It is one week away from November and we still haven’t had a killing frost. That means the flowers are still blooming and the garden is still producing. And since I can’t bear anything going to waste, I am still canning, freezing and drying. So much so that I ran out of canning jars but thanks to the generosity of friends, my supply has been renewed. Despite extreme conditions, continuous rain for weeks followed by times of drought, the garden did well. The bees probably played a big role in it’s abundance. I spent one full day at the bee buildings helping to extract about 450 pounds of honey. With 13 active hives, our bee guy, Zachary Huang, estimated about 260 pounds of honey came from the "girls’ at Hazel Ridge not including the 60 pounds that was left in each hive to winter over. Bee keeping is not for the "weak of back". We think the bees played a major pollination role for our Chinese and American Chestnut trees, too. They were loaded with nuts and we ate until our fingers hurt.. from peeling the shells. We have a new flock of laying hens, the old girls slowly went to that big chicken coop in the sky plus thanks to Dr. Jan Krehbiel, we have a flock of "new and improved" sheep. They are a lovely bunch of girls and we look forward to healthy spring lambs in ’08. There was a return of Green Herons this year, with four found nests and who knows how many hidden ones. They feast on all the food from the 5 ponds. This year will be the first time in our 27 years at Hazel Ridge that the always-returning kingfisher nested. The family nested in neighbor Potter’s gravel pit, but chattered like they owned the entire neighborhood. The prairie was beautiful in every season. Right now we are"oohing and ahhing" over the beautiful golden grasses blowing in the wind. Nick is so proud of how it has grown and expanded. Many groups have enjoyed Hazel Ridge this year. There have been home-schoolers, "regular" schoolers, Audubon folks, and plant people. Our desire to share the beauty rewards us as well as our visitors. The deer population seems to be down a bit…except in my garden of course. Kelly’s study abroad went well. Along with her studies, she visited family throughout the Netherlands. She extended her stay and traveled to Paris, London, Belgium and Germany. Her time there was way too short and she said she would love to teach in Holland.

The stars have finally lined up perfectly for Heather’s new boutique. The perfect space, location and price all means a grand opening for "Bella Luna" November 1, of this year. Her and Ahmed are racing around like crazy. Between renovations, buying inventory and red tape, it is a whirlwind but she is having a ball. Two new things for me..a new car. Honda Fit (sport model, of course) It is a beautiful autumn orange or someone may call it "copper piping" color. Rides like a dream and so far mileage 36-mpg. Kelly gets the old, but reliable Saturn for her student teaching gig. I have also taken Level 1 and 2 Reiki classes. Reiki (google it if you want) is a holistic energy healing technique. Everyone that I have treated has experienced some amazing responses, myself included. Some have been subtle and some quite intense. The "shingle" isn’t hanging on the door yet, but maybe soon.

Commissions

Delta Township is building a new library and has asked Nick to paint a mural for the Lissa K. McLean room. This room will house a special collection of books, started by Lissa, celebrating women in history, sports, politics and literature. There are over 500 titles so far. For a peak at the progress click on www.deltami.gov/library. Nick completed and installed a beautiful panoramic scene of Lake Michigan’s lakeshore for our dentist’s summer home. It is his first "home" mural. Nick’s paintings now brighten the halls and waiting rooms of Ingham Oncology Medial Center. The folks there felt it would add a measure of peace, quiet reflection and pleasure to patients, family members and staff. It seems to have fulfilled that desire.