Last night we had a spur of the moment bonfire out back, with pizza to break the fast (the kids actually outlasted me!–I was very proud).  Marshmallows got roasted and turned into s’mores.  We all hung out, and Avdi and K discussed tech nerd stuff.  Eventually I spent the night.

Today we all drove to Eckert’s Farm across the Mississippi into Illinois.  It turned out to be Eckert’s Disneyworld!  There was a vast parking lot, with tags from all over the country.  There were long lines for everything.  We took a tractor wagon ride out to the acres of apple trees and picked many varieties among the rows (and had fun playing apple ball and other apple pastimes).  We skipped the huge fields of pumpkins, and rode back and waited on another long line to check out.  There was a garden center, a large souvenir area like Cracker Barrel, a large grocery/produce store indoors and out, and other kid attractions.  We made a beeline through all the distractions to the parking lot, and drove back with our haul.

At home at my apartment, I gobbled down apples–they were amazingly appley!  These particular ones in my bag are Fuji, but they taste so much better than the store ones.

Sometimes kids will surprise you in a good way.  Without much prompting or suggesting, they actually wanted to fast for YK, even S!  Whether they follow through is not the point; the fact that they voluntarily wanted to try says a lot about our approach.  They’re always questioning and having mixed feelings about their Jewish identity, but that’s OK.  No one expects them to blindly obey or observe archaic laws and rituals “just because”.  As a result, they’re always watching, inquiring, and testing the waters for themselves.  They’re each discovering a meaningful identity that makes sense for them as they mature.

For erev, I kept it light and vegetarian, with round(-ish?) challot, sweet roasted carrots, roasted broccoli with assorted mildly hot peppers and okra from the garden, cherry tomatoes from same, rice, and plain matzah balls seasoned lightly with shawarma spices.  (The kids love them like that, just by themselves, so who am I to argue!  I do, too.)  Everyone liked something!

Then there was the usual bustling around to various sports activities, with a very tired Avdi shuttling.  He’s had a rough work week, with not enough rest.  But he still encourages the kids to pursue their extra-c social activities, so he doesn’t complain.

While cleaning up another garden area, I found an adorable little critter–a shrew or vole?  I even held it in my (gloved) hand for a minute.  Why would anyone want to exterminate these helpful little creatures?!

Y (with their fox tail) has been spending lots of time high up in their tree, getting comfortable.  It’s their happy place.  I stay firmly planted on the ground, enjoying their acrobatic agility with a beer.

Also, they’ve been recycling cans into illuminated candle holders, and giving them to me.  Agile and creative.

Soon I’ll work on erev preps before Yom Kippur begins.  Some of the kids expressed an interest in fasting.  Though I now have a rabbinically-approved excuse (!), I may go ahead anyway (?).  Then it will be time to build the sukkah, one of our favorite times of year.

While I was planting tiny trees, Y was demonstrating towering tree-climbing 101.  I think we share a love of trees and the outdoors.  We agreed in this perfect early fall weather that goes on and on, one can’t not be outside.  They like to help me, or just enjoy each restored space with me, where we sit and discuss trees and plants they’d like to have where.

I’ve been working my way around the yard, tackling challenging tangles and transforming them (eventually) into more viable, inviting spaces for both wildlife and humans.  I’m being a little ruthless now, in order to find the secret gardens under the jungle of invasives.  Whenever I find a native tree or perennial lost in the mess, I rescue it for future relocation.

The critters and birds were going nuts (heheh) all around me, gobbling up the takings.  My little chippy friend was happily eating cherry tomatoes for a while, right near where I was sitting taking a break.  I talk to him/her and they just look at me like, “you tawkin’ to Me??  I’m busy eating your produce!”

I got a lot more done clearing areas all around the yard, and transplanting as appropriate.  I’m hoping all the tiny pollinators are still too busy to be starting their dormancy period inside stems and brush.  Apologies, if I rehomed anyone!  It will be better next year, I promise.

Yesterday we all went to Rockwell Beer Garden for pizza, situated in a large, beautiful park with huge old bald cypress (?) trees, waterways, paths, and playgrounds.  It was very pleasant.

I slept over, (though sleep was hard to come by), and then worked on more garden projects.  I cleaned up the front entrance garden, with help from Y and S, so later on I can landscape it with trees and flowers.

So much to report on, so little time!  I guess that’s a good thing.

So Rosh Hashanah happened, with lots of baking and cooking and the usual lively bustle of activities.  E made a beautiful honey cake that was also very edible!  (Unlike some I’ve had!)  I made the traditional round challot.  We all collaborated on the menus.

My latest garden accomplishment was to clean up the so-called asparagus bed–there were actually some asparagus ferns under there, doing well.  So now the perennial veg/fruit area has been mostly liberated from weeds, and hopefully by spring will be regenerating.  Work in progress.

As is the fox mask by Y, part of a costume creation for the RenFest.  They really are very creative.

Last but not least, I got to go to a Thievery Corporation concert at The Pageant on Delmar with Avdi!  It was a fantastic experience.  Inside the venue is the Halo Bar, where we got drinks to bring into the concert.  We met a young couple whom we invited to join us at our table, and we all got to be friends by the end.  The concert, opened by LuSiD, was spectacular, and very engaging.  I was so energized by the end (with a little help from some good stuff with our friends!) that I forgot I was old for a moment!  It was totally euphoric, like swimming.

I’ve been hard at work.  Yesterday I opened up and edged another bed along the shed, cleaned up and raked the “woods path”, and some other paths.  I got to have some Johnny Black, and Avdi made some huge thick steaks.  The luxury.

Today I cleaned up the house and prepared the erev Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year) meal.  I made a sweet dairy noodle kugel, a salad, sliced apples with honey for a sweet new year, and warmed up some rolls in lieu of making a special batch of challah.  I wasn’t feeling well, and Avdi was feeling really worn out, so I kept it simple and casual.  Jess helped out with kid rides, and joined us all out at the patio table to eat, as it’s been so perfect out.

Yesterday I created a new garden on the shady side of the house under walnuts where nothing will grow.  It turns out hostas and certain other shade perennials and natives will do well there, so I transplanted a dozen or so from the “woods path” to there.  I figured since we already have them, why not use them more effectively.  Later I’ll add more walnut-tolerant shade natives and perennials to fill it out.  It looks like nothing right now, but it’s one more excuse for me to live ’til spring and beyond!

Turns out I wasn’t imagining it about my Anthem health insurance being crap.  The healthcare network I’m in, Mercy, said this in a notification: “We’re deeply worried about the wrongful denials and unnecessary delays in patient care, created by Anthem, which can have a dangerous impact on your wellbeing. This approach shows that Anthem is more focused on profits, rather than patients.”  They’ll probably end up dropping Anthem and considering it out of network.  Then Anthem announced it won’t be offering my plan next year.  Hmm.  I was already planning to choose a new insurance company anyway, but now I feel vindicated.

The veg garden is still putting out, and most of the new seedlings are doing well, so I’m hoping this temperate MO fall weather will extend the garden’s productiveness into late fall.  Then I want to bury it in compost and organic mulch from the yard, and eventually till all that in, to build up the soil quality for spring.  Meanwhile I need to come up with a whole new plan based on what the family will actually use.

Well, back at it.  Who’s my next victim!

We got off easy post-hurricane–an overturned camp chair full of skeletons was easily put right, though a roof skeleton is still prostrate from the ordeal.  Whereas much of the south is under water, downed trees and utility poles, without power, and literally cut off from the outside world.  So I’d say we made out OK!

Like roof skelly, my overnight stay (so Avdi could get out) mostly involved lying down on the job, tossing and turning, with bizarre, twisted dreams when I finally slept.  Other than that, it was nicely non-eventful.

It’s more eventful in the garden, where pollinators are in a frenzy to take advantage of the masses of goldenrod, asters, boneset or snakeroot, and other fall natives.  I finally got some calendula to bloom (the bright orange annuals).

We felt some of the outlying effects of Helene even up here in MO, though nothing like the devastation the south experienced.  It rained steadily for a day or so, with high winds at times, but not enough to stop me from walking over to Avdi’s, where the yard was pretty soggy but not flooded.  It finally feels more fall-like instead of a sauna.  The garden is thriving.

Avdi and I collaborated on the erev meal, which turned out well.  He and the kids actually went to the football game in the rain and enjoyed it.  He’s turning into a suburban football dad!  I love rain, but not that much.

Today a carload of them and friends will be going to the RenFaire.  I considered going, if there were room.  This time of year always brings renfaire nostalgia back, although dampened by being so old.  In medieval times (which I suspect we’ve returned to,  if we ever left), people didn’t even live to be my age, or else they were an ugly old crone.  It’s a young person’s scene.  Yet I still get that mystical feeling in the cool, rainy autumn air of mysteries just beyond my senses.  I know, sounds like white person fantasy.  And now back to reality.