Kentucky Proud

We sold our first 14 dozen eggs at Market this past weekend! We truly had no idea all-natural eggs would be in such demand. However, with the recent scare about salmonella nationwide, it seems people are especially aware of where and how they purchase their food. We don't think it's a coincidence that the media is showing the harrowing factory conditions for laying hens. These are the hens that have been laying the eggs we've bought in stores for years, decades even. These conditions are not new. These images have been in circulation for 20+ years. And, it is August of 2010 that our young, pasture raised hens are laying our first eggs for market. It is encouraging to us, to say the least! I had visions of linking this post to articles from the media, but I'm pretty sure even those without a t.v. are aware of the media barrage. So, for now, we'll just keep loving on our hens, giving them "Fresh Air," clean water, and fresh pasture so that they'll give us "Fresh Eggs." A huge thank you to everyone who made our first sales for Palisades Point Farm so successful! We are just sorry we had to turn away customers and that the demand was greater than our supply! If you aren't nearby, wherever you are ~ buy local, support your family farmer...the rewards extend on and on for both you and them!

Great Images!

So Happy Together!

Happiness

I thought I'd add a few pix from the wedding weekend. On another note, the weather is changing here in KY. And, for that, we are most glad! It's getting a bit cooler in the evenings and the sun is not so blazing hot. We have quite an outdoor chore list to accomplish this fall:
* win out over the weeds that have overtaken a few planting beds
* up-end the garden and clean up
* re-plant several butterfly bushes that have been in the garden, waiting for their permanent home
* put up fence around the brand-new chicken coup that can be found here!
* expand goats' fencing
*etc., etc., etc

Carnival!

No, we're not talking about the Carnival. We made our own fun right here in the hills of the bluegrass...funnel cakes! Charley, his brother and sister-in-law found this recipe online. With a little decaf coffee (because it was 10 o'clock on a Friday night) we all enjoyed homemade funnel cakes. Mmmm, so good.

Wedding in CO

This past weekend Charley and I flew to Colorado to see our friend, Bruno, get married in Pagosa Springs. We flew into Colorado Springs and drove out of town, through the Rockies and along the Arkansas River toward Pagosa. The weather was beautiful...clear and in the 80's during the day and cool, in the 50's, at night. I had never visited CO before and was amazed at the Rocky Mts. They are so vast and huge. They reminded me of the Alps and the Black Forest in places. But, they are also touches of desert in places. So much variety in one mountain range is amazing.







Bruno and Charley have been friends since grade school. Jolynn, his bride, is amazing...they came through KY several months ago and we were able to meet her. They met at Bruno's uncles ski shop where they both work. Her home, family and farm was so fun to visit. The reception was in a beautiful white tent set up next to their garden and barn. We had so much fun and the area was so beautiful that we wished we could have stayed longer.

It's a beautiful thing

My heart soars and goosebumps chill when I learn about a family committed to adoption. I'm pretty open about many things in my life. But, I don't talk about or certainly post about adoption very much. Why? I guess because it is almost so personal and sacred to me that I can't put words to the emotional range that lives inside me regarding the orphan. I read articles, listen to friends and family, pastors and teachers speaking of adoption and I am almost speechless. I can't sort my thoughts out right away - it's much later, after processing the words of others and my own feelings, that I grasp the truth and beauty of adoption. So, instead of pontificating on it myself, I'd like to point out a few blogs and an article I just read. We saw the July issue of Christianity Today last night and it was so exciting to see a cover about adoption. Here is one of the articles from CT. The article is entitled "Abba Changes Everything." He certainly does, friends. For this family and for so many around the world. It's a beautiful thing!

Go here to read about our friends adopting from Ethiopia. Go here to read about our friends adopting from Albania. For both families, it's their second foray into the world of endless paperwork, days filled with waiting, and high emotions. Bless them today and always!

I do have to add another thought...and, perhaps, for me, the most important point. The adoption is not talked about very much in our house b/c it's in the past. Our son belongs to us fully. He was created by God for us. As my mom has pointed out, "the adoption is over and finished!" For our family, it is a thing of the past - just like God accepts us into his family once, we adopted John once. Taiwan, The Home of God's Love and a few other people, places and things are certainly important to us and we celebrate them. We don't ignore the past nor do we dwell on it. But, mostly, we believe God would have us look forward and live the today in the full life and love God has given to our family.

Wed. Wisdom

Grandma McBride recently sent us a little book called "Maple Lane Garden Tips." It's full of wisdom, poetry, recipes and stories about life with a garden. We have been looking with consternation at our tomato plants for the past several weeks. They have yellowed at the bottom and the fruits are not as large. Charley thought to look in the gardening book from Grandma and after much reading discovered that our plants probably have blight. Here is the recipe for a spray. We'll let you know if and when we use it. The recipe says to catch blight early. Since it's already August we may not try to overcome it this year, but at least we'll know what to do for the future:

Dissolve 1 cake Ivory soap in 1 quart water. When dissolved, take from stove and add 4 ounces salt, 4 ounces borax, 3 quarts rain water and 1 pint ammonia. Store in glass jar with lid. Use 1 Tb/1 quart water to spray plants.

Guideposts had this quote that I thought was lovely. It's from reader July Ann Lewis, West Virginia. "Thank you, Lord, for giving us good healthy food to eat and bountiful blessings that make our lives complete. He who eats of holy bread will always find his spirit fed."

So You Think You Can Dance is one our favorite shows. I've had this note posted on my computer for several weeks now and wanted to add a link to a hip hop routine. We are so sad that Alex is out for the season! This routine by the most amazing choreographer, Wade Robson, was amazing also. Ok, so if this link is strangely wrong, please forgive, b/c my computer wouldn't load the clip. I remember it as a performance from Cirque du Soleil.

I had to add a picture just because. Record blistering hot temps again here in ol' KY.
Happy Wednesday

Broody

Today is momentous. We have a broody Ameracauna hen. She's our first spring hen from Murray's hatchery to sit on her nest. She is actually setting on eggs that she laid and ones from her friends too. It's so funny to watch...the other hens need to go in and use the next to lay and this is what we see:



They peer in and wait for her to get up. Sorry, ladies, it's not happening anytime soon. We move Ms. Broody off the nest periodically. For awhile our hens escaped out of their yard and managed to strut into mine. That translates to: scratched up mulch, pecked flower bushes and other ick you can imagine near the house. Needless to say we had to put a stop to that. I digress. For awhile we couldn't find where the hens where laying their eggs. We looked high and low. Charley finally found the stash last night...under the wheelbarrow. There were almost 2 dozen eggs! Yikes.

John counted from 1-5 this weekend! He is shy about singing in front of us, but when he's in his bed we hear him to sing his A,B,C's or "Mary had a Little Lamb" or "Row, Row Your Boat." So cute.

This weekend we swapped babysitting with another couple. John had so much fun playing with Katie, 4 and Logan, 1. He talked our ears off about it on the way home Friday night. Then, we sat with the 3 kids on Sat. night. He was exhausted on Sunday and it was definitely a day of rest.