A family day....

The day started late, and is still going at full steam.....

That is said with the understanding that late is 6:15am.  Which is really late for this family....

Saturday is the day that I give myself off from the office work.  I don't get up early to dial in, and I don't stay up late working the spreadsheets.  Saturday is all about home and family.

So, it made sense to sleep in...and be woken by the cuddly kiddos.  While the husband escaped downstairs to start the coffee, I stayed put and rejoiced in the moment....until the fighting began...

The fighting aways amazed me...they just got up - what is there to fight about?  And how do they have the energy to fight first thing in the morning?  I can scarcely open my eyes without coffee, much less engage in a heated debate over who has more room in the bed, who got up first, and who gets claim on the blue cup....

But either way, the morning had begun.  I escaped the room, and headed out to the feathered ladies.  Frost had fallen, and lay on grass in a multitude of beautiful crystals.  I was very thankful that I took the time yesterday evening to harvest many of the pumpkins so that they could hide in the safety of the garage.  Frost on pumpkin skin weakens and lead to early rot...something we learned last year and were not anxious to experience again.  And the frost, albit beautiful, made certain the knowledge that the sweet potatoes would need to harvested.

Once the ladies were dealt with and freed for a day of free ranging, it was back in for the breakfast and cleaning segments of the day.  While anxious to get out to the garden, those duties could not be escaped....and the harvest would come soon enough....

And come it did, with a fierce hardiness.....we had planted the sweet potato slips in previously unbroken ground, which made freeing them that much more difficult.  Add this to the fact this was the first time for us with that crop, and I was just pleased to have any harvest.  The bounty filled one small reuseable grocery bag, and I felt satisfied.  These would have to rest in the warmth and sun to help the skins to cure, much like the pumpkins and the winter squash.  At the moment, they are all resting together in the tractor wagon, which will be hidden away from the frost each night, and dragged back out to the sun each morning....

And seeing that frost had fallen this early in September, we have come to terms with the fact our time on the land this fall may be limited.  Therefore, every moment that we can travel cross town to work on our soon-to-be camp site needs to be take advantage of.  And so, we did....for many hours, to the chagrin of our children.  They were nicely self entertained for a good hour, building forts from fallen pine branches, and trying to make a teeter-totter from a dropped tree...but soon became a bit on the bored side....and were happy when we tired as well and decided it was time to head out. 

We had wanted to travel into town afterwards for some grocery shopping, but, honestly, we were so tired and so filthy from the work.  Instead, we traveled to the local small store to get the supplies that we needed for dinner....the big store could wait for another day.

And now, we are here.  I have water simmering for spaghetti, and meatballs are browning.  It would be a hardy, family dinner together - something that doesn't happen nearly as often as it should.

So, we will enjoy this moment, and rest up for another day.  For, tomorrow will be another one, chock full of work to do, fun to have, and family time to spend. 

We hope everyone is having a joyful Saturday as well...