mount monadnock

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Shanda

Today has been a blessedly relaxing day after some very fun adventures. I’ve spent the day slowly puttering around the kitchen, cleaning it up, washing down the island with Method wood cleaner, wiping the granite counters, and washing the glass on the doors. I’ve done about 6 loads of laundry and also buzzed to the grocery store just to get milk and things for dinner. We are having corn chip salad tonight, using lettuce from the garden.

Yes, it’s been a quiet sort of day. I even took a nap on the couch, only waking up *about 17 times because of the children coming in and out of the house slamming the door each time*.

Something wonderful has happened to me. There has always been a deep down hankering to walk and hike and I’ve finally met a friend to give me that extra push and camaraderie to do it. Amy, (Ethan’s girlfriend’s mom) is an experienced mountain climber, ice climber, and hiker. She and her family are also our neighbors, and since our kids (obviously) get along so well, she and I have also been visiting and getting to know each other, too.

When school was finishing up for the year, I mentioned to Amy that we should plan a hike together. We ended up deciding on Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. Amy went to college near the mountain and had hiked it many times.

Mount Monadnock is known as one of the most hiked mountains in the world and was admired and visited in the past by such well known men as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. (both of whom I love to quote here on my blog).

Amy and I took along our teenagers. She brought her daughters and niece and I brought David, Ethan, and Grace. (Thank you Michael P for babysitting my youngsters so I could go on this trip.) We were able to take one vehicle — I drove there and she drove back. Everyone in our party each carried their own bag with water and food and we all put sun screen and bug spray on before our ascent up the mountain.

We followed the white dot trail up, which is 2.2 miles. It is the shortest but steepest trail up the mountain and indeed, about half way up I made up my mind to quit. My heart was thudding, I felt sick, my legs were giving out, I was shaking, and I simply decided I could not do it. The kids kept going while Amy stood by me wondering what to do….I begged her to go, trying to hold in the sobs, and told her I would text her and keep in touch so she knew I was okay. So after much begging on my part, she went to catch up with the kids.

I leaned back on a tree and propped my feet up on another tree and slowly drank water. I ate a Cliff bar and rested. I saw several other people hike past me, one of which was an overweight shirtless man. I thought “good grief, if he can do this I should be able to as well.” After 10 minutes or so, I turned back to look up the trail again just in time to see Amy returning. Alas, I had forgotten that I had let David use my phone to take a photo and when she texted me “Are you okay?” and didn’t get a reply, she was worried and came back. “I couldn’t leave you! You just don’t leave people behind on a trail.” It was quite touching to have her come back to me, actually I had tears in my eyes at times thinking about it.

I told her I thought I would be okay to continue since I had rested, so happily we set off again.

The trail was nothing but rocks. I mean, I have to laugh now.

Would I ever go back again? YES!!!

In fact, this mountain keeps returning to my thoughts over and over. I think I fell in love.

Amy and I were both so proud of these kids. They were happy and enjoyed the hike, which meant we were happy, too.

“Look to the north where Grand Monadnock’s height
Enchains the fancy, and rewards the sight;
Such rock-ribb’d hills our own New-England gave
To mould her sons as rugged and as brave.
Ancient Monadnock! Silent pine-girt hill,
Whose majesty could move a Whittier’s quill;
Whose distant brow the humbler pen excites;
Whose purpled slope the raptur’d gaze invites;
Stand thou! Great Sentinel, though nations fall –
In thee New-England triumphs over all!”

H.P. Lovecraft

If you squint and look at the middle of the photo, you can see the little lovebirds, Ethan and Tessa.

The children were most often ahead of their Mothers.

And then in the midst of the Hallelujah chorus playing in my mind, we arrived at the very top! It was windy and there were lots of people there already. We sat and ate some food and then enjoyed the 3165′ elevation and 360 degree views.

David was the best mountain climber among us….hopping and leaping up and down very nimbly. He smiled a lot. Rather than slowing him down, hiking seemed to give him more energy. However, he did fall asleep on the way back home.

mother/daughter love on the mountain tops

((so windy!)) but we were very joyful to be up high breathing in all the fresh air and soaking up the majesty of God’s country. Grace was even amazed to find our old familiar friends *toad tadpoles* in a pool of water.

((mine and Amy’s packs))

The trail back down was (white cross trail) just as difficult as the trail going up. By the time we reached the bottom, our knees were rather shaky.

The feeling of accomplishment was incredible.

The soreness of my muscles even today is also incredible.

As soon as we left the mountain, we headed straight for a refreshing ice cream place right there in Jaffrey, NH.

ethan’s graduation party pictures

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Shanda

Ethan with his dog and his girlfriend.

We had a combination graduation party this past Saturday with two of Ethan’s best friends. It worked out very nicely. The other moms helped out so much and it felt good to do a party that our boys wanted. We supplied plenty of food and drinks and the teenagers spent time together (all day and all night).

We held the party at my house and opened up the garage to serve the food. We had a pig roast with pulled pork and hamburgers and hot dogs.

This is a photo of most of the teen boys who were at the party. People sat outside on the patio and porch to eat their lunch. My friend Kathy and I sat on a blanket in the shade with our girls.

We kept all the desserts inside the house in our air conditioned dining room. (It was a hot day!) There was strawberry cheese cake, cookies (on a fiesta three tiered tray!!), homemade pie, brownies, and chocolate chip bars.

We also had special a cake for these fine young High School men. The guests of honor: Ethan, Zachary, and Caleb.

Ethan will be going away to college (more about that on another day), Zach will be attending a college closer to home that he can commute to, and Caleb is going into the Coast Guard. Please pray for these boys! This stage of life is so exciting and we look forward to seeing what they do in the future.

I took this photo because these boys were leaving to attend TWO more graduation parties!

Zachary’s family helped host the party and did a lot of thoughtful things to make sure it was a good day for the boys. Chris and Caroline are dear friends of ours and are like second parents to Jacob and Ethan.

Caleb’s mom made delicious baked beans, potato salad, and brought decorations, too. As you may know, Grace is dating Caleb and the family has been very welcoming to her. It’s been a joy to get to know them.

Grace (in the middle) with life long friends Tristen and Kaitlyn.

How many teenagers can fit in a canoe?

I took this photo of Zachary’s mom talking with Tristen and Kaitlyn. Tristen actually went to Kindergarten with Zach and Ethan and also graduated from High School this summer.

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Ethan’s Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) have done so much to encourage him as he grows up. They drove all the way from NY to attend Ethan’s party.

On a hot day it was nice for the kids to be able to cool off in the pond.

I was especially thankful that my friend Kathy came with her kids. We have been friends through these years as we have been busy raising our families and she came right on time to the party and stayed all day long, even helping us with clean up. I love her so much…her presence was like a gift to me on this very busy day!

And we are raising our youngest girls to love each other, too.

Such happy and glorious days to be a mom.

“Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.” Psalm 146:1

surprises, gifts, and blessings

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Shanda

I was going to blog yesterday but ended up with a typical full day even fuller.

My son crashed his bike going fast down the road and we had to get him checked out in the ER just to be sure he didn’t fracture anything and thankfully, he didn’t. He has sprains, aches, scrubs, and pains.

When we got home there were extra people here who Jacob had brought over with him and my husband was away for the night because he has a business meeting in NYC.

I made dinner for 9 teenagers (7 of them boys, 2 girls) and 3 children. And then made milkshakes. We watched a movie (Goosebumps) and it was fun but I have to be honest and say I was really tired by the end of the day and went to bed early, as soon as I put Seth, Sarah, and Caleb to bed. (it was 9pm).

Isn’t the shagbark hickory tree interesting? I came across one the other night as I rambled in the woods.

Just look at the bark shagging = God-art. Living, real, true, and quiet. Never asking for attention. People with the hearts and eyes to see go searching and even then don’t witness all that God does in His creation. But they see enough to feel gratitude, peace, and are fed spiritually.

Just days after I confessed to my sisterinlaw Cassandra that I hate making pie crust, I made pie crust! I just did it differently this time, which is to say without fears, and with confidence. Very quickly the crust was made ( life is exciting, even in the kitchen making pie)

We had quiche for breakfast.

And I made a homemade, *I picked the berries myself and the rhubarb came from the garden*, Strawberry Rhubarb pie for tomorrow! (ethan’s graduation party)

They did this all on their own but I did tell them with the voice of an experienced Mom not to go too far into the woods. Seth and Sarah put on their backpacks. Seth’s had one big water balloon it it (yellow), and Sarah had food in hers. They took along walkie talkies. And left side by side for an adventure! Grace and I watched them from the porch. They did just great and came back before I could worry.

David found a formula on youtube for lightening his hair. It consisted of lemon juice, salt, shampoo, and not sure what else. He did it the other day. I’m not used to it yet but I don’t mind in the least. I like what he does. He also found a walking stick from the woods and has been working on it. Sanding it now and then painting it soon. Look at his toe keeping the stick still.

Seth took one look at dinner (Shepherd’s Pie) and said accusingly, with a grimace, “You put eggs on it.” Home-raised chicken eggs, when scrambled, ARE that yellow, but this was in fact, cheddar cheese.

Table full of loved ones; my kids and my kids’ friends who are also my kids because I love them allllllllllllllll……….

Isn’t she lovely? She made the daisy wreath for her hair and when I saw her walk into the house I said, “Wait let me get my camera” the flower wreath on the door made it even better.

two wreaths when just a moment before I was in the living room tidying up!!!!!

Life is full of surprises, gifts, and blessings!

Some of the surprises aren’t that great though!!!!

milkshakes for everyone

scarlet tanager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

another gift. I like to wander down to the end of the yard by the bushes and stream at the end of the day because the sun is still shining on the treetops.

and there are a lot of birds

This morning I witnessed tragedy. I was sitting on the wooden bench on the porch facing the road and the trees across the road. Gypsy moth caterpillars are continuing to eat leaves and Baltimore Orioles are up there eating the caterpillars. I was drinking my coffee in my nightgown and robe and looking through my camera photos with the bird book because I take pictures of any bird I see so I can identify them later on. Well, I heard a *bird scolding sound* and looked up just in time to see this mother oriole chasing a crow up the road. I quickly lifted up my camera and miraculously got a clear picture of them. I wasn’t expecting them to return, but moments later I looked up again just in time to see them SOARING BACK DOWN ABOVE THE ROAD BUT THIS TIME THE CROW HAD A TINY BABY BIRD IN IT’S TERRIBLE BEAK. The mother was still scolding and chasing it out of my sight. I didn’t see them come back.

Seth and Caleb sat on the porch with me while all this was going on.

Then, not only did I get exciting news from my brother, but this package came! All before nine o’clock in the morning.

And now I’m on my way to Costco with Seth while the children clean the house.

Party day is tomorrow!

Happy Friday, my friends.

You are loved.

dear rosemary wells

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Shanda

Dear Rosemary Wells,

I am a fan of yours. A very big fan. You see, I’ve been enjoying picture books with my various children for 19 years now and your books never get old. They are always interesting. They are “evergreen”. We have read many of your books. Max’s Chocolate Chicken is a favorite, Bunny Cakes, and also Felix Feels Better. So many wonderful stories.

We have known of you for years, but we weren’t exactly die-hard FANS, yet.

You see, I never really stopped to realize what an amazing artist/author you were until the other day, when I found myself at the library, filling a bag of books for my children, who are in a summer reading program for their school. They have to read and keep track of the number of books they complete and we carefully write the titles on a list in the cupboard.

My son Seth is 7, and Sarah is 6, so they need easier books to read. Pictures books are perfect.

So yes, I was at the library when I came to the “W” section (organized by the author’s last name) and realized….wow….Rosemary Wells has completed an amazing and prolific amount of work as a children’s author. I showed my sixteen year old daughter the length of the row of YOUR books, each one thoughtfully written AND illustrated by you. We were in awe and spoke of our love for your stories. And at that moment, I became aware that I was a true fan. So this is a thank you to you. My oldest child is 19 years old. There are a total of 7 children in our home. And we have read your books all along the way. They are a delight and charmingly creative!

My six year old, with the long blond hair, sat cross legged by my side this morning. She still had sleepy eyes and had just eaten her toast for breakfast. We took Time-Out for Sophie from the library bag and she read me every word, leaning over the pages with her hair dangling and getting in the way so prettily. “Sophie” was a hard word for her to pronounce and remember. We were very amused by the antics of Sophie. She threw her macaroni and cheese on the floor two times! And then she dumped the clean and folded laundry! But Sarah just loved the fabrics of all those pretty clothes. She carefully studied each one and pointed her finger at her favorites that *she wished she could have * (with a sigh).

Thank you for putting humor, detail, and beauty in your drawings. I agreed that the purple polka dotted shirt would look very nice on Sarah.

Sarah thought it was funny that Sophie had her time-out at the top of the stairs. She wondered what the brown wall was behind her. You see, we have bookcases at the top of our stairs. I told her that Sophie is a mouse and so she lives underground. I’m not sure if she was satisfied by that answer but her silence said it was the end of the question and so we moved on to the next page, the part about Granny. Sophie kept taking Granny’s glasses right off her face!

Wise Granny knew just how to put an end to Sophie’s nonsense….by putting HERSELF in time-out. I thought to myself that yes, when MY children were being naughty to me, I would put MYSELF into time-out, too, just like Granny.

We turned the page again to see that Sophie was now in the tub and was in the process of squirting the bubble bath clear across the room. The book didn’t say so, but Sarah knew that Sophie was headed for ANOTHER time out.

Then the book was over and she studied all the beautiful clothes that you drew for the end paper.

We read Shy Charles this week, too, and Noisy Nora. Your wonderful books make me smile and the children like them just as much as I do. We think you must be amused as you work on them, as well. Happiness & joy all around.

Thank you, Rosemary Wells! May you continue to create for many years to come!

********

I sit on the grass and watch the children jump into the pond. They say the water is great and want me to swim with them.

Sarah got brave enough…yesterday! Now she doesn’t stop jumping. At the end of the day when she’s sitting snuggled up to me, I smell her hair and it smells so good, like sweet perfume and pond water.

they show off for mama’s camera

I find a tiny toad.

“Tiny toads are all over the place. There were three on me yesterday.” ~Sarah, while swimming

I bought three bags of balloons the other day and they have been an endless source of amusement for the kids. David likes blowing them up as much as big as they will get. Then he plays with them until they blow up. I was down at the pond when one of his balloons popped and it was so loud my heart leapt and I thought someone had shot a gun in the woods. I went up to the house and the boys were laughing. Ethan said it was as loud as a cannon.

I tied four water balloons for Seth as I wrote this blog post. (He can’t tie them and Sarah can’t blow them up. I’m still needed. LOL)

Shooting hoops on a summer day.

pictures of the day

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Shanda

day of summer

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Shanda

We went strawberry picking in a quiet open field. There was a nice lady just down the row from us who was friendly and spoke like she had known us forever. From the race of Joseph, I feel sure.

They were 29 dollars and 15 cents for 11.2 pounds.

The air was hot and fresh. The sky was blue.

I remember standing at Grandma’s kitchen counter when she made a fruit pizza (it was the first time I had it). I don’t know why I had to make one today but I did, I had to.

Seth seemed to hang in the air as he leapt from the dock into the warm pond. The boys were happy and carefree. Everyone is getting browner from the sunshine but Michael’s nose is sun burnt and red.

Seth found a beautiful insect.

David had a friend over and there was a feeling of celebration as it was the first day of summer and the house was full of people we loved.

Perhaps that is why I felt the impulse to make the fruit pizza?

All thirteen of us, at four o’clock in the afternoon, had a little summer day pizza party.

The moms sat and chatted at the table while the kids all ran off to play games and swim.

“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair…”
― Susan Polis Schutz

pancakes for the children (a photo series)

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Shanda

“Tread softly! All the earth is holy ground.”
― Christina Rossetti

what is that sound? it’s poo

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Shanda

Good afternoon, friends. This is a tale of birds and caterpillars.

It just so happens, that in the beginning of this week, I was walking with Caleb, Seth, and Sarah and we discovered a *new to us* bird. It was deeper into the woods, near the adventure trail, on the ground drinking from a small stream. As we came upon it, it flew up into a tree close enough for us to see it in detail. Later that day, I found that it was a yellow-billed cuckoo. I was not able to get a good photo of it, so if you would like to see it you can find a picture and an article here. They are known as “Tent Caterpillar birds” because they eat the hairy caterpillars that are so numerous in the woods these days.

(hairy caterpillars)

I first noticed this year’s caterpillar outbreak at Little League. They were crawling in large numbers up the side of the dugouts. Seth said “they were everywhere”. Sarah was morbidly interested but would not touch them. I wasn’t concerned in the least…but I am now.

Why? you ask? Well, the very day that the children and I went a’walking, I was puzzled by the sound of raindrops falling from the leaves of the trees. I could not understand how the leaves had gotten so drippy-wet, and also: I wasn’t getting any rain drops on MYSELF.

Today I was walking down the road with my cup of coffee when I heard *the sound* coming from the woods again. I went into the house to put down my cup and get the girls. We needed to solve a mystery.

And what we noticed was, in almost every place we looked, we could see at least one growing and munching caterpillar. The woods were alive with the sound of pitter pat droppings, not of rain, but of caterpillar POO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tiny, hard bits of poo. Everywhere. Dropping on the floor of the forest. They were most easy to see, caught in spider webs.

I went online to research, just in case I was crazy. Maybe the little hard brown bits were seeds? Maybe? But I quickly found this article.

“The caterpillars are harmless – but they do like to eat. You can see the buffet of half-eaten leaves on the ground, constantly falling from trees.

“You can actually hear the activity,” Grigoriou said. ‘It sounds like rain.'”

~Matt Scott for Fox 61 news

The activity that sounds like rain happens to be a vast amount of waste product falling from the very hungry caterpillars which cannot stop eating and therefore cannot stop pooping.

Caterpillars of various sizes are all over the place in the woods.

crawling and creeping and haunting

up and down tree trunks

big trees and little trees

they’re everywhere (insert spooky voice here)

eating and eating and eating and eating

and….dropping and dropping and dropping and dropping

Is it nature’s fertilizer?

millions of these little poop balls are littering the ground

along with leaf bits that have been chewed away and lost off of the trees

NEVER IN ALL MY DAYS!!!!!

I’m rather amazed by it all…..and I hope you are, too.

*****

Yesterday we had a pair of ducks on our pond all day long, they were quite a delight to see. The girls and I sat together and watched them.

We had conversations about monogamy, orange feet, how ducks communicate, nests and eggs, and what they must think of us, and do they like it here, will they live here and raise a family, and so on.

Later on that evening, I was watering and weeding the garden when I heard the unmistakeable sound of an Osprey.

Sure enough, I looked up just in time to see one alight in the dead tree with a fresh fish in it’s strong legs. (it was wearing white pants) I ran into the house to get my camera crying out, “Our pond is a bird-feeder!!” and the children followed me out of doors. Rich mourned the loss of another one of HIS fish to wildlife and not a fishing hook.

Look at the legs on this bird! It’s wings look like a cape.

The (poor) fish was flying.

wet walk

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Shanda

I have a room all to myself; it is nature. ~Thoreau

It had rained that day and we were restless. Therefore, Seth, kitty, and myself went for a rather wet ramble in the woods.

Our feet were soaked…. all the way through our sneakers and socks. Our feet said, “squish, squash” as we stepped and climbed over logs and streams.

The Mountain Laurel was in bloom. These beautiful shrubs are Connecticut’s state flower. As we drove along the roads on Sunday, to and from church, I looked deeply into the woods and could see Mountain Laurel everywhere.

Things were very drippy on our wet walk day.

We found two very small bushes of bog laurel, a pretty blossom. They were growing among the Mountain Laurel.

We saw an inch worm dangling from it’s thread.

It was amusing to watch it climbing back up, slowly, awkwardly, and methodically.

It was afraid of our eyes looking at it so closely.

The woods were very jungle-like, especially after a nice rain

a secret place…does an tiny elf or mouse visit here sometimes?

(Incidentally, last night I was on the couch watching TV and half asleep with Rich. The boys went outside to play “man hunt” just in time to rescue a perky eared, black eyed mouse from the cat. They brought it inside within a cup to show me, but I didn’t know what they were bringing until they handed it over and I looked inside. 9:30pm is much too late in the day to admire mice.)

my funny Seth

We went to find some wild strawberries but we didn’t eat this one.

Someone was already eating it.

I fed my son wild strawberries while he was busy looking for cool rocks.

“Put them in your pockets,” I said, and he did.

We crossed the stream to get home quicker and I stopped by the chicken coop to get……….

…..the eggs!

Want some?

David’s chicken lo mein

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Shanda

David’s food dreams came true a few weeks ago when I made a big batch of chicken lo mein, using a new recipe. I made enough so that there were plenty of leftovers and he was able to freely get a bowl whenever he was hungry. But that was a few weeks ago, and recently the craving for more chicken lo mein started up again.

Last night while Rich and I were at Caleb’s little league game, David called me and asked if he could make *the chicken lo mein that he was craving* and I said “yes”.

Then he called back and said there was no soy sauce. He was hungry so we gave up on that idea and he had soup instead. On the way home from the game I went to the store and bought the soy sauce and three packages of chicken thighs.

We started making the recipe at around 10:00 this morning. He cut up the chicken. I cut up the veggies. He made the sauce, I stir-fried the chicken. It was a fun recipe to accomplish with a partner.

Soon it was complete, and David filled up a yellow fiesta bowl with the steamy goodness.

He took a photo of his food for his instagram account.

And I took pictures for my blog.

(we have a lot in common)

After it was posted, he took a bite and said he was in heaven.

“Thank you for helping me make this, Mom,” he said.

His siblings asked for seconds.

And I enjoyed a bowl of it outside on the porch.

David and I enjoy each other’s company by making food in the kitchen. (yesterday he made funnel cakes). Jacob and I bond while grocery shopping. Grace and I bond while singing. And so it goes. I have seven children and each one has a special way of broadening my world. We can spend time together doing what they like to do best and it’s never forced. We don’t have to try hard to spend time together, we just do what we would do normally…..together.

Chicken Lo Mein

2 boxes angel hair pasta
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2/3 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. pepper
2-4 T. vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
12 chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless, and cut into thin strips (we prefer thighs)
5 cups thinly shredded cabbage
4 carrots, coarsely shredded
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1 medium onion, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. Transfer pasta to a large bowl; add sesame oil and toss until coated. In a small bowl, stir together the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pepper; set aside.

In a skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add chicken strips and stir-fry about 3 minutes or until no longer pink; remove from wok or skillet and cover to keep warm. (I did the chicken in three batches because the pan wasn’t big enough.)

Add cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and onions to the wok or skillet and continue to stir-fry another 3 minutes. Add broth mixture to the skillet. Stir-fry, mixing well, for 2 minutes more. Return chicken and garlic to the skillet and heat through. Add to bowl of pasta and toss together.

Serves 12

Recipe source: Saving Dinner, by Leanne Ely (highly recommended cookbook)