apple party... this is how traditions are born

 it all started last year when we were invited to our roommate's family's apple cider pressing party.  we enjoyed ourselves so much that ever since then, we've been scheming how to host our own.  the time came this year, as we are more or less settled into our new home and we have luke's sister/brolaw/the adorable kids living with us.  luke headed out to Oregon Heritage Farms, where a crate of 800 lbs of jonagold apples was forklifted onto the trailer!   they sat at our house, as we invited our neighbors and made a plan.  we borrowed an apple press and chopper from the kitchen share SE and scoured our immediate neighborhood, handing out invites. 

we decided to do a trial run of the press (it was much smaller than we had anticipated) and in doing so, realized that would take FOREVER because it only pressed like 6 apples at one time.  john and luke then started talking, googling, and dreaming up their own homemade press that was completed by the time saturday morning rolled around. 

  they used a design they found online, which used a bottle jack and its hydraulic system to provide the pressure needed to squash the apples.  it worked like a dream.  they also used a garbage disposal (don't worry- it was cleaned and sanitized several times!) to mush up the apples before we pressed. 

by the end, we had quite the assembly line going and everyone found something to do. 

we maybe made it through 3/4 of the apples and ended up with about 36 gallons, not including the gallons drank that day by all present.  we also made tons of applesauce, froze apples for pie filling and both dehydrators are still working on apple fruit leather and dehydrated apple rings.  we had 20 families show up to help, and many of the people present spoke Spanish, so Spanish was heard as much as the work table as English.  we all have had way too much cider this weekend, as exhibited by our sore tummies, but are definitely already looking forward to next year!   

 

 

 

 

 

modern day barn raising

according to wikipedia, a barn raising describes a collective action of a community, in which a barn for one of the members is built or rebuilt collectively by members of the community.  luke and i have had the joy of experiencing that over the last month, except for it was a part of a house that was being rebuilt, not a barn.  :)

we became homeowners in mid-july after an eight month search and from the moment we got the keys, the work began.  there was a lot of rot in the bathroom/laundry room, so literally the day we got the keys, walls started coming out.  we took out the bathtub, sink and shower, along with all the walls, and replaced the beam that runs under the house and holds it ups.  we had two weeks off in july, which we were lucky to be able to spend doing lots of work on the house to get in ready to live in.  we moved all of our things in august 1, and have been living there ever since.

last friday, we had a house warming party where we got to celebrate with friends and family our new home! for me, it was really a chance to celebrate all the friends and family who have helped us to the point where we currently are.

i could write for hours about what a steep learning curve this whole process has been (and the fact that i didn't even know what hardie backer was a month ago or that PT stood for pressure treated), but for now, i will focus on all the folks who have helped us create a space that we hope will be used for many to rest and feel at home.  more stories to come about our el salvadorian neighbors who have set a strong example of hospitality or our neighbor boys kicking our chickens, but for now, the real stars of the show:

 our young neighbor ezra helping set up rusty for success

 lots of much needed terere breaks with rusty and mary lou

 victoria who helped paint our room

 milo who was just adorable and his mama katy who helped weed the front yard

 both brandons, hard at work helping with the beam and subfloor

 dinner provided by victoria, picnic style in the living room

brandon working hard after a long day of work

jessica helping me install the locks

 ellen got to it with the grout and making the floor shine!

 my dad even pitched in and got the internet set up! Also my mom expertly guided us and helped us prune our out of control rose bushes!

Craig, who had the stinky job of taking out the bathroom floor!

my brother Christian came by to lend his skills and willingness to the cause.

moving day!  lots of friends and family out to help.  we couldn't have done it without everyone who showed up!

Laurel impressed us with her drill skills

the boys, evan, luke and dave did something really important, i'm sure

 

 it was really fun to see luke working with his dad in the whole process.

 we even had help from chicago when brian was in town!

 mamalou was an invaluable help...

 especially during the mid night tile crisis where her and rusty saved the day!

porch sittin'...

whenever family is in town, everything else takes to the back burner.  this past weekend, luke's grandpa bob and tauntie were in town from kalispell, MT.  we asked grandpa what he wanted to do during his visit and his response was go to the restaurant, and sit on the porch and watch the plants grow.  that's exactly what we did.  we ate out a lot, sat a lot, went to the farmer's market, and had a great time catching up.  what a wonderful way to spend the days.  rather than boring you with all the details, i'll let the pictures do the talking.

terere, of course

where there are bonhams, there are lots of back massage and rubbing.

mamalou!

did you ever think you'd see the day when i cut hair? 

bo, the fearless dog, who has a personality all his own

i may or may not have had my fill of raspberries fresh off the plant

one of rusty's neighborhood projects- the corner bunch

the recent intersection painting- done by the neighbors

what would the yellow house be without a free pile?

can you believe these fuschia?

yes please... fresh raspberry rhubarb pie with marylou's incredible crust

and to top it all off, a trip to trader joe's with tauntie!

spring is springing and we're still waiting...

feeling inspired by my bro-in-law john who has mastered handcrafted sodas at his cart, pyro pizza, and also by the bag of frozen rhubarb leftover from last spring, i decided to give this recipe a try.   i was delighted by the strong ginger flavor and liked that it was refreshing without being overly sweet! 



homemade rhubarb ginger soda
recipe from homemade pantry by alana chernila

2lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 cups water
4 tbsp fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup sugar or more to taste*
a few sprigs of fresh mint, thyme, or lemon balm (whatever you have on hand)

1. combine the rhubarb and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is almost dissolving.  use a slotted spoon to scoop out the rhubarb.

2. add the lime juice to the rhubarb water, along with the ginger and sugar.  raise the heat to medium high and cook at a low boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the mixture is slightly reduced and thickened.

3. remove it from the heat, add your herb of choice (i used mint), and cover.  let steep for 5-10 minutes.  taste and add sugar if needed.  strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a jar or bottle and let cool.
yield: 1 quart syrup

to serve: mix 1/3 cup syrup in 1 cup seltzer or club soda.  serve chilled or over ice.  sit on the porch and take in all that surrounds you!

*rather than sweetening this syrup, i added some simple syrup i had on hand when mixing my sodas and it did the trick! 



a jar of flowers in the kitchen instantly brightens my day!



 
this afternoon, after a strong and sudden spring rain, this rainbow appeared outside our kitchen window.  it was actually a double rainbow for a second.  everytime i see a rainbow, i can't help but be reminded of god's promise to noah when a rainbow appeared for the very first time in biblical days.  luke and i are holding on to god's promises, particularly as we wait to hear about a home.  we placed an offer several months ago on a short sale home, and it is still pending.  we are excited at the prospect of being in the lents neighborhood, by many of our dear ones, and are considering doing respite care for families in the foster care system.  all that to say, we are excited at the possibilities!  yet, in this season of waiting, of anxiously checking email and text TOO many times a day, hoping to hear something, anything, luke and i are realizing the good that comes in the wait.  we are realizing together how good it is for us to be in a situation where we cannot do anything to change the outcome.  it practically forces our trust and reliance on christ.  it encourages us to communicate clearly about our hopes and dreams with one another and also leads us to moments of meaningful prayer, where we can pour out all that we are hearing to the One who never tires of listening to His children.

we are crossing our fingers, praying, and hoping that this house is the one and that we find out soon, but until then, we will rest in Him and enjoy the journey.  

spring break getaway.

Over Spring Break, Luke and I headed out of town one hour to Welches, OR, minutes from Mt. Hood, where we stayed at Mogli's family cabin, right on the Salmon River.  We were by ourselves on Thursday, and then our good friends Brandon, Victoria, and Craig joined us, as well as my brother Christian.  What a well needed rest after finishing up our term of after school classes, the play, and registering for our next term.  Phew!  

 

Luke may or may not have serenaded me...

We made a tasty dinner and enjoyed cooking together.

Brandon and I sunning on the deck.

We went hiking and hoped to get to Salmon Butte, but started at the wrong spot.  Still a wonderful time of camaraderie and delighting in God's creative nature. 

 

on the trail- still enjoying my ecuadorian hat!

Breakfast on the deck- what a treat.  70 degree weather in March!

besides the bonfires, sleeping in, bike rides, sitting by the river, reading, eating, and good conversation, the highlight might have been on Easter morning when we woke up before sunrise and headed up Lolo Pass Rd. as far as we could go before the road was blocked out.  We then got to watch the sun rising upon the mountain- what a great way to bring in the day we celebrated our Savior's resurrection.  

I am so grateful for moments of rest like these and truly do cherish them.