Month: May 2006

  •  

     Gardening Blog

    (because Patti asked)

    (now with cuteness and potions and beer!)

     

    *****

    The cuteness

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ~~~~~~~

    The Garden

    It’s in, I did it !  

    I added compost, 70 wheelbarrows of manure, a dozen loads of rotting leaves and tilled it and raked and made beds and it is planted.

    (It is about 60×60 feet)

    This year I am growing:

    • crenshaw melons
    • watermelons
    • touchdown cantelope
    • pattypan squash
    • zucchini
    • summer squash
    • acorn squash
    • buttercup squash
    • delicata squash
    • red kuri hubbard squash
    • small and massive pumpkins
    • asian long cucumbers (on a teepee)
    • marketmore cucumbers (teepee)
    • scarlett runner beans (teepee)
    • green beans
    • snow peas
    • snap peas
    • shelling peas (lincoln)
    • asian eggplant
    • red cabbage
    • broccoli
    • 6 kinds of lettuce
    • spinach
    • rainbow chard and ruby red swiss chard
    • gold coin onions
    • sweet red, yellow and purple peppers
    • cayenne peppers
    • green bell peppers
    • cherry belle radishes
    • easter egg radishes
    • carrots (keepers)
    • purple carrots
    • brandywine tomatoes (red & yellow) (heirloom)
    • celebrity tomatoes(heirloom)
    • prudens purple tomatoes(heirloom)
    • yellow cherry tomatoes
    • supersweet 100 cherry tomatoes
    • roma tomatoes

    Also in a small herb bed I planted

    • two kinds of oregano
    • dill
    • a plethora of basil (pesto baby, it’s all about the pes-to!)
    • cilantro
    • chives
    • parsley
    • nasturtiums
    • lavender

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Other Planting Adventures

    we put in 30 raspberry plants

    (10 each of three kinds)

     

    We planted 16 new apple trees (all old heritage varieties) in the orchard

    (before Trevor left)

     

    this orchard is 75+ years OLD!

     

    (and two more pear trees)

     I have no idea how I did all this gardening with Trevor gone, but I managed and it’s done

    and I am very, very happy!!!!!!

    Oh wait, I do have one large bed left, whatever shall I fill it with?

    Potions

    (violet magic goodness)

     

    dandilion wine

     

    (take two quarts of dandilion petals and boil with cloves, orange/lemon/lime juices, and sugar for an hour.  Then add yeast and let sit in uncorked bottles in a dark place for 4 weeks and then you can cork.) 

     

    (I know what I’ll be drinking on Christmas!!!!)

    Now it’s time for some arnica and one of these!

    Black Fly Stout 

     (if you come help me weed, I will share!)

     

     

  •  

    Self-Portrait Challenge

    Two for the Price of One!!!

    (actually, I confuse easily   and failed to notice that the theme for SPC has changed for the month and this post was already composed)

    (The final post for May: introduce yourself)

     

    *****

    I am a million small pieces joined together

     

    my topography is soft, sturdy and everchanging

     

    I may not always age gracefully

     

    but I am joyful and alive

     

     

    I am a perfectly imperfect human.

    *****

     

    AND…

    June Self Portrait Challenge

    Pop Art

     

     

    Whew.

     

     

     

  •  
     
    A Question and Some Thoughts
     
    *****
     
    In my last post (protected), girl_in_pictures left me this question and I wanted to respond to it.
     
     
         “I guess I’m wondering what the benefit is to letting your kids do whatever they want with no boundaries whatsoever. That’s nothing like real life…? I am very curious as to the philosophy of this way of parenting….not so much the “right now fun and freedom”, that I can understand, but what about the longterm affects? I know we’re all doing what we feel is best, and I guess the reason I’m asking is because I’m still trying to “find my way” as a parent and I just don’t understand and I really want to. Please don’t be offended, I think you are a WONDERFUL mother and your kids were given to you because you are the perfect mom for them. I just don’t understand, maybe I have it all wrong, I don’t know.   “
     
         To begin, I am not offended at all; this is a wonderful way to share our experiences and philosophies and hopefully learn from one another. I hope it is O.K. with you that I am posting this question and my response.
     
    Boundaries
     
    my children have few boundaries, but they do have a handful.  These include; no physical harm to others (this includes all creatures), no risking of one’s own life, and no intentional destruction of other’s property.
     
    My kids have few other boundaries set by me because they are capable of discovering them for themselves. 
    For example: when a child learns how much to eat based on how their body feels, he (or she) eats what he needs to, not what an adult assumes he needs to.
     
    When a child learns how to interact with others based on response, he learns what is needed to have a relationship that works; he learns what he likes and doesn’t like based on what is in his heart (not ours).  I feel this is very important because a child remains connected to the voice inside him that says, “this is a person who makes me comfortable/this is a person who does not”.   Obviously, part of my job is to protect my children from people with bad intentions and I am always there to do this but I do want them to know what is in their heart/s when they are out in the world.
     
    When a child learns to listen to his body, he learns what it feels like to be tired and ready for bed.  He learns he is done watching TV because he is bored and there are other things to do, not because an adult is telling him how much is enough.
    He stays connected to the parts of him that know when enough is enough. When we make all the decisions for our child, he becomes reliant on others to determine when enough is enough.
     
    Children are born with the gift of hearing their inner voice,
    I want to make sure mine never lose it.
     
    The Long Term Effects
     
     
    Self awareness, confidence, clarity, strength, joy.  I certainly hope there are long term effects from how my children are raised.  This is why they have these freedoms; in the hopes that they will become amazing adults as a result.  
    I fully believe they will.
     
     
    Real Life
     
    What is real life, anyway?!  There are those who make their case for school as preparation for a lifetime of clock-watching and agreeability and orderliness; a child learns to get used to bells and lines and “bosses” and rewards in order to be a complacent member of society. 
    One must get used to these things as they do not come naturally.
    Here is the place where I feel electricity in the back of my neck, the part where the voice inside me yells,
     
    “NO! We don’t have to get used to ANYTHING! We can make our OWN choices! We can love who we want and eat strange foods in the middle of the night and sleep all day and walk on our hands and speak in our own tongue. Our lives belong to US!”
     
    What are the consequences?  We will find out and learn from them and fall in love with them or reject them and try something different entirely.  It does not matter as long as no-one else is harmed.
     
    We can do what we want in our OWN LIFE because it is ours.

    I want my children to live a life that is authentic and true,

    I want them to never lose the fire they are born with,

     
     
     
     
     
     
    I want them to be free to live their own,
    real lives.
     
     
     
     ETA: here is a beautiful post worth reading
     

  •  

    The Good, The Bad

    and The Bra-less-ness

    (now with mosquitoes, fish and marshmallows!)

    We are back from Mimi and Papa’s camp! I am exhausted but it was worth it, overall.  The good parts of camp included:

    The lake

     

    The fishing

     

    the fish

     

    The kayaking

     

    the glamour

     

    The relatives

    (my foster sister)

     

    my sister

     

    my niece

     

    Mimi

     

    The snacks

     

    Rosie, Rosie, Rosie!!!

     

    ice cream on the trip home

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    The Bad

    The mosquitoes and blackflies

    (see Roo’s face in above picture)

    The fishing

    (Jesse caught and released 8 fish and was thrilled to no end until the 9th fish he caught swallowed the hook and had to be “put down” as it could not be saved.) 

    His heart is broken, still.

    The Snacks

    (Mimi limited when and what the kids could eat because she felt (feels) they were a bit out of control in the snack dept) This is despite the fact that their snacks consisted of fruit, nuts, yogurt and cheese.  This was awkward for me as the kids are used to eating what/when they need to.

    It is an issue I have to consider.

    The Ice Cream

    (sometimes it falls off the cone)

    sometimes a nervous break-down is necessary…

     

    The Bra-less-ness

    (and you thought there would be pictures!)

    Bwahahahaha!!!!

     

    I am glad to be home.

     

  •  


     


    This child glows


     


     


     


     


     ETA: we are off for a weekend of canoeing, fishing and hiking by the lake with Mimi and Papa.  I’ll be back on Sun night.


    Toodles.


     


     


     

  •  


    There is a First (and last) Time for Everything


    ~~~~~


    It is so challenging with Trevor away; I decided to get a sitter one afternoon a week while I sneak up to my office to try to keep up with work.


    I mentioned it to Jesse and Roo a few days ago and we discussed it this morning so they would have time to absorb the idea (they have never had a “sitter” before).


    Jesse came to me later, “Mommy, what I want to know is, why would someone who doesn’t know me want to come and play with me?


    me: “well, it is kind of a trade for L and me, she needs the money and I can use the help with you and Roo so I can get my books packed”


    Jesse: “so you are going to PAY her?”


    Me: “yes, I am”


    Jesse: “I don’t like that Mommy, it seems kind of  wrong“


    Me: “why is that?”


    Jesse: “well, I don’t want to play with anyone who is being paid to play with me, I only want to play with people who like me and just want to be with me“


    Me: ummm…


    Jesse: “hey, wait a minute, does Daddy pay you?!?!?!!!!!”


    Me: “bwahahahahah…”


    Jesse: “so, does she HAVE to come over?”


    Me: “no, she doesn’t”


    sigh.


      


    the kid has principles.


     


     


     

  •  


    Listen Up Hershey’s!


    It is my heart’s most sincerest wish that you will one day see the wisdom in this:


    if you combined the heavenly dark chocolate in your Mounds bars with the almond-y goodness of your Almond Joy bars it would surely result in a chocolate orgy of massive proportions.


    thank you very much,


    an anxious and dedicated chocoholic.


     


     


     

  •                        

     

                    This child is larger than life.

     

           

     

     

     

     

     

  •  

    Self Portrait Challenge

    (May: introduce yourself)

     

    I have not been a morning person for many, many years.

    But a girl can change.

       

      

     

      

     

    change is good.

     

     

  •   

    Violets, Life

    (the usual)

    This morning we went out and gathered over 1/2 lb of violet blossoms to make candied violets and violet syrup.

     

      

     

     to make the syrup you pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/2 lb of violet blossoms and let steep overnight until it is deep purple.  Then mix the liquid with 2 cups honey or maple syrup and you have a gorgeous sweet liquid!

    *****

    Roo had a rough morning and looked like she had won a battle with a bear

    (in reality she lost a battle with some blackflies)

     

    ~~~~~

    This afternoon: polyurethane

     

    My camera arrived mid-afternoon and we had to make an EMERGENCY run to the photo store as I had no CF card!

    Here are some beginner shots