A Weekend of Farm Parties

This past weekend the Michigan vs. BYU game drew handfuls of visitors our way.  The game itself (31-0) proved to be disappointing for our visitors and reported even a little boring by the Michigan fans here.  Aside from the outcome it was great to have an excuse to get together and celebrate our connections.     

The post game tailgate was arranged months in advance for a group of 25 that would be visiting from the company Paul works for in Salt Lake City.  Paul works remotely out of one of our out buildings so many were anxious to get a tour of our space here in Michgian. 

Though we were all looking forward to their visit the planning and execution did not happen till the week of.  I failed to report in my previous post - the beautiful day up north that it hit me and the moment of panic when I collapsed on the couch remembering that we'd be hosting this event and all the big projects that were still left to be completed.  Like the giant 6 foot deep hole in the middle of the garden where the water source needed fixing.  This is Paul less than 24 hours before our party head down in that hole assembling that water connection before filling the hole.   

There was another photo I tried to capture but in the moment of anger and chaos my phone lost power.  We have had a pile of bricks sitting by our side porch for three years now.  Paul wanted to surprise me by laying the brick pathway while I was in town picking up food so he hired some guys to put it in.  When I returned home it was surreal, the fences were down and a skid steer was buzzing around knocking out several bushes and tearing up the side yard.  In the end the pathway was not finished and half of the side yard was left as exposed dirt.  My country neighbor Beth was very sympathetic and reminded me to  never leave men with machinery unattended, ever! 

I am not in the business of impressing anyone but in these situations what is most uncomfortable is what is turned up in the relationships that matter most.  Once all the parties were through Paul and I got to look at each other and evaluate both our parts in the patterns of procrastination, planning, communication and execution.  With a large family, a farm and demanding career there are a lot of experiences to teach us and refine us and encourage us to bind together.

I personally am not party savvy and would have liked to hire the whole party out into the hands of professionals.  But when we inquired about help there were limitations and liability on preparing and serving meat that had been raised on our farm.  So food serving and prep were turned back on us.  My good friend Kandi looked at me the day before and honestly asked me how I was going to manage, I lied and said "oh, I'll be fine".  Not a half hour later I humbly called her back and she was ready and willing to lend a hand.  Between the two of us we passed around Naomi and prepared food.  I will also note that Nanny and Poppy also flew in to the rescue the day before and were available to pick up prepared trays from Zingermans and babysit while I attended to the yard situation.

    

The fun part was setting up, William threw down straw, I picked up mums and pumpkins and we called over country neighbor Carolyn. She's got an eye for design and has all the tables, linens, seating and decorations to go with it.  When she showed up with Hank mid afternoon she shooed me away to take a shower and sat and tied the silverware into cute little bundles with Maryanna.  Maryanna later reported that was her favorite part about the party, that she usually enjoys the excitement for a party more than the party itself.  By the time I was showered and had Naomi down for a nap everything was set up. It looked amazing!  Since my hands were full with food prep I asked one of the children to snap some photos.  I like how they captured it from their perspective but wish they would have taken more than 5 photos.

Paul pulled an old hay wagon into the pole barn as our buffet table and it was a harvest feast! 

   

 I really enjoyed the opportunity talking about our farm to "city folk" and bearing testimony of good clean food, hard work and some of the principles of permaculture.  Maybe I should have pulled out a soap box.  The man Paul works directly under caught me off guard when he inquired, "where do investment bankers fit into the permaculture model"? He wondered if it was their job to buy expensive food at the farmers markets.  I encourage him that everyone should support local farmers, that good food should not be exclusive to only those who could afford it.  That permaculture is more than just food, that all, no matter what socio economic category one may fall have a responsibility and stewardship in care of their own selves, care of others, and care of the earth.  I hoped that I was able to convey that permaculture is about finding joy in care and connections.  And if not from my words perhaps the question was answered in the ambiance and aroma of a settling sky, ripening moon, crackling fire, whispering birds and waving trees.  It does not require moving to a farm to awaken to the joy of living a life full of connections, simply a commitment to let go of that which is distracting or blocking our perceptions.       
       

We feasted and visited into the dark and committed to minimal clean up because another crew of visiting football fans from my family were expected immediately after church the next morning. 

 

We had plenty of leftover beverages, Paul fired up more steak on the big green egg and my brother Doug brought savory cheese curds and brats from Wisconsin.  

With my sister Becca in town I hoped to get some input on pizza making.  She reminded me of proper dough handling and satisfied me with a gasp of joy when cutting through the crust of a pizza cooked at 550 degrees on a stone.  She declared that she too needed a big green egg and so the "Wirthlin family kitchen arms race" is alive and well.  Maybe someday one of us will publish a cookbook "The joy of cooking with sisters" sharing all the must have cooking tools and subtle secrets for great food.  
  

The rest of the afternoon was pretty much a free for all of hanging out and eating.  Doug brought two friends who were visiting from China along and they coached us on proper ping pong form and I believe took more photos and videos than I have all summer.   

I wish I could say how many Izze soda Charlie managed to down.  By sunset he was screaming and sticky, and threw up before morning.  We all were certainly full of food and fun by weekend's end and in need of plenty of rest.  

Up up and away

 

We just returned from a week long escape Up North.  This is our favorite tradition with Nanny and Poppy and I am so grateful for their generosity and bravery in hosting us.  

This year's weather was perfect so everyday was packed with activities and recreation. As a result there are piles of sand and rocks that are spilling out of 3 suitcases worth of laundry. 

 

This year we discovered Raven Hill Discovery Center and the kids are hoping to add this visit to our yearly traditions.  It was only a couple miles from Stonehedge Fiber Mill where we get our wool processed so I'm sure we'll be back.

The director of the center immediately encouraged me to release Naomi from her stroller and shared this quote :

BABIES are designed to learn.  Baby brains are  more flexible than adult brains.  They have far more connections between neurons, none of them particularly efficient, but over time they prune out unused connections and strengthen useful ones.  The adult capacities for focus, planning and efficient action that are governed by the prefrontal cortex depend on the long learning that occurs in childhood.  Far from being unfinished adults, babies and young children are exquisitely designed by evolution to change and create, to learn and explore"

Alison Gopnik Scientific America July 2010

It was a busy day of learning for Naomi for sure! And the quote is up in my kitchen reminding me to relax into the normal behavior and curiosity of young children and toddlers. 

The kids all enjoyed the frog pond near the cabin.  They caught lots and gently released them.  George asked about the possibility of eating them and instead of disgust I wondered at the closeness he feels with his food.  

Clara spotted a bull frog the size of a football and the surprise slipped her into a puddle of mud.  Then they were done.
  

William was all business with his schoolwork.  He did not let this time away distract him and the minute we were back at the cabin and late into the evenings and early in the mornings he was alert with an open book or laptop. 

I also happy to report that we have improved in our canoe skills.  We were swift and accurate in our paddling and no boat got stuck and no one complained.  Except for the one water fight between boats that soaked our younger passengers.  

What I remember most about Sleepy Bear Dunes is watching the wipe out contest.  Charlie especially, he flew down the steep dunes with propeller like legs. 

You can tell it was a great activity because I did not have to yell at anyone to smile.  Love this shot but regret that Naomi was not there to complete it.  She was sleeping back at the cabin with Nanny and Poppy.

Back at the cabin sweet Nanny participated in some fierce games of Sorry.  This went on for hours with only occasional tears. 

The apple season was not great this year but we tried any ways.  We barely got a half a bushel and after second inspection decided it would best be used as pig food. 

Now we are home and the kids are sorting and trading found rocks. The bathing suits and beach towels are headed into their final washing before storage.  It was a joy to squeeze a lot more of summer into just one week.  

Thank you Nanny and Poppy and thank you Michigan! 

Long break and breath from blogging

I'm back from a long break from blogging.  Almost a year and honestly I do not have much of an excuse besides the ease of using instagram has gotten me lazy with using very few words for our record keeping.

There were actually several posts that I had begun composing throughout last year but did not see them through. In the past I had one faithful follower who I knew would always be waiting for an update and I wrote for her knowing it would in some way lift her spirits while she was ill.  She passed away the end of July 2014 and it has since been difficult for me to publish in this space.

Now I will simply write for the joy of record keeping.  Not sure who will tag along but I'm not in the business of filtering, flattering, marketing or even entertaining.  There is no agenda - this is an every day (actually maybe just once a week) blog with a simple goal of honest record keeping.  I may not even have time for edits and spell check.  

So on with the record! 

This was a big week with James back at the local high school.  He started last January and to be honest the transition was hardest on me.  I really wished my idealistic view of homeschool would see us through to where higher education met.  But it became clear that he was in need of change and after prayerful consideration he was off to school.  I am grateful for the clear confirmation that that is where he needed to be because I have repeatedly been shocked at the peer situations that have shown up for him.  I am pleased to report that through it all he continues to grow both taller and more confident within himself.  My favorite time of the day is when he is home and we sit down with a snack and I say, "tell me everything".  Sometimes he does and sometimes he turns it back on me and patiently listens to all the details from my day with little ones.  Hard to believe there are only a couple more years with him in our home.  

William and Peter were also in need of an education change so we outsourced their schooling to Williamsburg online academy  .  After a summer filled with recreation and lazy days this is just the right amount of structure they needed.  It is challenging both of them to expand their organizational skills and academic focus.  I especially appreciate that a portion of their work is project based and they are able to involve the younger ones in what they are learning.  They are getting very strong with their daily farm chores.  I watched in wonder out a 7:00 am window, Peter hauling a 50 lb bag of grain to the pigs and William toss a bail of hay over the fence to the cattle.      

Maryanna and Clara are still in the love of learning stage - I'm not requiring much of them beyond basic math and spelling.  The rest of their day they are free to engage in any nourishing activity they choose.  Clara reads most of the day and is the new in house librarian.  Maryanna is most likely to be lost in the land of creative process, drawing, drawing and drawing.  Both girls are excited to pick up pen pals and would love more if there is anyone who still enjoys the task of old fashion letters in the mail.  They along with their younger siblings each got their very own garden box and are learning through experience.  Clara has declared to never again plant her tomatoes so close and Maryanna has determined that it is best to thin carrots.  From last year's experience she claims carrots are sweeter after a frost so is holding back from harvesting many now. 

George and Henry's garden were also very productive.  It is funny how proud they are at meal times when we are eating their vegetables.  George was hysterical when a giant storm "chopped the heads off" of his eggplants .  He was convinced he could tape them back on but he learned that that does not work.  Henry watched his radishes and lettuce go to seed and a fungus wipe out his zucchini.  Clara's tomatoes have grown into his box so they have decided to make it a cooperative effort.  

Charlie planted mainly beets and kale.  He is a funny little guy and honestly very frustrating at times.  We have picked up the time marker B.C.  (before Charlie).  When the kids ask me why we don't go on many field trips or do messy crafts anymore the answer is usually - that was in the years B.C (and that may be another big reason for my year long pause in blogging).  I did attempt a trip to the DIA just this last week and it was not fun for me or anyone else trying to restrain Charlie.  He did stop for quite a while at Rodin's "The Thinker" .  He really stopped in long thought.  After about 10 minutes he said "mommy, is he not going to come alive yet"?  He picked out a post card of "The Thinker" at the gift shop and now sleeps with it.  He also has a small pile of playmobil toys he likes to sleep with.  When I tried to clear them out of his bed he screamed that they were his body guards.  And it is hard to argue with a little one who makes you laugh really hard.

Naomi is growing into herself faster than any of my other children.  She already is selective in what clothes and shoes she wears and often refuses to wear what I pick out.  The process of getting her dressed includes opening her drawers and allowing her to pick out her clothes.  She has joined me in yoga practice since infancy and now pretty good at tuning in and fantastic at imitating breath of fire.  

Paul and I are constantly dreaming about when we are going to get away, even for just two days.  So far it has been hard to arrange.  He is finding early morning peace in the milking room with Violet our Guernsey cow and my escape is checking in with the bees.  Occasionally a child will join me with bee visits but they know no one unprotected can come running up or disturb me during that time.  I feel most peaceful in the midst of the bees and always return into the home with energized focus and inspired ideas on how to encourage cooperation and efficiency.......because we need it!

Honestly, this past year I met up with enough challenges to seriously ask myself whether this lifestyle was aligned with the highest good of our family.  We've made some changes and re-shifted our focus a bit.  Our big garden totally flopped this year as did the grapes and other fruit trees, the decision was made to let go of most of my beloved goat heard.  And still here we are and grateful for the experiences, continually receiving nourishment even beyond that of farm raised food.