Working

I'm blogging less, and I've decided it's because I'm working. I've been working at this afterschool program for kids since August, 2015, so it's not a new thing. But gradually ... it's affected my blogging. My mind used to hover over our home life like a dragonfly, always looking for things to tell you about, always thinking and assessing matters. Now my mind spends a lot of time evaluating how much my legs hurt today, what I have to prepare for the kids at work today, how much time I have before I have to leave for work, and am I relaxing enough before I do so I'll have the energy. After work ... I come home and konk out.
Mornings are my fun time!

Adam gets an early start to maximize his mornings before naptime. He's nearly finished this roofing job. It's such a sad-looking, plain-Jane building right now, but I do have hopes for it. We will paint the exterior something very happy. Today I continued hacking back the weed trees and vines around it. I removed the horrible canna lilies in front and put in some elephant ears and daffodil bulbs.
There's a little chimney stack on the back that Adam's flashing today. Someday I picture this as an adorable little cottage with shutters on the two windows, and maybe a tiny porch on that front, and a little woodburner inside (using that chimney). Cozy with soft chairs and a day bed. I don't know that we'll ever be able to run water out there, but if we did, wouldn't that be delightful? A tiny kitchen! A teeny-tiny bath! One can dream.

 Just like last year, our squatty crabapple tree is blooming just before the first frost.
Silly tree.

 This is my tarragon in the herb bed. I read that it's quite hardy through winter here, so in the ground it will stay.

 In the photo below, the cinnamon basil is in the back (kind of purpley) and is about zapped by cold and ready to give up the ghost. The green in front is the lemonbalm. All summer it's been overshadowed by that basil, but now it will have a few months to recover itself and take over. It's winter-hardy too.

 Some of our prettiest fall color is in the vines on the pecan trees.

In other parts of life, all is well. My biopsy at the surgeon's came back as a harmless lipoma, and I don't need to remove it unless it becomes unsightly or uncomfortable. Adam is doing fine and working harder than ever. Our church is doing well lately. We've had several new couples begin to attend regularly in the past 6 months to a year, and that's both a joy and an encouragement. This week I completed all the onerous steps to getting Julia admitted to UNC Asheville for next fall. She knows a few people there, so has chosen that school. She hopes to be an art major (no surprise).

I still teach my ladies' Bible study each Monday morning. Adam and I enjoy our weekly date to Aggie's, the local burger/sandwich place in town. Philip and Kara are coming for Christmas, which delights my heart! And Peter and Shani (who are engaged -- I put that on Facebook -- did I share it here as well? -- well, now you know!!) are coming too, which will be fabulous! A houseful, and I will have a full heart also. I have a Facebook Messenger chat with Anna about once a week to catch up with her life. Aside from burning her feet really badly with a hot water bottle a couple of weeks ago, she is doing very well. Considering she moved alone to a faraway culture, started a new career, and found herself an apartment ... I'm very proud of all she's done. I don't think most people could have done it with such apparent ease. She's a pretty amazing girl.

A scattered post, and some of this news is mostly designed for family who read here, and with whom I don't keep in good contact.  Frankly, I don't seem to do anything different, i.e. "photo-worthy," these days. I toodle around the farm, watch Adam work, collect eggs, tidy the house, work with children each day, and crash in the evenings. Any of you living on a hamster wheel too?