A Picture-y Post
I had the loveliest weekend ever. I love this time of year, and I love being outside (as long as it’s not for a prolonged period of time).
But before the weekend started, I did a craft with my kids. Yes. Me. *I* instigated a craft incident. And I am such a bad friend, I cannot for the life of me remember the blog where I stole this idea. I’d like to link to it, because her family’s end result turned out tons better than ours. Yet, none-the-less, it was fun, cheap and easy.
Proof of said craft project in process:
Aren’t they cute? I like them because they are easy. Super easy, plus, I don’t like the way they taste so I’m not tempted to eat them. All it takes is a bag of those marshmallow-ish orange ‘Circus Peanuts’ candies (those things are so gross). You pull them in half, roll them around in your hands until they are round, poke a hole in the top and then shove in a small piece of green sour straw candy. Then you take a knife or a toothpick and indent vertical lines around the pumpkin (this makes them look more pumpkinishtic), and then roll them in sugar. Fast, easy, cute, and they won’t make you fat, because seriously… no adults actually like those Circus Peanuts.
Ok, so when the weekend began, we kept pretty busy. Saturday was dedicated to chopping down dead trees, chain sawing them into rounds, and then hauling them to the house for firewood. The weather was unbelievably delightful.
Here’s Geoff the Great doing the main work. And, interestingly enough, I found out that I am petrified of chainsaws. I had no idea. I told Geoff that I wanted to have a go at slicing up the tree, so he explained how everything worked and then told me – in great detail – how if I ‘stood in this position’ the chain might fly off backwards and split my head open, or if I ‘stood in that position’ the blade could slip thru the wood and hack off my ankle, or if I ‘stood like this’ then it could jerk backwards and take off one of my hands. I said I still wanted to try, but that “now I was scared”, to which he replied, “You should be terrified”. I couldn’t start the machine by myself so he revved it up and handed it over. That was enough excitement for me. I handed it right back and took off for higher ground.
Hauling wood is a huge workout.
My favorite part was when Geoff took down two enormous dead trees. I have no idea how he was able to figure out how to cut them in a way to aim them. They fell exactly the way he said they would. And then to hear them CRACK and then watch them slowly topple over then hit the ground with a sonic boom and huge echo – wow, was that cool. The ground actually shook.
I wish he would not have chopped up this big tree. It fell over and hit a little hill opposite from where it stood and made a bridge. As soon as it fell all the kids (and me) ran over and ran across it. There is nothing funner than crossing over a big fallen tree bridge. It brought back memories of when me and my sister, Gena, were little (Jess wasn’t born yet) and my dad would take us camping (I think it was in Oregon), and then he’d turn us loose and we’d spend all day getting lost in these huge fern covered woods and having adventures and finding little streams with big tree bridges to cross over. At the end of the day he’d get us back to camp by sending out a shrill whistle (nobody could whistle as loud as my dad) and we’d come tumbling back and finish the day roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. Those were fun times.
Anyhow, we all got to spend time playing on it before Geoff turned our bridge into 30 or so logs, which will keep us nice and toasty this winter
And then Sunday evening was playtime
is it just me, or does the back of their heads sort of look like glazed donuts?
Need a more interesting book, Coie?
I hope your weekend was as cozy as ours. : )
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October 27th, 2008 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 23 Comments 23 Responses to ' A Picture-y Post 'Leave a reply |
on October 27th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Love it! We used a wood stove when I was growing up, and I have many memories of watching my dad cut trees (how do they get it to fall in the right direction???) and then being forced to haul wood to the bulkhead of the cellar (or basement, whatever you call it). The wood then had to be stacked “flush”, and I swear I still have calluses from those days. 🙂
on October 27th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I think my mom likes circus peanuts. :p It looks like y’all had a fun weekend, in spite of all the work that was done. Cool bridge or warm in the winter? I think I’d go for warmth! Although you could put all those log rounds on end and then have a stepping-stone type bridge… that would be fun so long as they don’t tip and someone bust their head open.
Yup, those definitely remind me of donuts– except for Geoff the Great’s. I was thinking more along the lines of chocolate donuts though. Mmmmm…
on October 27th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I don’t see any pictures on your posts anymore. Is it my computer? Did you switch anything on the way you post them?
Anyway, sounds lovely. We are having a wonderful time of fall beauty enjoyment as well!
We’re planning a scavenger treasure hunt with
friends in a few days, wish you could come…
but you’ll be off at some barn dance thingy in
Illinois. Tell Bo-bo for me that if he asks Mrs. Bluedorn to be his dance partner, I’ll be mighty jealous.
on October 27th, 2008 at 10:35 am
I had the same experience with a chainsaw. Although, I was brave enough to cut through one little branch. But I told hubby I would never, ever touch a chainsaw again. Those things are freaky.
And yes, their heads do look like glazed donuts. Very odd. 🙂
on October 27th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Love reading this.. our weekend was not quite as cozy.. it was busy.. 🙂 We crafted too, though!!
I want to try the pumpkin snack… 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
on October 27th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
It was me 🙂 LOL! We loved making them (but they end up hard as bricks!)
See? http://www.knowledgehouseacademy.com/2008/10/happy-october.html
on October 27th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
aww. what a sweet post. this totally made me sad and miss you guys. i wish we were going to TN tomorrow morning instead of Cali. it also made me a little jealous that I wasn’t born in the 70s with you and gena. those camping trips sound fun. man. now i’m totally depressed. Can’t you come live in Alaska? (I won’t tell you the temperature it was this morning.. it was bad. it’s going to be a coooold winter).
love you
by the way, i hate those orange candies too.
on October 27th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Nikowa… yes! it was you! i was hoping my ‘mystery inspiration’ would come by and clear it up. : ) i have the *worst* memory.
on October 27th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Jess, i miss you tons, too. TONS. can’t you hop a plane from Cali to TN?
on October 27th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I love picturey posts. I think that is why I post so many of them.LOL Anyway, your craft project turned out cute and the cutting wood looks like great family fun!! We have no wood to cut and I would love some!
Anyway, I ordered the first book in the Kingdom series for my boy child, via your suggestion in the sidebar. I hope he loves it, as he is so hard to get to read.
Thanks for sharing your day.
on October 27th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
It looks like the perfect fall day! I LOVE tree bridges! (we used to put blankets over them for ‘saddles’ and pretend that they were horses, too!)
Those pumpkin candies are too cute! (and…call me weird…I like circus peanuts!) 😉
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I had an aunt who was mentally retarded and she LOVED those orange candies! I loved her so much – she was such a dear – she was one of my favorite people. I can’t see those candies and not think of my Aunt Allie.
I know what you mean about those whistles! When I was in my grade school years, my best friends lived about 1/2 mile from our house and we could be screaming, yelling and running all around and my daddy’s whistle would cut the air! lol VERY RARELY did it fail – if it did he would ring the old dinner bell we had.
Loved those child-hood camping trips, too! You make me homesick.
Fledder!
Kim Wolf<
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
P.S…
I want to see thoe old yearbook pictures!! Hahahahaha!!!
Fledder back!
Kim<
on October 27th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Jenn, I’m such a goof! I seriously don’t want to cry to give away something as unimportant as a cat, but ever since I was little I have had a weird connection to animals. Not the tree-hugger kind, but just more of a “their so cute and tug at my heart” kind. I hope Emmiko is enjoying her and she is fitting into your wonderful family. PLEASE don’t name her Megan Reed, that’s just weird!
I won’t show those pictures to Ryan cause once he sees anything resembling donuts he’ll have to have one or two or a dozen! The wood cutting reminds me of when I was little and my family would go out an dcut down fire wood off of my uncles farm. We really worked hard, but had so much fun and slept well that night. I’m with Coie, all books make me nod off, I’m more visually stimulated, unfortunately.
on October 27th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Jen, are you sure you can’t fly to California too this week? I just found out that Charlie/Jess will be in Redding, CA the EXACT days we will be there!!! I’m very excited! I think it is so funny that she can’t wait to get there to “warm up” and I can’t wait to get there to “cool down!” Anyways, if I do get to see Jess, I’ll give her a hug to pass on to you next time she see’s you…actually, she’ll probably get lots of hugs and can share a few of them…my children are all very huggy 🙂
Hope your week is as lovely as your weekend.
love and prayers,
Jaynee
on October 27th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
JAYNEE, I AM SOOOO JEALOUS. i was just talking to jess on the phone and crying about my bad luck. she is super excited to meet you and promised to take lots of pictures
on October 27th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I love the pictures! OK – I have to ask – what book is Coie reading?!
🙂 Kate
on October 27th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Kate, she’s reading “Ralph the Heir” by Anthony Trollope. : )
For the record it is a very TOTALLY completely *interesting* book. I loved it!
on October 27th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Wow…those lil pumpkin treats are cute! But you’re right…those circus peanuts are disgusting! Guess I’d leave the eatin’to the kiddos. ha ha!
on October 27th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Living in the country is the BEST way to grow up. I’m loving the pictures. Sounds like we both had fun…uh, SCARY man things this week. You with the chainsaw (I’ve never used one) and me with the shotgun.
on October 28th, 2008 at 12:43 am
What a wonderful weekend! I’m with you on the chain saw thing. I’m so terrified of them! I’m so glad Geoff the Great is so great with the saw!! All that wood will be great this winter! Have a super-duper week!
God bless you – Julie
on October 28th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Well ours wasn’t quite so fun (fighting the flu) but I enjoyed reading about yours! Your comment about your dad’s whistle made tears spring to my eyes–reminds me of my own Dad and also my husband. Boy, he can whistle! And my kids know his whistle–they just stand up and look for him when they hear it.
I think I will steer clear of the peanut candies for now….though they look cute!
on October 29th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Cute little pumpkins! Hey, we also have had a rip-roaring time lately with the chainsaw. Hubby got some permits and cut down some hugonormous trees, and then he and the kids split them and stacked them….we have already been enjoying the fireplace although today was way too warm. I have the cutest photos of my daughter in jeans, yes, jeans, using the new splitter. She split about a half a cord for her daddy on his birthday a few weeks back. I should post that!
Blessings,
Nancy, who did not chop or saw one single tree…