This week's blessings

I've been home, home, on the range this week. I feel very Little House on the Prairie as I have spent most of my time perserving some sort of fruit or vegetable for the coming of Fall and Winter. It has been a very fruitful (no pun intended) week and also very content as I have truly been in my element. So, no doubt, you will notice a pattern in this week's blog but I can't help but feel overwhelmingly blessed to have a very stocked pantry.
1. For not getting stung by a wasp I just found in my hair, eeewwww! :p I spent all evening crawling in a Peach and Plum tree picking fruit and who knows if I have had this little stow-a-way the whole time (I just found a draw back to having longer hair again) or not but that was seriously creepy. I literally picked the little buzzard out of my hair with my bare hands thinking it was a twig. It is a miracle I didn't get stung.
*Okay, back to the real list now that the drama and excitement is over*
2. Raisins in my dehydrator. Jadon, Brian, and I worked on making raisins today from some white grapes my Mom and Dad gave us yesterday from their orchard. It is not only my first time making raisins but it is my first time using my dehydrator that I have had for...are you ready for this...10 years, at least, possibly longer. I know, I know, tsk, tsk!
3. Concord/White Grape jelly sealing in lovely little jars on my counter and we speak. I took some of the grapes from my parents and some concord grapes I picked at a friend's house and made juice today and then made jelly from the juice. It is so good. We had peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches for dinner, YUMMY!!
4. Applesauce, I spent yesterday and early this morning making applesauce from some apples that my friend gave me and some I had bought for a steal at the Farmer's Market. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised, at how easy it is to make applesauce. This was also my first attempt at making applesauce. I used some today to make some Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread.
5. Peaches, my friend let me pick his peach tree clean this evening. I have quite a good lot of peaches now that I am going to freeze up for winter Peach Pies and Cobblers.
6. Snow, yes, today was our first snow here in Fort Hall. Jadon was thrilled to death and bundled up and went outside and jumped on his trampoline in the snow. The flakes were huge and it was like a snowglobe. Of course it did not stick but it reminded me of how lovely all my frozen and preserved fruit is going to taste in just a month or so when there is snow on the ground and it was magical and beautiful and perfect. Very nice!
7. New glasses, a couple of weeks ago I wrote that I would be getting new glasses. Well, I did get new glasses and it so wonderful to see well again. My astigmatism had gotten worse as I had suspected.
8. A nice Fall walk with my sweet Huckies this afternoon. We had a great time looking at the leaves and their pretty colors and he held my hand the whole time without having to be asked which is getting a little unusual now a days. :( Not today though, he was my cute, little gentleman. I loved feeling the warmth of the sun's rays, the chill of the frigid breeze, and the sound of my little man sharing his thoughts, dreams, and laughter with me. Ahhhhh! Contentment.
9. My Bible study I just started this week in the morning during my quiet time. It is very challenging and very difficult emotionally but very good. It is called Healed and Set Free by Tammy Brown. A friend of mine, Miss Shannabelle, suggested it for me quite awhile ago. I finally got it and dove in this week. I am in the process of being healed and set free right now and while it is soooooo difficult, it is also just what I needed to do and will be worth it in the end and is exactly from the Lord to grow me up in an area that I have been pretending didn't exist or happen at all.
10. Evan Wickham, we drove up to Calvary Chapel of Idaho Falls last Saturday because he was going to be leading worship for their Saturday service. It was such a tremendous blessing. The Lord has gifted him immensely in the area of music and leading people in worship. It was the most beautiful communion with the Lord that I have had in awhile. Brian, Jadon, and I enjoyed our "family date" very much and I can't think of a better way to spend time with two people I love completely.