Friday, November 8, 2013

September in pictures

Baby Bunnies
Our September started with a a wonderful blessing :) Baby bunnies!! Our bunnies had nine babies. September also means planning what we will be learning for the first half of the year. The Minions and I sit down and they tell me what they want to learn about, then I seek out the resources they will need, do up a plan and present it to our homeschooling liaison. This year King Connaher wants to learn more about sound waves, frequency and vibration, geology, and the great composers. Willowtree wants to learn more about cosmetology, the nervous system, acupressure and acupuncture and Bug wants to expand her knowledge in eco friendly energy sources, geography and zoology. Looks like we are in for some fun learning over the next few months
Mini roses are in bloom
Happy chickens
The ups and downs of  raising animals is a harsh reality that the Minions have been experiencing since we moved out here. Our rooster roughed up one of our hens Bonnie and broke her neck so we had to put her down. A few days later the rooster attacked me and slashed my arm open. I am so thankful it was me and not Bug, after that every time he was around he attacked so he became stew!!  We lost my sweet cat Lillin to a coyote and Meadows first kitten Stamp as well. It is a part of country life I really hate, the only part actually.
Natures art
 Bug and I found this beautiful piece of Fae art on one of our nature walks.

Beautiful moth
This is the look Zoe gets when she has been a bad dog

The tomato plants are loaded with green tomatoes
Jalapenos
One crop I have always had major success with is Jalapenos.

Kombucha
We finally had success growing our own Kombucha, well Mom did :) I was so excited when I looked in the jar and saw that scoby growing away! We pay 48 dollars for a case of 12 so making our own was on the list as soon as we discovered its amazing benefits. Mom and I have drank one a day for months now and the Minions loved it too but we just could not afford to buy it for everyone. Now everyone can drink Kombucha!!
more Kombucha
Baby Bunnies
The Minions play with the babies on a daily basis and the bunnies look forward to it.


Canning has begun
 Crab apple jelly, crab apple rhubarb jelly, spiced crab apples and crab apples in light syrup.
Beautiful isn't it
Datura ready to dry
RAVEN
The Minions like to rock hunt and they take regular walks down to the creek across the way from our place to look for petrified wood and other treasures. Zed found this on one of their trips and brought it back for me, as soon as I saw it, I saw Raven!! I was so thrilled!! Raven and I have a very special relationship and he has been whispering to me in my dreams and popping up all over the place lately. Being a totem I have had since birth I know that when this happens big changes are coming.  I wonder what they will be?
Swiss Chard Harvest
 We harvested the Swiss chard and had a feast, then we canned some of the greens. We were left with alot of stems so we decided to pickle them. We made three different kinds spicy, Asian, sweet & sour and a batch of relish.
Lots of rainbow chard stems
Canned Swiss chard greens

Puffballs
 Zed and I were on a dump run when we drove past a field full of puffballs we stopped and asked the farmer if we could pick them, he was surprised we eat them and had no problem with us picking so we brought home a feast. I am always so shocked that people do not utilize the food right under foot but then again if they did we would not have had this awesome mushroom feast. The Minions have always been taught what is edible and what is not out in the wild plus how to harvest and prepare it. I hope they pass that on their Minions :)
Happy 15th Birthday Willowtree
 Willowtree turns 15 :) She has grown into such a beautiful young woman and I am so very proud of her daily. I made her some red velvet cupcakes and then we went into the city to celebrate Pagan pride days with our community. Plus I had a surprise in store for her.
Birthday cupcakes

Blowing out the candle and a pesky older brother LOL
Willowtrees Aura sketch
Her surprise was that I had booked mother daughter aura sketches with a very talented lady in the city. This experience was AMAZING!!! I would recommend it to anyone. Willowtree loved it as did I.  I will include a link to her Facebook page  Auracle. You don't even have to be in Edmonton to experience this ladies talents as she can do the sketches by remote viewing. After the Aura sketches we decided to take a historical walking tour of some of Edmonton's historical houses, it was alot of fun and very educational.
My Aura Sketch





My Willowtree

Look at what we grew. WOW what a Zucchini.    
Mabon feast
 We celebrated Mabon with a wine and cheese stargazing party. Everyone brought a cheese and a bottle of wine to share. I made baked brie and a wicked yummy epicure spice cheese dip. We had lots of grapes, apples, garden tomatoes, harvest breads and homemade pickles. We went out soaked in the hot tub while we stargazed with our friends. It was a great evening.
Wine for Mabon
 I love cooking with the season :) so when I found some beautiful organic pears on sale I grabbed a bunch and made the Minions pear fritters for snack.
Pear fritters
May your fall be bountiful :)




Thursday, November 7, 2013

August in pictures

August started with our annual get together celebrating Lughnasadh
A few days later a friend of ours dropped by with some surprises for Bug he had found down at the river. She found the crayfish fascinating and we learned all about exoskeletons,vertebrates and invertebrates. The Clam was a good reminder and a close up of something we had learned about a month before when we were at Sunwheel. The river there had clams and Bug got to see them on the bottom and the trails they left but none close up till now.
 


Daddy enjoying the sun on the back deck smoking his pipe
 

Another great thing about summer is Farmers market. We go whenever we can and on this trip I picked up an amazing local smoked Gouda. It was tasty, I served it with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden mmmmm food bliss.
We have been drying trays and trays of Calendula petals
Crystal prescription for a friend
 Botswana agate a rose quartz and two chevron amethyst. This was our Crystal prescription for a friend who is trying to quit smoking and deal with anxiety
Ferret love
We love Ferrets and had them as pets for a very long time. We have not had one for about six months now so when a friend of mine needed someone to watch her two ferrets while she went on vacation to Newfoundland we jumped at the chance. So for two weeks we had Ferrets to love and play with. It was awesome and we have told our friend anytime she needs Ferret sitters again we are happy to help.
New crystal grid for the ancestors


Found a new mushroom. We have quite a few of these ones growing in our woods. This one is edible but not palatable so we will leave them for the wildlife.


I finally found a small round pan to go with our crescent moon pans

Goddess symbol cake for Esbat
Making cupcakes
 Bug loves to bake and is getting very good at it. She has been trying more challenging recipes and getting creative. I always enjoy watching the Minions cooking skills evolve.

Bug made cupcakes and she filled them with jam and cheesecake.
Caramel seasalt brownies
 The Minions love bows. Zed was bit by the bow bug many years ago and he infected the whole family. They all love to practice.
A little friendly competition
Bug has great accuracy
 
King Connaher practicing his accuracy with the bow
Some ultimate frisbee
The Minions love to play hard
Zeddicus has a new shirt that tells it all..The Boss!!
Zed and his girlfriend wanted a kitten and Bug was promised one next time we found some. This is Merlin and Rocket. Rocket is Bugs baby
Dollar store mirror and a flower of life sticker
 I saw this awesome idea on Facebook for a permanent crystal grid, so I went to the dollar store and found a candle mirror for a buck then I ordered the flower of life sticker online and walla Epic crystal grid plate.
Finished crystal grid plate
Making spirit boxes
Dandelion spirit box
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 With everyone in the house working with crystals we need good places to keep them all. I found these neat tea boxes at the dollar store and bought a dozen to paint. The first one I did was for Jaspers. I gave the Minions each a few but kept enough to do one for each Agates Jaspers, Quartzs, Tiger eyes, and Fossils

We have had a nice summer learning the routine of the homestead and animals, it has been relaxing. Fall is coming tho and soon things will be hectic with harvest and canning and such so we are taking time now to relax and rest in the sun. I hope your summer has been relaxing as well.