Washed Scarves, Ready for Cooler Weather.

Most of these lovely scarves were gifts from my dear sister-in-law or I purchased them in Tehran or Isfahan. The top one is a bird scarf that Sorour sent home with Manochehr, after my father-in-law passed; I will always keep that one. The next one Sorour gave me also, it was one of her own, and the next one also I think. The others I bought either in Iran or here. Even though I don't have to wear them, I love to collect them; they recall people and places, in addition to keeping me warm.

Disgruntled

I encountered this happy fellow going home, on Baseline Rd. 

More Apples...in fact All the Apples!

Charlie is voted the BEST worker - staying with it to the bitter end.

Brenda, Charlie and Jane - with a 'bushel' of apples.

Hazel hung out in the grass, communing with nature, while we picked. 

She was amazingly patient and happy! She must love apples too!

Ezra 

Henry the wide-eyed baby and Jane hanging on the deck.

Isa and Scarlet chillaxing on the deck also - waiting for ....what else? Apple Cobbler!

Sarra, Hazel and Brenda...Brenda came in first for peeling and cutting - approximately 24 apples or so!

Apples

So many apples...but they are yummy! 

They're ready to be picked as evidenced by the apples on the ground.

What would really make this apple tree special, is having the children hanging on every limb:)

Fruit

Sarra's big beautiful plum tree - full of ripe and delicious plums. The amount of  plums is actually scary.

Applesauce from the apples on my tree - also a scary amount of big green apples -

 they are really crisp and delicious. I should snap a photo tomorrow. The tree is about 1/4 picked.

Packed plums..

Applesauce, plums, and 24 jars of plum jam that Sarra made after I left...I was good for about 7 hours, she was good for about 15! 

I LOVE having my daughter close - she is such a delight...I notice that she is exacting of herself, but completely undemanding of those of us around her...she is a perfect companion to work along side b/c she is interesting to talk to, and she really gets in the zone for getting the job done. I have a complete interest in the things that interest her...the children's education, the study of introverts (very illuminating), the love lives of the boys...haha, our need for peace, and the periods of total silence as we work feels as comfy as a light sweater on a cool day. That beautiful relationship feels eternal.

Believe me this day was not cool though - it was 28C out; Scarlet put a fan on me, and Jane kept  me plied with cold water. Charlie is good at making sure I have my supportive indoor shoes...oh my, am I this high maintenance in my hormonal old age (of 52 today still)...yes, I am that hot and I don't mean 'hot', I mean hot!

Love Birds

 

Mark and Mariah engaged at last...and planning a summer wedding in 2014! Mariah has been a fixture around here for years, so we are pleased and excited to have her as an official future daughter-in-law - she fits our family like a glove; like bread and butter, like ice cream and sprinkles, like pita and hummus, like chicken and dumplings.... you get the picture... we love our Mariah:)

Ice Cream Scoop

There have been too many wonderfully blessed and horribly difficult times in recent weeks and months, hence the lack of posts - who knows where to start? So instead I'll mention this amazing ice cream scoop that my cousin Virginia sent as a surprise gift, for no reason at all. It's perfect for ice cream of course, but we use it most for our tall honey jar, for which it's indispensable.

You can find it at Amazon.com - it's called Dreamserv. It's that kind of tool that you didn't know you really needed! Thanks Virginia:)

Calgary

Donate to the Red Cross for Calgarians and other Albertans during the flooding crisis:

https://secure.redcross.ca/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=126477

Every.Day.

"One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I Heart the Persian People