About Tricia

I am Tricia. Momma of nine, homeschooler, artist, foodie and maker of all kinds of things. It's a pleasure to share here our family homesteading adventures, the things we make, and what inspires our days. Read more about my family and work here. Thanks for visiting!

Author Archive | Tricia

an adventure for her

By on July 2, 2013 in Family, Handmade, Sewing and Crafts

For the past few days I have been ignoring that today was coming. I knew it was coming but my heart just couldn’t deal with it so I put it out of my mind.  Today, Ronnie left to spend a few days at her godparents house three hours away.

That may not sound very tragic but to this momma it is gut wrenching.  I know she is in good hands and I also know that she is certainly having a great time but my momma’s heart wants her close by.  Selfish, I know but I am certainly very selfish with my children and I probably always will be.

I’m not the only one though.  For the past few days, every time I have turned a corner the conversations floating in the air all surround Ronnie’s upcoming trip.  Everyone is concerned that she will be alone.  She is definitely not alone but to our children, being without another sibling is indeed alone for they all share a heart, the heart of our family.

The night before, Erica helped Ronnie pack her bags which I am sure was hardest for her since they are probably the closest being sisters that are exactly two years apart and share a room and most everything.  Erica tried every way of getting herself invited on the trip so she would not have to be without her sister but the time came for Ronnie’s first journey away from us and it was time to go.

I secretly made her a new pillowcase for her trip knowing that this would be hard for her.  She did love it as did Olivia and Erica and so I am now working on two more pillowcases for the girls beds.  She hugged it tight and said she was taking my love with her in the pillow….sigh.

We all put on a brave face for her sake, though as the time drew near for Poppa to take her on the trip there, the faces became less and less brave.  By the time she made her way to the car, there were very few dry eyes including her own.  Goodbye hugs were aplenty as well as instructions such as “if you need to come home, don’t worry, I will tell Momma to come and get you” or “if you miss me, just close your eyes and think of me”.

As I made my way back in to get Matthew, who was now on Erica’s hip, still with my camera in hand, I walked into the sight of my little ones consoling each other and could not help but get a picture (or two…or three).  Veronica will I am sure be surprised to see how even the little ones missed her so.

She called me tonight and told me all about her wonderful day, the beautiful room that was prepared for her and how her Aunt Tara tucked her in and sat with her until she fell asleep, things mothers of nine do not do.  She said that she loved everyone here and could not wait to see us in a few days.  In her voice I could hear the little bit of homesick feeling we are all sharing today but also the fun of a new adventure for her.

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in the kitchen

By on June 27, 2013 in Farm and Garden, From the Kitchen

We have not yet finished up our school year but already everyone including me, is acting as though summer vacation has begun.  Next week will be our final week and it is getting pretty hard to concentrate.  I have already extended most bed times and have been letting morning sleepy heads be.  For me, I find myself wanting to be in two places, the sewing room and the kitchen, its much too hot outside to be enjoyable.  We venture out to work early in the morning and late evening to take care of growing and living things and then I find us back inside where its cool.

With everyone being inside more, I am hearing a lot more I’m hungries from everyone and that is keeping me busy.  Our kitchen in this house is small about half the size of our last home.  We naturally migrate towards the kitchen which is usually like the rush hour traffic lanes in town.  Every corner of it is usually occupied.

On this day, we were roasting brocolli, our favorite way to eat it (recipe here).  Also on the menu was a dish from my childhood made by cooking up some small g0reen  plantains brought to us straight from a cousins farm in Miami which I boiled and mashed up with lots of butter, olive oil and garlic and topped off with our own home raised pork cracklings from butchering day.   I am also facing a daily challenge (fun challenge) to use up the extra milk from our cow.  From just one and a half gallons we made 16 ounces of butter, 2 pounds of herbed thyme and lemon farmers cheese (which is divine sliced and fried) a cup of ricotta from the whey and today I plan to bake whey bread to use up the whey, anyone have a good recipe?

Matthew loves to watch me work in the kitchen.  I have not yet begun him on solids (more on that later) so he does not connect me working in there with food but he watches my every move and his adoring fans stay close by to make silly faces at him and give him wooden spoons to play with which he throws fully expecting us to retrieve them to keep the game going.

What are you up to these days?

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