We're having an 'average' Fall season here, temperature-wise. We never have average anything up here, its always 'above average' or 'below average' or somesuch, so average is weird. Doesn't make sense huh? Temperatures isnt fluctuating like it usually does; its just cool.........No frost yet, so for the first time since I can remember we still have pretty much all green leaves this late in September. Yeah, aumtumn leaves are purty, but they only last for five minutes and then guess what comes?! So I'm thankful for green leaves as long as possible....

Had to take my folks to the airport yesterday; my uncle died in San Diego and they needed to fly out. Very wierd.......so empty........lotsa cops around......guess it'll never be the same; made me cry.......what's new, ya know?

But my girls are back home........they're already missing all their unschooling friends from camp, and are busy planning the big Halloween party they always hold...one more time, anyway, at the farm.......I am being ragaled with wonderful stories of their adventures out west....its lovely to hear their youthful enthusiasm and hope for life, even in this difficult time.

Its been kinda sad that so few people are participating on this forum; not just since Sept 11, but for quite awhile now. When I look at the list of members, and realize a very small number really speak up on a regular basis, some not at all, its a weird feeling, like people are eavesdropping on conversations, but refusing to join in! :) Where are all you good folks? Please join us; we all need each other, and I like to think our bond is unconditional support, even in our differences. Am I silly?

Blessings,

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Answers

Response to Over The Fence Chat 9/3--9/30

Hi em,I am here.I know for me,I peek in to see if everyone is okay,and still here.I pray for you all ,as I consider you my American friends.I don't know talking about gardening just seems so trivial....Yet some normalcy would be a comfort.We prayed with our family last week and my little guy,who is 5,prayed that the war would be cancelled,he is not sleepin well at all,and always has.He saw me drop to my knees in tears on the 11th ,when I realized what was happening..Our little neighbor girl asked her mom when the "movie"would be over. On a lighter note ,my daughter won a number of classes at the last two horse shows,and has $200 in her pocket.We are picking grapes,24 bushels.and juicing this week .Hubby has applied for a job in the near north in Canada,we are awaiting any news on that.Big horse sale next month here.I feel like I'm in limbo,Don't want to spend,don't want to move till I see whats gonna happen....anybody feeling that way too?LOve to you all ,my deepest sympathies ,we are flying your flag,half mast.I am making red ,white and blue ribbons to line the highway here,from niagra falls for the truckers to see....peace...teri

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Response to Over The Fence Chat 9/3--9/30

My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this terrible time. I haven't posted for a while because of a virus wiping my hard drive and then the postal service breaking the computer when it was sent to be repared.

I am trying to catch up with the forums.

I cannot imagine what it is like over with you guys at the moment, but I know which watched in disbelief on 11 Sept.

I've been up the wtc and I can't begin to comprehend what it must have been like on that day. Praying is something I can do.

God bless you all

Alison

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Response to Over The Fence Chat 9/3--9/30

Hello to Earthmama and everyone else,

DH & I just returned for a great weekend at the camp in Vermont. The leaves are starting to turn beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow, but I have to agree with you EM, I still prefer various shades of green for as long as I can have them.

I'm planning a solo trip to camp next weekend so I got to set up camp under careful supervision by DH. There are so many things to do including hauling water from the spring and setting up the chemical toilet (Joy!) but I managed everything okay.

It's so peaceful in Vermont. I can just sit and "be" and feel my whole self slowing down to normal. No neighbors, no traffic, no tv. When I'm there it feels like "home" even though the only outside information we get is via radio. I finished a whole book while I was there.

The garden is still producing. Tomatoes are coming in like crazy. Did up spaghetti sauce, salsa, pizza sauce and just plain tomatoes the previous weekend and have more to do tomorrow. Beets turned out good too and still have plenty of broccoli and stringbeans.

Nights are cool (good for sleeping) and days are still great (in the mid to high 70s) for hanging out laundry. Life is good!

Looking forward to hearing what others are doing. This computer monitor is my "window on the world".

Wishing you enough.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

I know what you mean, Dianne, about the peace "up north". I was in my hometown in northern Wisconsin just a few days ago, and I really enjoyed being in my little cottage by myself. But I missed my "kids" (the critters) and so I went home.

I haven't slept well since I don't remember when. All the summer at least. I blame it on hot weather. I like my bedroom to be about 64 degrees at night, 68 is "doable", but 70 and above and I just don't sleep well. So I am really glad that the cooler weather has come. I would NEVER make it in the deep south. Oddly, I do okay in Hawaii (been over to visit relatives a few times) -- maybe because they have the tradewinds and you can cool off a properly oriented house after dark.

I went with a group of friends to hear another friend singing in concert this afternoon/evening. Had to go all the way to Woodstock, Illinois (no, NOT the famous Woodstock, that was in New York), just under 2 hours one way. But we had a good time, and I was grateful to have people with whom to share the journey. I am not very fond of driving by myself -- boring.

It rained alot today, so I didn't go to the garden -- woulda been all mud anyway.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

We took a ferry over to the peninsula today and visited with a friend that I have known for 30 years. It was a fabulous day...hot sun and blue sky. Her house is right on the water and we could look down Puget Sound and see Mount Rainer and ferries crossing, etc. Just like a postcard. We barbecued salmon, drank good wine, sat in her hot tub on the deck over the beach. Laughed a bit. Saw the weirdest jellyfish.

Good conversation, too. One guy brought his guitar and sang some very humorous song (and very well, too.) There were little kids and tons of dogs everywhere. Gee, it was nearly normal! It felt like summer still, that's for sure.

Now I'm still full from cherry pie and ice cream. Mr. S. starts school tomorrow, so I should sign off and go hang out with him for a while.

Take care all. Thanks Earthmama, for starting this thread.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Yes, routine.......life goes on day by day here. Goats need milking, rabbits need to be fed and "petted", the calf licks me with his rough, slimy tongue and puts his head down to be scratched. Jars and freezer boxes almosted filled......we have canned or frozen something almost every day from the garden or orchard. I have kept a record this year because I have FINALLY after all these years decided I am sick of having to pitch stuff after it has gotten "lost" for several years. With that list is a list of what has been used so I can always know what I have in stock. We have done over 600 "units" this year and are still going. Staying busy keeps my spirits from sinking all the way to the basement.

A little country church near us opened it's doors for the first time in over 20 years. A guy who had attended there as a kid bought the building when it went up for sale and has been working on restoring it for years. He has this vision that it will be a "community" church, none denominational and dedicated to community peace. It's opening was yesterday and we attended. We enjoyed it and appreciated it's concentration on the "love". It has been rainy and gloomy here.......not too helpful for the spirits. Like EM I hope people start posting again and that we can continue on the attitude of "tolerance" for all and the various opinions that we all hold.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

I too miss all the activity this board once had. I learn so much from all of you. You all really make me think!

As for us we've been immersed in celebrating fall with good food,friends , and family. We all tried a pomegranate fot the first time. It was very good! And the kids enjoyed it also (surprise!). We ended the day gathered round a fire, telling stories and giving thanks. It was one of those days where everything flowed smoothly. The smells of spices and cooking, the music, the food, the company,the laughter, children playing, and the activities just all went together.

It must have done everyone good as when I got up this morning, the kids were already started on their school activities and reading all without prompting!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Hello everyone been away for a while, with getting married and getting ajusted to all that wooo it's been a time(hey I'm 33 and never been married it's hard giving up some of the things I've done for so long myself!!!!) Then this puter went crazy......... hope everyone's doing fine hugs to everyone Sandy and Mike

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

How wonderful to hear from you people!! (BIG GRIN) Keep em coming!!!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

First sign of chilly weather today...in the low 50's...really feels like fall. Weather like this makes me want to bake fresh bread & cookies and make a big hearty beef stew. I'm going to start another thread for favorite soup/stew recipes so you all mosey over there and share those secret ingredients!!

Our fun thing this weekend was going to a gathering of basset hounds up in northern Illinois. We are trying to adopt a basset from the rescue society who sponsored this event so we may soon have a long- eared friend join us here at home. Just watching all those short- legged, long-eared little guys (about 650 of 'em!) running around was a hoot...plus some were in costume. My DH swears the basset we adopt will be the only one there next year wearing authentic chain mail...

Like some others I try not to watch TV except at work (work at a TV station, can't get away from it there) We spent Fri & Sat nights on the couch with popcorn & a Star Trek movie-thon. It was good to get away from it all for a while.

Hugs,

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Hey remember when I wasn't sure if I'd get green beans? Well....I got 'em!!! I have been picking and putting them up all day. Amazing how few quarts come out of those shopping bags stuffed full of fresh picked ones!

It's still summery here, although we get fog in the morning. Supposed to rain tomorrow, so I am picking, picking.

Mr. S. is making the cider press thing out of the garbage disposal/4- ton jack design from Dave Belanger at Countryside Mag last year. The apple trees are just groaning with fruit, kind of like my green bean teepees. In some ways, it's been a good year! (but with the earthquake in Feb, and the latest current events, I must say it's been a bizarre one!)

I cleaned/defrosted the freezer this morning...the chickens enjoyed some stuff, mostly old fruit that dried up) from 1997....shame on me for letting that stuff go to waste.

It's dating time for the sheep...lots of love songs being bellowed over the fencelines! (they harmonize with the cows doing the same thing down the road...love is in the air!)

Saw 5 big hawks fly over this afternoon! I wonder if it was the parents and offspring, or early migration starting. Odd, b/c I haven't even seen the Canada geese flying over much yet. But lots of aircraft. I don't look up to see if it's civilian...doesn't sound like it, and I don't really want to know.

Mr. S. started school today and I will be starting a new job this Thursday...hey, at a veterinarians, no less! Maybe it's time to get a dog, ya think?

That's enough from me!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Hi friends,

We too have missed the way the forum used to be. I know this sounds silly but I still don't like the password. We don't chat nearly as much as we did. Maybe it's just us being busier.

Here in the Ozarks our weather has turned to fall. They are calling for 38 in the valleys tonight but we will be warmer since we are mountain top. David and I have both been busy doing part time work. Not spending as much time on the homestead as we'd like. In fact we need to get serious about our firewood very soon. David may spend a month and a half on ship beginning January and self preservation tells me that the firewood supply is dismal.

We are still spending a lot of time caring for my dad but he does seem some better now, we are very grateful. The kids are busy with school. We have finally relented to letting our daughter take horn lessons at the University in Fayetteville which is 2 hours away. There is no one closer who can teach. She is a tremendously hard worker and has brought music into our home though so who can complain. She played TAPS on the trumpet (her 3rd instrument) in a memorial service last week and made us all very proud.

Hope you are all enjoying your Fall!

Peace, Kim

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Kim, did you mean that you dislike having a password at all, or that you dislike our particular password?

We're getting similar weather here. Frost "advisory" for tonight -- I guess that means some places will get some and some won't. Supposed to be 35*F tonight, so I put jugs filled with water amongst the peppers to try to ameliorate the cold. I guess I'll leave them there to help them ripen up the green ones that are left on the plants.

Geez, I'm getting lots of chili peppers, and off of only two plants! I don't think my parrot is going to be able to eat all of them. Don't know what I'll do with them all! I won't eat them, too hot for my poor northern European/Midwestern tongue!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Well, I thought it was about time I made an appearance! Like you all, I've been sorta "in shock" about what has happened in N.Y. and in Washington D.C. The day after, DH and I immediately went and filled up our extra gas cans then headed for the nearest grocery store to stock up on stuff we could not grow...flour, sugar, coffee, So. Comfort (!!!). But being out in public after such a disaster, it all seemed surreal to me. Folks were extra nice, saying " hi" and "how ya doing, etc", but walking around the store, I felt like we might not be able to shop like this in a week or month or a year from now. It was like being in a different world, and by the time we left the store....that was it...it was "waterworks" for me!!! Up until then I'd been so business-like and really had a grip on the situation. Poor hubby thought it was a menopausal thing, I guess!!! Maybe it was, I don't know. But I really felt the world was somehow "different". Know what I mean?? Anyways, to make a long boring story short, I managed to "smarten up" and we took care of stuff we needed to in order to be prepared. The next day, I received a call from my step-father about the fact that my Mom's hip was not healing very well (she had fallen and broken it just before Labor Day). She is a diabetic (in the worst way!!) and dialysis was not far in the future. The broken hip has made the situation lots worse! Soooo, that's what I've been dealing with the last 10 days or so. Then, of all things, last Friday the T.V. I use for my Webtv died!! (It was an 18 yr. old T.V.!). So I could not get my email nor could I connect with anyone here! Bummer!! So first thing Sunday morning we headed for Circuit City in Bangor, Me. to get a new one. Now I'm using a 25" screen to "talk" to you guys and I can actually read it without squinting!! Can't wait to go to the BTS picture album to really see the pics :-)!!

But, I tell ya, the drive to Bangor really made me nervous. The airport here is used lots for refueling the military aircraft snce we are closest to Europe. So, Sheepish, I know what you mean about the aircraft flying overhead, but no geese yet!!

Earthmama...I have to tell ya that everytime someone here refers to you as em or EM, all I can think of is Aunty Em from the "Wizard of Oz"!! I might slip sometime and accidentally call you by that name. Please excuse me if I do :-)!!! No insult intended!

And, one more thing, Sandy....as a newly-wed, can you define "wooo"????? If I'm being too personal, just ignore me. This whole Bin Laden thing has me saying things I probably would not have said a few weeks ago. But I think of ALL you guys as my friends so I tend to be a bit more open, I guess.

Well, all in all, life is good here in Maine. My garden is done, still working on the firewood, the does are getting bred and we seem so far away from the "real" world. But I love it here and I truly hope you all are just as safe and happy on your own homesteads. I hereby promise to not to let so much time go by again without checking in here!!!!!! Sorry to have rambled on so. Have a great week, everyone!!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

Marcia, please do not apologize for rambling!! Repeat after me: RAMBLING IS GOOD.........!! We need more of your rambling!

And about the Aunty Em thingy, actually Sharon was the one who started calling me that, I thought it was adorable, and it has stuck! Too bad ol Sharon didn't "stick around" though; I miss the ol broad! (You out there??)

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

I guess I'll check in too. Like everybody else the attack on the WTC really bothers me but life goes on. Its kinda nice tho because people seem to be alot kinder to one another lately.

My puters been wierd for the last coupla months so thats curtailed my forum activity lately. Just learned we've gotta clean out temp files each time I go on line just to stay current with whats been happening. I was stuck on 9/2/01 at CS till yesterday.

Granny has left the building! and none too soon. She decided to move to Chicago where there's Polish everything. Because Chris was the only Polish speaking person she knew around here it was entirely up to Chris to keep granny entertained and it was really getting to her.

She'd get up in the morning, determined to be kind, understanding, compassionate etc. By nightfall she was wondering where to bury granny in the woods. Not a good sign!

Frost coming tonite so we picked the last of the maters, dug up the pepper plants that were really late coming in and moved them to the greenhouse in the hopes there'll be enuf time for them to finish off.

We're kinda regrouping around here. Sold the chickens about a month ago. They weren't laying enuf eggs to even pay for their feed and Chris refused to cook or eat them so whats the point? Fourty chickens with names eating us outta house and home. Maybe next year.

As usual I'm scrambling to get a bunch of stuff done before the snow flies. Among them getting my Jeep pickup running so I can put the plow on it, rerouting the supply and return lines from the outdoor boiler so hopefully it won't use as much wood and finish building the new pigeon loft. Just made some room in the pole bldg. Too much stuff scattered around, taking up too much space-------much better now and I'm only half done.

Ya'll have a good week!

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Okay, Aunty Em....RAMBLING IS GOOD...RAMBLING IS GOOD...THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...ooops, sorry, got carried away! Now all I need is a dog named Toto :-)!

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

I'm so amazed at how different our climates are. Out here, I'm picking green beans and need to pick corn. My squash is still blooming. My perennials are still blooming, too. We start our growing season (for warm weather stuff, at any rate) so much later. I can't plant corn until June 1, for example...but our season seems to run much later. In fact, I still have strawberries to pick.

You guys get nice and toasty warm for the cold. I'll be doing that soon enough. Just remember me in my parka next May Day, when you are dancing around the maypole in your cotton shorts and t-shirts!

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Actually, Sheepish, I think that your growing season in Washington ( I hope I'm right on that?) is similar to mine here in Maine. I usually have to wait til Memorial Day to put out hot house transplants and hardly ever plant corn, beans, squash etc. til at least June 1st. I do plant the purple beans earlier since they seem to be more cold resistent. We had a very hot and dry summer this year and most everything grew, produced and died quickly. I'm still picking corn, tomatoes, peppers, etc. But I'm waaaay too lazy to plant a Fall garden!!! We wont get a killing frost til Oct. anyways. And it still has not been cold enough to fire up our woodstove. It's been 60ish to 70ish around here during the day and in the 50's at night.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Hi Aunty Em and all!!! What a lovely weekend around here in Ohio, sunny and warm and not too cool at night! We meet my cousin and her husband and rode all over Amish country in Holmes county, Walnutcreek and Sugarcreek area and ate a a Amish style restaurant, where we ate way too much of course!!!

My cousin Sue has the most amazing custom built Harley that her husband bulit for her, has a RevTech motor and a rear tire as wide as a car tire, very low to the ground which was why she wanted it, she is only about 5' 1" and has had trouble finding a bike that is low enough for her to reach the ground and hold it up. Lots of crome and painted purple metallic, very impressive and different.

I guess I am one of the minority who has not been unduly affected by the tragedy in NY and DC, but then it is something I have been warned about repeatedly to prepare for by my dear uncle who was good at telling me all about those kind of things, learned from his many years in the service all over the world. It is terrible, but like John said, "Life goes on", remember, folks in Israel and Northern Ireland have to live with this kind of terror everyday, and have so for way too many years.

What amazes me the most is the human beings capacity for hatred and evil, I guess we have not evolved near enough to realize the self- destructiveness of this horrible nature of ours. Our reaction to this hatred and evil has not evolved one iota yet either, equally and even more sad!!! Perhaps in another 1000 years we will have the capacity to be a kinder and gentler people, if we can keep from self- destructing ourselves in the meantime.

Sure happy to see all the responses here though, we need the sharing and the support from each other, many shoulders tend to lighten the load.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Hey! You all can't call Earthmama Aunty Em because that's my name. Aunt TM - get it? LOL. Okay, I guess there can be two of us here. :-) Mine is a pet name given to me by a special friend's children.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Hey you're right, Terry. Never realized it! So...should we all take a vote...the "oldest" :-), and "wisest" gets to be called Aunty Em???

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Hello everyone, I did't mean to be gone for so long. Sounds like everyone has been busy and the different seasons around are nice. We have been busy with Maranda's ball practice and games, Boy scouts and girl scouts and 4-H. Plus the animals and all the getting ready for fall and winter. We have had more baby pigs, some chicks are due to hatch in a couple weeks and a rabbit to have babies too. Saw the prettiest kittens the other day. The lady said they were about 5 weeks old and were a siamese cross. But they looked like white/gray really pretty markings. She said they needed homes and I just might have to have one of them. We have been trying to move two of my spoiled rotten bottle baby pigs, who are 2yrs and 1yr old and 400lb each, over in the regular pig pens because they have out grew theirs. They are'nt liking this idea too well. Some fighting is going on and I guess they just don't want new friends. It's been very cool here the last couple nights and days. We kicked the stove on to get the chill out of the house. I am not ready for winter at all. I am still trying to stock up on things and do what my 81 year old grandma says would be the smart things to do. This whole thing concerns me, but I know we will be okay. I have some apples put up and still working on more of those. The persimmons are starting to fall and they are about ready. Not too many people around here really use them. I did find a couple ladies where I use to work, that were thrilled to get them after years of not knowing where any were to get. I should get a hold of them and see if they need any more. I like persimmon cookies and my grandma likes her pudding and she makes a roll from them. How is corn crops your way? Around here they aren't so good. At first you think they are, but if you walk into the field and you can see the small, curled , discolored grain , on the ears. My chickens are still laying and I am suppose to go to my other grandma's to get her hens. She does not want them for the winter. The kids have gifted classes today after school and I have to pick them up at 5pm. Justin's boy scout troop is going on a 6 mile hike this saturday. Maranda's girl scouts are selling nuts, candy and magazines. Then the kids brought home a school fund raiser. The schoolwasdamaged by rain last year and they need to replace the library books and such. I still have my nephew Curtis and he is repeating more things everyday. He was singing the other day and that was so cute. He is 2 now and just a dandy. Michael and I and Curtis went to McDonalds today and had lunch. He liked that and got a train in his happy meal that he calls a choo choo. I need to go for now and I promise to check back in soon. Phyllis

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

mmmmm...persimmon pudding....will it hurt my computer if I drool on the keyboard? :)

I've still been as busy as a one-legged woman in a butt-kicking contest. I took a hard look at all of my commitments and starting cutting things out, so if I can just get through this week things should be a lot better. I was sewing like a madwoman again, trying to make up a bunch of polarfleece wraps to sell at Pagan Pride Day on the 29th when I realized that I was not having fun. Sewing is supposed to be a hobby, not another source of stress. It's not like the fabric is going to rot if I don't use it up, I can take my time making the capes and have fun doing it and sell them next year. I also announced that I will be stepping down as Spokesperson for our local Pagan interfaith council as of our October business meeting and now I feel like a huge weight has been taken off of my shoulders. Massage school is going well, it's more like play than work and I really hate to come back to my "real" job when the weekend is over.

It is absolutely beautiful here today. Slightly cool and crisp, a nice breeze blowing, sunny, and the beginnings of fall color against a bright blue sky. I wish that I could put it in a mason jar and save it for one of those gloomy March days.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

Marcia, No you aren't being nosy!!!!!!! LOL I've never been married and moving our stuff together, then sleeping in a bed I've only had to myself is weird, then he has several children and having the kids over every other weekend when there's usually no kids around is a BIG adjustment for me!!!!!! I do love being married hope it doesn't sound like I don't!!!!! It's great having help around the place where there was very little before. My father has a bad heart condition so he does very little, now Mike helps and is loving every minute of it. He had no desires to live like I do but left countryside and backwoods home around and then he got hooked!!!!

Sandy

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

Here I am, that menopausal women. How are you? Man I heard a Dr. say that one minute of anger lowers your immune system for 6 hours, while one second of real laughter can increase the workings of your immune system for 24 hours. Is that something or what?

So hey EARthMama EveryBody, lets go over to Pedro's! You are right Aunty Em, that's exactly what we all need. Man, I wish we could all get together, I have been thinking that perhaps I should get out and meet some people around here. Well I dropped coffee and am drinking my herbs, am gonna have to start living the life that I envision! Ain't ,~ ain't is too a word you know what it means don't you!? ~ anyhows I might not be spelling it right, but if it's not a word , then that doesn't matter does it!!!!!!!!!!Ha!~anyhow's aint it cool that it me life and the world, all get to go thru the change together!~ Time to go watch the sunrise, you all have a good day. Love TRen

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Goodmorning all, I have the kids off to school and Curtis is here all bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. The sun is shining bright today, a nice change from the cloudy days we have been having around here. It's catch and load pigs day, to sale at the local sale barn. Pigs are down and Michael has been holding off on selling them, but they are getting bigger than the ideal weight for feeder pigs and we are getting too many. So sale them!

The Kittens are curled up on the porch with one of the dogs, with the sun shining on them. Such togetherness now, but when all are awake, if the chance arises the dog will be chasing them. The geese honked at the children as they walked down the lane to catch the bus, the roosters are crowing and the rabbits are running circles in their cages. They have been doing that on these cool mornings. I think they just feel good and getting their exercise. Our inside cat Patches, is still curled up in the blankets on Maranda's bed. She says she is not getting up out of her warm spot just yet! Have a nice day to all! Phyllis

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Anyone heard from Polly?

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Phyllis...you "paint" such a pastoral scene I felt myself relaxing just reading your post! Thank You!!

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Isn't Polly off visiting Sharon? And then her daughter's fiance maybe? Or did I get that wrong?

I'm off for the weekend again. Someone please start the Sunday chat when Sunday rolls around. We are having BEAUTIFUL weather here, cool, but sunny and pleasant! :-D

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2001

Earthmama, did you sell your farm yet? There's a post over on CS today from a fellow looking for land in northern Wisconsin or Minnesota.

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

No, its still for sale, but this fella sounds like he just wants a little land, and I really don't want to break the farm up if I can help it. And my land definitely doesnt perk well! It's farmland, not too great for development/ lots of septics! Thanks for thinkin of me!

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

Here's one for you....I have been trying to set up the bunkhouse for myself (to stay out of Mr. S's hair in our tiny house since he's studying a lot this quarter) plus have a place for folks to stay overnight or longer when they come to visit. It's been a fun, but challenging, project since I have very limited money to spend on furnishings, etc.

Yesterday, Mom and I went on a "cruise" to St. Vincent de Paul and found (almost offhandedly) *exactly* what I needed!!! I had been looking for a fold-out foam loveseat-sized sofa-bed. I had figured if I found one, it would be too expensive....wrong! This was $20!!! I figured if I found one that I could afford it would be the wrong colors, etc... Wrong! This one was a green and cream ticking stripe! And in really good shape! It was amazing to find something that worked out so well!

Sometimes when I feel depressed (you may have read my self-pitying earlier post) I wonder if things can ever get better. Then I get an experience like this! Also, I could pick the sofa up by myself (almost...78-year-old Mom helped) and it fit in the back of the Volvo... Mr. S has been driving the truck to school, so I get the car.) It fit just great, and I'm really happy!

Mom also got a certain type of beverage glass that she has been looking for, plus grapefruit spoons (serrated edges) that she has been looking for forever, too. It was a great shopping day!

Just thought I'd share! What a bonus.

-- Anonymous, September 29, 2001