Giving Thanks
Today I'm giving thanks for many things.....
- I made it home safely from a two month adventure.
- Living out of my car for the past two months, I'm really proud of the way Ronda handled things. No majors problems, we passed over the 100,000 mile mark and she is doing just great. Time for that major tune-up and after that we'll be ready for another go around. Average miles per gallon for the trip=34.4 mpg. Average price per gallon = $2.53 with the cheapest being in Liberty, MO at the beginning of the trip - $2.20!
- Passed through eight states including: Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania. I added two three new ones to my list of states.
- Experienced two wonderful small farms on my first WWOOF adventure.
- I had a lot of time to reflect, question life and the way our society works, interact with diverse people, learn from others, and try new things.
- Got to road trip home from Philadelphia with my great friend Alecia. Wow 20 hour car ride just became a lot easier to handle. We even tried out couch surfing in Indianapolis and survived. www.couchsurfing.org
- I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with Mom, Dad, Tara, and Great Aunt Helen. Have I mentioned she is 99 years old? Still telling great stories.
- We ate local turkey, collard greens picked the morning of in the garden, and sweet potatoes harvested here earlier this fall. I'm pretty proud and thankful of our somewhat local dinner.
- Although I am pretty against the gross consumerism of our society and the craziness that comes on so called black friday, today I did do some shopping. I'm so thankful for the cute shopping experience made possible today in Abilene, Kansas. I got some great wedding presents and discovered the bargain yarn at the yarn shop and the group knit night there as well!
- I'm so thankful for parents that have allowed me to move back home indefinitely. What a blessing to be under this roof out here on the Lindahl farmstead. We need a name to call this place. Any suggestions? Unicorn Ranch?
The farm was orignally called the c lazy 2 - ie that's the registered brand for the cattle. A big C with a sideways 2 - your Dad should have the old branding iron around there somewhere. We talked about putting an entry arch out by the mailbox one time with the brand in the arch. Obviously never got it done. Oak Lane was another thought at one time due to all of the Oaks, and I think possibly Walnut Grove due to the walnut trees Dad planted. Unicorn? nah, altho I'm sure Tara would be happy with that since she's been partial to them since she was a little girl. :)) I'd vote for a Swedish word with Swedish horses on both sides. Nola Mae has a translation book you could look in. Lars came from Jarbo and his wife from Vimmerby, Sweden. I don't know what the Swedish word for garden is. I wonder what the Swedish for Smokey Valley Farm is. Or actually, Swenson Creek Farm would work too. lol Have fun. You know the Lindahl's were orginally Swenson's. Two of the old brothers never did change their name and are buried in the cemetary. But that's on the Lindahl side and this really is the Jaderborg homesite. Varmland is a word that keeps popping into my mind. That is another area of Sweden, but not part of our past. Linden I'm thinking means valley. Could be wrong on that one. I realize we have German influence too, but since the land was settled by the Swedes, think that would be more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteTalk to Nola Mae and James, they'd probably have some good ideas and the book to look up words in Swedish. I have an old dala horse that needs to be repainted that I would be happy to contribute. They do repaint them for you in Lindsborg. :))
Love,
Aunt Carol