor!

 I put a quart of fresh cream into my food processor and it is beginning to thicken in the photo above.

This is the first time for me making it in my food processor.  Last time I put it in mason jars and shook it forever!  My Amish farmer was actually the one who told me about this method, which is funny  b/c they certainly do not make butter this way.  Anyhow, I was quite pleased with how easy this was and how delicious the butter turned out.

 You can see it thickening and pulling away from the center paddle.

 Look at it pulling away - you can see the bottom of the food processor bowl!

 Now you can REALLY see the bottom of the food processor bowl...there's butter in there!

 Drained with the buttermilk below.  I will be making buttermilk rolls & buttermilk pie with my  buttermilk!

Here is the butter after several "washings" with ice cold water!  Still needs to drain.

Pumpkin Pancake Cream Cheese Sandwiches

Yummy fun finger food!  Perfect for little ones!

Hocking Hills Area camping with David and Anne - Oct 9 & 10

 Lia enjoyed the hike we went on!

 The park we stayed at had a beautiful beach & lake!

 Lia blowing bubbles around the campfire!

Robin came out to hang with us on Saturday night!

Fruit Leather!

Today I made my very first fruit leather - apple sauce, strawberries and bananas.  It turned out very yummy. 

Lia loved licking the mixer attachment when I made pizzelles!

Winter Pear Amaretto Jam

 Today I made some jam with a friend with pears she got from her neighbor.  Here is a photo of this year's jam (on the right hand side) compared to the same recipe I made in 2006 (on the left).  This year I cooked it longer b/c the pears weren't quite so ripe.  The result?  A darker and I think richer jam.  To quote Frank "Jeanne this is KILLER...it's as good as apple butter."  And for him, that's saying alot.  A nice compliment.  I am not a huge jam person, but glad he thinks so highly of it!  :)  Although Lia and I did have (her first) peanut butter and jam sandwich with it, and she loved it.

Today Lia was holding up a pretzel she had taken some bites out of and told me "Mommy "O" - and it was in the shape of an "O".  She's learning her alphabet and can also sign quite a few of the letters as well!

REGGAE RUN!

 Lia and I got there early this year - 9:30 to volunteer - and were there until 1:30.  It felt GREAT to be there in support of Maria and the Olberding family. 

 Lia was AMAZING during our volunteer time...and I mean it.  She had fun also!

Connie, Lia, me and Frank!  A happy (cold) family after the great run/walk jamming to the Reggae music!