E is for...

ENTERTAINER.  Not as in "I need to be the center of attention" type of entertainer.  I love to have guests over.  To make people feel comfortable in my home and make sure they have a good time.  We haven't done much entertaining recently because of house stuff but I'm hoping to do more in the future.
ECLECTIC.  My life is a jumble of this and that.  Nothing matches and I love it.  It was so odd a few years ago when we got a new dining room table and chairs to have them all match.   We've got a mix of old and new furniture, different styles and different cultures but it works for me.  Even my wardrobe is rather eclectic. I've got different styles of clothing and mixing and matching can be fun.  Even my interests are varied. From science fiction to making cheese, the library (and my brain) holds much information.
ENERGETIC.  I mostly have lots of energy.  Not always... there are times I am really, really fried and tired but I generally ignore them and just keep going... I don't have time for that.  Of course, this tends to lead to problems when I crash and burn but fortunately, those times are few and far between.
EMPATHETIC.  I like to think I'm pretty compassionate and able to connect with how people are feeling.

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS.  We recycled before recycling was cool and I have tried to live as lightly on the land as I could.  I have tried to teach my children responsibility for the earth and how to care for themselves in the process.
ENTHUSIASTIC.  This kind of goes along with the energetic piece. Once I get into something I'm energized to see it through.
EMOTIONAL. Yup, I can easily be brought to tears... sometimes over stupid stuff.

I'm feeling like this post is a bit scattered but I've got to get off to work.  Have a great day.

Lift off!

Image above: An Atlas V rocket with NASA's Juno spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance


I am so jealous of my family.  Not my immediate family here at home, but my parents, sister, brother, niece and nephew  who were able to go see the launch of Juno first hand.  Oh, I'm not jealous of them having to sit through the launch delays but getting to see a launch first hand from the official viewing stands would be something else.   I was able to see one of the Apollo launches live when I was a child.  It was totally awesome!!  I can just hope that there will be more launch invitations in my future. It was disappointing that we couldn't go to this one.
My brother was/is an engineer on one of the instrument packages on the Juno satellite.  A mission to  Jupiter.  How cool is that.
In other news, my student finished her clinical rotation today... another lift off of sorts.  I wish her well.

D is for...

DELIGHTED!!  The first 'real' harvest this year.  Enough tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos for salsa.  Not enough to can but it was really yummy with our burritos for dinner.  Interestingly enough, the black and pineapple tomatoes are ripening first of all the slicing tomatoes.  Also hidden in the bottom of the bucket are three little pattypan squash.  Now that the heat has broken a bit they finally started setting on.  Hooray!!  So we had sauteed squash and onions for dinner as well. Mmmm....
DETERMINED.  Things may not always go my way but I just keep going.  Someday we will have things more under control here.  Maybe when the main renovations are finally done.  We are still trying to finish so many things at once inside that the outside seems out of control.  But someday....
DOG TIRED.  I've been burning the candle at both ends recently.  Working full time out of the home and still trying to keep up with house, garden and animals plus getting ready for guests and party next week is taking its toll.  I work this Saturday as well so things should be getting really interesting.
DISAPPOINTED.

Blight stricken tomatoes speak for themselves. Amazingly enough, it appears as if it has reached an impasse with the plants and most of them are holding their own.  The romas, being the only determinate tomatoes in the garden, look the worst (and sadly, most of them bloomed when it was too hot for the fruit to set on).  The others plants have come back with a vengeance.  I'm hoping that the cooler, drier weather in the forecast will help.  The fruit on the vines are huge and gorgeous!
DISORGANIZED.  Yes, indeed...I have difficulty keeping things organized.  Don't get me wrong, I know where things are, it is just organized chaos.  I do wonder sometimes if the children 'help' with this.  No matter how many times I show the boys where things get put away in the kitchen, they just don't seem to get it.  I've still got stuff stacked here and there in various rooms that aren't yet completed. I will be so glad when this house if finally DONE and everything has a home.
DEDICATED.  To many things.... to my job which I love, even though it takes me from home.  To my family who are the most important thing in the world to me.  To my dream of making this 5 acres into a lovely, productive haven.  To living lightly on the earth.  To being more self sufficient.  To finding peace of mind.

C is for...

 CREATIVE- I love to create things.  I love quilting... I know, I haven't done anything in the past two and a half years- life and construction have been not conducive to having time or space to quilt. I also do some cross stitch on rare occasions.  I have painted in my younger days and I love to take photos (not that I'm professional).  I can crochet but don't really do it.  I have been baffled to date by knitting but I am determined to learn.  One thing I have done in the past and would LOVE to do again is weaving.  I do know how to warp a loom and weave but it's not something I have access to... yet... maybe someday.
CANNER- yup, I do can my own stuff.  Only jam so far this year but I'm hoping for some tomatoes soon.

 CHICKENS!

Micah  gives me the evil eye.  We are still impatiently waiting our first egg.   I think the older girls are about ready but this heat we've been having recently has stressed them.  Now that it seems to be cooling off I'm hopeful...
COMPETENT.  Sometimes I need to remind myself of this but I am quite CAPABLE of many, many things.
CARING.  Enough said.
CONCERNED about many things, the environment, the future, my children, my work, my patients, my garden, the economy, my friends... you name it.
CAPRICIOUS at times.  Given to fits of whimsy.
COOPERATIVE
CHIEF COOK AND BOTTLE WASHER!!
What's your C?

B is for...

BROWN-EYED GIRL.  That's me.  I remember as a child being so embarrassed when people would comment about my eyes.  I also used to have brown hair... now it is a bit silvered.
BEE FRIEND- I've been quite conscious over the two years we've been here to add bee friendly flowers.

I'm also quite cautious about mowing- or not mowing- the meadow to encourage the wildflowers to grow.  I've got a birdbath in the herb/flower garden mostly for the bees.  Next spring we'll add honeybees to our menagerie.
BRAT.  Ok, I'll admit it, I can be a bit difficult at times.  I can be stubborn and willful and I don't always respond well to redirection.
BAKER.  I love to bake.  Bread is one of my favorites. No bread machine for me, I like to get my hands into it.
BARGAIN SHOPPER.  I love getting the deals. I am a very careful shopper and am always on the lookout for bargains.  Not that I will buy something just because it is a good deal, it actually has to be something I can use.  I'm also pleased that J17 has become a pretty good bargain shopper as well, not taken aback by looking at the clearance racks when looking for back to school clothes.

A is for...

 APPRECIATIVE.  I feel so fortunate that we have been able to purchase our acreage and start 'living the dream'.  This has been a rough year, garden-wise so I feel blessed with what we've been able to harvest so far.
ASSERTIVE.  While I can be a pretty quiet person, I also have no trouble speaking my mind when there is something I need or feel strongly about.
ACTIVE.

I tend to be pretty busy and am on my feet a lot.  Life with a full time job out of the house, three children and 5 acres tends to get hectic at times.
AMBITIOUS.  Sometimes too much.  I've thought recently that we have tackled more than we can handle with this place. The house is very slowly coming together but the outside garden and yard seems like a never-ending disaster.  I just can't seem to keep up.  But I do have great ambitions for these 5 acres.
ADAPTABLE.  I am pretty easy to please.  I can generally fit in anywhere and get along with most people- at least on the surface.  I can survive in conditions that many would find objectionable and be perfectly happy.
ADVENTUROUS.  I like trying new things.  Maybe not things like bungee jumping but you just never know...

What A word describes you?

A busy time

Things are hopping here.  Busy, busy, busy!
Work is busy, it is my last week with my student.  My, the last 3 months have flown by.  Our newest employee will be officially starting on Wednesday so that opens the door for me to cut down my work hours soon. Woo Hoo!
We're gearing up for guests and party.  I've really got to get myself in gear. My BIL arrives in 10 days.  EEK!  And the party is on the 13th.
And I'm taking on a few other projects as well.
First, this is the week for the Eat Local challenge from our local food co-op. We do pretty well anyway but we'll be making a special effort this week.  This evening, we had pasta with pesto and sauteed peppers, onions and a few fresh tomatoes. Yummy.
Second, I'm taking part in a challenge of sorts.

Susy at Chiot's Run is hosting Alphabet in August.  So, for every day in August (Sunday's off!) I'll be posting something about myself beginning with the designated letter.  I'm going to try to do some fun photos to go along with it but we'll see how much time I've got to spare.  Just posting every day could be a challenge.  It should be fun and maybe I'll learn something about myself in the process. Join in, the more the merrier.  Tune in tomorrow for the letter A.
I'll also be trying to post a few 'normal' posts- as if I ever post normally!