The end of October

 

After giving our previous, asthetically pleasing stove more tries than it deserved in every way we could think of, we finally decided it wasn't cutting the mustard.  We upgraded with another find from Craigslist, and were luckily able to sell the old woodstove within 12 hours at a small profit.  The new behemouth in the living room may not be as pretty, but has instantly won my affections, as it works like a good stove should.  Night number one got down to 29 degrees, and the yurt stayed in the mid-60's with minimal midnight stokings.  We also reheated our cornbread and chili on the top, while still able to keep water humidifying the room.  I just love practicality! 

 

The last of the sunflowers.  They are all dead and withered now, but maybe still feeding the birds.

 

 

 

I called them "tarts" and Greg called them "bearclaws," but I don't think they are really either.  Leftover pie crust stuffed with blueberries and cranberries (from Alaska last fall!) and a little sugar and flour.  Next time I would cook down the berries and sugar a little before stuffing the crust to minimize the delicious berry juice leaking out too much!

Had to include a photo of my Halloween costume this year.  I was inspired by my growing belly, and chose a mother earth theme.  After almost giving up on this idea, and Halloween altogether (things seem to cost a lot more energy these days!), I was excited to find everything I needed for under $20 at Goodwill.  It was a sign.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a  picture of Greg and I together, as he picked his Viking costume up at camp on the way out to the Halloween party.  We had a fun night, and I was glad to rinse off the glittter and paint when it was over.~

 

 

 

Fall Chores

 

There's something about fall chores.  They are the best kind.  Spring chores are really fun, because you've been looking forward to them all winter, but there's something about fall chores that's really satisfying.  Knowing you've got things buttoned up and stored away for the winter gives you a cozy feeling inside.

 

This fall, that feeling is multiplied with each thing checked off our to-do list, as we're still getting the yurt finished up, and preparing for our little yurtling.  Of course, that also means our fall to-do list is about 10 times as long as it was last year.  But we are getting there.

 

 

A before and after of my project last weekend; washing pollen, sap and yes, sadly even some mold off both sides of our window shades, and rolling them up nice and neat.  Some were pretty hastily put up in the impending heat of summer and never got re-rolled...

Leaves are especially a commodity this year.  We use them for the composting toilet, the compost piles, litter in the chicken coop, and for tucking in the gardens for the winter.  Good thing we've had a large supply :)

Greg got into the greywater system last weekend.  The frame he's started here will hold the gravel pile to the right in the bottom half, into which our perforated pipe will run, and dirt and a raised bed in the top half.  Greywater from the sinks and shower will run through the gravel, and some will be used up by the flowers in the top.  It's essentially a french drain combined with a raised bed, inspired by Anna Edey's "Solviva" book.  (Highly recommended!)

Some cosmos still holding on...

So nice to see firewood stacked and drying...  the chickens helped a bunch.

IT WORKED!!  I reluctantly started yet another batch of bread the other day, and thought of a couple more things to tweak.  I suspect the main problem was I was not kneading long enough, but there were several other things I did differently, like carefully measuring the salt, instead of tossing in a few pinches (for some reason I never measure salt-I feel like I know what a teaspoon looks like in the palm of my hand), and adding all the flour at once, instead of gradually.  I set the timer and kneaded to beat the band until the second it went off.  Lastly, I sent it into the oven with a quick prayer. "God, this bread is tasty and nutritious, even if it isn't pretty.  Thank you for it, and the means to make it.  I give it to you, and if you want it to rise, it will rise."  It ROSE.

 

Amazing what a little coat of paint can do to spruce things up.  The chocolate brown color looks sharp against the teal yurt; a lot sharper than moldy, natural wood did.  $2 at Sherwin Williams back in the mis-tint room!

 

The greywater system is done.  I have dumped my last 5-gallon bucket of greywater from the yurt!!!  Just need to plant the flowers back in the top.

 

 

 

And, one of our favorite things checked off the to-do list.  The wood stove is doing a wonderful job turning this house into even more of a home. ~