Pencil Thin

Quite a turn.

Snuz — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:44:22 +0000

I cannot in my memory recall having endured a summer that was quite as hot as this one has been. Our electric bills have been higher than ever because we have had no choice but to run our fans almost 24 hours a day. If was a really unusual summer compared to the wet and cool one in the year prior.

For some reason in the last couple of days the weather has taken on a feel that makes it seem like fall is just around the corner. I actually had to get up today and close the windows because the draft coming in was so cool. I am quite sure it will soon be time to pull our cardigan sweaters out of the attic and to box up our summer clothes. I actually find fall my favorite season of the year. I enjoy the changes that take place in the world outdoors and love the lower temperatures.

I really need to make and effort to get outside and find myself a few sugar maple trees before their leaves are gone. I wanted to make maple syrup this spring but didn’t plan ahead enough to make that goal take place.

It is really hard for someone who doesn’t know trees really well to tell the difference between various tree types in the dead of winter when all their leaves are long gone.

I know I will be wishing for the warmth of summer when the cold winter months are here. For right now I am thankful to be seeing the beauty of fall around the corner.

A little grossed out.

Snuz — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:36:42 +0000

I placed an order a few weeks ago to purchase free range and organic whole chickens from a local farmer. We went yesterday to pick up the 3 chickens that I had ordered. Thankfully my husband went to the area where the chickens were to pick them up instead of me. Apparently they had just processed the chickens and all of the processing “parts” we sitting out in the open. I grew up on a farm and one of my most vivid memories is from the butchering of animals. I know there are people who handle this well but I am not one of them. In fact I really don’t care for meat all that much and would secretly love it if my family decided they wanted to be vegetarians. Anyhow, today I decided to unwrap and roast one of our birds for dinner. I was a little grossed out to see that the neck was still attached to the chicken. Had my husband been here I would have made him handle the chicken because I just about threw up. As a child I simply made pets out of all of our farm animals and we always ended up eating them for dinner. It was a hard lesson I never got over. Needless to say I turned out a perfectly roasted bird for our dinner tonight but couldn’t eat more than a bite myself. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the lopsided neck that I didn’t muster the courage to cut off. That would have required more handling of the chicken that I could take. I am on the fence about ordering more chickens because I am quite sure they will all come with their necks. At least I know these chickens were not raised in a shoe box sized cage and treated terribly before ending up on our plate. I guess that is something I can look positively upon.

Not even started.

Snuz — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:56:26 +0000

Typically by the time school starts I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. This year I am quite honestly not even thinking about shopping quite yet. I have considered looking into some new C9 led christmas lights to save on our electricity usage but that is about all I have thought about. Our electricity bills are supposed to skyrocket at the beginning of the year and I am more than a bit worried about it. As for Christmas presents I intend to scale back my shopping dramatically because our children are lavished with gifts by other family members. Last year they got so many presents that some haven’t even been played with yet. This is ridiculous in a world such as this and they just don’t need that much. I am going to try to buy a couple of toys and focus on making memories with them more than spoiling them rotten.