Happy Friday
"Autumn... the year's last, loveliest smile."
- William Cullen
.
Autumn at Kinzua Bridge, c/o The Gateway Lodge
.
This week has been a full one here at the farm — the kind that leaves your heart full and your hands tired. We welcomed two new calves, which means two new bottle babies every morning and night! Add that to the two calves from late summer who are still bouncing around the pasture, and you could say we’re living in calf heaven these days.
Of course, caring for newborn calves (and their mamas) is no small task. Fresh cows — those who have just calved — are at risk of what’s called “milk fever,” a dangerously low calcium level that can cause weakness, confusion, and serious illness. It’s every dairy farmer’s biggest worry because it can come on so quickly. We learned that lesson the hard way last summer with our sweet Dolly, who gave us quite the scare. After weeks of care and around-the-clock attention, she pulled through, and we’ve been extra cautious ever since.
Between keeping a close eye on our fresh cows, making gelato, bottling milk, crafting yogurt, and wrapping up soccer season — not to mention celebrating two big birthdays, cheering at flag football, starting basketball season, and nursing a stuffy-nosed baby through the night — it’s been a blur. The kind of week that leaves you dreaming of an early bedtime and a warm meal around the kitchen table.
I get asked sometimes, “How do you do it all?” And the truth is, we don’t. Some days, the house is a mess, dinner is whatever we can find, and there are laundry piles taller than I care to admit. We do our best, prioritize what really matters, and let the rest wait its turn. It’s not always tidy, but it’s real — and I think there’s beauty in that.
As the evenings turn cooler and the days shorten, I can feel the season gently nudging us to slow down — to rest, reset, and find gratitude even in the chaos. And if you’re feeling that too, maybe it’s time for a little fall treat to sweeten the weekend.
We have so many fun gelato flavors at the Scoop Shoppe this week — from cozy pumpkin and oatmeal cream pie to playful root beer and Butterfinger peanut butter. So whether you need a breather, a family outing, or just a reason to pause and savor something sweet, come see us in Brockway. We’ll be here, scooping up joy one gelato at a time.
Links + finds from the week:
- I know it's a bit early, but I've never seen a cuter wrapping paper.
- I'm still loving spaghetti squash, so this recipe is up next! Ps: grab a $3 locally grown spaghetti squash at the Scoop Shoppe this weekend!
- Looks like the last weekend to share the PA Fall Foliage Map.
- Don't miss a fall tour of the Kinzua Bridge: stunning!
- My jaw dropped: the way marketing can FOOL US.
Have the best weekend.
xx,
Lisa