Thanksgiving

Three days. Three days until that joyous occasion, the day the nation of America celebrates as Thanksgiving. For most people it is an occasion for extended family to come together, sometimes in spite of the conflicts and arguments that will or have arisen in the past. A day of feasting, which usually means buying a pack of brown and serve rolls, a frozen turkey three days in advance, cranberry sauce, and a box of stuffing. The typical American Thanksgiving is largely sourced from grocery shelves in packaged boxes, afterwards a TV is brought up and all sit around watching the game. It’s a tradition to be sure, but it has surely lost what it originally meant to the Pilgrims. A day of giving thanks to God, voicing your Thanksgiving, a feast with friends, family, a joyous occasion. 

In my family our Thanksgiving tradition is a bit more like the first one, to be sure. Almost everything is homemade, and that has just stemmed from the way we do things in our families. We’re more health conscience than most Americans. From the rolls to the green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy, it’s all homemade. Typically we have it at one of our Uncle’s houses and we all come to his house. He usually provides the space to sleep and the use of his kitchen, and usually provides the turkey (s) and ham. From there usually two weeks in advance we communicate via email about who will do what, we’ve been doing it long enough that everyone has the one food that they usually make, making it pretty simple. Someone makes the rolls, as well as sticky buns for Thursday breakfast, someone does green beans, pies, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, stuffing, the whole shebang. From the moment everyone arrives it is instantaneous fun. 

We usually arrive Wednesday at some point, some of the cousins arriving in the morning and others in the evening. After the initial greetings and hugs we usually have a meal together Wednesday night, followed often with a game, some people going off into corners to talk, others playing tic tac to on the floor, the little kids sword fighting in the basement, someone showing others a hilarious youtube video, the adults talking in the kitchen around some chocolate and cheese, and maybe a cousin or two working on sticky buns for the following morning breakfast. Everywhere you turn is someone you love and care and can laugh with. You are full of energy because not only is Uncle Dan roasting and brewing fresh coffee all the time but the adrenaline  is pumping you full of excitement! By midnight things have settled down, the more sensible ones have gone to bed, the teenagers and college age cousins are either talking or playing games, maybe even discussing where to sleep. The majority of the people there are night owls, and rightly so, for so much of the fun goes on at night. There happen to be a few people who are night owls and morning persons, which don’t combine very well, but when you’re running on coffee and adrenaline, it works, at least for this week. ; )

Either by an alarm or by sheer excitement of the day a few people are up quite early, 5:30am. Since I usually make the sticky buns, I’m usually up at that time to get them rising in the oven for a breakfast around 7:00am. The next one up if it’s not my older brother Isaiah is my Uncle Tim. Who, is very much an introvert, but you wouldn’t guess it just by being around him, as he has a very funny sense of humor and uses it all the time. He can be very extroverted if he’s had quiet time to himself, hence an early riser, like me. He can be found writing down something in a notebook by the light of the bulb in the oven in the kitchen. I usually take a short walk outside to see the sunrise (a beautiful moment each morning!), or reading my bible, just taking in all the quiet. I love Thanksgiving week because I can be myself very much, and I can also be a night owl and a morning person at the same time, which I can’t always do. I love the two extremes, during the day somewhat chaotic fun, from bocce ball outside, to a game of Catan at night, conversations about levity and flying machines, electricity from magnets and trees, to the quiet early mornings where it is just a few people. A little conversation about something that happened last night, something funny someone said, or just talking about God, and enjoy each others company with a fresh cup of joe. Around 7:00am people start to trickle in from the bedrooms, taking showers in the 3 bathrooms that we have (for 35+ people!). It is also a favorite time when people are slowly waking up, it’s a nice gentle way for everyone to greet the new day, make their presence known. More coffee is brewed, hugs are passed all around, maybe someone asking where a towel is because the bathroom no longer has one. The smell of sticky buns fills the house as it mingles with the smell of joe. Children are eating happily at the table, older cousins sitting down next to them, making them feel loved and noticed by the older ‘cool’ cousins. After breakfast people start work on what their making for the feast. Others might start a batch of coffee, because by 8am we’ve drunk up 3 full pots of coffee. A little later a game of bocce ball will start, which will include jokes and laughs to numerous to count. If you have a choice you’ll probably try to be part of Uncle Tim’s team. : ) Games and sports will continue until around 1:30pm when people will wash up and prepare for the feast. A total of around 6 tables will be put together in two lines food will be spread, candles lit, place cards written and hand decorated, and then the feast will begin. Usually the oldest person there is asked to say the blessing, it is said and then the line begins. 

The food is bountiful and delicious. Fresh rolls, cranberry sauce, several kinds of chutney, broccoli and carrots, green beans, sweet potato casserole, candied yams, turkey, ham, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and we haven’t even gotten to dessert. The meal usually lasts 1-2 hours, depending on how slow people eat and hang around after the meal. Soon people are washing and cleaning up, preparing for dessert later in the evening. Some will take a walk outside, along the gravel driveway, or a more scenic route through the woods and over a creek. A guitar and flute might be produced and start some music on the front porch, people talking, playing games, generally enjoying themselves. Around 6:30-7pm depending on how hungry people are again we will have dessert. This is almost a whole meal in and of it’s self. Fresh coffee will be brewed, drinks including beer and wine, chocolate, a board of cheese, and then the pies. Half a dozen pumpkin and apple pies, a couple of pecan pies, and maybe a blueberry one thrown in there as well. Thursday night is even better than Wednesday night. After or before dessert we will have a hymn sing. After which we will sit around in a circle and go around telling about the past year in a few words, or saying something we are thankful for. It is always an amazing time of fellowship. Besides the usual games we play we usually have at least one game of Rook, a game that goes back to when my dad and his brothers were growing up as missionary kids in South Korea. It is most fun when you have at least one of my Uncles involved. This will all continue into the night. At some point the children go to bed, the older ones staying up, talking, playing more games, drinking, sampling more food and drink. Around midnight they might be well enough tired out to go to bed. 

Friday morning there is not quite as much to look forward to so people might not be up quite as early. Breakfast will be more of the same, pies and Thanksgiving meal leftovers. More coffee and tea and cider will be made available. Games will probably be started, and talk of leaving will happen as well. Usually after lunch some of the cousins have to leave to go back and the goodbyes are said, hugs are passed out. Some of the cousins will stay another day. The eating and partying will continue as long as some remain, but it will not be quite as joyous as before. A late night campfire will be in order, long talks about life and everything else. A bonding time for cousins and friends. 

Saturday will come, and go. If we are staying until Sunday then it is not a sad day, more of the same happens. General Thanksgiving games will continue, walks will continue, talks with Uncles and cousins will happen, and general catching up with each other will happen.

Sunday we often go to church with the host family and leave afterwards to come home. Everyone is thinking about next Thanksgiving and how much fun we will have. Thankful for the amazing family they have, and thanking God for all His blessings. Hearts somewhat heavy, as we come back to reality, a taste of heaven still left on our hearts and lips. We go back to life, but with a little more vigor than before, a little closer to Jesus, because we know what eternal fellowship with His saints in Heaven is going to be like. I believe that at Thanksgiving we get a picture of what Heaven will be like, feasting, drinking, singing, praying, talking, except it will be even better, when we can be face to face with Jesus. The most amazing week of the year, is this week, Thanksgiving.

English Vintner

Grace like Rain?

When hopes and dreams come dashing to a halt,

Father, you tell us ‘be the light and be the salt’,

You tell us ‘help the poor, the fatherless and orphan’,

We seek to help but Father, why won’t you let us go?

Our world turned upside down,

 our thoughts seemingly bound

You are the one who heals the broken hearted

You guide our paths and love us while we’re parted

I don’t know why you made the things the way they are

Some days I’m fainting, I just need the strength to stand and breath

Things are so hard

Yet through the sorrow, you show us yourself

Through the sorrow you are more beautiful

We find your face when we’re facing hardship

When our dreams come falling down

You are here, and all around

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did you leave us on our own

Father, grace like rain is coming down.

Dedicated to my beautiful sister, Londa

English Vintner

There is Love

Don’t point the fingers and call out the blame

Learn to love your brother when he’s living in shame

Maybe he’s doing wrong and he’s not in the right

But who are you and I to jump into a fight?

All we can do is hope and pray for God’s mercy and his love

Praying for the blind to see, you are the King above

English Vintner

End?

My time draws to an end here at the farm. The anticipation to leave wanes the closer it gets. The closer I get to know the people here, and the more I appreciate everything here. My experience here has been one of growing, both in knowledge of farming and in my spiritual life and the whole ‘growing up’. I’m still referred to as a ‘boy’ and I started to get a little annoyed but then thought, isn’t that what I still want to be? Why should I push to become a man, it ‘happens’ soon enough. I don’t want to loose my humor, my wit (did I ever have one?) the stuff I do as a ‘boy’ I still want to do as a ‘man’. I don’t want to become a serious man who now does manly things, but rather a man who still embraces life full on, enjoys life, lives for Christ, and knows how to have a good time and crack jokes. I don’t want to have a dramatic change from boy to man, I believe you can maintain responsibility and humor at the same time. 

I’ve learned a lot here, about myself. A little more who I am, what I want to be, and how I want to be when around others. I’m going to miss this life here. Sure it’s hard work, sure at times you don’t want to do it, but you have to, you don’t have a choice. When you’re working with animals you have chores you do them twice a day or your animals die. That’s life on a farm, you will be tied down it’s a commitment, and you have to be ready to do it. You can’t be gone for more than 12 hours at a time because chickens need feeding, goats need milking, pigs are hungry. But it’s good honest work, you can see the immediate results of what you do. You plants seeds, you see them sprout, you harvest your vegetables and see the result after they’ve been in the kitchen with a chef for an hour. You taste what you grow, life and food have more meaning. I’ve noticed that when I started milking the goats. It meant more to me when I had to milk the goats, I had to milk in order to drink or use the milk. I could see the result of milking. Same with vegetables. You see the progress of a small little transplant and in six weeks it has leaves 16 inches long and you’re harvesting the leaves and eating them. You see the pigs born and raised and eventually taken to the butcher and then you eat the meat. You see life from beginning to end on a farm, it’s not a meaningless box on a shelf that you heat up in a microwave, where you’re so distanced from your food you don’t know what a chicken looks like. You see the immediate results of what you do, that is farming. I like that, it brings more meaning to what you eat. Are you willing to kill the chicken in order to eat? For one to live another must die. I don’t enjoy killing animals, I respect the animals, but I will kill them in order to eat them. This is life here on this side of heaven

I’ve lived here long enough that it is familiar enough to feel like another home. The surrounding area I’ve grown accustomed to and I’ve spent so many hours all around the farm.

Today I saw a hawk try to carry off a chicken unsuccessfully, it was a first. The turkey has finally gotten bold enough to try and attack me more than once. The geese are now annoying enough for me to want them for Christmas, they squawk so loudly you have to yell to be heard when you are within talking distance of someone. The pigs are growing so fast almost a pound a day. The chickens are laying well again (have you ever seen a chicken lay an egg?). The goats, I’ve learned to tame them (have you ever tasted it fresh from the teet?). I can move the cows from paddock to paddock (ever been charged by a cow, or knocked over?). I’ve learned to make the most of what you have on hand, to make do with what you have. Whatever is growing is what’s going to be cooking. 

So here I sit, quarter till 9pm. Eggplant Parmesan in the making, been in the works since this afternoon. It was the first time Jether made it, and he had to make sourdough bread for bread crumbs, and he’s not as fast a cook as me. I have two more days here and then I’m home. I’m ready to be home though, I have plans for a coffee CSC (Consumer Supported Coffee) and a vegetables CSA when I get back. I am ready to work in my own garden and be home, with my family. I’m ready for the normal life though, I feel kind of like Sam at Rivendell, I’ve seen the Elves, I’ve had my adventures, but now I’m ready to go home now. I’m ready to go on, as Sam was, but I’m glad I’m going home and don’t have a journey as hard as Sam’s ahead of me, at least not yet. He was a brave one, Sam, wasn’t he dad? Oh yes he was son, a braver hobbit you’ll never find.

English Vintner

Early Mornings

I am riding in the car with Jether driving back from Baltimore. 6:45am, we’ve both been up for over 3 hours after going to bed close to 11pm. Last night while we were talking with Greg I asked him how he was getting to the airport because I was curious, he said he was probably getting a taxi because he had to leave at 4am and didn’t think we’d want to take him. I wasn’t that interested but Jether said he was willing to do it. We found out the airport was in Baltimore and Jether called his Aunt Phyllis and asked if they would be up around 5:30 tomorrow for us to pick up beer stuff. She said they usually get up around that time on Tuesdays so that would work out fine. We went to bed after some gazpacho and we’d sampled an organic gluten free beer. 

I woke up at 3:30am less then 5 hours after going to bed. Jether tied the leg of the turkey to the wall so that it could freely move around the pen we’d put it in so we could humanly keep it from eating until butcher time. I respect animals, more so than a lot of people I know. I respectfully understand that we must eat them in order to live and maintain good health, and I don’t take it for granted that we have to kill a living creature in order to eat. We should respect animals, but God gave them to us for eating and I believe it is hard to maintain good health without a healthy diet of animal relating foods; eggs, milk, meat, fat, etc. A strictly vegetarian diet is not very healthy. We will butcher the turkey this morning after picking for CSA. We caught the turkey yesterday (it gave me a nice gash on my wrist when I caught it) and put it underneath the barn in a pen so that it would have about 24 hours without food for the gizzard wouldn’t be so messy.

I toasted some bread and brewed the last of my joe that I had. I only drink my own stuff. I don’t think I could get addicted to coffee because I will only drink fresh roasted, I will not drink Maxswill, or other brands. I just won’t. I am dedicated to the flavor not the caffeine. I brewed it and poured it into my travel mug, a stainless steel one I picked up off the side of the road, much better than plastic. Greg came down at 3:45am and we told him I wanted to go to help with directions. We left at 4am to go the airport, Greg driving. We talked some about my starting a CSA and my potential job in CA, and then about Rocklands Farm. It was good, I’m glad I could go and talk with him one last time and say good bye. He’s a really cool guy. We dropped him off at the airport and headed north about 12 miles to Jether’s Uncle Paul’s house. We arrived at around 5:50am, picked up the equipment. It made me want to make beer when I get back. We left at around 6:15am and headed back. We got a little bit lost with it being Baltimore and changing names and jazz, but with one person with a map to look at and one person driving it made it much easier. Jether was glad I came with him for the sake of directions. 

Just four more days here at the farm. The work load is going to be pretty good and not a whole lot of spare time. Jether’s planning to order seeds to my house and I’ll get a little bit as well. 

English Vintner

The Sun

Have you ever thought about how good an example of God the sun is? The bright object, one which live revolves around here on earth. The brightest object in the sky, outshining all the rest. So bright you cannot look at it without becoming blind, and yet the light of it guides our paths and keeps us from stumbling. As I watched the sun slowly making it’s way over the horizon of the trees I was struck again by how bright it is. As it crept over I could almost see each ray of sunlight as it traveled speeding across until it hit my fingers. What a great symbol that He has put here in this world.

English Vintner

The dirty life

I sit here, without internet, watching Jether cook. The smell of whole grain soaked sourdough toast mixing with pasture raised pork sausage and roasting butternut squash. Outside is lightning and a light rain. Today was a pretty good day. Harvested and packaged and got everything ready for CSA all by myself, with Jether to help pick jazz. I am competent enough I guess to be able to handle the CSA, which is a good thing I guess. It’s nice to know people are confident in you. (Jether just tossed me a shriveled somewhat rotten garlic...I’m not sure what to do with it.) After harvesting and packaging and picking enough for 10 CSA shares and market to sell (11 different items in the CSA share!). “Right on!” has been the phrase to say over the past couple days, I picked it up from someone I met at Saturday market, and the history of it all I’ll have to tell later, it’s quite funny. 

For lunch we had eggs (now that the chickens are off strike we’re eating about half a dozen a day each!), toast a little milk kefir (the goats milk is so good!) and green beans, with an appetizer of cucumbers and hummus. I’m finally getting the milk from the bad goat, Pretty Face. For the past 5 weeks I’ve milked her and only been able to milk her about half way and never been able to save what I got, always onto the milk stand. But with the help of Jether who can keep an eye on the feed I’ve been able to not only fully milk her, but to get almost all the milk. Which means a pint from each goat right now, so half a gallon a day, not bad. We are just keeping up with demand between me and Jether mostly, and making milk kefir. It’s a good thing I’m getting all of Pretty Face’s because we’d be out of milk if not.

Ahh...the farm life. Getting up before 6am, doing chores until 7am. Making them fun by jumping fences and cooking outside by a campfire at night. To the left of me is 6 dozen eggs, almost one days worth of eggs, now that the chickens are producing again. On the counter beside me is milk kefir, made with goats milk, also from the farm. About the only thing we don’t have here is grain, oil, spices, and sugar. You can get all the vegetables from here, meat, eggs, milk, it’s all here. You could live off of what was here and be living well. My diet has definitely had less carbs since I came to the farm, I don’t like to spend any more than I have to and you can get by with eating what’s here. The work is physical and non stressful. You’re working with people, but they’re people you know and enjoy being around. You’re constantly around animals and plants, watching the animals eat the plants, and vegetables go from seed to harvest. It’s not always fun work, but at the end of the day it’s satisfying to look back and see what you finished. There is always something to be done on a farm, you just have to be able to prioritize it and get done what is most urgent. Unless you have lots of help and a very small farm I’m not sure you’re ever fully on top of things while vegetables are growing. My muscles are sore from work and working out when I get the chance (I can now do sets of pushups in the lower 20s). My arms are more tan than they’ve ever been. But it is enjoyable. Liveable. 

I definitely miss home, but I’m going to miss being here as well. I’ve learned a lot, seen a lot and experienced a lot. I’ve seen a chicken lay an egg, how much fresher can you get? I’ve drunk milk from the source. Experienced the shock of an electric fence. Been knocked over by a cow. Mobbed by chickens scrambling for food. It’s a dirty life for sure, but it is good and I like it. I’m often drawing on my experience from working at the Stone Table to cook what I have here. 

Well, supper looks about ready. It’s a quarter till 9pm. Supper here is usually later, since chores end around 7pm and then you have to cook up something. Tomorrow will mark just over one week and I will be home. I have many ideas and plans for when I get home, I’m hoping to incorporate some of the stuff I’ve learned here and put it into my garden when I get back. I’m really considering doing a winter CSA this year for a few members to get some cash, and maybe a Spring one too if that works out. I’m feeling a little bit nervous about decisions coming up but I’ll rest in my Father who knows what is best and has already planned out my path. 

English Vintner

Farm Life

What is the feeling rushing through you when you reach out to test an electric fence? Knowing that in the next second you may or may not feel a volt surge through your body leaving a burning feeling on your finger and almost knock you off your feet. Or for that matter, running straight into an electric fence, cow strength, and not getting shocked because it happened so fast!

But this is farm life. Getting up before the sun to do chores, collecting eggs, feeding chickens, having contests jumping electric fences, and milking goats. All the while trying to stay warm in 40 degree weather.

The food is good. Fresh vegetables, greens, roots, eggs, milk, and meat all from one place, who knew? Every meal is a farm to table meal. To see what is around and extra and come up with a dish to make of it. Sometimes I’m running low on ideas, but when one works out really well I’m inspired to keep trying.

Today marks 11 days until I will drive home. I’m enjoying my time here, but I am ready to get home to my own garden and to all my experiments and hobbys and projects I have going on. 

English Vintner

Autumn Morning

What a glorious Sunday morning. The ones you wish were every week. After a week of physical labor what a glorious day to rest and worship God. A day set apart for Him. To look on our week of work and see that it is good, and to rest 1 out of 7 because our Father did the same when he created all this beauty. 

It wasn’t too chilly last night, a low 50Fº, but we spent the night at Joel and Megan’s house and even with windows open it doesn’t get too cold. 

I picked Jether up Thursday night around 9pm. He called me to say they were about 30 minutes away just as I had finished washing all the dishes and was about to sit down and get a bite to eat. I hurriedly shoved the food down grabbed my wallet and some goats milk and rushed out the door. I drove to the spot, just off 495 and I hadn't been there 30 seconds when they showed up. Uncle Paul said they had made very good timing and had been within minutes of each other when Aunt Jenny dropped Jether off in Knoxville. We threw his stuff in the back of my truck and headed back to the farm. We drunk the goats milk and talked a little bit about the day ahead. It seemed almost unreal to have my best friend coming up and working with me. I had envisioned this last year when I was thinking about interning, it would be so cool if we could both intern together, but I didn' think the chance very likely. And yet, here a year later we're doing it, God surely does love his children and blesses them beyond what we need or think we need.

We arranged the room in the barn a little nicer, certainly a little cozier and tidier. We pushed two beds together and shared the blankets (it gets quite cold when there is no insulation between you and 45-50Fº) between us. We set the alarm for 6:30am but didn't get up till quarter till. I didn't have chores on Friday so we had that luxury. We ate breakfast inside before heading out to work around 8am. We got a bit of work done, a lot of cutting out weeds and such. We broke at 12 and made lunch, found some leftovers and other jazz. We talked and did some email and reading until around 3pm. We did some more work until around 6pm. Then we gathered firewood and got some food for a stew. We cooked chicken and added carrots, radishes, beets, kale, and sweet potatoes, all from the farm. About the only thing you need to buy here is flour and oil, all vegetables and meat and milk and eggs are all here, even fruit. There was a birthday party going on in the barn and they had a fire near us to cook their hotdogs and s'mores. They offered us hotdogs which, we eventually took, but fed to the dogs, I gave one a lick and decided I didn't want it. We watched the stars and enjoyed a fire, though smokey at times till around 10pm. 

We woke up at 6:30am. I was going to make muffins for market but decided against it, I wasn't sure whose ingredients to use and I had enough to do already with Joel and Megan gone. I will say the day would've been a lot harder without Jether. We warmed up our stew over a fire and started picking vegetables around 8am. Jether picked cherry and big tomatoes and I picked basil, eggplant, summer squash, carrots and some parsley. Cherry tomatoes take the longest to pick and so Jether picked the whole time I did. We packaged it all up, some for selling and most for CSA.

Market was pretty good as far as sales went, and it was kind of nice to just hang out and relax, not having to do much. Lunch was good, sausages grilled with onions. Around 2:30pm I checked email and then we went to work again. We carried two fridges up into the barn and hauled sweet potatoes up to my room where they were and layered them in with straw. We took care of all the sweet potatoes, putting the big ones in the fridges and smaller ones in the greenhouse. They've cured and now just need to be stored. We worked till 6pm. When we got some food together and headed over to Joel and Megan's house. We stopped at the end of the driveway to get the pig that had run down into the road, we helped get her back into her pen (it's not a typical day at the farm unless a pig gets out. You leave a door unlocked for 15 min and she'll check it every 5 or so and get out! they're so smart! I think 5 out of 7 days a pig gets out!)

We got to Joel and Megan's house and with the little bit of light outside left Jether used a weedeater to mow the grass in the yard. I worked on supper. I cut up tomatoes and started roasting them in the oven in the oven for soup. I sautèed onions, garlic and basil on the stove top. Jether came in and started mixing up the bread starter he'd brought and soaking flour for pancakes for breakfast. I made a mess of the kitchen (it's small and not too efficient with space) with blending tomatoes up and cooking this and that, but by 8:45 we had something that was quite good and tasty, Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup. Jether took a shower and rinsed the dishes and I washed them, wiped off counters, swept the floor, organized and cleaned up all around the kitchen. I find that once I start washing dishes cleaning up the rest of the kitchen is easy, I'd say washing dishes is the start and beginning of cleaning a kitchen. I also like being clean and organized, especially in the kitchen and I find it very calming and relaxing to come down to a clean kitchen. By 10pm we had the place looking good and dandy. We headed upstairs and I went to bed and Jether read his fireman book for an hour. 

We got up at 5:50am. I took a shower by candlelight (no lights other than candles!) which was cool and then went downstairs. Jether was mixing up pancakes and the world was still asleep. I really love early mornings. I brewed a big mug of coffee and we started eating breakfast which was pancakes and sausage. They were delicious. I went outside for a few minutes to enjoy the morning. The sun was just starting to hit the trees, the air had a chill to it, and I had a mug of steaming coffee. I thought about how much I loved this time of day. Most people still in bed, and yet here I am reveling in God's glorious nature. We finished cooking pancakes (we made a lot!) and then headed to the farm. Jether was going to skype or call to meet with his mission trip team that will go to Honduras in November. We got to the farm around 7:30am and he skyped for a while and then used a phone, and now is charging my cell phone while on his and switching them out since they both ran out of battery. We will head over to church at 10 and then read and relax the rest of the day.

English Vintner

Autumn

The change in the weather is for the better. Summer, though not as dry as last year (where I've been) has ended and Autumn has begun. To me Autumn doesn't begin on a set day by a calendar, but rather when the earth has said it. Listen to her, what does she say, will it be late or early? This year, it was a little early, though, I'm not complaining. Frankly, it came just in time. After a short visit to my family packed full of adventures (I spent Friday night, through Monday morning there and only received 17 hours of sleep total!) which included a fun movie Friday night, apple picking Saturday afternoon, cider making Saturday night, along with a midnight haul, followed by a bright crisp first day of Autumn. We had fresh cider and orange juice for breakfast with apple and pumpkin pie. Rockland's Farm sausage (where I intern), eggs, and hot coffee! It was a feast and a glorious one too! The table was laden, candles were lit, we had 6 people to a side, and the table was stuffed full of me and my siblings. I love being part of a large family. Sunday was awesome, two good sermons, got to say hi to friends, and had a great lunch of swiss cheese, good bread, apples, and chicken, again, with lit candles. I took a nap because of the lateness of the hour that we went to bed at. I left soon after church as I wanted this weekend to be with my family, not friends. Too often you come back from something and just spend most of your time talking and hanging out with friends and you miss your chance with your family. We had leftover pie and hot mulled cider, followed by a game of mafia. It was a highlight for me as it involved all of the kids. Afterwards I got a chance to play legos with my two youngest brothers, which was fun, I love getting down on there level and playing with them. I watched Princess Bride sunday night and got to bed close to midnight, and was up with my oldest brother who works landscape. I packed, said good byes to him and my mother and headed back to the farm.

Somehow, when you can see the end of the tunnel, it's not so bad anymore. You can appreciate where you are and though you're counting the seconds till you're out, you can still enjoy the moment because you know the end is near. That is me right now. I'm content to be here. I'd rather be home yes, my younger siblings are making cider and doing stuff I would be doing. It is amazing to me how much they can do! They really are quite capable! I have three and a half weeks left here. Work is easier as the summer comes to an end. Mostly were harvesting end of the season stuff, clearing out old plants, planting Fall crops, and enjoying the Autumn weather. Since I got back I've been on a camp fire kick and cooked supper over a fire last night. It was good, cheese, bread, apple, pork chop, and some Tulsi tea to wash it down. This morning I got up at 5:30am (it was hard, because it was SO cold! 49F in the barn where I sleep) and started another fire in the same place. I put rocks around the fire and made a nice little fire pit with a grill over it to cook or grill on. I got a nice little fire going while watching the stars. The stars fascinate me, as does astronomy. I'm not talking about astronomy taught now, about the planets and size and what gas, I'm talking about knowing the constellations, telling time by the stars, the passing of the seasons, eclipse and phases of the moon. The stuff people knew and did back then. At 5:30 you really can see the stars quite well! It's still quite dark and the stars are brilliant, makes you want to be up at 5:30 everyday! What a great way to start the day, seeing the stars and seeing them fade away into the early mist as dawn approaches and the sun makes it's way across the horizon. I always get more done when I'm up early. Actually, I think I may be getting too much sleep lately. I've been getting closer to 8-9 hours of sleep while I was at the farm the past couple weeks. I seriously think I do better on 6-7 hours of sleep. It might be harder to get up, but once I'm up I often have more energy and get more done.

Autumn is a wonderful season. Every year I have such trouble on picking a favorite, at the beginning of each season I think it is my favorite, but by the end I'm usually glad to go to the next. I love summer, and I try to appreciate it as much as my older brother and others do, but Autumn always makes me so happy. I love the green and growing of summer, but I love all the feasts and partys to throw in the Autumn. The cider pressing and apple picking, driving through the mountains, the colors of the trees. I'm already planning camping trips when I get back, Autumn is my favourite season to go camping in. The night time is just cold enough to need a fire, and the day is warm enough to go around in jeans and be comfortable.

Here's to a new season,
the season past was more than a blast,
But with the falling leaves, the changing of the trees
Autumn's here and so here I go, don't hang on, just let go



English Vintner