Fall Photo Shoot

 Today was a perfect day for our annual fall photo shoot!  

The kids decided to change our route for the walking photo to the road east of our house.  It actually worked out very well with their shadows.  Callie joined us, too.

And then I took a few more . . . .

What's a walk to the creek without wrestling?

Whirlwind Wedding Weekend (and a birthday!)

Whew!  What a weekend!  

It was just decided a week prior that harvest and the stars and everything else that had to align were doing just that and we would be able to attend David's cousin's wedding in Minneapolis.  

There was just one little snag.  

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but we have 4 kids!  Usually that isn't a problem, but once in awhile it presents a little bit of a challenge!  (For example, when we are invited to an adults-only wedding several hours from home.)  But, with many, many thanks to our friends and my sister, we were able to divide boys and girls for the weekend and make it all work. 

We fit a whole lot of fun into a little bit of time!

Here we are at the reception, enjoying wine, hors d'oeuvres, and our little mid-harvest break!

David with his cousins Josh and Jordan

Since last year in Breckenridge, the Melius cousins have mastered the art of stuffing as many of us as possible in a photo booth.  Mission accomplished once again.

Here are all of us (spread out just a bit more), with the beautiful couple, Michael and Kate!

After we returned home and before harvest could reconvene, we had a birthday to celebrate!  Dad's 37th birthday to be exact!

Landen bought this table top golf game for his dad.

Teresa photographed some of his cards for us.  When you start to get OLD, you get some pretty funny cards.  :)

We ended the celebration with a delicious supper, made by my mom.  (Really if I hadn't been fortunate enough for the weekend, the icing on the cake was returning home and having people in my kitchen making apple crisp with a lasagna and coleslaw in the fridge!)  David's parents were able to join us, too.  Yay--instant birthday supper!

We are thankful for our friends, family, birthdays and for the harvest we have returned home to!

There's nothing left to say but the obvious. 

God is good!

Hitchhikers

Remember this lovable little kitten?

As it turns out, she loves to travel.

And she's not the only one.

About a week after we adopted our three kittens, the orange and striped one disappeared.  They had stuck pretty close together all week, and our neighbors hadn't seen them, so I assumed they had either wandered away or were eaten by the same wild animal.

A couple of days later, I returned home to a message that they had shown up in town 2 miles away!  Although it is understood by our kids that farm cats come and go, we were still happy to have them back.  At first I thought they had walked into town, but then I realized that they must have hitched a ride under the van the day they went missing.

Last Sunday, we returned home from church to another call.  This striped kitten had shown up at another nice lady's house and again had spent the night in town.  Truth be told, she had stumbled onto what sounded like THE Cat's Meow of homes, but that nice owner already had enough cats and so this one had to be returned to our farm.

All had been well this week.  All cats and kittens were present and accounted for.  I even saw this one enjoying a tasty mouse yesterday.  Way to go!  

One of our mama cats had had kittens in a barrel several weeks ago and the kids finally let them out since Mama Cat didn't seem too interested in doing it herself.  They had been playing with them and taming them down.

This morning Rachel and I did a little grocery shopping in Faulkton (20 miles away).  After I left the store, I decided to stop at the animal feed elevator and pick up some dog and cat food.  I did as I always do, pulled up to the door, told the man what I needed, and he carried it out to the van for me.  I don't usually buy cat food, so I told him that we had recently adopted some cats.

Then he asked, "Do you have a cat in there now?"

"No," I laughed. I hope not!"

We both thought it must have been a toy in the van and dismissed it.

Until I backed away and the meowing got louder.

He flagged me down.

Oh, no.  I DID have a cat in there!

I stopped, popped the hood and there--right under the hood and scared as can be--was one of those kittens from the barrel!  It was so freaked out, it bit the guy (which I still feel terrible about)!  Showing much more compassion than I would have in that situation, he went across the street, got a cat carrier, and I took that terrified little thing back home in my front seat.

I really hope this kitten hitchhiking is over now.

At least we know one thing.

They always find their way back to us.

I have a feeling this batch of kittens may be staying around for a long while.

No photographic evidence

We had a great last weekend in September, but unfortunately, I have no photographic evidence to share. :)
We were able to take a break from harvest on Saturday evening to go to a Point of Grace concert in Watertown.  It was held in conjunction with the State Right to Life Convention.  This was my third time seeing Point of Grace in concert.  They were one of David and my my favorite Christian bands in their early years (our high school and college days), and their early songs bring back memories for both of us of driving in our cars and cranking up the music.  (Mine was a tape; David was further ahead in technology and listened to his on CD.) :)  They are still making music together and it was a great concert and night out together!


Yesterday my sister and her fiancé came out to take their engagement pictures.  Again, I cannot share any of these amazing photos until they make them public.  It was my first time photographing adults.  Wow--it was so much easier than children!


And, now, it is time to get this Monday started!


Have a great day!

Zucchini Bread

You already know that zucchini and I have a complicated relationship.
Well, maybe it's not all that complicated.  I like zucchini, just not 100 at a time.  One or two a year is fine with me.  The good thing about that is that it's always easy to find one or two (although sometimes difficult to convince those sharing that it's ALL I want). :)
Zucchini is interesting because it tastes like . . . nothing.  (Rachel was disappointed to find out that it does NOT taste like a cucumber.)  That makes it easy to hide in all sorts of things, and especially baked goods.  Even though it doesn't taste like much, it does add moisture to everything.  It's one of those ingredients I look forward to in the fall.

Here's one of my favorite zucchini recipes from my mom.

Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup oil

3 cups grated zucchini

1 cup nuts (optional)

Sift together salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder and flour.  Beat eggs until light.  Add sugar and vanilla, oil, and mix well. Stir in grated zucchini. Add dry ingredients and blend.  Stir in nuts if desired.  Pour in 2 floured and greased bread pans or a greased and floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.  Cool before slicing.