The End

It's finally the end of our school year!!!!
(Yes, it deserved that many exclamation marks, becuase I'm that excited and quite relieved.)

Dash finished up and passed his last final exam today. Latin had given him a bit of trouble the last couple weeks, so we are both looking forward to a break from lessons. Zeke finished up his year the end of April and Angelina finished a couple weeks ago.

Dash, Angelina, and Zeke are OFFICIALLY now in the 7th, 4th and 1st grades, respectively. Congratulations, kids!

We are planning to continue the following throughout June: handwriting, Math review, Latin word review for Angelina and Dash, spelling - just until Dash and Angelina are done with their current level of Phonetic Zoo, reading, maps workbook - only Angelina, and piano lessons for Dash and Anglina.

We are going to take a break in July for a vacation and two weeks of Vacation Bible School - one in a local parish and the other up at Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres' parish. The kids look forward to the week up at Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres because they attend with thier relatives (I cannot remember the proper terminology, but it's my cousin's kids).

We'll resume some lessons again in August; most likely those mentioned above and I also want Angelina to start her ND History lessons. I don't plan to do all of these lessons every day, but want to do each at least three times each week. I think that's manageable and it will help retention - especially with the math, Latin words, handwriting and piano.

Bird-watching and feeding

I stayed with a good friend a couple weekends ago, and she is a bird-watcher. She has at least three bird feeders outside her kitchen window. It was fun to watch - I learned that the yellow bird that's been flitting around my flower/herb pots is actually is an American Goldfinch. Their color makes them easy to spot (well, actually it was easier before all the dandelions started blooming!).

Anyway, when at Tractor Supply on a rabbit supply run, I talked my hubby into getting a double sock finch feeder and finch 'food'. Yesterday, Angelina, Graham and I hung it on a tree in the tree row - planted by Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres - that isn't too far from the kitchen/dining room windows. We can see the feeder, but not really up close.

My helpers - Angelina & Graham posing with the feeder after hanging.

Angelina worried that the birds wouldn't find it, but the finches found it within a half hour and have been enjoying their newfound source of seed since. The neat thing about this feeder is that the finches are the only ones which will perch/hang on the bags to eat the seeds. Their bright yellow color makes them easy to spot when they are feeding. I just wonder how long a bag of seed will last out here!!

The lilacs are blooming!

I don't have grass, but thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres' choice in tree rows, I have plenty of lilacs to color one edge of our property. We chose lilacs, too, but it will be a couple years before they are big enough to produce blooms. The smell is wonderful, but who knew that lilacs could be the source of noise??

I was able to capture - in a picture - one bee to the left in the above photo.

The bees absolutely LOVE the lilacs. The buzz is really quite loud ... it sounds like we are near a hive when we are standing near the shrubs. A bee farmer lives down the road from our farm, so we do get honey as a thank you. I've never been stung and I hope that is never an issue for the kids, either.

Anyway, the scene and color is beautiful. God's creation for us to enjoy!!

No to Dog, Yes to Rabbits!

Dash and Angelina enrolled in 4-H this Fall. Having showed animals in our 4-H days, their dad and I wanted them to have the same experience ... we just weren't ready for the 'larger' animal experience of sheep, pigs or beef! So, rabbits became the animal of choice. I showed rabbits as a 4-Her, so I know a little bit that I can pass on to them. Rabbits seemed less over-whelming.





Grandpa Golden Acres has had rabbits since the last of my siblings graduated high-school (that was about six years ago - I think). He had cages and either two or three rabbits at the farm. I think he was looking forward to one less chore, so he agreed to let us inherit his brood. Turns out there were two, but they were a bit wild. So, he called up a rabbit breeder in his area and arranged for a few more to join the trip to our farm.

Mini Lops - Checkers (Angelina's) and Comet (Dash's)

We now have six rabbits! Two Mini Lops (called such because their ears lay down), a Mini Rex (my favorite breed while showing), and three belted (two grey & white and one black & white). The Mini Lops are pedigreed, so the kids will be showing those two - they are also the tamest. The pedigree means that they are registered and the kids will be receiving papers for each.

The kids have divied up ownership of all the rabbits, but I am not in the know, as of yet! You can be sure that future posts will share more info.

Wordless Wednesday - with explanation

In April, my hubby and I (actually, the whole family went on the short trip) attended the First Communion of one of our Godchildren. We visited the whole weekend and had a great time. Before leaving, my God-daughter presented me with this hand-crafted friendship bracelet and artwork. I though it very sweet.

Square Foot Gardening

Well, it's started ... the square foot gardening, that is. We set up six boxes on Saturday, and filled two with a mixture of vermiculite, spaghnum peat moss, and compost (equal parts by volume). The kids all helped in various ways - carrying bags to the site, getting tools, mixing, filling the boxes, and wetting down the planting mix. Unfortunately, the planting itself did not get done. By noon, I had run out of energy!

1. Getting the boxes in location and properly spaced. Thank goodness my hubby was around for this portion or I would've run out of steam much earlier. We lined the bottom of each box with landscape fabric before adding the soil-less mix.

2. Measuring out the 'mix' components onto the tarp. We used shovels to mix, but mostly used the tarp to 'roll' the mixture around to combine it. It was a lot of work, IMHO! After it was mixed, we shoveled and dumped it into the boxes. It seemed to take a lot more mix than I calculated.

3. Dash wet down 'his' SFG. This will be his 4-H gardening project. He'll be planting peppers, onions, lettuce, and beets. He'll be taking care of any weeds (there shouldn't be too many) and managing the watering.

4. Eva wetting down her SFG. She'll be planting sugar snap peas, carrots, red onions, and spinach in her plot. This will also be a 4-H project for her.

5. Before we plant, we'll be making a square foot grid in each box with nails and twine. The whole premise behind SFG is that each plant needs only a little space to produce. Marking out the grid helps to space plants and conserve space in your SFG. More pics later!

More flowers

This weekend, we did get quite a bit of yard work done. I planted some more herbs and a tomato in another pot. The tomato variety is 'Juliette' and will be a grape tomato. I can hardly wait! The herbs are Cilantro (great in salsa), chives (from my good friend, Cindy), and Spicy Globe (Greek Basil). I have not grown Spicy Globe before, so I have no idea what it tastes like in food. It'll be fun to find out.





The next project was a hanging planter for my shepherd's hook. Calibrachoa, common name Million Bells, are one of my favorite 'tender perennials' - that means annual in ND!! - because they flower all summer and come in such a variety of colors. I don't remember the name of this color, but it looks like sunset. It's also one of those that can handle sporadic watering and will pop back into life if you happen to forget watering on a hot day.




My other purchase was Dahlia's. I haven't planted Dahlia's that often - maybe once. They can be saved in the fall and stored for planting the next Spring. I may just try that this year. The color of these Dahlia's was irresistable for me. I haven't put them in a pot, yet, though. I still need to get some alyssum or moss roses to fill in the intended planter.

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto

My husband and I visited Key West, FL for the second time in January 2008. I was able to see much more of Key West during this visit and was excited to learn more about the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto on the grounds of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church.

This Grotto was created and dedicated after the destruction of the Florida Keys by a hurricane in the early 1900's.



Sister M. Louis Gabriel created the grotto in 1922. At the dedication, Sister Gabriel blessed it saying, "For as long as this grotto stands, this island will never suffer the full force of a hurricane."

In the recent decade, many a hurricane has threatened Florida or the Gulf Coast and forecasters have said that "the Keys are in the path." But, the Keys have not suffered major devastation or loss of life to compare with the hurricane of 1919.

The plaque is inscribed with the following words:

Sr. M. Louis Gabriel S.N.J.M.

Born Nov. 9, 1878

Made her first vows August 5, 1897

1987 - "A Lamp of Faith" - 1948

Teacher-Educator -Friend-Builder

The Lourdes Grotto

Dedicated May 25, 1922

"As long as the Grott0 stands, Key West will never

again experience the full brunt of a hurricane."

Sr. M. Louis Gabriel (1922)

On my desk...

This morning when I came down to my desk to start school, this was displayed. Subtle??


Someone reads the classifieds! Apparently that first word, 'FREE', might make this more appealing to busy parents... I have to admit I am intrigued, but we still don't have grass.

Wordless Wednesday

Grandma Green Acres brought these over as a treat for Angelina! There were enough for her to share, obviously...

Extraordinarily....

... large kiwi fruit from Sam's Club. Have you ever seen kiwi fruit this huge!

This is a picture of the kiwi next to a teaspoon.

They are at least 1.5 times larger than 'normal' kiwi that I purchase in the grocery store. And, the first spoonful was delicious as a 'late-night' or 'early-morning' (pick your preference) snack.

Angelina's Dance Recital

For the last year, we've driving to Fargo (well, mainly it's me doing the driving back and forth) so Angelina can learn dance at the Camria Ballet Academy. She was given permission to 'just' take Friday tap classes last year, since we were driving from so far away and Friday was the day we were already planning to be in town - almost every week.

The biggest factor in continuing to take classes at Camria was the instructor; she's fantastic and so knowledgeable about dance. I also appreciate how she organizes her class dances into a real SHOW for the recital. This year, the title of the recital was "The Firebird's Feather". Her tap class performed a number called Woodland Elves.

Angelina as a Woodland Elf.

She was also chosen for a ballet trio - The Flower Pixies. This is a colorful and beautiful costume! Yes, I do let my daughter wear make-up for the dance recitals. It was the one time of year as a little girl that 'I' was able to and I remember so looking forward to it. So, that's my little indulgence for my only girl..

Then, the other thing about dance recitals is the 'hair'! It must be put up in a bun or braids and loose hairs must be sprayed down tight. This year's special requirement was that a hat needed to be worn, so mom had to get a little creative. I think it turned out cute!

Below is a final picture ... on stage ... in her Flower Pixie costume.

Father-Son Camping Trip

This is the weekend for the ANNUAL FATHER-SON CAMPING TRIP! I'm excited ... about doing the laundry to prepare, packing, food preparation (Baked Beans - check out my cooking blog for the recipe - Special K Bars, Homemade Trail Mix), packing, and having house to myself for a couple hours.

This is not really a relaxing weekend because it's also the weekend of Angelina's Dance Rehearsal and Recitals (yes, recitals on both Saturday & Sunday) in Fargo. However, I'm planning to come home on Friday night - late as it will be - so that I can have some quality 'mom time' alone on Saturday morning. I have NO plans and am going to keep it that way for now.

The boys look forward to the trip every year. This will be Graham's first year. My hubby agreed to take him, even though Graham is a not-quite-3yo and not potty triained as of yet. But, it would be difficult for Graham to be with me, so this is the best solution. The little guy is just pumped about this 'awesome' event.

A Very Excited Graham - waiting to go.

Zeke has all his activities planned out ... he's for sure going to play baseball and his fishing pole is ready to go. Thank goodness Dash is old enough to help lay out all the clothes. Hand him a list and he does pretty well. I just need to check over his picks and make sure he only laid out 'play' clothes for his younger brothers.

Dash helping to get the supplies organized in the truck.

The first year Dash went on the camping trip, which was also the first annual, he went into the lake 5 (at least that's the number the rumors/stories have settled on) times! He used up all his clothes in the first day. I didn't find out until much later ... sometimes what happens on the Father-Son Camping Trip just needs to be left 'there'.

I'm praying they have good weather, no rain, and warmer than predicted night-time temperatures. Just in case, I'm sending the long-johns and stocking caps!

Wordless Wednesday

Is this cute or is it 'too' cute for use!

My little herb garden

Yesterday, I planted my Herb Mary Garden. Grandma Green Acres brought me these herbs last week: Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, and Sage. It was a very good feeling to get my hands dirty and put some plants in the soil!

Mary Garden - Container

This is a simple Marian Shrine that my mom gave me a couple years ago. It was not made very sturdy, so I need to repair it every year. In our move, Mary's footrest was misplaced ... hopefully I'll be able to find it! However, it is on a stake and will work very well in a container Mary Garden. Perfect for me, as our yard is not ready for a garden of any sort that rests on or in the ground.

Mary Garden - Basilica of St. Mary

My youngest brother is engaged to be married in the Fall of this year at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, MN. We visited last year in August and attended Mass with my brother and his fiancee. My brother gave us a mini-tour of the building, which is beautiful and impressive. We didn't have time to walk around the Mary Garden, but I picked up a brochure to learn more. I would like to return in the summer and see the gardens when they are in summer bloom. These are some of the perennials that are included in the Basilica's Mary Garden... I'm always looking for inspiration and ideas!

Common Name - Marian Symbolism - Height

Lavender - Mary's Bouquet - 12"
Primrose - Our Lady's Frills - 6"
Lungwort - Mary's Milk - 12"
Thyme - Our Lady's Bedstraw - 2" ground cover
Sweet Violet - Our Lady's Modesty - 6"
Heartsease - Our Lady's Delight - 6"
Rosemary - Mary's Bouquet - 18"
Wood Anemone - Our Lady's Petticoat - 12"
Wind Anemone - Our Lady of the Snow - 15:
Lady Fern - Our Lady's Fern - 24"
Columbine - Our Lady's Purse - 12"-18"
Campanula - Our Lady's Thimble - 12"
Bleeding Heart - Our Lady's Sorrowing Heart - 12"-18"
Rue - Herb of Grace - 18"
Monkshood - Our Lady's Shoes - 36"
Foxglove Digitalis - Our Lady's Gloves - 36"
Hardy Geranium - Madonna's Pins - 30"
Nicotiania - Our Lady's Tree - 36"
Solomon's Seal - Our Lady's Signet - 30"

Above: Thyme

*Notice the herbs included in this list: Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender and Rue. I'm certain there are more herbs that have Marian Names (I'm planning to do more research and will post later). Herbs are wonderful container plants - that's a great dual purpose - honoring Mary and fresh herbs for cooking! Grandma Green Acres just brought over four herb plants - Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, & Parsley - this afternoon. I'm looking forward to planting them in a container that I'll keep on my back porch.

Above: Rosemary

Little Flower Quilt - Part 2

Yeah!!! They are done and they've been sold at the Cathedral of St. Mary Spring Celebration! The Little Flower quilts I posted about earlier in the year (say around February) turned out beautiful. Hopefully their new owners will enjoy them as much as the Little Flowers enjoyed making each square.







This is what the flower squares look like after washing. The edges are not interfaced, but are snipped about every 1/4". It creates a lot of texture and 'movement' on the quilt.

Mary Garden - Annuals

The following are annual flowers that can be used to start your Mary Garden. My favorites include snapdragons, sweet alyssum, and forget-me-nots. Grandma Green Acres likes to start seeds early and always has plenty to share. She's given me impatians, marigolds, zinnias, snapdragons, sweet alyssum, as well as many others. I use the annuals to fill in between perennials and give an all-summer-long splash of color.


Common Name, Religious Name, Plant Height
Cornflower, Mary's Crown, Medium Mid-Bed
Larkspur, Mary's Tears, Tall Rear
Morning Glory, Our Lady's Mantle, Tall Rear
Petunia, Our Lady's Praises, Low Border
Poppy, Christ's Blood, Medium Mid-Bed
Snapdragon, Infant Jesus' Shoes, Medium Mid-Bed
Zinnia, The Virgin, Medium Mid-Bed
Sweet Scabious, Mary's Pincushion, Medium Mid-Bed
Sweet Alyssum, Flower of the Cross, Low Border
Forget-me-not, Eyes of Mary, Low Border
Impatiens, Mother Love, Low Border
Marigold, Mary's Gold, Medium Mid-Bed

Many of these annuals work well in containers, so you don't need to dig a new spot in your yard to have a Mary Garden. Use an outdoor container that you already own or find a pretty container at a garage sale to save money. If you want a more immediate garden, buy a couple plants from the greenhouse. Plant the seeds or plants in your container and add an outdoor statue of Mary to create a Mary "container" Garden. If you don't have a statue, you can also use a laminated photo of Mary that is attached to a stake in the center of the container.

Pictured Above: Forget-Me-Not

Mary Gardens

Flower gardens are one of my favorite spring, summer, and fall hobbies. A number of years ago, I found a great list of flowers, both annuals and perennials, that have common names related to Mary. Establishing gardens out here on the farm may take me a few years, but you can be sure I'll be referring to my Marian flower list when I start planning.

Roses bushes are a staple in my gardens; and I especially like any Morden variety of rose bush. They are the hardiest I have found. I do no have to take any special care in the fall to ensure their survival to the next spring. Yes, I do trim back the dead canes in the spring, but I've never lost a Morden over winter. Someday I will have time to properly care for and maintain a tea rose in our climate, but I am not at that point in my life right now.


Gardens Give Mary Glory

These are the loveliest of her litanies,
These are gardens where the glad abounding earth
Still gush the Holy Spirit's primal mirth
In endlessly renewed diversities.

These from the faithful and fecund soil
Are generations that have called her blest,
They magnify her always without rest
While man's sad cyclic ages still uncoil.

They beat the perfumed air with noiseless sound,
They ring out her renown, freshly repeat
Her names taught them by men whose pulses beat
With God's great rhythm of the Seasons' round.

Each garden gives her glory, chants her praise
Even in harsh and hostile places where
Men have forgotten gentleness and prayer,
And what still canticles waft through their days.

Who plants a garden builds a carillon
To peal her praises witht he pulse of time,
And laud her with the earth's loveliest, lasting chime
In bright, unalterable antiphon.

-Liam Brophy