Day 78 and 79 and 80-November 17 to 19, 2012

     My oh my, how the days do fly.  My heart soars like a hawk.  E'lora is asleep, Colin is playing Wii bowling, and Cora and Fred are fiddling with the computer.  Karly and Raj are pork drunk, they got bits from tonight's carnitas.  So now let me go back to Saturday.  
     Alexa and I woke up before 6.  Alexa drifted right back to sleep with tink, I started my day.  Rain and wind caught my attention throughout the night and morn.  It reminds me of the blessing of home, the cozy sanctuary shared with treasured ones.  After I met up with Jenn in town, I gathered bathroom tile ideas at Young's.  Sierra Timberline has inspiring holiday decorations.  I hung out there for about half an hour.  I spent time browsing Houzz, an interior design website, at home.  I began reading Andrew Weil's health suggestions.  I fell off the wagon eating most of a movie box of Butterfingers while I watched a Vince Vaughn movie from the Sundance channel.  I did eat a nourishing salmon salad with fresh garlic for lunch and a wholesome dinner of raw asparagus and other leftovers.
     Sunday morning I did yoga after a delicious walk.  There's nothing like that fresh air after the rain.  I felt like headquarters helping coordinate weather news for Eddie and Fred's travel back over the Sierras in the snow with Eddie's car, no chains, and a motorcycle trailer.  I excitedly finished cleaning the bathroom and getting fresh sheets in place for the kid's arrival.  I sat and read....  I like to sit and read....
     Fred got home, I started cooking up savory pasta sauce, the kids arrived.  We had a delightful afternoon/eve.  Yummy dinner and a Denzel movie, "Safe House."  I'm a homemaker.  I love being a homemaker.  Dessert was Cora's amazing acorn cake, she whipped it up with acorns from her harvest and apples from her larder.  We topped it with blackberry syrup from their summer bounty.  We both love living close to nature and nourishing our loved ones.

     Monday morning we started toyon hunting.  I had found an article in this week's newspaper about a local Thanksgiving.  Toyon Magic Balls, Carmelized Toyon cooked in honey and cinnamon, and Beyond Cranberry Sauce made with toyon because the birds already got the madrone berries.  The conclusion at the end of today's creation is that the berries aren't quite ripe, and the birds will probably get them before we do.  Fred said, "I can taste the Vitamin C."  That made it all worthwhile!  I also created some awfully good carnitas with help from Nephew Christopher.  He made carnitas at Kamp Kerksieck this summer using his coworker's secret ingredient of Coca Cola with the orange juice.  I didn't have any Coke, so I added some of my peach brandy.  I bottled it on Saturday while Alexa was napping and I found it tastes pretty much like my dandelion wine.  I think it's all in the yeast.   On Wednesday I had fiddled with the hydrometer and found that the alcohol content was more than 12%, it was ready to bottle any time.  Maybe it will age well???  The carnitas were great!  Bone in pork shoulder roast, $1.49 a pound.  I'd used some of the brandy in my pasta sauce Sunday night too. I may be on to something.  I also had time to watch a You Tube about growing mushrooms.  I have so many homestead ideas to pursue!
     Fred is nestled, the kids are having fun with Wii, I will cuddle up with a good book.  I will also count blessings.  I'm thankful for a washing machine and dryer.  I appreciate indoor plumbing.  I treasure the warmth of a wood stove fire and I am grateful for the labor of love that stacks the wood high on our deck and in piles, seasoning for our future.  I feel loved.