served up family style

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Seventeen years ago our two families spent our first Thanksgiving together here in Utah. They had just arrived after living in Germany several years. Today the tables were turned and we made our first Thanksgiving dinner in Utah after many overseas, again with our old friends.

Since all of us are originally from the upper midwest, we share a very similar holiday menu. They are the same dishes we ate all those years ago and the same ones we will be eating in years to come – roast turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, cranberry jiggling from the can, jello salad, brown and serve rolls, and pie, pie, pie.

All carried in deep 9×13 dishes and served on paper plates so clean up is quick work because…

We have important stuff to do after we eat. Board games, ping pong, and…

Curling up on the couch with Charlie Brown.

"Thanksgiving is more than eating…Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,'"

Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving

turkey day – no, for real…

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Sometime mid-summer we were visited by a handful of wild turkeys who wandered across the back yard, into the neighbors', and on off down the side of the mountain not to be seen again. Knowing how weird enthusiastic I am about unexpected wildlife sightings, when Aidan spotted them coming down the drive today he told me I better get my camera. I don't generally need to be told twice so I grabbed it and got out front in time to see the last one waddle past.

Turning on my heel I beelined through the house again. When I got out the back door there was a gobble….overhead. Not a turkey in sight. Another gobble. Then I looked up to see several crepey necked fowl peeking over the gutter.

Coming around the house I saw the last one climbing the garage roof…. where he joined the other ten.

A few flew into the trees. The rest crept along the shingles til one inspired the rest with a noble, if less than graceful, flight over the trees towards the base flight line. Pretty sure they didn't reach the runway. In fact gravity likely landed them in the farm pasture at the bottom of the hill.

It was impressive none the less.

A downtown birthday

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The last half dozen years of travel have firmly engrained in us a preference for investing in experiences over stuff. So this year, the little girls each invited a neighbor friend to go on a downtown adventure in lieu of themed parties (which are not really my strong suit anyway.) Disney is not usually among my top ten favorite things either, but this show turned out to be outstanding.

We managed to keep our plans a secret right up until the morning of our outing. Abbie (whose birthday comes first) had been making party and cake recommendations for a couple weeks. She was beginning to be perplexed that we weren't committing. By the time Saturday rolled around she was downright alarmed.

We explained we needed to run to Salt Lake City for some errands so they needed to be up and dressed for a shopping trip. Soon after the doorbell rang and they ran to tell their friends they couldn't play. That's when we sprang the real plan on them. I still can't believe they had no idea. Go, us. : D

We piled in the van and made the trek to the Delta Center downtown.

Snacks in hand we settled in for Disney on Ice. The littlest girl with us positively screamed, "Hi Minnie Mouse!!" over and over when the skaters appeared. She was beside herself.

There was some "stuff" too, like craft kits and much needed cold weather gear.

And homemade cake for the first birthday girl. 'Cause that's what we do. (The bigger girl will have cake on her day.)

And then there were some last minute discussions about this whole getting bigger idea. We finally agreed we would carry on with these annual birthdays so long as she agreed to always be my baby. Which made me feel a little better only since she is still small enough to climb on my lap in Minnie slippers.

in all things

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks.

– St. Teresa of Avila

The best security for civilization

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

"I have always felt that the best security for civilization is the dwelling, and that upon properly appointed and becoming dwellings depends more than anything else the improvement of mankind. Such dwellings are the nursery of all domestic virtues, and without a becoming home the exercise of those virtues is impossible."
- Benjamin Disraeli

This theme ran throughout the book the three youngest and I finished reading tonight before bed, A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy. The smallest steps in home-making renewed hope first in one child, then a family, and finally ignited a community. It illustrates the impact that simple, domestic chores and rituals have to heal and sustain and civilize us.

Is this still important in a world spinning chaotically on its axis? There may be nothing more important than holding tenaciously to home, to helping others gain or regain it. Seredy so clearly shows that stewardship is the antidote to destruction and despair. Hospitality, the antidote to hostility.

Civilization, like charity, begins at home.

first snow

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

That first snow caught us off guard when it came a few days earlier than expected. The children dressed themselves in whatever combination of hats and mitts they grabbed first and ran out the back door. It was a snow visit, lasting just long enough to make one pocket sized snowman.

"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I am growing old."

– Lady Bird Johnson

an apple a day

Posted on November 8, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

At least for a little while. The girls brought in the last basket before the freeze. It isn't an orchard, just one sturdy tree of very small and rather sweet little apples perched at the edge of the yard just before it drops off down the hillside. The moose and deer sampled. The girls gathered what it shared, carefully washing each and piling them into the basket on the counter.

An autumn prayer

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Lord this humble house we'd keep

Sweet with play and calm with sleep,

Help us so that we may give

Beauty to the lives we live.

Let Thy love and let Thy grace

Shine upon our dwelling place.

– Edgar Guest

Oh deer

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

The local nature center was calling the other day. Actually three little voices were calling me over and over, "Pleeeeease can we go to the deer class?" So I wrapped up the odds and ends I was working on and we piled in the van. Really, there is no end to work at home. We should keep plugging away everyday but if you aren't careful whole days can pass without getting out in the fresh air and wild places. So it was a very good call, except for the very cold part. It's officially cold now.

This week's class was on mule deer. It began in the education center learning about their senses, antlers, and migration habits. They discussed carry capacity, which is the number of animals a given habitat can support. Then they played a hands on games demonstrating the ebb and flow of deer population.

In the middle of the class discussion someone noticed two deer passing just outside the window. Awesome.

They finshed their classroom work and bundled up to go look for more deer on the trail.

They spotted some tracks in the mud on the banks of the stream.

Found more tracks on the path.

Up higher looking and….

Can you see them? It was pretty dark in the little clearing and the phone doesn't play nicely at a distance.

The clouds broke up on the walk back and we saw the sun set on the mountains, now sporting a bit of snowcap.

#worldschooling

a teaser

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Kim Halloran-Fry

They are predicting snow for the end the of week. We got a little preview this morning. Just a few minutes' preview. Just long enough to run out and get the first taste.

Her sister was pretty bummed to find it was all over by the time she was out of the shower and ready. I am pretty sure they will all have had their fill come spring. Right now, though, they have high hopes for Friday.

Starry Sky Journal

Reflections from Starry Sky Ranch

Author Archives: Kim Halloran-Fry