Crispy Fall Update

Today was our last CSA box. After reading of the August Earth final box on babyhemberger.blogspot.com, I have to say, our box was a bit light. Still, it's lovely to have a final bunch of kale, a cabbage, two red bell peppers, a bag of potatoes, two sunshine squash, two eggplants, and a bag of apples. We haven't had tomatoes for weeks. They must have had a frost on the farm. Stillman's is the name of our CSA. I do love that they include fruit. We usually devour the cartons of blueberries, raspberries, plums, peaches, and apples before we even get home. This week, we scored a dozen apples. So, we will have enough for the boys' school lunches tomorrow.


It's lovely and crisp here. But, since we haven't had a frost yet, I'm still harvesting baby Swiss chard, tomatoes of two kinds, green beans, green onions, rosemary, basil, dill, and parsley from our garden. We also have pumpkins on now whithered vines. There's nothing like making dinner and sending one of my boys out for some herbs. And, the green beans have never made it in the house. They're a great snack for roaming Minute Men out on patrol.

The countdown is on! Twelve days until Grandma and Grandpa Hemberger arrive for a fall-time visit. We heard another exciting countdown: Grandpa has only 30 days left working for the IDOT! That's hardly any time at all. Will there be a retirement party, or will Dad be getting right to work for his new employer--my mom. The boys are hopelessly excited about the Kids' Cabin, so we're hoping that that is high on the priority list.

When the Hembergers are here, we're planning a trip to Sturbridge Village. It seems only appropriate considering our family's current obsession with Colonial times. And, I have fond and vivid memories of visiting Sturbridge with my Gramma and Gramps when I was 6. I just realized that I, too, went dressed in a sort of costume: a grey wool with black velvet trim frock coat and bonnet. I wonder where my boys get their love of the dress-ups...

Tonight, the boys have hockey practice, I'm looking forward to doing some sewing, Shawn's away at a college fair, and Reilly is his jovial self. Lachen's 1st grade field trip is on Wednesday. Only near Boston would a class trip go to Fenway Park and call it an historic venue. It is, I know. But, seriously?!? Then, Thursday the boys don't have school in honor of Yom Kippur. It's not going to be a very rough week!

It's a beautiful time to visit New England. We're hoping Peter, Katy, and Fredrik will be here during Spring Break. Any other takers? The invitation is always open.