Monday DayLook – April 26, 2010

For Today:  April 26, 2010

 

Looking out from my back porch... specks of yellow from Dandelions are showing up in my backyard, blackbirds have shown up, a pair of Mallards is nesting in the slough just beyond the backyard (we are all awaiting the arrival of ducklings!), the sandbox has been visited often, and the lilacs are greening up, too.  The day itself is overcast and a little dreary – if we didn’t need the rain it would be slightly depressing.

 

I am thinking about… chicks!!  They arrive later this week & I still need to set up their brooder.  All the supplies are in the garage, just need to put it all together.

 

I am thankful for... baptism.  My niece was baptized on Saturday evening.  Seeing the sacrament received again by another child makes me smile.

 

I am reading… “The Backyard Homestead” edited by Carleen Madigan.  I’m not very far into the book, but the concept is intriguing.  We aren’t limited by space, to I don’t feel the need to organize my yard as intensively as what this book outlines.  However, I’m reading it to learn and pick up little tid-bits of info that I can apply to our situation.

 I am hoping... for a little more rain to wet the ground and settle the dust. CHECK!

 

I am hearing... the wind, not too strong, blowing around the house.  The kids are quiet & baby Louis is sleeping.

 

I am wearing… jeans, a light blue 3/4 length sleeve t-shirt, and grey socks because I had to put on mud boots to go outside and water the chickens (Angelina couldn’t get the cover off the waterer).

 

From the school room... we’re just trying to stay strong and steady through mid-May to end the formal school year.

 

From the kitchen... I haven’t done a very good job of menu planning the last two weeks, so need to get going on it again.

 

State of the house… the dust is getting the best of me right now!  Doors get left open and the dust floats on in and settles wherever it likes.

 

A successful moment… the weekend was really fun … college fraternity reunion … niece’s baptism … 13yo birthday.  I pulled off all I needed to get done: annual summary with substance and a little flair, remembered the baptism gift, packed the kids and myself for the overnight, baked a cake & cooked a birthday meal.  Phew!

 

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Dash, Angelina & Zeke will be participating in the 4-H Communication Arts contest today.   

Wednesday: Angelina has a make-up dance class tonight. 

Thursday-Friday:  The chicks arrive at some point and I also placed an Azure Standard/(Food co-op) order, so will need to run to pick that up, too.

Saturday/Sunday:  Dash is having a birthday party with friends – he’s super excited cuz they are going to Thunder Road (go-carts, mini-golf, etc.).  Eric and I teach the third (and last) class in our NFP series this weekend, too.

 

A picture memory …

Remember this from last year???  Almost time for planting the SFG’s again, and this year we are ready a little earlier …

Eric took a cell-phone picture of Dash at Aerospace Camp 2010...

Happy Birthday!

 

 

Dear Dash - Happy 13th Birthday!

 

I have a teenager on the loose in my house!  Where in the world did thirteen years go?? 

They were spent holding an adorable baby, who crawled after a ball,

who loved to jump up and down in his exersaucer,

who grew into a toddler, who grabbed a sippy cup and learned to pad along behind a push toy,

who changed into a little boy who loved to play in the sand and walk through puddles,

who at 5 & 6 ran everywhere instead of walking (it was hard to keep up),

who turned 7, 8, 9, and then 10 and rode his bike around the cul de sac,

 

who grew into a bigger boy who took a liking to all things electronic,

 

who can take apart almost anything and somehow remember how it should be reassembled,

 

  

who finds fun in everything, even when mom or dad do not!

who is considerate and helpful to his Grandparents, siblings, and parents,

who is helpful around the farm and can hardly wait to drive more of the farm equipment,

who is now, finally, a teenager.

 

Our prayer is that God’s way will always be your way.  May He continue to bless you and keep you when we cannot be there to guide you. 

St. Clare Heirloom Seeds

  I received my order of garden seeds from St. Clare Heirloom Seeds this past week.  Seeing as how I had just ordered on April 16th, I was very surprised to receive the seeds on Monday.  That’s quick!!  Now, I cannot actually comment on the germination because they haven’t been planted, yet.  But, if looks and service say anything, these seeds are going to turn into wonderful plants.  The seed packets are cute and the quantity of seed in each is reasonable.  I found the price to be in line with what I’ve paid in the past for similar seeds and I was even able to purchase some of my favorite varieties.  Shipping is only $3 for seed orders. 

A bonus with St. Clare Heirloom Seeds is that they specialize in Non-GMO, Non-Treated, Non-Hybrid, Heirloom and Open-Pollinated Seeds.  While all these factors may be important to some folks, I was most interested in the Heirloom tomato seeds.  I have read and ‘heard’ that heirloom varieties have such good flavor.  I want to experience the difference for myself, and flavor is important when canning spaghetti sauce and freezing stewed tomatoes.

They sell books, too.  I found one that I cannot wait to receive and read … Backyard Homestead … more on that after it arrives!  If plants were available, I would definitely order.  I’ll keep you posted on how my garden grows in future posts.

Here’s a list of what I ordered:

• Green Bean – Contender
• Beet – Cylindra
• Carrot – Danvers 126
• Pea – Super Sugar Snap
• Pea – Maestro
• Summer Squash – Black Beauty
• Winter Squash – Burgess Strain Buttercup
• Lettuce – Paris Island COS
• Lettuce – Lettuce Blend #2
• Spinach – Bloomsdale Long Standing
• Tomato – Toma Verde Tomatillo
• Tomato – Tumbler (Cherry)
• Tomato – Amish Paste
• Tomato – Delicious
• Tomato – Rutgers

Of course, this isn’t all I will be planting.  I am not ordering early enough to start broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, & peppers from seed!  And then, I really like English cukes, so will be looking for those seeds/plants locally.  The potatoes and corn are planted in a larger plot we share with Grandpa & Grandma Green Acres.  Grandpa already has a few rows of potatoes planted … using our own home-grown potatoes for seed.

Wordless Wednesday – Zeke’s Current Poem

Craft Basket Wednesday

This past Saturday, our family hosted our 4-H club for a rocket building/pillowcase sewing meeting.  Most of the members worked on rockets, but three chose to make pillowcases.  Angelina has no interest in rockets, so she was one of the three seamstresses who made a pillowcase.  She chose fabric from samples I had on hand (purchased when Hancock Fabrics went out of business a couple years ago).  I had wanted to make her a quilt out of these fabrics, but… we moved… and I had a baby… there’s really not much time to quilt!  Pillowcases are quicker/easier to sew and the bed-set came with linens and a pre-made quilt. On a side note, the bed-set came from my childhood room and was the wedding gift given to my maternal grandparents by my maternal great-grandparents – it’s mahogany and beautiful – this bed-set started my longing for dark cherry furniture.  Anyhoo, maybe I’ll make her a matching lap quilt to curl up in while she reads late into the winter nights.  You know the kind that lay across the the foot of the bed in pictures, but in real life are in a heap on one side of the couch!


The pattern for the pillowcases came from a kit … I just really liked the fabric combination.  Of course, the colors don’t match anything in my bedroom, but the fabric is a silky cotton that I’ll enjoy.  This pattern is quick and easy to sew – definitely under an hour.  Why do I buy pillowcases when construction is this easy??


The bold floral prints are from the kit …



The brown & pink that match Angelina’s room decor…




The full size view – hard to really appreciate the layering in the smaller photos…

 


Click here to check out other Craft Basket Wednesday posts… thanks Amy Caroline!

Monday DayLook – April 19, 2010

For Today:  April 19, 2010

Looking out from my back porch... the irony of Spring is that before I can get outside to plant anything that I LIKE, the weeds begin to grow like … well, weeds!  So, there is green, but it’s broadleaf weeds!!

I am thinking about… gardening.  The seed packets I ordered last week arrived today.  I purchased onion sets over the weekend.  Started plants will need to wait until May, but I am soooo itching to plant.  The square foot gardens just need a little compost/soil to top them off and they’ll be ready for seeds.

 I am thankful for... Spring-time, sunny days, babies, washing machines, and simple joy-filled moments scattered throughout the day.

I am reading…StAR magazine from March/April 2010.  The focus of this issue is G.K. Chesterton: Fidei Defensor.  Very, very good reading.  Am also reading my latest Cooking Light magazine and finished reading the Winter 2010 issue of mater et magistra … probably just in time for the next issue to arrive.

I am hoping... for a bit of rain later this week to settle the dust and get the newly planted fields growing.

I am hearing... Baby Louis jumping away in the Jumperoo, shrieks of joy included!

I am wearing…jeans, a brown long-sleeve t-shirt, white socks & my favorite pair of beige Sketchers

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… the boys worked on rockets this week.  Angelina has been working on her quilt and she finished up her pillowcase.  All will be exhibited as 4-H projects.

From the school room... last week was a challenge.  Nice weather means we’d all rather be doing something else!  So, I doubled up Dash’s assignments in a couple subjects; he protested at first, but after trying it realized that he could handle the small amount of extra work and still finish decent time.

From the kitchen... it was a SWEETS week.  I tried out Maple Pecan Scones (***** = gone), Angelina made Mini-Chocolate Chip Scones (*****= samples & then frozen) and brownies (another ***** = saved for 4-H meeting)!  I also mixed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but they were a bit of a flop.  They’re being eaten, but they spread too much and aren’t very attractive.   This week, I’m going to search for egg recipes.  Whenever we made Angel-food cake (uses 12 egg whites), my mom would make 12 egg-yoke cookies … I’m searching for the recipe.

State of the house… the cook-top is in desperate need of attention, but the rest of the house should be good for a week.

A successful moment… I remembered to call and register the kids for the 4-H Communication Arts contest this morning – today was the deadline.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Dance class for Angelina & a library visit.

Tuesday-Friday: Plan and prepare for the weekend.  Spring’s work and planting begin this week.  Work on 4-H projects.

Saturday:  Dash’s 13th Birthday & Niece Elizabeth’s Baptism tonight.  I plan to meet up with my mom and sister for our annual women’s fraternity reunion.

Sunday:   Dash and his dad leave to attend 4-H Aerospace Camp. 

A Picture Memory…

 

My attempt at outdoor decor … old grapevine wreath with silk flowers tucked in the branches…

Angelina & Zeke planted onion sets today… it’s a bit early, but the worst that can happen is it’ll freeze & we’ll have to replant.  If it’s a go, they can show onions (although small) at 4-H Achievement Days in late June!

 

Graham was the lucky boy today!  He’s the first boy to ride in the tractor with dad this year.  He was super excited … water bottle & Scooby-Doo lunchbox filled with goodies in hand and Dad carried his toys (a bag of old Legos that I said could be scattered to the four corners of the field!).