The last day of Summer

Today is officially the last day of summer and it basically has been raining since we woke up this morning around 7am. Hasn't stopped for a minute and has been seriously gloomy. The perfect weather for snuggly clothes and hot tea, but we had plans for today, big plans of the apple picking variety. So after a slower start than anticipated this morning we headed on over to Sky Top Orchard for our apple picking needs. We have been going to Sky Top Orchard since we moved here and it has really turned into a yearly tradition of ours. This year we hope to go a few times, rather than just one massive apple picking trip...some of you may remember that we picked around 60 pounds of apples last year. Needless to say, it was a challenge to work through all of those apples in a reasonable time frame. This year we are picking around a 1/2 bushel at a time, which will hopefully be a whole lot more manageable, as long as I can find the time to process them. I have many requests for apple pie, German apple cake, apple cobbler, and applesauce. I hope to fulfill all of these requests, because there really isn't much that is more satisfying then the faces of my loved ones in a blissful state resulting from the food that I make them. So yes, I do believe we will take another trip and hopefully the next time the views will be clear and the sun will be shining.

Incredibly frightening spider, but it is hard not to appreciate the beauty.

This old goat stood still for me to take a picture this foggy morning.

SHEEP!

In the midst of Galas.

See mom, it's fun to climb and swing from trees.

Granny Smiths.

Here Momma, a special apple just for you. Who can say no to that face.

Some cool rustic décor.

 

Extremely rainy soccer game after apple picking. We all got so soaked, even with umbrellas. After the game I gathered up my family and headed to the comfort of home, dry clothes, and some hot tea. And now I am off to a little get together with friends to listen to some bluegrass and drink some brews, but before I head on out, I wanted to mention a giveaway that a fellow blogger is having this weekend. Taryn over at Wooly Moss Roots is having a major giveaway with prizes from their etsy shop. They are a cute family living in the mountains of Oregon living off their land and the sales of their homemade goods in their two etsy shops. Please head on over to their blog to enter the giveaway. Here is the link: http://woolymossroots.blogspot.com/2013/09/giveaway-from-wooly-moss-roots.html .

Well I'm off to party. Peace, Yasmin

The beginnings of Fall

Yesterday it was quite cool outside with the combination  of gloominess and even some drizzling in the afternoon/evening. I am digging the cooler weather and hoping that it sticks, but you never know around these parts. It is supposed to get into the 80s during the day tomorrow, but as long as it is cool enough during the night for open windows, I'm all ok. The cooler weather has me thinking of soups/stews, comfortable nights in with the family, and lots of knitting. I have been searching knitting patterns like crazy itching to make this and that, but first I need to reorganize my craft area so that I can see what is what. I really need to tackle my stash and also organize all of my needles. Everything is everywhere and that makes it difficult to even think about starting a new project. I am also starting to thinking about Holiday gifts for friends and family. I would really like to make most of my gifts this year. I just think that is so meaningful, so I have a mental list started of what I am making for certain people. I do love this time of year, don't you?

Ashleigh doing what she loves as comfortable as can be.

Popcorn! Made with Amish butter and salted...so yummy and such an easy snack for the kiddos. They came home from school today claiming that it was one of their favorite snacks and proceeded to have it for their afternoon snack as well. If for some reason you don't pop your own, please do think about it. It is so easy and can be made in a large pot with a cover, that's what I do...just make sure to just cover the bottom with the organic corn kernels, so that your pot doesn't overfill. I also like to make it with coconut oil.

Time for chili. This one had kidney beans, black beans, and bulgur wheat in it. Always a favorite of the family.

Rian completely tuckered out after soccer practice. He decided to skip dinner and moved from the couch to his bed. Such a sweet peach.

Well it is that time again for some knitting and some tea. I am drinking Yogi Skin Detox tea and enjoying peace and quiet since the kids are on bed.
Good night and happy creating.
Yasmin

September already?

Hello friends, well it has been awhile since I have posted anything...a month to be exact. There has been plenty to post about, but I also started back at school a month ago. This semester I am taking some challenging courses whilst work and mommy duties, so time has been sparse. I have also been using my spare time for lots of knitting, not lots of progress, but lots of knitting. Let's see, I have started and ripped out that blanket I have been working on a total of three times now and the same goes for that cowl I was making for myself. Sad I know, but the knitting bug has hit me hard and I am at a point where anything less than perfection in my knitting bothers me. With that said, I think I might have made another mistake in that blanket, but I am going to let it be, because it is hardly noticeable and it would be crazy for me to rip it out a fourth time, right? So other things going on in life: Lots of cooking and baking of course, the beginning of soccer season (a new sport for Rian), an audition for a play for my daughter (she didn't get the part this time, but it was good practice for her), the start of Fall perhaps?, and catching up on Downton Abbey (we don't have cable, but Amazon Prime just put up Season 3 for free). I truly can not believe we are already almost halfway through the month of September. We have been having temperatures in the high to low 80s everyday, but we are supposed to get a cold front this weekend with temperatures in the low 70s during the day and in the 50s at night. Could this finally be the fall weather I have been craving? Apparently the trees in our yard think it is fall already. The colors are starting to change and there are leaves everywhere. I am in for another weekend of working 12+ hour shifts like a madwoman, and studying for my first Anatomy and Physiology2 exam. I know it is a bit nuts, but this is the last week that I will be working four days a week, starting next week I will have Saturdays off to enjoy peaceful time and soccer games with my family...looking forward to that immensely. Well I'm off for some knitting to calm my soul before my crazy weekend of work.
Peace, Yasmin

Who Bread (via Amanda Soule) and some Seeded bread out of the Tassajara Bread Book.

Roasted Poblano Potato and Corn Chowder. If I can remember the next time, I will write down exactly what I put in this delicious soup, so I can share it with all of you. I am very much a taste and see kind of cook rather than follow recipes strictly, so I can give you all a list of ingredients that I used, but I know that some people aren't as comfortable in a kitchen...so I will try to remember next time.

A closer look at the seeded bread. Yumm.

First soccer practice of the season. This little man of mine is amazing. He has no fear. He gets right in the action and tries to kick the ball with the very likelihood that he may get kicked by accident in the process...all of this without shinguards. He may not be the best player out there (this is his first try at soccer), but he definitely gives it a 100%.

 

Relaxing and knitting. That was Rian mesmerized by watching Princess Mononoke (a Hayao Miyazaki film) in Japanese while I folded laundry.

 

Just a little bit of sunshine.

We have been having a whole lot of rain around here recently...actually it has been quite a rainy summer and I'm not sure what that means for our winter. Lots of rain, early winter?? Through all of this rain, we have been having bits of sunshine at times too. Yesterday we took the sunny opportunity to go to the park. We all needed a bit of fresh air and the kids needed to let out a bit of energy.

In the end, the sunny break was truly hot and muggy, so we headed home sooner then we had planned...a good thing too, because soon after we got home, we got another torrential downpour. We are getting a cold front tonight, which will bring the temperature down to the 70s for the rest of the week and I am looking forward to that and hopefully a bit more sunny opportunities.

Peace, Yasmin

Weekending

Hello friends. Well my plans for apple picking fell through on Saturday due to quite a few rainy days leading up to Saturday. I was not in the mood to go pick apples on a muddy day, so instead we went to one of our favorite breakfast joints, visited the tailgate market for some yummy produce, and just enjoyed peaceful family time at home after my planned night out with friends fell through. It really was a nice low-key day off. Quite lovely.

Just a few pups waiting for their breakfast. Loved this.

Rian, slightly cranky on an empty tummy.

Mmmmm stuffed French Toast.

Ashleigh really enjoying her bagel with cream cheese.

Ashleigh in a blissful state after her meal.

New haircuts for me and my boy. That was the best picture I could get of myself...sometimes it is so hard to take pictures of yourself.

On Sunday I pretty much worked all day and after a pretty mentally challenging night at work, I requested a family late night movie night with lots of cuddling included. It was a nice way to de-stress from a pretty stressful night. I highly recommend it. One week exactly until I start back at school and I am so ready for a slightly easier work schedule. Have a great week.

Peace, Yasmin

 

Through the Blue Ridge and into the Graveyard

After swim classes today we were all feeling a little bit sluggish as we have been trying to adjust to a more school time sleep schedule. All three of us actually took an hour of rest time before eating lunch. As I awoke from my rest and saw that the predicted high percentage of rain had not happened yet and it was actually quite sunny outside, I decided that we needed an outdoor adventure while we had the luxury of open play time. We ate a quick lunch and headed onto the Blue Ridge Parkway with a gallon bag in my pocket. People are allowed to pick a certain amount of wildflowers off the side of the parkway and up to a gallon's worth of berries a day. We drove about 45 minutes away to Graveyard Fields which normally has plenty of berries. It was great to just be outdoors and on the trails, but unfortunately most of the berries were not ripe yet. Still, the kids really enjoyed themselves and were so happily exhausted by the end. It is good to be spontaneous sometimes and no money was spent on this activity, other than the bit of gas that my hybrid used.

The view of Graveyard Fields. Notice how it really wasn't sunny and the weather is at least 10 degrees cooler up there, even with the exercise of walking on the trails, I could have used a light jacket.

Down the stairs into the Graveyard. Actually Graveyard Fields wasn't looking anything like a graveyard today with all of the greenery. In the past, due to a huge fire everything was bare and truly resembled it's namesake.

Unripe Blackberries spotted.

 These flowers were everywhere with tons of bees buzzing around them, luckily the bees were only interested in the flowers and not us.

Checking out Ferns along the trails.

 First blueberries spotted, unfortunately not ready for picking.

Yay, ripe blueberries spotted! With a bit of time constraints and the lack of ripe blueberries, we were only able to pick about a cup's worth.

These flowers/berries?? were everywhere. We have no idea what they are. Anyone out there have a clue?

The view afterwards...I love it when I catch the sun shining on parts of a mountain. So so pretty.

One of many tunnels we drove through. There were at least eight.

I made tacos for dinner. The mix inside is a potato, mushroom, onion, Mexican spices mix. I had mine with avocado, olives, lettuce, and roasted chipotle salsa. So yummy. Unfortunately these Ezekiel Sprouted Corn Tortillas didn't hold up that well, but they were quite tasty anyway.

That one cup of wild blueberries was used to make this banana blueberry bread. It smells delicious, so hopefully it will be a hit with the family. I ended the night with a knitting session with my knitting partner in crime. This day turned out pretty fabulous and I hope to have lots more of these. I am also overjoyed to announce that my baby sister gave birth to a baby girl yesterday in Colorado. The kids and I are so excited for our first niece/cousin. Ok off to do a bit more late night knitting.
Peace, Yasmin