blueberries and building

I'm a bit behind here. Andy has started back at school teaching and tutoring and Miryam started preschool this week so lots has fallen on me day-to-day which leaves little time for blogging. I have been thinking about homeschooling Miryam because the private progressive school are so amazingly expensive and because it would fit our lifestyle well, but it seems that all of her friends are now in school (some of them full days even) and so she is lacking for play friends. The local school has a 2.5 hour 4 days a week preschool that we could afford and we felt like that is a good middle ground for us. It is play-based which is important to me - if anything children need to play more not less - and they play outside except in the most extremes of weather. So ideally I'll take Miryam into school in the morning, bring Éamonn home for a nap and have an hour and a half or so to myself 4 days a week. I'd like to use some of that time for staying up to date with this little blog here but also for sewing and working on the Herbal Medicine for Women course that I have been slowly working through this past year. This week, however I have been spending that time cleaning, washing dishes and now trying to figure out what to do with a bin full of dirty cloth diapers and a broken washing machine. eek.


In any case...several weeks ago we went blueberry picking. Grandma, mama, papa and the kiddies. Many blueberries were consumed, 17 pounds were picked and locally made blueberry icecream was enjoyed.


We froze half and used the rest for jam (14 half pints) though I wasn't terribly pleased with it. I made it with a friend who wanted to go with the no-sugar pectin so it is just sweetened with honey but the texture is not my favorite and it just doesn't taste the way I want it to. Not bad at all just not perfect. I worry that I am just being crazy about it because I like to do things the old-fashioned traditional way but this no-sugar pectin just isn't my cup of tea. Ah well. Live and learn. This summer has been a great lesson for me in preparing and storing foods - I'm sure next year will be even better.


We also spent a weekend while Andy's mom was visiting to make a bean bag toss...thingy for our friend Max who was turning 3. It's hard to see from the pictures but each hole is ringed with light green paint. The back legs are on a hinge so the can fold up or fold out to any angle your want to make it harder or easier. We delivered it and Miryam and Max had a great time trying it out. I loved it so much that I think we'll make another for us in the spring.