Corn, Ventilation, and New Roads

I’m dropping in for a few minutes to write in the midst of a crazy busy week.  As I mentioned before, the gas company is building a new and improved road on our property.  Dozers have been up and down this creek everyday as early as 6am.   As soon as the dozers and men are lurking around, our three rooster have a crowing competition.  The two little guys are trying their best.  It is hilarious.

The days are beautiful and the fall atmosphere I know is back again.  It’s a relief because we also have some folks helping us eleviate the mold problem in the cabin.  We are getting ventilation in the roof!  It woke Ivy up from her nap today because it shook the whole cabin.  She ran to me scared and crying.  I showed her the men on the ladder, and she laughed.

We’ve gotten out a little more, but still not as much as I would like.  I turned the compost pile today, but learned that it might get covered with the new road.  John hasn’t had the time to help me move it, and I have neither a shovel or a pitchfork.  We are great at planning ahead – homesteading without a shovel or pitchfork is a fabulous adventure!  The road has already taken all my wild blackberries. 😦  I froze quite a few bags and I plan on making some blackberry dumplings soon.

Deladis with our dolls

We made the simple cornhusk dolls this week in our homeschool as per the directions from Little Acorn Learning.  I think I modified the arms a bit because I didn’t quite catch on to the instructions and there wasn’t a picture of a finished doll.  It turned out great though.  Deladis loves them, and she picked the smallest of the two for herself.  The one I intended for Ivy. 🙂  This was a project I could see myself taking up as a hobby.  You know, in my other life, when the days are 48 hours long. 😉  I’ve always admired the elaborate cornhusk dolls you see in the Appalachian craft shops.  These simple ones are beautiful just as they are too.  I really appreciated the Iroquois story of the Corn Spirit and the Creator included in the curriculum.  It explains why the doll has no face – vanity.  I love sharing these types of stories with the girls – one because of our own Native American heritage (Cherokee) and two because it shares with them an American culture that is more than consumerism.

My birthday is only a few days away, and Halloween is next week.  John is busy preparing to leave, and has finished several gorgeous paintings to take along.  Despite all the business and busyness, I think we’ve found a Halloween/Fall family event to go to when he returns.  It is close by and not expensive!  The scarecrow walk at Buckhorn Lake. There is a lot to look forward to, while trying to live in the moment.