9.29.2009

dnab noititepmoc

band competition
STAR FEST 2009! Tracy and I were sitting in the September sun this weekend at the band show. I love to do things with her and I will truly miss this best friend of mine when I leave. Just when we were getting back to our place of buddy-ness. (sigh)
Matt and Morgan crossed *marching band competition* off of thier FIRSTS list. Matt actually feels like someone hid this field marching culture from him...how could he not know it even existed!! It was enjoyable to see my old high school march...and wonder how anyone can make hundreds of teenagers do such absurd things on a field in a funny outfit and not get paid. I AM A BAND GEEK!


I got my hair highlighted. It really is not a noticable difference....it just looks normal, which is the difference.
and it was straightened and cut.....the salon look can never be reproduced by Erika's hands.
this is a very cool painting by a Dordt College alumni named Sara Mulder. Matt (mentioned in above photo at the band show), had a combined art show with her. She uses a lot of strange materials to get tons of texture on her surfaces.

9.25.2009

it's time to smell the flowers

I realized that I had not included a self portrait in a while. This one will have to do. I was the model to show off the HOME BAKED GOODS sign and the beautiful rainbow that arched full across the sky. I am donning the muddy jeans and 2009 staff color: TEXAS ORANGE. I wear my $7.00 Norwegian scarf with it and Helen says I, 'just bring so much style to the farm'. What can I say....it's Pumpkinland. One day this week I wore my tall brown boots in celebration of the first day of fall. Boy did my feet hurt! I am going to stick to foot comfort while carting around gourds, squash, and home baked goods. I don't want to leave this place for many reasons....but there is one reason why I do want to leave. This reason sits comfortably in the middle of my stomach and stretches down around my thighs. I am representing and CONSUMING those delicious home baked goods. Today I had pie...but merely in honor of the 'time that is coming when I will not be able to have pie'. hmm......that was lame. But really....Carmel Apple Pie is so good! I have been able to taste some very delicious things, but I need to leave in order to stabilize my sweet tooth. I am praying that YWAM Denver doesn't treat me as kindly as Pumpkinland. I might have to start a revolt----but that would be hard to convince myself to do. Perhaps I can just pray for self control and learn what it means to take care of this temple of the Holy Spirit.




These flowers are planted outside of the shed. Helen asked me to help her do something creative in displaying the flower, the name, the kind, the so on and so forth. She tells me that she can't even count the number of people who pull their cars over to take a closer look, to ask what the are called, their kind and so on and so forth. I guess she is sick of answering the questions you are all wondering. Do you wonder these things?.......just ask Helen as you drive by.

So, I am counting the days down to my departure. I am splitting at my seams here. As you have read....I enjoy being here so much. I also on the other hand am anticipating so much coming up. As a friend told me recently. BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED. She had actually given me a small window decoration with that phrase upon my return to Norway in 2007. It was a great encouragement to me. It actually was a catalyst for discovering my calling in life. I feel like ministry and discipleship always had something to do with all or some of these topics---growing, journeys, paths, mountains, valleys, watering, harvest......and so on. It seems really typical to say this as my life goal, but do believe that the Lord has shown me over and over that this is a lifestyle I GET to live in. My personal manifesto goes something like this: 'Planting and Growing Fellowship with God and with Each Other' Sounds like a church motto.....yeah yeah it could very well be that too. I just know that THIS IS WHAT I DO!!!! I can work at Nederlander's Grille as a waitress or picking pumpkins at Pumpkinland or even work in a situation that is more mission oriented and do the same thing! I love that about God. He is so GOD! He is in all and through all.

So....do you know your personal manifesto. Sounds big....but its not. What do you tend to do when you arrive in a new place. What do you search for.....and bring change about?

Do tell.

Indian Corn that we picked today....so magnificent!

9.22.2009

in the squeeze of the hug


yes.....I painted this pumpkin. Helen (the Pumpkinland lady herself) asked me to fix the little pumpkin problem. A stem was broken off and we can't sell those. Would I find a large white Scallop from the field and create a hat for the stemless pumpkin? Use these paints and make a face....and here is HOT GLUE! I have to say it was a first for me.....painting pumpkins on the clock (the 100 minute time clock). Helen was satisfied and it now is displayed on the stairs in the shed. Come and see....and marvel!
my favorite little gourds. This variety is called 'Galaxy of Stars'. It looks like a flower with a stick through the center. So......sort of like a FLOWER KABOB. They are very unique.

on to the juicy stuff...

I was talking to Will on the phone last night and I was just sort of sad. I was trying to explain to him that I am just beginning to realize how wonderful it is here in Orange City. My month has been WAY too fast. He said I was in the squeeze of the hug. I was like......yeah. You know when you say goodbye to someone you don't just give a little pat on the shoulder, 'thanks for coming, see ya' pathetic farewell. When you are really saying goodbye you give a solid hug....one that is memorable and strong. I know that some people can't really hold themselves together to do anything during goodbyes. I have been one of those....to just make jokes up until the point that you say those parting words. It's all fun and games just to hide the sadness of it all. No one will see how hard this really is. So....hugs are good. They are a moment to bury your face in the shirt of the one who is going away. It is a way to connect once more. It is a final touch to remember. If you believe in GOOD goodbyes then you will take time for this very important part of your transition.
I am in the squeeze of the hug right now. I will not just ignore the goodbye I must deliver to Orange City and its orange pumpkins. But instead I will embrace it. I will take and give just a little bit more before I release. It is as though that last ummph in the hug will communicate the last bit of 'things I can't say in words'.

On the contrary I am about to say HELLO to a new world in Colorado. I feel really excited about that as well. I sense a shift in my energy and a refreshment to do what I am made to do. Ahhh! It is so nice to hear the Lord and follow. I am asked to 'stay in ORange City and be here with us' over and over, but I am so sure that it is not where I am to be. It is so nice to give that ummph in the hug and feel closure.

I went to Lillian's birthday party this weekend. It was probably the first time I ever drove down to Omaha with the intention to just visit and then leave. The other occasions have been as I was about to move somewhere in the world. It felt good.....different.....real....and special. The idea that I am going to be at least continentally available is so good. The idea that I am going to be a part of YWAM but in the states is so different. The idea that the nieces and nephew are growing whether I was there to see every step or not is real. And the idea that God has presented this time to happen at this very time in my life is special.

question to you:
what in your life is...
-good
-different
-real
-special

Saying goodbye is just as important as saying hello. I can't just skip over the last chapters of a book and I can't try to read the last chapter before I get there. God has His timing....rest in it.

peace friends.i enjoyed the high school and college volleyball games i attended.


Lillian's 5th birthday was FUN. We had pizza and CINDERELLA cake. Cinderella was wrapped in cling wrap and frosted into the cake. It's sanitary. Lillian is growing into a little lady for sure.
Brielle! She has just learned to walk by herself. It is so adorable to see what kind of personality she is developing as her older brother and sister are living their walking, running, talking, singing years. Who will Brielle be? Beautiful and gentle.

9.13.2009

today's color is ORANGE

I know it might seem like an article (which it is) to read my blog, but go ahead read and be educated on today's fruit and vegetable color for better health! I have one recipe included at the end. It is a favorite of mine that I made while I met Will's parents. They loved it and I think you will too!!

Orange
is one of the healthiest colors you can look for.
Orange vegetables contain beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, which is great for eyesight and eliminating free radicals. The beta-carotene gives the vegetable its orange color.

Some of the healthiest orange fruits and vegetables are:

sweet potatoes

squash & pumpkin

carrots

mangos

oranges

papaya

These fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrients and usually have a sweet flavor, making them ideal for satisfying those cravings for sweets.

Sweet Potatoes are one of the best orange foods. Part of the root family, they have huge amounts of beta-carotene, manganese, copper, fiber, B6, potassium, iron and just about anything else you think you could possibly pack into a small potato-like case.

Squash & Pumpkin These two foods are closely related, and actually come from the same family of vegetables, known as squash. They're loaded with fiber as well as beta-carotene. The squash family of vegetables is great at fighting off cancer, especially lung cancer, reducing the risk of heart disease and aiding in fighting against type-2 diabetes. Pumpkins specifically are great for urinary tract support and aid in the function of the kidneys. Years ago, pumpkin seed oil was even used to treat burns and wounds.

Carrots, a great food for eyesight, are the richest vegetable source for beta-carotene. Carrots reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, help prevent macular degeneration, and help control insulin levels to those with diabetes. While cooking foods typically removes some of their nutrients, this isn't so with carrots. Lightly cooking them actually helps to release the carotenes, which are otherwise trapped.

Mangos are high in iron and help fight against anemia and reduce kidney problems, fever, and respiratory problems. They can even relieve clogged pores of the skin.

Oranges, the typical orange fruit, is not so typical when you take a closer look. Oranges eaten in larger amounts can even decrease a runny nose.

Papaya contains digestive enzymes, which help break down some of the more difficult foods in our stomach, such as beans, dairy, and even meat. Due to the high fiber content, papaya also helps with constipation and even upset stomach. The one thing papaya has been known for around the world is its ability to prevent nausea, including morning and motion sickness if taken in the juice form.

Trinidad Mango Salsa

yields 1 1/2 cups

1 ripe mango or papaya

1 red chile, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

juice of 1 lime

salt & ground pepper to taste

Peel the mango or papaya, discard the stone or seeds, and chop the fruit combine it with the remaining ingredients.

Spoon the salsa into a jar, cover tightly, and refridgerate. It will keep for a month. Use Trinidad Mango Salsa as a condiment with vegetables or fish, or serve it with chips.

I would love to know what you think about the recipe. Enjoy!!


9.06.2009

oh the land, of Pumpkins!!

I love my life right now....no joke! It is so splendid to be here in Orange City for the month of September. I have just returned home from a long and amazing road trip around the states, spending time with Will, skydiving, getting some missionary therapy, and seeing God's timing as perfect! I can tell you more about that later if you want. But now I just have to spill a little about my current time and place. As I was traveling and talking to Will about this next month in OC...we discovered how hard it will be to once again be separated from each other, but also realized that the time for me in OC is to ENJOY! I really can't imagine a better way to ENJOY Iowa than to be working on a farm. I have never worked on a farm and I have lived in Iowa all my life. Since I started at the Pumpkinland in July I have enjoyed the work outdoors and the type of labor it required. Not to mention that working for the owners is a kill! I love them so much. They probably don't know how cool they really are...and think we talk about how wierd they are when really we talk about how great they are!!! I bet if you took a survey of the employees who have worked there over the years they would list 'working for Dave and Helen' as one of the top reasons for coming back and enjoying it. TIS TRUE!! They read my blog about the nerdy time clock mystery and the other day Helen was like 'Erika, you have to print that off for me so I can hang it on the bulletin board.'
So, God has really brought this land of pumpkins into my life at a perfect time. I have the whole month to do as I please with...and have really sensed a bubbling joy to work on the farm! You should just ask Will....when we talk on the phone I always have some sort of pumpkinland adventure to rattle off. I think it makes him happy to hear that I am happy. That's how that sort of stuff goes sometimes. Who wouldn't be happy with pumpkins? They are so jolly.

assorted small gourds

flying saucers (squash)

baby boos, my favorites

Here is what I do at Pumpkinland:
-pumpkin patch manager- which means I have an overview of the field and can go pick produce when it is needed and tell others to do it too. i even have a map. i have to learn all the varieties fairly quickly though. I also take names and numbers of people who want certain produce saved for them. I will call them when we get a good fresh load in of their desired harvested item.
look at the far field...beautiful pumpkins, squash, and gourds

-a few days last week I was preparing the maze for the grand opening last Thursday. I went through the mile long maze with a heavy machette-like knife and chopped the overgrown leaves that stretch into the maze pathway. I felt like I was blazing a trail through the Amazon jungle...then I realize that I am in Iowa. come and enjoy the maze sometime and remember how delightfully clear the path is.
the maze

the billy goats gruff gruff gruff

-i enjoy the animals....even though i don't have any chores :) But there are many things that are brand new for me here on the farm. It is a delightful adventure here at Pumpkinland!

ohh! these kittens are cute!!



The kitties are always a big deal

these are the precious ones at the Animal-land portion of Pumpkinland in Orange City. They are so cute....I had to give you a taste of my job atmosphere. Come out and visit us!