Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Eve Party with Dear Friends..



 

 

 

 

 

Bo, howling with joy on Christmas morning. It snowed!!! 

 

"The Girls"...going for a romp in the snow on Christmas Day.

 

Mocha and Aiko warm in their holiday best on a freezing Christmas morning.

 

Turning 60 on 12-12-12; A Spectacular Birthday Week!!!

 

I hosted an open house on the evening of my birthday. I think it's the first time I ever threw a party for myself. But turning 60 on 12-12-12 seemed like a good reason to stretch out of my "comfort zone." I was honored to celebrate the occasion with about 45 friends who stopped by. Admittedly, I was somewhat distracted knowing that Cheyenne was in labor. But Mama and baby waited until after the party to need me close by.  

 

Proud Mother and Beautiful Boy born on 12-13-12 at 1:20 in the morning. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present. 

 

Smiling Grandma and Sister share in the joy of this newborn baby's presence.

 



Later that same day, my birthday week exploded into a million sparkling smiles. The kids gave me the most spectacular 60th birthday present I could wish for (and did)....coming together under my roof. All of my children, their partners and their kids were here! We had a wonderful time. We took walks along familiar trails.... 

 

Canyon posed me in the "dry pond" for one of his first snapshots with his new camera (he took the picture above as well).

  

Kids big and small built a variety of structures with lego-blocks.

Paho and Leigh by the tallest tower of the weekend.

Paho and Moriah posing by the same tower (it was a group effort). I remembered this old photograph of big brother and little sister by a tower of wooden blocks in the exact same location many many years ago! 'Looks as if the old structure beats the new one for height and creativity. How is it even standing?

 

We opened gifts from one another.

 

More gifts....

 

And more gifts....

 

Canyon asks Dad to help him learn how to use his new camera.

 

And of course we needed to take a few portraits. Toryn helped out by taking this semi-classic shot.

 

Then we tried something a little different.

 

Which was tons of fun!!!
Thanks Toryn.

 

We set the cameras on top of buckets and crates to get an outdoor shot. We were really having too much fun, even though it was freezing out.

 

On the last morning we hustled a snapshot of "my boys".... 

 

And "my kids"....
As they all readied to leave before the roads got any worse.

My same snow babies 26 years ago. 

After they left, I wandered around in sort of a daze, my heart filled with the joy that a mother can only know when all of her babies are safely fed and sleeping under her roof at one time. I found this message left behind in the snow on the picnic table. So sweet. Such a spectacular birthday week!

 

October 2012: Orina's Apple Juice Factory

First, the apples survive the spring frosts, are watered and nurtured, and grow to perfection.

 

Then they are harvested by the bucket loads (it takes about a five gallon bucketful to produce 7 quarts of juice by the Orina-method).

 

Jars are washed and kept hot in steaming water. Apples are lightly scrubbed 16 quarts at a time.

 

Every apple is cut into quarters or sixths.

 

And then run through the K&K grinder, producing sweet juicy pulp.

 

I plop the pulp into cheese cloth spread open in a large colander. 

 

Then I fold the cheesecloth over the pulp.

 

Just so.

 



I set a 16 quart solid stainless bowl over the pulp and strainer on top of my 40 quart stainless steel stock pot (a treasure in my gardening world!).

 

Then I step up into the solid stainless bowl, providing 140+ pounds of pressure to press the juice. 

 

I merrily dance the juice from the pulp as the canning pot heats up to receive the goods.

 

The dry pulp goes into the bucket to be added to compost for next year's crop.

 

The juice is heated to a scald, not being allowed to boil. But almost. Then the froth will be skimmed from the top.

 

The hot juice is poured into warm clean jars, which will be carefully placed into the canning pot.

 

Seven quarts at a time, the juice will be processed just long enough to produce a safe and yummy stash.

 

21 more jars (three batches) added to the bounty. The somewhat primitive but efficient and tasty Orina-method of apple juice production brings a smile to my face.

 

October 21st- 263 Attempts to Get Bo in the Mood for a Holiday Photo!

Yes, there were 263 pictures taken before there was one that was just right for the 2012 Holiday card.
Bo: "But I don't want to get my picture taken!"
Me: "It's not an option, Bo. Now get in here and smile with me and the girls."

 

Bo: "It's so boring! Can't I go now?"
Me: "Just try to look happy, okay?"

 

Me: "Playing dead is not going to get you out of this Bo!"

Bo: "Somebody help! She's choking me! I'm going to die!"
Me: "If you just sit still and smile for the camera, it will only take a minute! But if you keep fussing, we'll be here all day."

 

"Okay. How's this?"
"Much better."

 

Bingo! We got it, apples and all!
Happy Holidays from Orina, Bo, Aiko, and Mocha