Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Back by Popular (?) Demand

Top Ten Ways to tell that school is almost out:

10) Several subjects are completed, leaving only the ones that were put off and nobody really likes.

9) Mom ignores the excess reading and piano playing in place of schoolwork (not entirely)

8) Mom is thinking about how much more time we'll have to clean and declutter and has a plan in place!

7) Summer schedule is picking up, so busyness just shifts directions.

6) It's stinkin' hot outside!

5) Everyone is counting down the hours (although it's really about finishing the curriculum. hahahahaha).

4) Next year's schedule is nearly figured out (except for what isn't).

3) Mom is anxious to completely clear off the shelves and get rid of some school books to make room for the new (a daunting, emotional task).

2) First camp is in a month!

And the number one reason...(drumroll, please)

1) Did I mention new books?

Monday, May 24, 2010

Too funny!

I guess I'm not very original, because I was going to do a Top 10 ways you can tell school is almost over and realized that I did that last year. Ha! Most of the things are the same, too, only we don't have any tadpoles dying on the counter...only flowers we started from seed that didn't do so well.

Guess I should do a garden update. The things we started from seed indoors didn't do so hot. I think our pepper plants survived, but the tomato plants didn't get hardened enough and have bit the dust. Broccoli was frail to start with. The other things that we started from seed outside are doing ok. Need to check on things tomorrow and see how they held up after all of the rain this week.

Since I stole my own thunder, I guess I'll close this out and just say SIX MORE SCHOOL DAYS (provided they stay on task...they better!)! Then comes all the fun of cleaning out and finishing planning for next year and doing some deep cleaning in the house.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A Mighty Fortress

It's fort building week here. Half of the schoolroom is covered in couch cushions, blankets, and pillows, and a remodeling is currently taking place. A fort has generally been thought to be a place of refuge or safety...or if you are a 6 year old, it can become a place to hide all of your favorite things to protect them from siblings. I could hardly think about a fort without thinking of this hymn:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.

fortress: any place of exceptional security; stronghold
bulwark: any person or thing giving strong support or encouragement in time of need, danger, or doubt

It's an amazing image really...a mighty God who wants to shelter us as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings...and never fails!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Coming up for air

Highlights of the past two weeks:

12 pepper plants growing
11 piles of paper
10 books a reading
9 loads of laundry
8 minutes of sanity
7 ballet lessons
6 bills awaiting
Walked a 5K
4 rehearsals
3 concerts
2 many things
and a family to love and enjoy.

So many blessing through all these different things. Thank you, Lord!

Praying for you KayPea! Hope you're feeling better!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Light

Since that last post was so deep, I'll leave you with these lighter thoughts.

We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own. ~Ben Sweetland

Moonlight is sculpture. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo

A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home. ~Author Unknown

Firelight will not let you read fine stories but it's warm and you won't see the dust on the floor. ~Irish Proverb

Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark. ~Rabindranath Tagore

Friday Rhyming Blues

Here I sit.
Here I Stare.
Shall I flit?
Add some flair?
How 'bout wit?
Who, What, Where?
Shall I quit?
Do I dare?

Sit, flit, wit, quit.
Stare, flair, Where, dare.

Bit, knit, chit.
Bare, mare, hair.

Git, kit.
Chair, lair.

It.
Care.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Gardening 101

Spring is here, and with that comes another year of attempting to grow food for ourselves. We've gotten pretty good at feeding the local four-footed population which includes squirrels, possums, raccoons, rabbits, and probably some deer. I think they probably put a radar out announcing that we're trying it again. Somehow they managed to stay away from our tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus last year, but they trampled the pitiful row of corn we planted.

Miss Daisy has taken over the garden plans this year. She's color-coded an entire plan on graph paper, the ground has been tilled, seeds bought, some planted indoors, and some planted outdoors. It's a small little plot, so we are trying a mix of wide rows, climbing things, square foot gardening, and (hopefully) a raised strawberry bed.

We still have other gardeny chores that need attending like cutting out the small maple tree that "we can get rid of later." It's providing a bit too much shade ten years later. *smile* Let's see...set up the poles for the pole beans, build a trellis for the climbing cucumbers, build the raised bed. Mr. Tech has decided he will write a follow up to the Joy of Gardening. Perhaps you can imagine the title.

So why perservere? We happen to think gardening skills are rather important to learn. You just never know when we all might be hunters and gatherers again, although we have no desire to pick up the hunting skills at this point in time. Even our fishing pole (note the singular) is in questionable condition. Perhaps we can work on that this summer, too. Or perhaps we can trade for our fabulous vegetables. Perhaps this year we won't have any baby squirrels trapped in the netting over the tomatoes (with an imaginary caption that said "Busted."). I suppose we should have had squirrel stew, but we freed him instead.

Until next time...