Getting Along {nicely}

{Our updated family of 10 photograph
L-R: Leia (5), Lucia (9), Gillian & Loyal (2.5 weeks),
Abby & Lavender (3), Lacey (13), Lazarus (1.5) Lyla (11) Lovelyn (7)}

 

 

 

Earlier today, Lucia and Lovelyn picked this lovely small gathering of wild Autumn flowers. I just love the colors…

 

In a recent midwife checkup, my  sweet midwife suggested that a new mother needs six weeks rest … while that is not possible by any stretch of the imagination, I {mostly} do not feel overworked or burdened with our newest baby joining our family. I think it all has to do with everyone helping out as much as possible (although I still have to poke and prod for some chores to be finished). In fact, I don’t think our family would function very smoothly if we were not all a part of the family … we all have our set jobs and items or chores that we are good at accomplishing.

 

On the way home from church, we stopped by a local farm to ask about their small grain silo, something we would like to have for our little farm. When our new friends, owners of the farm,  counted the children, their 7 year old daughter aptly said, “They have two boys and about a hundred girls!!!” The mother just gushed with joy, saying how she wished she had more children and how lovely the girls were …

She carried Lavender around on her hip, smiling and playing with Lavender’s piggy tails and said she wanted to keep her as her third daughter. Before we all piled back into our truck, each child with a chocolate chip cookie in hand, generously offered by the man of the house, the mother asked gently, “Don’t they drive you crazy sometimes?”

Well, yes, we are all human, I told her! Even my husband and I get on each other’s nerves and we are adults and have “social manners”. But in general, I do think we are learning how to get along well with each other – forgiving faults, choosing to be thankful and not selfish, helping others and thinking of others before oneself. We are learning to be last in the line, first to offer help and to “do unto others” as the Bible commands. We are learning how to work hard and not complain, to be a helping hand around the home and to clean up after ourselves as we go.

 

Baby Loyal, as he grows, has been snuggled in the baby wrap against my chest or a willing, loving sister will help hold him if there is a need. I try not to do too many chores that will take me away from holding my little wee baby. Time goes by too quickly. This does not mean I sit around, but rather carry him in my arms as much as possible, holding him as often as I can and kissing his fresh, sweet forehead when he is near me. He is just so precious – I adore sleeping with him in the crook of my arm.

Speaking of caring for little ones … Lacey {13} has been “babysitting” her own little ones – as she hatched a few Polish chicks recently. These chickens really do need extra care, more so than a regular chicken. She successfully hatched seven chicks, but only three have survived so far. If they are too wet, they die. If they get cold, they die. Lacey has been diligent in caring for these little funny chicks and just loves them so. She hopes to have enough hatch in the spring to sell a few at a local chicken swap.

 

 

Aren’t they just the cutest, strangest chicks?

 

On Saturday, I was busy in the kitchen … baking two loaves of whole wheat bread, two loaves of cheese bread, two dozen blueberry muffins, an apple loaf, along with a huge pot of turkey stock … which turned into 8 litres of turkey soup for pressure canning and a turkey pot pie for dinner.  Lucia helped me make a double batch of homemade Bisquick [recipe below] for those busy mornings. Lacey also made a new fresh batch of muffin batter for the week ahead – which is truly so helpful for those days you need to make a healthy snack or treat for tea.

 

This past week, we had our turkeys processed (the kind word for butchered) – how great it was to fill the freezer with healthy, homegrown!  This week, we are having our meat chickens and ducks butchered. We are slowly clearing out the garden as fall gently continues. The next step in canning will be some more apple products: applesauce, apple butter, pie filling and cider. I have managed to make my apple cider vinegar but ran out of apples.

The girls wrapped up four bushels of apples for winter storage but we are quickly eating through those apples, as well.  We are supposed to get some more by the weekend … I look forward to even more apples for us to work with!

Here is the recipe of the bulk Bisquick mix:

 

• • • 6 cups all purpose flour
    • 6 cups whole wheat flour
    • 6 tablespoons baking powder
    • 2  tsp salt
    • 2 cup butterBlend the baking powder, salt and flours in large bowl. Using mixer or pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly mixture occurs. Store tightly covered in fridge or freezer. Makes 16 cups of baking mix.