I met my classmate’s sister in the McDonald’s parking lot yesterday and traded my wide mouth canning lids for the coveted regular size. Three for three...even Steven. At the same time, two of our grandkids met us with their sweet little boy....our first great grandson. It was all I could do not to pull him out of his car seat and kiss him all over. I haven’t held my babies since February! But, ohhhhh...it was so good to see them. 

A cozy “faux fall” day at the Ponderosa.

I’m “retired”. I asked Mr. FixIt how we ever did all these things plus work time and a half and raise babies. He said we were a heck of a lot younger back then. True...but even two years ago, I wasn’t doing half what I’m doing now. I think part of that has been coping with Covid. Part has been the fact that I cannot eat all this Covid Comfort Food without working it off or I’m going to become unhealthy. Part has been an escape mechanism. But a very real part has been the sheer joy of celebrating life in the country with my best friend...gardening, mowing, trimming, growing, baking....aching! It just feels good, so I keep doing it.

I wish I would have kept track on my calendar how many nights I’ve slept in the camper this year. Not getting to have a real camping trip this year was one of the many changes Covid brought into our world. Not of the most importance, mind you...but something Mr. FixIt and I both love to do. So the next best thing was spending as many nights in the camper as I/we can. Sometimes Mr. FixIt joins me. But, sometimes we’ve worked too hard and the change from one mattress to another is hard on his back. So, occasionally, I stay out there alone. 

The area where we removed the biggest trees.

Colorado has snow. West Virginia has dense foliage. Both are a result of moisture. Both are beautiful. And, both can be a king-sized pain in a horse’s patoot! We went out to the farm yesterday to do battle with the tough fall grass that grows in September. It’s so hard to cut. Then, instead of weed eating, I took the pole saw to several small trees and wild grape vines.

It has been humid the last couple of days. Add all the pots of boiling water in the kitchen from canning and this last batch of Romas in the dehydrator are taking longer than usual to dry. I don’t have any real canning projects to do today, so the humidity in the kitchen should drop significantly. Maybe then the last tray of tomatoes will finally dry.

Ok, yesterday was a marathon day in the kitchen here at the Ponderosa. I started out by packaging up the dehydrated mushrooms then rummaging through the garden to get a few more Roma tomatoes. I set what was ready in the dehydrator and turned my attention to the green beans.

I had enough of the beans cleaned yesterday to set a canner on to process. Then, Mr. FixIt and I enjoyed rocking in the recliners, watching old Frazier reruns while I finished stringing and snapping the last of the beans between canner loads.

I walked by the garden the other day and I noticed a few nibbled off branches on one of my tomato plants. My first thought was...the deer have been in here and snacking on my garden! At the same time, a distant memory swam around right under the surface and I knew there was something familiar about this particular scenario. I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it. 

You can see the tree to the left that fell and crushed the old meter box. You can also see the old iron bridge that went across the creek to the outhouse.

My Colorado family has checked in and they are expecting snow today! I think they said it will be the earliest measurable snowfall in twenty years. I must say...I certainly don’t miss that! I miss my kids and my Colorado peeps...and I miss the beauty of the Rockies...but I do NOT miss snow and cold...not one bit. Still, snow will come to West Virginia one of these days and getting ready for it is what a proper country gal does.

I love Sundays in the country. While they are supposed to be a day of rest, they most often turn into a different kind of worship...the kind I do every day. First, since we are staying out in the camper every chance we get, we are sleeping so soundly that it isn’t hard to completely miss online church. However, yesterday, I opened my eyes, smiled at my sweetheart and he said, “Good morning, baby...ten minutes to church!”

We are still socially distancing other than a weekly trip to get groceries or an occasional doctor’s appointment. We have had family over that also social distance and we keep that six foot distance. We have had a total of three people in our house since February and that was very briefly and again, socially distanced. 

Campgrounds were packed this year. Because of Covid, more people opted to camp for family vacations because it’s safer to have your own bedroom and bathroom and kitchen. Also, you are automatically socially distanced at a campground, so overall it’s a safer option. Consequently, campers sold like hot cakes and campsites were hard to come by.