The Garden

 What a difference a few weeks make in the garden.


May 22th, 2012

We put up a temporary fence to keep the bunnies out....








May 25th, 2012

We mulched the perimeter to make mowing easier.

June 10th, 2012

Long hose for watering... Very little rain this year so far... Notice the grass is less green....

June 20th, 2012

Put up movable fence to make weeding, and harvesting easier....  the tomatoes grew quite a lot... the yard is drying up....

July 07, 2012

Still watering, but things are doing well.... we bought some tree wood mulch and put it on the raised beds to try to hold in some moisture...  Pumpkins are beginning to go nuts....

July 16, 2012

Things are growing but we are having some bug issues... organic gardening is time consuming and I worry about leaving for vacation... but we shall see.

2 months from planting till now.... :)

The Dog and The President- A tale of 2 Dogs

This is Webster....

We realized that he is under the weather last night.

He hasn't been eating well.

Last night we were worried because he didn't seem to be drinking either....

Nothing seemed to interest him... No Treats, no scrambled egg, not rice with beef broth, not even spaghetti.... These are not part of his normal diet but this is unusual for this scrappy intense fellow.

The heat has been terrible around here and we kind of figured that it was just that.... but maybe not.

The vet is going to take a look at him in a couple hours.  I pray that he is able to figure out what is going on with our good boy.  When you have kids and pets there is always something going on, someone going to a doctor  or appointment of some sort.  Today is Webbie's turn.      


The President is in town to spew his promises and lies, I hope that does not cause traffic issues... It is, thankfully, on the other side of town but I will give myself extra time to get up there just in case.  Governor Romney is around here somewhere too... or his representatives.... I will be glad when the campaigning is over they are all a bunch of crooks, thieves and liars... 


Question: 


Why do they exempt themselves from the programs and things that they create for their constituents?


Why do they have a better deal than those they represent?  


Why don't people wise up and see the truth?

Time Well Spent

Today we had things to do...

Drop my son at school for his service hours....

Drop my daughters car off at the shop to get a few things done to it....

My Husband met us there and the 3 of us went to Panera for coffee and we all split a cookie.

Then My daughter and I went to the Retirement/Assisted Living Home in town and she asked about working/volunteering there...

When my son came home we took him to tutoring ... I love hearing him interact with his tutor - she is so great with him....

While we waited, I helped my daughter get started crocheting a scarf for herself.... That was way fun.... But I am a freak and a perfectionist- though I am trying to be less of a freak- and just show and try not to try to help too much.

We got home and I started to fix dinner.

When my husband got home we ate and then went out for ice cream... I got some low fat frozen yogurt... I am sorry but there is no way that was low fat.... It was too die for!

Came home did dishes and now am writing this blog... And getting ready to go to Bible Study in a few minutes.

What a wonderful- beautiful day with people I just adore.

Beauty

Just thinking about what beauty is.... The definition of beauty is

          Noun:  1.  A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases
                          the aesthetic senses, esp. the sight.

                     2.  A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.

There is a lot of emphasis placed on physical beauty in our society.  Weight, hair, skin and dress.... To be perfect and put together at all times.... It is a tremendous amount of time, money and pressure to place on a person- especially teens.  They feel it the most because they have not yet come to know themselves and to love themselves... They value what other people think- too much.





I look at my garden and see the beauty and the changes each plant goes through.   The flower blooms and fades... Some last longer than others- but all fade.  Some much quicker than others- and all more quickly than we, ourselves, age.  But there is a cycle that all of life follows according to God's plan and because of man's sinful nature. 

There is beauty everywhere for us to admire and enjoy.  But we should not focus on being the subject of beauty.

Take a walk or a hike... It surrounds us.  Beauty is more than we think.
It is a child's laughter, a song, a prayer, a bird's call....

It is in our actions, concern and kindness to others.  Being a light in a dark world.  That is what we are called to do.


I would like to choose to grow old gracefully, God willing!  I pray that I will not focus on wrinkles, age spots or grey hair, but instead on the many blessings and beautiful things in the world that surround me.  My family, pets and friends, flowers, rivers, mountains and animals, all of God's creation, that have been lovingly bestowed for our care and enjoyment by our Father, God.  What a gift!

I honestly think for me the hardest part may be the physical pain that is associated with aging.  I find I feel better the more active I am.  If I don't stay active my back hurts... So I am trying to stay busy- run for fun, walk, hike or kayak, eat well, and get enough rest...

I hope that I can share beauty with everyone I meet each day.  Living life in a happy and joyful manner.  Showing the love of God- in my words, deeds, and actions.

Beauty can be found in abundance- everywhere and at all times... If we keep an open heart and an open mind and focus on the good things in life rather than the troubles.

Busy as a Bee

This morning I am relaxing with a cup of coffee.  Yesterday I was busy as a bee.  Flying from one task to the next...

First there was Women's Breakfast... At Steak &Shake.  It was really nice... There were 5 of us plus little Jess... and the food was good, reasonably priced and the service was great.  We had a nice time.  My church family is great... I love hearing what everyone is up to and especially how they are enjoying their summer.

Then we went into Shoe Carnival and I was hoping to find some sandals... No luck- but Erin talked me into getting her a pair of heels.  They are so dang cute, and well, they were on sale for 18 but then the final price at the register with tax came to 13.  So go figure... I am glad I said yes.

Afterwards Erin and I went to JoAnnes Fabrics and she got some yarn to make herself a scarf.  So I have to teach her to crochet... But she can do it... The pattern she wants to use is just hdc.... Over and over and over... 

When we got home I went outside and started painting the fence around the garden... It was so hot, and bright I got a bit lightheaded... My hubby wanted to try out his new kayak on the lake so I finished up the paint in my cup while he loaded the truck.... Off we went to the lake.

The lake was amazing.  We had a good time.  His kayak, however, is for river kayaking and was a task to handle on the lake... It was still fun. 

When we got home, I got ready for a 5k that Erin and I were going to run together... We did not pre-register, so we went early.  Got there at 7 when it opened and then had nearly 2 hours to wait... We talked and laughed and teased each other till the race start... Neither of us felt like running at the time.  It was so late in the day, 8:45pm.   That is why you should pre-register- You are less likely to decide you don't feel like doing it.... But we did... She left me in her dust right away... My goal was to finish.  I have not been training... But figured it is only a bit more than 3 miles.  Slow and steady finishes the race.  Funny thing is- as everyone passes me I am thinking maybe I will get you at the end... And I did pass a few on the last mile.  It was a nice course, the evening had cooled off and I felt alive running... It wasn't effortless but it was good.  I made the mistake of taking one of those caringly offered cups of water at the 2 mile mark and choked on it as I ran.... Note to self-  Never try to drink and run you are unable to do it... Just splash it on the lips and go... I kept my pace... And hit the stadium with enough gas to bust a lap and finish in 35:12  Which for the race is a pace of about 11:33.  I came in 141.  We felt awesome afterward.  and we were so glad we did it... Funny thing we checked in number 214 and 215 and so there were not tons of people but there were many... And neither Erin or I knew or even recognized one single person.  I thought that was weird.  

Came home absolutely dead.  Exhausted from my busy day.  Made a cup of tea, worked on the church bulletin and went to bed.  Tired and sore.  This morning I am finishing up the bulletin and getting ready for church... Here we go again...

Too Short Summer

What to do.... My to do list is pretty long....

Got up made quiches for breakfast
and Coffee

Weeded in the garden
Planted more corn, peas, and flowers
Watered everything well.

Cleaned up and cleaned up the kitchen

Made a pitcher of  Iced Tea

The floors and the windows and
the laundry need to be done as well
as bathrooms and vacuuming.....

My lovely daughter asked me to go
bike riding with her and I said I can't,
I have too much work to do....




And I thought about it and realized summer is too short and the work isn't going anywhere but she will soon be back in college far away.... So I went for a bike ride with her and it was wonderful... And of course I feel wonderful after getting my heart pumping....












This is the day that the LORD has made;  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

Not An Extreme Kayaker

My kayak is a great and fun workout... but I like the calm waters.

This past weekend my family went camping with some friends to the Youghiogheny River in PA.  We took the kayaks and headed for the white water class 1-2 rapids.  The river was beautiful and scenic.  PA is gorgeous!  We had a great time. 

The trip down the river was  about 5 hours.  I was doing fine until about 2/3 of the way down... I went in and whoa was the water cold.... my gracious.... I laughed because I could not speak...  The guys got me to shore and drained Little Red and away we went again.  Then once more I went in.... This time I got myself to shore the guys retrieved my paddle and Little Red.... I had to hike the shore line in and under brush to get back to her.  But off we went again.... Then right before we got to the take out spot I went in again... righted Red and climbed back in... A little water in her made the going slow, but only two people saw the third dip I took...  

Boy was I cold while the guys loaded the kayaks onto and into the truck... A barely warm shower back at the campground felt good... We cooked hamburgers for dinner and had Birthday cake for my sons 18th birthday.... 

The next day they all went back out but my back was sore so I stayed back and went for a hike... Walked 8 miles of the prettiest countryside you could imagine. Then went back relaxed (I was tired) and wrote this poem.

Peaceful River, Down I float

     In little red, my kayak boat.

The water glistens, it sparkles merrily~

     All of God's Creation, I enjoy verily.

Ducks with their ducklings, gliding having fun.

     Just like us, in the warmth of the sun.

A hawk, above us, in the air 

     Soaring quietly, as if, without a care.

At the bend in the river, a graceful doe

     Taking a drink, in the cool shallow.
Underneath us- fish swim about.

     "Thank you, Lord!"  I want to shout.



My fascination and elation end.

     Something is calling for my attention.

Rushing water, now I hear.

     And just ahead, the ripples appear.

The warning sign, Oh dear,

       Telling me that danger is near.

But it's too late, I see the rock.

     My Youghiogheny River road block!

Broadside against it, I am pinned.

     The current slowly tips me in.

The coldness steals my breath away.

     The river tugs at me, as if to play.

She bumps me into submerged rocks,

     So cold, I find it hard to talk.
I am not afraid, there is no fear.

     My help, family and friends, are near.
They tow me and my yak to shore,

     Dump the river out, I get back in and go some more.                                         

By the end of the day, tired and spent,

     About 11 miles, down the river we went. 
It was truly an amazing time!

     But today, I'm so sore, they left me behind.

The Sweet Life

What are the things that make life so good.... Family, and friends.... These relationships are gifts from God.... And it sweetens and improves life allowing us to live to the fullest when we share and give and love.










The kids went hiking at Beaver Creek State Park... They had a good time... Glad I wasn't there watching them climb around the rock faces....









My husband had a birthday and as is customary he gets a meal of his liking.... So we had Spaghetti and Meatballs... Not pasta but Spaghetti.... I tend to call all pasta spaghetti and it never fails that I hear... "Oh, I thought you said we were having spaghetti,  this isn't spaghetti!"  Well, I made sure that today, it was the real deal.

Erin made angel food cake for dessert and we topped it with french vanilla yogurt and fresh strawberries (from the garden) and blueberries.  It was wonderful.





The Salad was lettuces from our garden, basil, parsley, cilantro, and radishes.  The tomato wasn't they are not coming in yet.  But the salad dressed with a little feta cheese and greek dressing was pretty amazing.




The house is coming along but it is slow going... You know how hard it is to throw out stuff.... Well try going through 3 other peoples things... I sort out trash then ask them to go through the rest of it and so far I'm not getting very much cooperation.  But I am pushing through... I decided if I died tomorrow.... I don't really want others to have to sort through my trash, so I am working on it to try to make some headway.  We are not hoarders or anything like that-  it is normal accumulation and lots of transitional kid stuff. It is exacerbated by the fact that we have several projects/home improvements/repairs going on.

All I can do is do what I can do... Not let it get to me... And try to enjoy things as much as I can.... So that's what I am going to do... Balancing work and play, and friends and family.... Life truly is sweet.  Thank you Jesus!

Wildlife

I miss living in PA and I miss my farm.  It was so peaceful.  Living in OH is so different... In a little neighborhood.  Our home is fairly private because of all the trees but it's still sort of city living.   I do often forget that we are still quite close to the country. This little town likes to think it is citified but there is not much happening here...

I put in a garden and some little critter, probably Peter Rabbit, was nibbling my lettuces.... Had to put up a temporary fence till I can put something more permanent up.







I like to feed the birds and we are trying to figure out how to keep them from their bomber raids on our back deck.... As my husband is trying to refinish it.

The squirrels are frequenting our bird feeders- they and the chipmunks racing around, are driving the dog to distraction.

We found little hand prints from a raccoon on our grill up on the deck.

Last night we went to a friends house and sat around a fire and roasted marshmallows and hot dogs.  That was nice... While we were sitting there my daughter said that the Police Dept. had posted on their FB Page that a Black Bear had been sighted behind the High School.... And no one should feed or approach it. While we were all talking the smell of a skunk could be detected....

We headed home and saw eyes glowing when we pulled into the yard... a opossum slinked away.


Lots of wild life around us here in the big, big city...

Happy, Tired and Satisfied = Thankful

A busy day spent with the ones I love.

This morning... I awoke and decided to replant my bulbs around the flagpole... I know there must have been over 300.  tulip and crocus bulbs.  I spent several hours and then Ry and I rushed to his tutoring.

Daneen is the best.  She is amazing and I feel so blessed that she is Ry's tutor... As I waited for them to finish up my tummy was growling and I realized that I skipped breakfast.

Ry and I went to Panera for lunch then to his dental appt.

Then we mowed the lawn... Well, he mowed the lawn and I did yard work- trimming and stuff.

I checked on the sparrows and the baby birds have fledged the nest... It is empty and they are nowhere to be seen...  

Jay got home and I made grilled cheese sandwiches... Then he and I went to Bible Study... Just love, love, love being in the Word with my friends from church.

We went to the video store and got a movie or 4... Well, Ry wanted to watch "The Grey"  I will say that I thought it was unrealistic and being an optimist and loving a happy ending.... Well, I won't give it away by telling whether I was disappointed or not.... If you watched it you know.

Now the boys are watching another movie... Something with Navy Seals or something.... It is a loud movie.... I hear lots of explosions.... LOL

E is on her way home from Cedar Point... I saw pictures on FB and looked like they were having a BLAST!

Anyway, this is the type of day that makes you feel happy, tired, and satisfied all at once! Thankful for all of it and everything... And now going to bed!

Pleasurable Work

Here are a couple more photos of the Chipping Sparrows...



This one is the mama on the nest.












And these are the babies.

This one taken on 6-03-12

Look at that little mug.... so funny...









Well, yesterday the weather was pretty nice and so working in the yard was a definite.... The flag pole was kind of calling my name...  Since we had so much rain, the ground was diggable, workable.  A bit easier?  Oh my, by the time I was finished I could hardly move... But I dug up all the plants- saved some to replant, collected all the bulbs and cleaned up all the weeds and waste.... Then my husband helped me screen out the rock from the soil...

As soon as we finished he said OK now let's go for a run... Are you kidding?  I can hardly move my legs... My hip and buttocks hurt from driving the shovel with my foot... I was out here for 5 hours working.... Then I thought about him... He works hard like that every day and even when he is tired he will accommodate my wishes... So I said OK.  Changed my clothes, put my hair up and we went to the bike path... Ran 3 miles... Now I haven't ran in months... Three miles nearly killed me in my weakened (digging) condition...LOL  But about 20 min afterwards I felt pretty good....

My body really hurt last night... Every time I rolled over, I woke up... Soreness, aches and pains.... Youth is wasted on the young... I always heard that... Now I believe it!

Today I am looking out the window at my flagpole planter and I will have to finish it up... That means getting a load of garden soil to fill it up and then replant the bulbs and flowers.... and then mulch it.

I also need some garden soil for a potato patch.  Just a small one.  The ones we grew last year were so tasty... I love having a garden...

Coming up in the garden now are Pumpkins, Corn and Jalapeno Peppers.  Of course I haven't been out there this morning so there could be more...

Gardening is hard work sometimes... But it brings pleasure and I hope glory to God who created every creature and all things!

Joyful is Better!

It's chilly outside today but it isn't raining so I am happy about that.  Yesterday the weather was terrible... Rained all day and rained hard.  Several of my hanging baskets came down.. Too heavy for the iron hanging posts- as the ground was saturated and became soft and  they fell over.  

When it warms up, I should be able to work the soil around the flag pole pretty easily and get it weeded and replanted.  So that is a good thing.


The little sparrows seemed to survive yesterdays rains just fine... They are nearly completely feathered.    How amazing it is to watch them grow... Not sure how long it will be before they fledge the nest... But two weeks tops, I bet...

There were several dead baby birds around the garden this morning... Possibly blown from their nests up high in the trees.... :(




The wrens in the front yard had a little upset last night... The fern became to heavy for the post and it was all about to fall over so I moved the fern.... Mama seemed afraid or skeptical of the change and I didn't know whether she would return... But she is there this morning... Birds... I guess their instincts are strong.



These pretzels are for a friend's son's graduation party today.  By accident instead of dark chocolate I bought dark chocolate mint.  My mistake turned out pretty yummy.  My son just came in and asked if I put mint in the chocolate... Because he tried one and it tasted really good! :)


Things aren't perfect.  Life is hard some days but even in our trials we can find blessings- I need to remember that- and be happy.


Watching the birds today, after yesterdays wet, wet day.  They are flying around- doing their thing...   Troubles forgotten, moving on, accepting the new day, whatever it brings with a song of joy.


God is so good and being joyful is the best way to give Him thanks and praise and share His message of love.

Sparrow News

Well, it was a cold evening last night.  We could see our breath in the morning... After such a HOT weather- this is a bit nutsy!

We did not think that mama was taking care of her babies... We never saw her in, on or around the nest.  This made me sad of course, but I left their fate in the hands of God and their mama...

This morning coffee- garden check was postponed because of the cool temps.. If she was there I did not want to scare her off the nest.


Work, work, work to do inside the house... And so at noon I did my garden check...The mama bird was sitting on the nest.... So I did a bit of watering and after she flew off I went back over and snapped a pic of the two little ones.  They appear to be beginning to get their feathers.... How cool is it to watch them grow!



And so I thank God for the flying friends in my backyard.  So very small and entertaining.

I need to pick up some bird seed today.... :)  Feeding the birds makes me happy~

For The Birds

The continuing saga of the Sparrows in my backyard....

The story began with us working in our garden.

Monday, May 21st
One of our Burning Bushes which usually was home to a Robin every year had some type of ick on it... and because it was so close to the garden I asked my husband to cut it out.  I had off and on looked for a nest in it this year but did not see one...

As my husband fired up the chain saw and began cutting it down... a bird flew from the bush.  I stopped my husband and sure enough, there was a small nest... made of grasses.  3 little blue eggs and a larger brown egg.
What to do now?

I picked the nest out of the bush and looked for a spot nearby to place the nest... The lilac was the only thing available.  I removed the brown egg and tossed it aside, before placing the nest carefully in the lilac.   My husband finished cutting the bush out.  It was late in the afternoon, and I sat on the deck and watched the birds fly around frantically searching for their little brood.  Finally we had to leave for a baseball banquet feeling a bit discouraged about the situation.

Tues, May 22
The next morning, I went outside to check on my garden and the little nest  and Mama was sitting on it.  Amazing!  Thank you, Jesus!

Well, that lilac wasn't giving much protection from the sun and rain... so we tied some branches from the pine tree in it... Well, again... Would the birds come back to the nest or abandon it?  All day we watched as the parents flew around squeaked and chirped but seemed to wary to approach... Again disappointment over the situation.... Even if they came back would the eggs be viable... I wondered.  I often said a little prayer for the feather family in the backyard.

Wed. May 23
Coffee in the garden the next morning showed that mama had indeed returned to her nest.  and so whenever I was in the garden I peeked at the nest.  still- 3 little blue spotted eggs.  Wondering if they would or could still hatch.

Saturday, May 26
My morning coffee-garden check showed 3 little blue eggs.  Later when I looked, there was a pink baby with dark downy fluff on it.  And then later another... 2 little babies had hatched.

Sunday, May 27
Still two babies...We looked them up in the Bird Field Guide and found out that they are Chipping Sparrows.  It rained really hard.

Monday, May 28
Still 2 babies at the coffee-garden check.  Later I went out to plant some seeds in the garden and the mama flew off the nest so I looked in... Nothing the nest was empty.  I looked below.  The ground below is covered with ivy... I looked at the nest again and saw that it had a hole in it.  So I searched the ivy below carefully and they were in there- still alive.  What to do... I took the nest and pushed it back together and set them in it and set it back on the branches... But this was not good.  It would just fall apart again.  What to do... I searched the house for something anything that could hold the nest yet drain.... Nothing... No idea.... I tried to tie the pine branches around it to hold it in place and together.  I sat down and said,  "What am I to do Lord?   Do I give up on these little things?  What is the lesson to be learned here?  I got my answer.  We don't give up on things.  We use our heads and our hearts.  As I searched my kitchen drawer for a small funnel and some twine... I placed the nest in the funnel and tied it in the lilac.  And again waited... and watched for the mama to return to her little ones in the makeshift nest.  To no avail it seemed-  maybe because now my scent was on the little ones or too much on the nest...

We went to bed and as I laid my head down I wondered about the birds and my husband said to me,  "I pray that the mama is on the nest and the babies will be alright." And I said, "I was just thinking the same thing."

Tuesday, May 29
Coffee-garden walk revealed that mama was indeed on her nest.  And when she flew off I peeked in and the two little babies were doing just fine.

God is so good.  He created a world filled with amazing creatures that are resilient, adaptable and strong... Creatures that we can enjoy and that we should care for and appreciate.  And if He cares about them, how much more must He care about us! I feel so blessed!  Thank you, Jesus!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day... It makes me think of all the men and women who are serving and have served our country and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.   Thank you to all of them and to their families.... To those who did not return, those who came back hurt, injured, or damaged.... I pray for them all and for their families...

We are so fortunate to live in a country that still affords us much freedom.  One that has such a high standard of living compared to many other places in the world... We should not feel guilty about that, but instead realize what we have and be generous with it... God blesses us daily and we need to remember to give Him thanks for all we have as individuals and as a country.

Today many will celebrate in some way or form... For our family, this weekend is filled studying for final exams and with the beginning of graduation party season----many parties coming up... Wonderful kids and families that we have spent the last 12-13 years beside at school.  It is such an exciting time for them... Making their plans for the future and testing the waters- so to speak, on their own for the first time.  I love seeing how they have matured and grown after their first year of college... My daughter included.

My son has math tutoring today to study for that final. Studying for his biology final also.... And that is it for finals for him I think... I pray that he and his friends do well  and that they feel confident going in to the tests.  That God will take away all the stress and also for the teachers because I know they are ready for a break from their students and work.  Summer vacation is nearly upon us... Yeah!!!

As for me, I would love to get the rest of my garden in.... Plant a few more things... And because it is going to be a scorcher today, try to get a few things done inside.  My carrots have finally sprouted,  as have my Italian Beans that my neighbor gave me some seeds to grow.  Corn is sprouted-- and I may plant some in between those sprouts... I think there is enough room... I love having a garden... This morning my husband made a spinach (from the garden) omelet and it was wonderful...

Yesterday, My husband worked on my flag pole planter and it looks great.... We had to buy more brick last night to finish it. Once he is done, I will have to dig it up and replant... But it will look wonderful when we get it finished.




It is so quiet here this morning... Once my son gets up, I will feed him and run him up to tutoring and then I think we shall go to Panera and get something to sugar us up, while he works on his Biology Exam Notes...  When we get back then work in the garden with my husband and later grill some burgers for dinner with the fam... It's gonna be a great day.

Projects

So many projects to do around here.... Inside and out....

Yesterday we worked on the garden.  We laid landscaping fabric around the garden, and put down landscape timbers to frame and hold it down and then two yards of mulch.  What a blessing it is to have a truck!  $16 a yard if you haul it yourself....  Now to finish planting... And figure out how to put my potatoes in this year.  Last year, they were so yummy.

My daughter helped me do the mulching... She was a big help and it went pretty quickly.  I got cleaned up and ready for a meeting which never happened... So my husband got another load of mulch and said I could do my front flower beds with it... I didn't want to... I was tired.  I told my daughter, under my breath, "I don't want to do it today" and she said, "Then let's not"  but I said, "We have to".  Not because he would get upset but because he is such a hard worker and if I wanted something done and he was tired he would do it!  We make a good team because he pushes me and I make him relax a bit.  I am so fortunate and blessed to have such a good man- and handsome and strong too!  So we need another load to finish up the job... But it looks pretty good so far.


My son and husband cut a piece of granite for a desk top... That was quite a job... It looks nice but isn't quite done yet... Just needs some finish work.

And they cut the granite for the top of the buffet.


The deck is getting refinished... We are trying to find something that will last longer than a year or two... So we are going with a product called Restore.  We will see how that goes.

The Sun Room is getting a new floor.  We bought tile before Christmas and then waited.... My hubby thought maybe we should do Nature Stone but we couldn't get get anyone to call us back... Guess they don't need the business or something, so we will go ahead with the tile. The windows in there need washing. That is something I can get done this weekend.  A big job but not too hard.

Last night I picked Spinach, Romaine and Buttercrunch lettuces from the garden... So good.  My corn, beans, cabbage and butternut squash is coming up... No sign of carrots yet... They seem to take a long time to sprout.  But everything looks like it is growing well. Strawberries are beginning to ripen... And it is nearly time to cover the blue berries with bird netting... I love having a garden with fresh and organic things to eat.

It would be nice to find some kind of fencing (that looks attractive) for around the garden. We had some orange safety stuff so my husband put that up to keep the bunny out.  It does work- it just doesn't look pretty and makes it more difficult to weed and or harvest. .. So I need to figure something else out, but in the meantime, it will do.

Today we are going to finish the mulching and then make some chocolate covered pretzels for a Graduation Party.  That should be fun- Making them and the party!  Somethings on the to do list are more fun than others.  Well, here we go~time to get started with my day.

Quiet Mornings

I love mornings... The quiet of it.  Getting up early and sipping my coffee.  Checking the garden.  Sitting on my front porch watching the birds.  Soaking in the peacefulness. Thinking about what to do today.

I looked through some photos on the computer and was amazed at the beauty of the flowers and animals and scenery and so I feel led to work in my garden and yard.... As the laundry is mostly done and dishes only take a few minutes.  Dinner will be easy.... I have a crock pot roast from yesterday, shredded beef is something  you can do a lot with and I can search for a recipe later.


Track was over on Monday.   Tuesday (last night) we had a soccer meeting.  Here we go with HS sports already.  My son's a Senior next fall so it will be his last year... I will try to enjoy it all.


But the end of this year is as busy as the end of any school year and so the last few weeks and the next two are crazy.... And I am so ready for it to be over... Summer vacation, time for relaxation....  But first, there is work to do!

In my Backyard

So yesterday, we were checking the garden and the burning bush next to the garden had some kind of crud on it- some thing attacking it and attracting the ants... So I asked my husband to just cut it out.  And he did.  As he cut away at it with a chain saw... A bird flew out... Oh no... See, every year a robin would nest in there but this year she did not... I checked earlier in the month.  And so we thought the property was vacant.

I stopped my husband and sure enough the next cut would take out the branch with the nest... The nest, which was now exposed to the elements, contained 3 little blue eggs and one larger brown egg.  I have heard that some birds will lay eggs in other birds nests and then the adoptive parent will care for the egg, and feed the baby which when it hatches may kill the others.  Very interesting... So what to do... I took the larger egg out of the nest and then placed the nest in the adjacent lilac bush.  Then sat up on my deck and watched the two sparrows fly back and forth looking for their nest and the clutch of eggs.  Sadly and to no avail I watched and after awhile I had to leave to go to my sons Baseball Banquet.  I felt bad about the little broken family that had been thrown into turmoil through no fault of their own.

After the banquet, it rained and it came down pretty hard... The sound of the rain was music to my ears.  The ground was getting a good soaking and that it would be good for my garden. My kids were together and my daughter was helping my son study for a Biology test.  More Music.


This morning when I got up, I started some laundry.  There was a bunny in the backyard near the garden... I  think that he was the one nibbling on my lettuce the other day... I have no evidence of that, but that is my assumption.  We put up a bit of fencing and since then the lettuce has been untouched....

I got a cup of coffee and went to check on the garden... Would anything have sprouted... Was the rain too hard... Did things wash out... And so, hopeful, I went outside.  Everything looked fine and as I walked along one bed... I thought of the  nest... Those three little blue eggs exposed to the weather last night... No longer viable, lifeless shells, and I walked over to take a peak... But I couldn't see the eggs because Mama was sitting on them in the nest.... AMAZING!  She found them and she took ownership of them even though I had moved them to a different place and space....  Wow... Picture me smiling...  It made me think how  God must look down from his throne and smile while we go about doing his business.   Living life, trying to please Him, the one who made all things... When times are good or even when life get crazy and things go awry---  we shouldn't give up.  :)

So I made a wide berth around her and checked on the rest of the garden... And everything looked fine... The radishes and turnips sprouted... Wow... Lots of life around here...  Picture me still smiling!

SuperMom's Alter Ego

SuperMom -vs- FatMom

I was thinking last night, that again, I have become FatMom--- She sneaks up and invades my presence when I am SuperMom for too long.

SuperMom can forget herself, her needs and desires for her family.  She does not complain about this... She loves "Doing",   "Helping",  and "Being there".  SuperMom can drop everything and bake brownies or cupcakes in an instant.  She can rearrange schedules with frightening ease and order.  She always has time to drive on a field trip or to practices.  Her house is mostly clean, everyone's laundry is done and there are always good things to eat...  SuperMom never forgets, and tries to please all members of the family.  She knows that little things make a difference.  She can help her kids study, whip up a practice test, or whatever is needed for school.  She is the finder of misplaced or lost items... Her familiar cry is "Let's retrace your steps".  As she races around to help in the search (sometimes by herself).  Supermom is an amazing woman, her yard is well kept.  The pets are tended to in a loving manner.   With seeming effortlessness, she manages everything and without complaint... usually.  LOL 

But Supermom can overtake the woman, and then her alter ego FatMom appears.  This is because when the woman forgoes her own desires in order to take care of her family.  She often eats on the run and skips her workout because of time factors... too much to do that day.  Sometimes she is just too tired to do it.  If something pops up with the family that causes a schedule conflict she usually cancels her plans.  FatMom  will sometimes get frustrated with herself.  Feeling like she is not on top of things.... Sometimes she feels sad and eats ice cream or something else to give her a boost, a reward.... But it doesn't help in the long run.  When FatMom has totally invaded it is apparent because the woman has nothing to wear, nothing that fits well and a change must be made..... Immediately!  

Today I say, "I must stop my quest to be SuperMom and just be mom.... Because that should be good enough...."   This maddness must end!  :)

Feet

Things around here have been crazy... A mix of good and bad bringing about a range of emotions and feelings...   But that is life.... and handling all of it with the proper perspective is necessary-- but not always easy.

So last night was especially nice.  Some friends came over for a women's night out.  We gave ourselves pedicures and some did manicures...  My daughter, Erin made these darling cupcakes.... and we had fruit and lemonade and pastries...  but mostly we talked and laughed and enjoyed ourselves.  It was fun and relaxing... Next time we will do it outside, as while we were soaking our tootsie, we spilled water on the floor...  But I'm so thankful for everyone who came... There were 6 of us...

A funny thought crossed my mind this morning... My wonderful husband used to tease me when we were first married about feet.  I really prefer not to touch or be touched by feet... My feet are not very attractive- but, hey, they are just feet... Most of the time they are hidden from view, scrunched inside shoes.  I personally think that's why women spend so much time and money shoe shopping... To HIDE their feet!    Anyway, so he would tease me about hating feet... Hating toes... And I played along a bit.  Exaggerating, slightly, my disdain for feet by making faces when mentioned.  

Then the babies came... First my daughter and then my son... Funny thing is~ my daughter has my husbands feet and my son has mine... There is nothing offensive or ugly about a tiny baby foot...  Baby Feet are amazing, just like baby fingers, and everything about babies.... But because I played along with the previous feet issues, my husband would tease me that I didn't like their feet.  And so to this day he will still comment to someone that I didn't like my kids feet when they were babies....  I just shake my head "No"... Not really... And laugh.  But to this day, he still believes that I hate feet.

Obviously,  lots of people have "feet issues".  There were quite a few who did not come over because they didn't want anyone to see their feet.  So they missed the wonderful conversation and company of the girls.  Heck, if we do it again-- and I would like to... Hopefully more will decide to join us.

Life is too short to worry over our feet.

Freeing Myself

I can't find my old Nike t-shirt with the "Just do it" logo on it.  That makes me sad... and I don't know what happened to it... But I know that in all things- that is what we have to do.  Set our mind to do it. Whether the task is simple or hard... We can accomplish it, if we just do it.


Whether it is a simple job or a major goal... Cleaning the house, weeding, painting, going back to school, losing weight, or writing a book...



There are stumbling blocks that get in my way....

Worry---- Worrying over the job or project only causes me to procrastinate... And so I don't get it done.  Just pushing it to the back burner-  setting it aside for later.  I don't know if worry causes fear or fear causes worry... But they go hand and hand...

Fear--- That I can't do it.. I don't have the skills or time... This causes me to focus on my own shortcomings.... I may start but don't follow through... Fear kills desire.

Friendly fire--- Sometimes friends and family kick me in the pants.... with statistics, the odds of achieving my goal... They subtly  sabotage our efforts... Either by giving no input, no encouragement or by discouraging me from trying.... It's that prison mentality... I remember hearing someone say, "Don't let the other inmates shoot you in the back while attempting your escape, because they will."

Time---  This commodity is in short supply... So many things are going on... So many commitments, places to be, things to do and people requiring my time... Sometimes demanding it... So I wonder do I have the time to get started... Waiting until I do will not work...  Time will never come... I will have to make time- set aside time.

Failing to trust... Because I am human, I often fall prey to my insecurities... I know that if it is God's will for me, then He will open doors to let it happen...   As long as my actions and desires are focused properly, why should I fret over anything.  He is in control.  And I need to remind myself of this every day!  Thus setting me free from these insecurities and then receiving more peace and joy in my life.

So today I have set a goal to try to get my book project done by the end of the summer... That is the plan.  I just have to do it!  Write a few more poems and then this summer try to get the photographs to illustrate it!  It might even be fun if I can get the whole family involved...

And maybe, just maybe someone will be touched by it and come to know
Christ through a silly little poem... That would be a wonderful thing... :)

Waiting

I am waiting....

Waiting for the ATT guy to come and check on things... Maybe he can figure out why our service is sooo Slooooooooooooww!

Waiting to go to the store... but I think I will just go... they are supposed to call 1/2 hour before they come and I can surely be home by then.

Waiting to get my office put back together from painting.... I would like to replace the formica desk top with granite--- so I'm

Waiting for my husband to come home.... hopefully with a piece of granite.  He forgot his phone... I can hear it ringing.... in the other room.

Waiting for a friend to stop over to pick up the gift for her husband that she had shipped to our home so he wouldn't know about it.

Waiting for the rain... to water my garden... maybe I should do it myself.

Waiting four more days.... till the trip to the airport to pick up my girl for the summer.

Waiting for the next shoe to fall so to speak with my exchange student... but hopeful that it won't.

Waiting for school to be over... 25 actual days, 19 school days.

And so while I wait I hope to busy myself with constructive things to do.  That will please my Maker and allow me to make progress around here.... To make this house a happy home and the people within happy campers... if they are willing.

Gotta go... ATT is here... imaginge that... :)

The Lake

What a beautiful day it was today.  We woke up and went out for coffee at Panera after dropping Lex off for a day trip to Niagra Falls.  Came home and went to our wonderful church.  Then came home and loaded up the kayaks for a trip to the lake.

The lake was amazing.  Super smooth, the weather was fantastic... Couldn't have been nicer.  and we watched fish jumping and the geese with their little ones.. There were 3 swans on the lake but we steered clear of them. LOL









It was a great relaxing day.  Just me and my hubby.









We came home and worked in the garden... and grilled hamburgers.... mmmmm... so yummy!

Well, how do you top a day like today... Maybe with some ice cream... Yeah!  I think that sounds nice!

How do you find peace?

If you want to relax, sit outside and watch all the activity.  I sat outside yesterday morning and watched a sparrow and a wren fighting for possession of a small bird house.... Loud squawking over the occupation of the this little cabin in the tree.

So I went out to do some shopping last night and looked for another bird house... Found lots of feeders but no birdhouse....

Then I remembered that I had a gourd that I had purchased about 13 years ago with the intention of painting it and hanging it outside.  I decided to place it on the pole with my fern.

And this morning while enjoying a cup of coffee on the front porch I watched the little wren bringing sticks to make her nest in the gourd.  It was fascinating.  I watched her maneuver the sticks to get them inside the house through the hole in the front.  Patiently and diligently she worked... and this evening she is still at it... Funny but the sparrow is nowhere to be seen...

I am going to enjoy listening to their song. Also watching her come and go and then see the little ones fledge the nest.

Still have not seen any hummers... But maybe soon.  I will provide new nectar tomorrow just in case...

But I love seeing, watching and enjoying nature around me.  It is one thing that calms my nerves when I feel stressed....

In Genesis, we learn that God created all things.

When things are out of control and we need to get ourselves together we can always be assured that there is someone out there who loves and cares for us... He has a plan for us and I need to seek Him and put my trust and faith in Him...

Philippians 4:6-7  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding , will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.