Hinds Feet on High Places

The harvest season is in full swing here and I have been busy putting up sweet corn, green beans, wax beans, red beets, and lime pickles. My daughter Elizabeth has canned 55 pints of zucchini relish this summer. She also froze 35 bags of grated zucchini to make bread this winter. I told her it's "OK" to go ahead and pull those plants if she's tired of them. We certainly got our fair share this summer. They took over our 2nd fridge for a while. The plum tomatoes are starting to turn red so about the time school starts we should be able to can tomato juice and sauce. There are also a few peppers to freeze.


The children all did well at the county fair. They got some first and second place ribbons on their projects (sewing, rugs, candy, candles, grapevine wreaths, baskets, tin punch, veterinary science projects, etc.) in the open show. We enjoy our small fair and its emphasis on farming and youth programs. Next year we should have some market goats to show and auction, and will probably enter some of our best dairy does in the open show.


On Sunday we had a relaxing picnic at Hills Creek, and the children rode their bikes around the park and swam in the lake. Later in the afternoon we dropped the oldest three off at Three Springs for the summer BBQ (a youth activity), and headed home. About four hours later, I was finishing cleaning up the house and getting ready to run into Liberty to pick them up, and much to my surprise, they came walking in the door! The scheduled event did not take place, so they just walked home. Now we're talking 10-12 miles, at least! Neighbors they knew even stopped and offered them a ride home, but they insisted on walking. I wasn't too impressed with their choice not to call us, and to say the least a bit amazed that they walked all that way. We have a lot of hills around here too. *kids*
What I'm reading this week...

Today is my baby girl's 10th birthday. She's not going to be a little girl much longer. My older three girls are already growing up. Of course, I still have my many little boys, but I miss having a baby girl. It has been 10 years, after all. Dh picked out a very nice new bike for her and she has been enjoying that since Sunday. On Thursday my oldest dd will be 15. She has really grown up and I am so proud of her. She is an extremely responsible and hard working young lady, and loves to read her Bible and work outdoors. She is full of youthful energy. Now if I can just teach her how to relax a little bit. (Took me a few to learn that myself, come to think of it!) My oldest ds, Roy will be turning 14 this month also. He is working on building another cabin on our property, this one inside the edge of the woods. He is very creative and good with tools and wood, and enjoys learning about the fine points of how things work. He is planning to join the Civil Air Patrol cadet program at the Readiness Center in Wellsboro this fall.