Haven’t talked to you for some time.  Last week end my family from New Mexico were here to visit and I had so much fun with them I didn’t remember to stop and say HI.  Dyhana is only one year old but so smart and cute!  She taught me a few Hindi words and knows how to communicate better than most three years old.  She was a dream to have here.  Of course her mother and father are a joy to have also and will be missed alot until next year when I do hope they come back with Shanti.  Shanti has become a very dear and much loved daughter.  I think all children have to break away and find out who they are and then they come back to their roots and parents become a part of their lives again.  We just have to wait until they are ready and take them on their terms, but the wait is well worth it.  We are so lucky to have the children we have.  They are all so different, each their own person but all of them such wonderful people.  On to the farm.  We have the beds all weeded and ready to put to bed for the winter.  The tomatoes still need to be pulled and the few green ones put into the freezer and the two pepper plants are still producing but that is the end of the gardening.  We will get a couple truck loads of the aged horse manure this next couple of weeks and get that spread and tilled in, then the beds will be ready to plant in Feb or March.  Next week we will get the onions and plant those so they can be working on their roots this winter and be ready to grow in the spring.  I will need to get some garlic but I guess it will be in Walmarts as the seed stores don’t carry it and that needs to get put in this fall also.  This is the time for me to get back to my writing.  I have been collecting and testing recipes all summer and am now ready to put them together for another cook book.  I have found new research on diets and what works for older people.  One diet does not fit all.  This winter I will be cooking for my grand daughter, Becca and her family with the new twins and they require a much different diet than we old folks do.  I will adjust my recipes for them but my book will be for a healthy diet for people 65+, our needs are quite different as we get older and I will give the reasons why in my book, or at least the latest thought on the subject.  That keeps changing with the wind and I take only what I have found to work.  We are going into our 80’s healthier than we ever were and diet is a big part of the reason.   I also want to write an article to send to Mother Earth about retiring to the earth.  We have learned alot over the 60+ years we have been married and trying to live off the land and do think we have some insights that could be helpful to others wishing to retire as we have.  All I need now is the time and discipline to get the job done before Feb. when the whole cycle of farming begins again.   I think that catches you up for now.  I would like to know from each one of you, “What is your favorite dish? ”  I would love to include it in my new book, if you will tell me what it is I will make it for the old foggies and include it in my book.  I forgot, I have made about half of my winter fruit cakes.  I still need to do a few more and if they come out as good as these first ones have I may never stop.  Stay healthy and happy.