This past Tuesday I hosted a all day photography class at my house. For years I have been wanting to take an adult ed. class. However, night classes just did not work for me with two young children. I heard of a young man who previously taught classes so I looked him up on facebook and him an e-mailed him and a few months later we made it happen. 
It was VERY informational and we put our newly acquired skills into action photographing fruit, plants, rocks, and each other. I was amazed at how much we did not know about our cameras.
We had fun too! Now it is just a matter of putting all we learned into action.
Last weekend my neighbor, her children & grandchildren came over for some winter time fun.
Rona & Callie
Me & CB
Brother & Sister skating....love this pic!
MM
FG
This Christmas my AMAZING co-workers came together to help someone in need from my community. This morning we made a special delivery of clothing, blankets, towels, lanterns, batteries, flashlights, towels, paper goods, a Coleman stove, fuel, lanterns, canned goods and SO much more! This someone is the man that my farmer friend and I have been delivering food to weekly for over 6+ months now. Most recently we have connected him with a local food bank which has greatly eased the amount of food we have to come up with ourselves. I first posted about him here and again here if you are interested in reading a little history of how I got involved in this adventure.
When we first arrived he did not appear to be home. Knowing he could not be far I unloaded all the goods in his front yard. As we started to take off he appeared from behind his house. He was gathering branches for his fire. The smile on his face when he saw all the supplies was PRICELESS! I just want to THANK all that were involved in this RANDOM ACT of KINDNESS! I could not have pulled this off with you, MUCH APPRECIATED!
Dear Kim,
The other day one of my co-workers told me to feel her skin. I couldn't believe my senses. Her arms truly felt like a babies bottom. Then she divulged her secret. Every night she has been lathering up with a mixture of sugar & olive oil. I then proceeded to show her my cracking heels from my darn flip flops and she convinced me that along with a pumice stone I'd surely be cured. After a little bit of googling (have I told you lately how much I LOVE the Internet) I gave it a try. No measuring I would approximate I use 2 parts sugar and one part oil. Guess what.....my skin is getting softer and I NO longer have cracks in my heels. I'm CURED! Woooo hoooo, no expensive products or pedicures. She's my kind of lady! I now faithfully do this a few times a week. After I am done lounging in the bath I apply and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Maine Man even participates applying it on my back. Before long I'll have him doing it ;)
Years ago Maine Man used to go out scouting riverbeds and stream banks in search of ostrich ferns and return with grain bags overflowing with fiddleheads ready for resale. Back then (15 or so years ago) I really never gave it much thought. I'd cook up a meal or two and the rest he'd sell. Since becoming a foodie, a couple years ago I have BEGGED him to bring me out. Then I mentioned to a friend I wanted to go and THANFULLY he called this weekend and took us out.......I was beyond excited!
Here he points out what NOT to pick, the red ferns. To the right of that are the real deal. Couldn't he be a hand model? ;) Or if you are a sicko nurses like MM & I all you think of when you see hands like that is....nice veins....I could so slip an 18 gauge in that.
These furry little ferns are another example of what NOT to pick.
We picked about 3 gallons. A few meals for us and a few to give away. I'd like to go out at least one more time before the seasons ends to gather some for pickling. I will post about it if I am successful. In past years I have froze some but I was not happy with how they held up. They seemed to get frostbite easily. 
Squeeze em'
I always have lots of volunteers around
~We use equal parts lemon juice to sugar
You just NEVER know what your kids will do when they visit Achorn Farm!
" Sometimes people come in to your life and you know right away that they were meant to be....to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but when you look eyes with them, you know that every moment that you are with them, they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful, or unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential strength, will power or heart."
It all started in the summer of 08'. A predator killed one of our ducks and I stopped by his house to see if he had a duck to sell as a companion for the sole duck I had left.
I never ended up getting a duck there but we ran into one another a few times in between. In the summer of 09' he studded out his boar so we could breed our sows. We did not get many piglets in was a great experience. 
He was discharged this past Saturday and I brought him home. We surprised his wife, it was awesome! I was privileged to witness them reunite. Every day he reminds of how grateful he is for the simple things: cooking his wife breakfast, watching the news with her,and just being able to sit around and chat with her.
We just returned from a doctors appointment and he has another in the morning followed by another and another and another. Regardless I'm in it for the long haul. Just thankful to have this old man in my life! My grandfather passed a few years back and this man fills that void in my life. I am also thankful for Maine Man who steps in when I'm at work. Lastly, I am thankful that my children have been a part of this evolving relationship. 
On Monday I will be closing in on my 3rd year of blogging. When I first started I really wasn't sure how far this may go or what it may turn into. To date this blog has had a total of 28,718 visits averaging between 100-200/day closer to 200/day lately and I currently have 141 followers. Not sure exactly why.....I'm truly not a writer. My high school grammar teacher would probably cringe at the sight of my punctuation and grammar. Maybe it is the critters or Maine Man?
