A Really Full, Fun Day!

Whew, still catching our breath here after a long day that began with me having to raise sleeping children out of bed (but they wanted me to!) We went on a field trip to an organic farm that's structured as a CSA (consumer supported agriculture). By supporting a CSA, you make a commitment to the farmer by signing up for a weekly 'basket' of fruits and veggies, whatever is being harvested at the time.

Farmer Donna did an outstanding job showing us around her most gorgeous Morning Song Farm.
The kids were able to gather macadamia nuts, throw them into a big nut cracking machine, then sort them from the shells and bad nuts. Oh, yes, and they got to eat a bunch too! One of their main crops is macadamia's. They crack them on Sundays and ship them out on Mondays. Ya don't get much fresher, organic, raw macadamias than *that*! They were so good, and really the only way to improve them would have been to cover them, of course, with some nice dark organic chocolate!

She had the kids plant some high quality heirloom seeds, the only kind Farmer Donna uses, in some little starter trays. Saylor and Stone both planted Black Beauty Eggplant. Thinking of how these seeds began, with my boys pressing them into the soil, and knowing they will end up on someones plate someday, was really something cool to envision. I wonder who will eat "their" eggplant? Then, we all made the trek down a steep, windy road where the children mulched a large heirloom potato patch. (is that what they're called? a farmer i'm not...though, this would be so much fun to do, i'd just have a whole lot to learn!) We picked kumquats, my favorite! right off the tree, saw avocados and lots of other exotic fruits that I've never heard of but would love to try. We were all able to meet her exotic chickens and llama's and hear so much great information on what it takes to operate a farm and why she chooses to do things the way she does. It was truly very inspirational and such a beautiful, peaceful place. I'm thankful I was able to see this 'side' of California. Perfectly breathtaking...

After the 2 hour field trip, we met Sue & Steve at the park, had a fast food picnic and watched the kids play for another couple of hours. And then, as if we hadn't already played our little hearts out, we went to their house for a while and enjoyed the late afternoon sun and played a few rounds of a card game, which I'm not forgetting the name of...something like Spite & Malice. (i think?) Whenever we go there, Stone just disappears with Harry and they play and play and play. We never see them, they're just off doing their thing together and playing so great. I'm happy for Stone to have this, because it's generally always been Saylor who's had the 'buddy', and Stone gets to tag along as best as he can. Now it seems the tables have turned a bit, as Maddy isn't always quite as eager to play with Saylor as Saylor is to play with her. But, there's something to be learned from this experience, so it's all good!

Now, I've got lavender in the diffuser and a sleeping babe at my side. What a way to wrap up a glorious day!