June In Review

I guess I've been too busy to blog....but we really do want to document the happenings of the family and farm, so here is June 2010 in review:

I made up a rhyme last year to remember when the day-lillies bloom...it goes like this "First week of June, the day-lilies bloom" Sure enough, as I looked for these orange lilies that grow along the roadside, in the ditches, I saw them bloom, just at the right time.


This month we have continued to enjoy the garden. We have spent many hours pulling weeds, mulching and picking things like swiss chard, garlic, onions, peas, carrots, green beans, cabbage, herbs like cilantro and dill.Our potted fig trees are producing tiny figs! I can't wait for them to ripen...I love fresh figs!

Farmer's Market in Nelson continues to be profitable, but we are re-organizing. We are training the children to bake and sell the products and in return they will each get a percentage of the profits. They worked hard this week, but were well rewarded, as the market was very busy... we sold out before 10:00 am!


We continue to milk our Jersey Holly and train her little calf Gingersnap. Holly definitely likes giving Ginger milk more than us, but we're working things out!



If left to my own "flesh" I would neglect my relationships and work all the time....so this year I have purposed to relax more....laugh more...bite my tongue more...nurture relationships so these too will grow, as our farm grows. We have enjoyed swimmming with friends and family often. Almost every Sunday we gather for an afternoon of great fun! Then men and kids play rough games like water-rugby while the ladies have fun talking.
While driving into Charlottesville one evening I saw the most peculiar thing. People were just sitting on thier porches! I realized that we never just "sit"! I want to be able to sit on my porch, knowing that the day of work is done! So, we are spending time "sitting" this summer!

We suffered a tragedy in our family this month. Our niece Misty died suddenly on June 23. She was 25. It is hard to convince people that we have a kind, all-powerful and loving God during times like this. It is hard for me to accept that God did not "jump in and save the day" in Misty's situation. I have no answers. But, I know God is real. I know He loves us beyond measure. I trust in him.



Now it is July. The world continues to turn, even when we think it should stop and grieve with us. My nature memory for July is that by Independence Day, the wild blackberries are ripe...we have had an exceptionally hot month, so when I went to check the berries I wasn't surprised to see that they were at peak of ripeness. We have 300 acres of logged-property behind our property. All along the edges of the logging roads, the wild blackberries grow. Needless to say we have been picking picking and picking...Dennis is requiring the kids to collect 1/2 gallon each day...today they took a break, but Dennis and I picked about 2 gallons ourselves! Jelly, cobblers, freezer for winter!

I'm not sure that anyone reads our blog, but that's ok. I am thankful that my children like to take photos. I have never been a good family-historian, so this is a way to record our "history". It is really for the Dennis and Michele Bessette family...but if anyone out there does read it, I hope to bless them too!