New CSA

We're a good bit of the way through the harvesting season with our new CSA and I have to say that I like it. It is just as handy as I imagined to have our pick-up location down the street, instead of 45 minutes away, and kind of fun to meet neighbors there who also happen to have a share. I didn't count on the community interaction bit, kind of a fun bonus.

I do miss going up to an actual farm. It was a great built-in break that we had going and I feel like we've removed ourselves a little bit from the food-land connection. There was one scheduled members day when our new CSA invited everyone to come up for a picnic and help pull garlic and then go for a dip in the creek. Have to make sure to plan on going next year. I am an organization klutz and through a lot of fumbling we managed to miss it this time around. Am still kicking myself  although this morning I found out there is a special autumn farm festival scheduled for September when we can maybe make up the difference! Hooray!

Since there's such a small actual farm connection to speak of via our CSA this year, I find that I'm seeking out chances to go to drive out to the country for other things: caterpillar hunting, listening to the frogs sing, rural estate sales, buying farm milk, picking up local meat...etc. Kind of fun to mix it up anyhow.

So, the time savings is great, the produce is great, the community connection is fun and over-all I think we made a fine trade. You never quite know when you make this kind of a gamble and switch everything up, but this time it worked out.

I Do Love A Fair....

We took a coupla years off, but we finally made it back to a country fair. I consider the fair (and by the fair, I do mean...whatever fair I can get myself to in short order!) to be a quintessential part of summer. It doesn't feel like we can let the golden days go and feel that we've really had September without a night on the midway, a twirl on the ferris wheel and a good long stroll through the exhibit barns.

I love the fair because it seems like such a tall order seasonal tribute, everybody's best produce arrayed in proud rows, pies brimming with fruit, and all the livestock fed to the gills and curried within an inch of their lives. The best of the summer, yea the year...all arranged in rows and barns and heaps for our vicarious, positive group think enjoyment. Makes me very happy.

Then there's the bit about how it is a celebration of many of the ideals I hold dearest: do-it-yourself chutzpa, artistry, salt-of-the-earth goodness, homespun pride, old fashioned plummy fabulousness. It makes me want to go home and can loads of things, really buckle down and learn quilting, reel my clothesline in and out a few times just for the shear pleasure and sit sighing down amongst a stack of dreamy someday hopes that have to do with embroidery, handmade baby clothes and finally knitting a sweater myself.

The boys couldn't remember going to fair (its been two years) and so they were asking on the way over and over, what exactly was it we were going to see? Was it like a circus? Is it a store? Will it be like the zoo? They were racking their brains for anything comparable and trying to be that this wasn't some ugly mommy trick to haul them into a place where you sit still for long periods of time.

I am happy to report however, that we all enjoyed ourselves, even little Nib who made fabulous milage out of his sunny grin with pretty much every passing farm wife. My personal favorite part of the fair this year was my own solo trip up the ferris wheel as the sun was beginning to set over the rolling Connecticut fields. There could be very few deeper pleasures in the mommy life. Such a lovely run, round and round the big wheel, swooshing along smoothly, peaking over the green fields and clicking my camera at the dizzy blur of lights and color over the rolling landscape and waving down at shining little boy faces.

Dear Farm, Goodbye....

Our dear little farm where we go to pick veggies and fruit is suddenly far away. There are downsides to moving. Its far away and unfortunately in the wrong direction. This year it is has honestly been painful and then more painful trying to get up there to collect our share. I think this may be our last round in the roster.

We need a new CSA! We're in a new place and honestly, the options are suddenly way more diverse and numerous than they were two years ago when I was trying to find our first share. You can't lose with more options. I love the fact that our farm requires us to go up the farm to collect our share and has no delivery, but frankly, as a mother of three with one car its a little insane to have to run up there every week. And although its meant to be enforced time in nature it often becomes harried, manic, "Run run run!!!!" time on a farm where the kids don't get out of the car and I madly throw vegetables into our sack and then dash back behind the wheel and peel out of the drive on my way to go collect A while everyone wails in unison. It could be better.

I love this little magnet on the cooler at the farm. Gotta figure out where to get one.

Local drop off doesn't sound so terrible. It would mean I'd drive .4 miles down the street and pick up a pre-sorted, ready loaded box of goods fresh from our farm. That could be handy. Plus, then I'd have the time to swing by the farmer's market if I wanted and we could always drive up to pick up milk or eggs if we felt rambly and wanted to go for a drive. Right? Maybe there are even good places to drive to over this direction that won't be directly opposite wherever I need to be next. (Do I sound like I'm trying to talk myself into this?)

Sungold cherries...one of my favorite tomatoes in the world.

G, suddenly distressed and immobilized by the fact that he was in tall grass.

So, yes....Farm, its been sweet. Very sweet. We've mosied all over your velvet fields and wandered zig-zags across your dirt lanes, but our time may be over. Time to let our slot go to a another family who will love it well the way we did. Everything, even farms themselves, have their season. I know that's the right thing to do, but somehow I'm still very sad. I loved last summer at the farm and I'm so sad to let it go and step into the new thing, but I know that good surprises are only found by opening your hands and letting go of the old and who knows what great new experiences are waiting for us at a new CSA.Yesterday I put us on the waiting list at this sweet little venture. And now we wait and see....

Is This Our House?

This could possibly be the place. We'll have to see. We spent our date night tonight, touring the house one more time together and talking, talking, talking about all the options and cons and pros and possibilities. We're now considering putting in an offer. I expect we'll decide to do something one direction or another before we leave on Friday for our week in California.

What's it got going for it?

• Its old (built in 1920) but not so old that it makes A cringe
• It has stone, wood and stucco materials (all of which make us happy)
• Its in a pretty neighborhood
• Its a great commuter house
• It has a back garden and comes with lots of cool flowers tucked here and there (hydrangea, roses, lilacs, irises, lily-of-the-valley, sedum, peonies...etc.etc.)
• It has a clothesline!
• Slate roof (makes my heart go pitter-pat)
• Is in the same town as Nutmeg and our babysitter
• Walking distance to the grocery, Starbucks, the library, the post office, area parks, and lots more
• Nice wide sidewalks for family rambles in the evening
• Sun and shade for gardening
• Two car garage
• Full basement
• 5 bedrooms and 4 baths
• A full apartment on the top story with separate entry and a lovely quiet tenant who wants to stay (we're checking out the legality of the arrangement)
• A paved drive
• Nice neighbors
• Lots of windows and light
• Two fireplaces
• Hardwood floors
• A pantry

The surprises? Its in the city. I never imagined I'd be seriously considering an urban house but its far more alluring than I thought it would be. The yard is only a third of an acre, not the half an acre I imagined would be our bottom line. We'll see how it all falls out but, at this point it looks like we may try to throw a low-ball offer and see what the owners do. If we can swing it at that price we'll be getting a steal with lots of lovely bonuses (as you can see from the above "short version" of the list).

We will have to see how sleeping on it feels tonight. Pray, advise and throw your two cents our way! What do you think?

Yulia's Fall

 I model "Yulia Tymoshenko hair" in Dee's 3 mo. photo shoot

I am only slightly informed about international politics but, I do pay a small amount of attention to Russia. I have to admit Putin makes me nervous. I am worried that he's on a track Russian leaders have tread before...expansionism, authoritarian rule and an ever tightening vise grip. Not my favorite.

So, when a fellow blond with a trademark gorgeous hairdo stepped up to the plate and challenged the people to revolt against corruption and stands against the machine Putin has put into motion...I noticed. I remember when Yulia Tymoshenko co-led the Orange Revolution and I heard about the people pouring into the streets of the Ukraine in orange clothing, full of determination and courage and I was totally inspired and felt like there was hope for Eastern Europe. I truly believe the only way that part of the world will ever rise again and achieve a healthy success is if the people stand against corruption and are strong enough to demand something better. 


And then Yulia rose through the ranks from wealthy revolutionary to prime minister to President of the country. I was so excited and remember how cool it was to see her on Forbes Magazine's list of "The World's Most Powerful Women" (she was third in rank...after Condaleeza Rice and Wu Yi, China's Vice Premier, minister of health). A woman of beauty, spunk and brilliance who was making a difference, standing for good in the face of turmoil way over there on the other side of the world. 


Today she and her cabinet were sacked, legally or not...its not quite clear. There was a vote for the latest presidental elections and her opposition claims he won. Yulia's people are crying foul and asking for re-votes and investigations but it isn't clear that they'll get it. As of now it looks like she'll step down as the country's leader with her fist raised and continue to lead the opposition in the country. Those who aren't happy with Russian alliance, with old ways or with heavy industrialization and will try to check the powerful advances of the newly elected government. I feel for her...it must be really scary to be stepping down and handing everything you've accomplished, all your striving to join the EU, all the economic work, all the Putin criticism off and see someone you disagree with strongly take over the future of your country.

I wish her luck...and may God strengthen the will and courage of the people of the Ukraine, whomever rules.