Sundown over Long Reach

Another week of work is over and quiet has come to our home. A pot of Mom's Dahl fragrantly simmers on the stove all ready for Sabbath dinner. Rollo is resting on the front porch after a vigorous walk out the lane with us. Merlin surveys him somewhat disdainfully from a safe distance and though he wouldn't admit it, draws some companionship from his presence. Merlin has been eating a good bit more heartily of late and is putting on some poundage against the coming winter's cold. Only the oaks still have their leaves and are fast thinning. Miss you all but draw comfort knowing you are each in the hands of an Almighty God. Happy Sabbath, Dad

Help Wanted

As you can see things have gotten a bit desperate around here of late as we are short of help so Papa has decided to advertise. The pay isn't great but he guarantees a more rapid gain of muscle than you can get in a health spa and also guarantees rapid weight loss if desired. You can apply even if you don't have any particular skills. All skills needed can be gained on the job. Job benefits include fresh air, good company(Papa and Rollo), time at the sea shore (collecting sea weed for the garden), time on a beautiful sailboat(scrubbing it down and covering it with tarps for winter), no mosquitos (it is too cold for the beasties now). No need to apply just show up at sunrise and Papa will be up and about. If you arrive before sunup check for him in his basement he'll be there splitting kindling.

Papa"s Pumpkin

Papa had quite a good garden this year with Lots of tomatoes which we are still enjoying and lots of onions that we are braiding for the winter and fresh basil that we just picked the last of yesterday and made into two quarts of pesto which is now in the freezer and beautiful kale (seen to the right of Papa's foot), But the pumpkins took the prize. This one weighed over 100 pounds and was moved along with its brothers using the front end loader on Papa's John Deere tractor. Of all the produce that has come from the garden this year Tutu likes the pumpkin best, for its ornamental value of course. We were wondering if anyone had a pot we could borrow that we could cook the pumpkin in so that we could have a pie or two for Thanksgiving. None of ours are big enough. Please let us know if you can help.

Woodathalon

Some run, swim, and cycle but the two above with a combined age of 140 years entered a two day woodathalon during which they cut, loaded, transported for over 1 mile and then unloaded six cords of oak. They won first place but of course we must tell you that there were no other participants. The next phase of the trials comes when the above attempt to split and stack the six cords in record time. The truth of Thoreau's observation that wood warms you twice was verified by their endeavors.

HOME FOR RENEWAL

As the sun sets I think back to the Sabbath School lesson from Genesis 34-35. Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "Ye have troubled me to make me stink among the inhabitants of the land...they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; I and my house. " The sons of Jacob had treacherously slain the inhabitants of Shechem to avenge the defilement of their sister Dinah. They had spoiled their homes, stolen their goods, and taken their wives and children captive. They had returned evil with double evil. They had caused the name of their father and their father's God to stink.
And God said unto Jacob, "Arise go up to Bethel." Bethel, house of God, named such by Jacob in his flight from his brother Esau. God was saying to Jacob, "Come home, come home to Bethel. Come home, when there is no other place where you can go. In the words of Frost, Home is the place where when you have to go there they have to take you in; It's something you somehow haven't to deserve. Only God can provide that kind of a home to us, a home that gives cleansing and renewal , a home that we will never deserve, but always need.
"Then Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments. And let us arise and go to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God." Where else could he go for safety, where else could he go to rid himself of the stink? Where else can we go? There is of course no other place.
Go home then, home to God for renewal, go home every day.

New roof is almost done thanks to Greg Penner, Kregg&Sandra Boisvert, Ken Lombard, Alissa, Robin', Papa, Mom, and Dad. All in one day.

Old roof is off

Old roof is coming off

Cabin in progress

These are the 20X1 foot wall extensions for the cabin which I made today.