Tackle It Tuesday

Such a full day today. I have so many things I want to do. My husband if off with his lunch in hand. The children are yet asleep.( that was then) They will have a privilege to eat lunch at school today ( I normally make it) this is a treat for them.It also reminds them how good home foods are, funny but that is often the outcome. Dove will come home and say "yuk" mom, I'd rather have your food. I just love that! HA! There is the master bedroom linens Laundry to put away in the heat of the day. My jewelry to unpack. Now remember I make this stuff. the box of self care items to unpack. I really missed this stuff. I have the living room shelves now and want to unpack my beautiful long missed books really like the new placement In the garden I have the coop to finish painting. The dogs scared them upstairs I need to clean it out. These are the girls. Mable is black and white, I really think she will be my best laying hen. We delayed the re location a bit too long. The straw bail process to begin. I have to water the bails thoroughly for three days, as well as the compost and it needs to be turned. I soaked them and raked the grass up and cleaned up. After the compost is turned, watered and gated (of sorts) Bird feeders to be filled and the porch has to be cleaned up. Funny how the messes are just left for the mess fairy to clean up. Before Have you ever noticed that before before, poor things. My chair is on the other side of the window. I am so enjoying the dove , sparrow and tanagers. I have had a few thrashers and a red crested wood pecker was on the tree out front while I was sweeping the walk. After After The wild birds are fed both here and in the kitchen window feeders too. Chickens need scrap. Toys are put away! Me first! I finished the outside chores at 10 A.M. This is the hour of rest and cool down. after an orange to rehydrate I made a salad! This is the best protein for me. Wild caught matters to me, I'll pass on the farm raised ink died infested netted things that suffer life...and pollute the wild harvest ...yuk For dressing I use this wonderful tool. I used some organic ketchup, Worchester sauce a dash and olive oil with a bit of horse radish that gives it a bite. Organic Romain , grape tomato and salmon. Yes with the encouragement of Dear Rhonda over at Down to Earth I remembered to plan a lunch for myself. I need to shop for 34-0-0 for the straw bails to be treated , that begins after three days of heavy watering. The 34-0-0 is no longer available , it appears folks like making bombs out of it...so, I am going to try 21-0-0 it is so warm here it may work well. I also want to shop for rain barrels to do my rain harvesting for the garden. Once the weather cools I have rye grass that will need to be thrown. If I throw the rye before the nights become too cool I will not need to spread the manure. With the dogs and kids I do not want that in the house. My kitchen is caught up. Bread baking is on my mind. I got yeast and yesterday Beloved bought me a 5 gallon bucket of hard white winter wheat. I want to learn this skill for the family. Bread often pulls me out to the grocery store. The kids rooms are well.... If I go in there you may need to send rescuers if you don't hear back from me.:) I have some items that I made last year that I need to card properly. They were in the gallery and the last show I did. I need to get them all consistently packaged. I may be doing a show in November. I can rent a booth for $25 for a one day show. The black cards will be replacing all the white earring cards. I have been doing some repair work. When the things got packed up some were broken. Thought I would fix it all before I made anymore new. I will do this in the heat of the day. I was able to get into the box (I should say Mr Uncommon) was able to go through the knits and Dove chose these fabrics. They were all purchased at 90% off or given to me by my sister. Dove wants some skirts, shorts, and tops. She is so sweet about it. Well my hour and a half cool down, break, lunch while I post ...Is over. Time for the inside tasks. :) I took the kids to the music stor to get Doves books for the orchistra meeting tonight. We all had a lot of fun Dash loved this and Dove and I loved this. YAMAHA DT EXPLORER The DT EXPLORER is Yamahas lowest-priced professional-grade 5-piece electroni The kids finished there homework and now we are all at rest. We had a simple supper. Off to Orchestra meeting tonight when Daddy gets home and eats. Beading and sewing tonight in the evening hours. I want to go unpack my jewelry too. I got the boxes in the living room undone and the one in my bathroom. It is so hot out now 107* It is even hot inside here.

Why?

Dash..."Why are we doing all this gardening and growing chickens all all that stuff like that, are we farmers or something'?"...
Me..."because the food you can grow your self is so much better and the price of food is getting higher and higher"...

Dad...lovingly...
"Because Dash...
this is her dream"

Moved to the core.
Living my dream.
It is in the city, no forest or picked fence.
A home that is one of grandeur.
Beautiful walls and love filling every room.

No Home Owners Association,
to hinder me.
The smell of straw takes me to the prairie
The rich soil made as dust turns to dust.
The circle begins with never an end.

Visions life long
hands in the earth, soil black with life
rich with all that sustains.
Visions of my hand picking the food to table then to my hearth
Feeding my husband, children, and self.

This is my dream
from many years ago. I have sustained me with hopes that were so long defrayed
This is my vision, this is my passion.
I have made it a financial excuse and a budgetary gain.

This is my dream
I need no excuse.
Beloved and I living my dream.
My dream.

To be a wife, with a home of my own...
To be a mother with children to rear.
To tend the life and the soil around me.
To grow those foods to the storehouse.
Sufficient for self , life and family.
I am alive.
I am truly living!

Why?
"because...it is my dream."
:)
I just love it that he said that.
I just love him, that he makes a way for my dreams to come true,
and to share them with me.
We are each others.
Everything else is just icing!

Straw Bail Gardening

Wow!
I am so blessed!
I saw myself calling and asking the fellow at the feed store if they deliver?
I just called the feed store and they are going to be so kind as to deliver 7 bails of straw for me! He has a truck coming this way in just a few moments.
Knowing who I was, for I have given them 4 roosters recently, he said he will not surcharge me for delivery or fuel!
Free delivery! I have been driving up and getting one by one.
It is gas cost and great effort to do do.
This is terrific!
I will be able to shut off the garden plot (using bails to keep the dogs out) and start the process on all the bails at once.
Sheldon (isn't that the perfect name for a man who works at a feed store!) will be coming in 45 minutes to deliver.

I am out of here before 9:30 a.m.
Got to take Dash his hearing aides and Dove her lunch:)

Well here it is delivered and I was not even charged full price.
It was around $3 less a bail!

Left the street a little messy, I'll need to sweep it up later (I have to go for the x rays).

This is the one I got on Friday, up on end and it will be a 10 day process to get it ready.

I will be using the bails to close off this area so the dogs stay out. I will also be planting the bails and the earth.

The compost is growing and doing well.
I love being in the earth again!
Have a Great day!
I'll get my menu done in the heat of the day.

Saturday in the life...

Run your mouse over the post there are a few links in it

Well I have been using my down time to read up and educate myself on a few things. I found this on U tube...Straw bail gardening How much food can I grow in my own garden? We are begining a soaking on the one bail I have now. I think that doing this may be a great way to have a raised bed of sorts. It is also going to help me get started without having to move all the rock out of the flower beds at on time. I can move it out in the fall little by little.

I painted the coop tractor so the weather will not distroy the wood. We had left over pain that was used on the extieror of the house. It is supposed to have those additives in it. The girls (chickens) are growing except for little angle she is still very small. No more roosters I am left with 6 laying hens out of the 10 babies I got for $20. so I still made a good investment.

I so want a rain barrel I want to use the good rain to water the earth, it will give a water that is clear of tap waters chemicals and clorine and such, and be free once I get set up. It so seldom rains here, but when it does... This tells how to make my own:)

Daddy Man and the Kids built a table for the kids fort. It was cool to watch them as Daddy made them measure the width (having to teach what that was) and the length. It was so cool to see Dove and Dash take turns sawing and drilling. Dash was too easy to give up. We were able to talk him into sticking with it. Then it happened he drilled a screw in! hooray! He felt so good about doing it. My man is so patient! We all just kept cherring him on. Dash gives up way too easy and so we are trying to change that by giving him oppertunities to persevier. That means we get to exercise persaverence too! HHHHA!

We tried to do a post for the clothes line and ran into solid caliche' ( Hardened clay)! Handy Man Dad, is going to see if he can rig a removable hook over the top of the fence wall. I need to touch base with the neighbor to see if he is cool with it. I think it sound so much better than a whole in the yard to mow around and digging in this hard earth is no fun! I found the 6 (?) line for cheep at big lots last winter. I am so looking forward to having it up.

The compost and soil is coming along well. I better tend to a few tasks before church. We are having a play date after. Enjoy your morning!

My knee is back and doing well.

Thanks for your loving prayers

We got the book shelves set into the living room and the cook book shelf into the kitchen also. Now I just need to find the books to put on them:)

Aloha Friday

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My Question

How did your children do on the first week of school? How are you doing with school starting up?

A waken to prayers

Wow Girls thank you all.

To come and read all this kindness and supportive love is just a balm.
I am wonderfully overwhelmed by your kindness.
How good it is to be loved.
Dash came in at 6 a.m. with his two stuffed toys. They are (according to Dash ) my grand children. It is so sweet might give you a cavity if you were a fly on the wall. Well he awaits the attention.
Pain is much reduced this morning, thank you.

The "chicken shot Bren is what I will have in both knees soon, I had it before in the right one last year. Your moms nerves endings must be fried . Because I am so young I "really " feel it. written a half hour latter: Oh I get it, oops after the shots, yes they really helped me in my right knee last year. What a good send. I made it with them for almost a full year. The normal is 6-9 months. This makes me a great candidate for another round.The doctors say that as you age the pain is reduced due to loss of nerve sensations.

Beloved made me a cup of coffee this morning...
He came over and set it down and kissed me good bye.
I looked down,
He forgot the coffee!
We both got a real big laugh out of it. A great way to start a day.
Well "Ice Age" and Dash are waiting to cuddle.
Loving all of you with affection.

Thankful Thursday

ow--eee
BOO HOO BEEZ!

Mercy Mommy that hurt!
I had a cortisone injection and the doctor is ordering another series of Synvisk injection bilaterally!
For both knees (of my knee).
My knees...
He has ordered x rays of my hip,low back and both knees.
He will then address my hand and my foot. I am in a fix. Due to my other allergies the angio derma ( an inflammatory allergic responce ...I am allergic too myself...says the specialist) , a stess disorder. I can not handle the anti inflammatory drugs.

This doctor had taken a medical leave last year. I was so glad to see him back. I had been praying for him all this last year upon remembered of him. He is a father to an adopted child with autism.
A very special man. He had restructured his practice and thanked me for returning to him. His office assistant and I really like each other. I told him how glad I was to see him thriving.

Gratefully he has ordered an x ray of my low back (although the assistant said "we do not do backs". I have stinnosis in l4 and l5 from the torture and my hip has always hurt from when those things happened to me as a little girl. It is time to address it (I just pop it back into joint). I have been in denial and refusal to address my other knee. After surgery on one knee I just shut down to even thinking about the other one. So I never followed through.
I am home resting. The kids ride the bus and I will meet them out front in a half hour or so. Then I am off my feet the rest of the day.
Thankfully the children will tend to my needs this afternoon.

I just got off the phone with honey man and he is going to come home an hour earlier and then get supper for the kids and get me some BBQ ribs (one of my favorites) . It made me cry when he offered. Girls I think I am a basket case this afternoon. Gods got the handle in his hand and I am woven of good fiber. I will git up to greet the kids in 10 minutes and take a pain pill on the way.
OW_EEE!
Thanks for your kind prayers and support.
Tenacious Vivacious White Raven
"this too shall pass"

Battles " A Series"

Life is a series of battles. A saga of thrift and wisdom, of character and resiliency. How battles are fought and won is a study of history rich in knowledge. Here are two of our most recent.

Dash a son of my heart and a child of virtue gained.
Yesterday when I was in my kitchen I looked at my egg jar of funds and had a moment of pause. It was a moment in time when I herd within me a "heads up". Nothing was different, it was just a "heads up" sort of feeling. Throughout the day my sweet son was eager to earn funds helping me a round the house with tasks. School was attended and then later after homework was being accomplished , he shared his desire to go to the store. He had his heart set on a Lego toy. I thought it not to strange at first. I was reclining awaiting our trip to gather two gifts for parties upcoming when it just hit me "ask where he got that much money from?" See Daddy man and I at times reward the kids with tokens of earnings here and there.
So when little man Dash came and sat beside me all chipper and eager to travel, I asked him>>>"Son where did you get $13. from, It just seamed way too much for the time frame of earnings...?"...
His face shown guilt like an perfect example of such emote...then he replied>>>"Well you know that jar in the cupboard..." I then asked..."was it yours to have?"...
he lowered his gaze "No...I'm sorry"...
I then said that it was my money and that he took it from me.
That he stole from me.
He chimed ..."I'll put it back..."
"Oh yes you will put it back, it is not yours to have." I said, keeping my cool.
I then told him to go to his room. I prayed and thought a moment.
He returned. "Mom I am sorry and I will never do it again"
I then asked him " Dash...how much is your character worth?"
Silently he left the room.
He returned again and I told him that I forgave him , yet this was not over. that what he did was serious and that I will be speaking with his Father and that we sould determine his consequence.
Just then Daddy man came in. We spoke about this. What was the lesson we wanted Dash to gain.
This is what we decided to do.
I called him in and we spoke about temptation, and resistance. He needed help understanding the concept of resistance. We spoke of how to resist is to make a choice to do what was right when tempted to do the opposite. That it was opposite to temptation.
We then told him our concern was for his overall character. His consequence was to do three things right in secrete before God, not to tell anyone he was doing it. We told him how God saw him take the money and warned me that he was going to be tempted so that I would be prepared to teach him. God sees and all that we so both right and wrong (avoiding the use of the words good and bad) and he saw ans will see him exercise doing what is right before god. Then Dash is to write it out on a paper and show only us. and that it will be over.
Chose right and resist doing what is wrong for you will always be before God your maker.
Daddy and I both were so grateful and humbled by this child's willingness and quick repentance. A repentance apart from shame that removes the guilt once recognized.
I wept when I went in to the kitchen thinking how it could have been for me if only my parents would have been able to afford me that gift. I really feel so touched by the way we were able to handle it.

While this was going on I had a little girl who was being very sharped tongued all afternoon. She even threw her backpack at me declaring "I hate these braces!"...
I responded with a boundary of "It sounds like you had a real hard day, I know that braces must be hard to have, but your bather and I invested into the beautiful smile that you are going to be left with when it is all over"...
She continued to be a bit biting out of character for Dove.
I said I see you do not like math, I am sorry it is hard for you, but I have had enough! Stop being mean toward me." and I just calmly left the room.
She struggles so hard with simple subtraction. So very far behind because of her disability. I left the room and went in on my bed and began to just pray for her. That God would help her to overcome and to calm down so she could more easily think. I heard the back door close, then I saw her from my bedroom window after the door closed a second time. She was emptying the recycle trash! I almost cried with pride. A moment later she was at the bedroom door and said..."The Trash was full Mom so I emptied it"...Now this was the first time she had ever done so!
I told her " I know I saw you just now and my heart fills so full just like a big hug..."
She twilled around with release of guilt and went back to her home work. I am crying over it even now. To see the repentant change and the freedom of excessive shame and guilt that I and so many others were raised under.
I laid there on my bed and just praised God for somehow making me able to understand and love the way she needed me to. I am standing humbly grateful for the wisdom.

Later last night she came to me...with this

Open when Dad is here>
On the bus on the way home she was called...

Now how does a mother and a father overcome this...
We know each child will have to work through these experiences.
When a child is so naive and sweet as our Dove.
She is not jaded like her peers. (not yet)
Daddy Man handled it for I was a bit worn from the Dash thing and the injection stress.
I go get a shot in my knee in 2 hours and last night I got a little overwhelmed with it all and the surgery coming up next
Friday. I was too tender and not focused well enough to address it. Daddy man spent time with his little pricess and tendered her heart like only a loving daddy can. It was just right. I will continue to strengthen her as I am able too.

Victor from the grocery called and I went up to get this for the chickens after I dropped off Maud.
I was sad because I really loved that silly looking bird. He crowed several times this morning there was no longer any doubt about his gender. Maud the rooster is at the feed store and I sit a bit sad at needing to let him go. I now have 6 chickens (4 of the 10 were roosters)

I bagged the produce and feed the chicken, the dogs were interested in the produce. My Golden found a carrot to her liking and the lad tasted cabbage but was not impressed. The golden ate a bit of the hard center of the cabbage. I will compost the rest. The guys at the store were great I can get this every day if I want. I just might get another box for the compost, however with the injection in my knee today I will be slowed down a little for a few days perhaps. I am a bit sad about that too.

It was cool to see the animals looking into the greens. The chickens like purple cabbage but not green.

I have to take a shower soon. I am concerned about my hand and my hip, I was supposed to have the other knee checked and worked on last year but I was just too overwhelmed after the surgery on the right knee. I think I am sad about having this joint pain. I am really at peace about my life and family and love. My love he is so sweet. I hate having health issues . I am so strong of spirit and the weekness of body slows down my true heart. I see him concerned about me and I just want to be strong. He is so thoughtful. He spoke to me compassionatly of the loss of Maud. He knows I really liked that silly bird. He also held me as a little panic over the injection flushed through me last night. He even told me he would be praying for me today. I really like being loved by him. This degeneration in my hand concerns me so I will speak with the doctor about it. I think I am a little scared of needing an injection of steroid in that joint as well. Nope cant go there!
God is Good I am rambleing and you no doubt are praying for me.
Thank you.
Please remenber Dove and Dash as well and my Dear Beloved. This little family of mine means so much to me. I do not ever want to loose the ability to take good care of them ...of all of us.
I dont know why I am crying or even why I should think I need to appoligize for it.
It is all GOOD. ;{
I just dont like getting shots in my knee!
It hurts!
It will feel a lot better in a few days though!
enough...Loving you

Cutting a melon tutorial. Composting.

By mid day yesterday my kitchen was done.
I thought I would cut up a melon for supper last night.
Here is how I do it if you would like to know.

This beautiful huge melon was only 69 cents a pound (a $7. feast)!
It is a crenshaw melon, a cross between a honey due and a cantaloupe.
I do not do well with cantaloupe for I am allergic to them.
These melons are so sweet when ripe. If you look at the very tip of the melon the end should look slightly green where the flower was.

I use a very log, very sharp knife this is a Chinese knife I was gifted with. It is a hardened steel knife. It looks a bit rusted because I need to steel wool it every so often.
After slicing the melon in half and scooping out the seeds I cut one half like so...

For the kids I cut the bites a bit smaller by slicing like so then...

Slice right above the rind. If this makes a bite too lage I slice this twice

The bites will just fall into the bowl. I did the whole melon and even sliced the rend smaller so that it will compost faster.

This afternoon there is only around 4 cups of this left.

Here is the compost scraps from the morning and evening meal and the melon.

Today

This is just from breakfast today and the lemon bars.
I think that I have wasted so much good earth potential for so many years. Filling up the land fills. I am so glad to change my ways.
I called the city and will have two 90 gallon barrels that have the bottoms cut off and holes drilled into then, only $5 each one time free for delivery.

This Morning the Teacher of Dash called me at 7:30 A.M.
She asked me for my permission to honor Dash with a role of
Class Student Councilman for Second grade.
This she told me is an honor that is reserved for students that show great responsibility.
He will have to stay after school two days a month for a half an hour and then present the report to the class. I asked him and he accepted.

Dove came home with an invitation from the orchestra and a desire to play the viola, I called and left a message for the string instrument instructor. My children are growing up. I am hoping that there might be a loaner instrument for her through the school.

My morning in the kitchen.

Morning time had me doing my kitchen work in the cool( ha ha) of the day.
I think it was over 100* here by 9 a.m..
So with the dishwasher humming, I set to task.
We are having turkey enchiladas, home made re fried beans for supper.
There will be lemon bars devoured when the kids and Daddy Man get to them, with much thrill and many hugs and embraces. My family really appreciates the foods I prepare. It gives me wing to take flight into the tasks.

I made a double batch.

Supper is thought through and thawing.

I made a simple suryp for sugar and water for the hummers.
I will still need a spot to hang this on over by the garden window. I thought to hand the hummer food over there and I will not have bird seed getting into the garden. One window of seed feeders and the other of the hummers. I won't want to leave my studio.

I have a cortizon injection apointment for me knee tomorrow. She got me right in. I really like this team they are very dear folks. I have ben praying for then this year and they have re-structured the office to reduce the stress on the doctor. How wonderful that he is caring for himself. He has an autistic son. It must be a real good change for the office woman/nurse was very calm. She remembered me and is very fond of me. I like that community overflows in my life. I may schedule another round of Synvisk injections for my knee. I have been very blessed they have lasted almost a year. They normally last 6-9 months! I am going to pray that my insurance will cover me again. If I get the synvisk I will be kept low for a month to recover.
A call in to get my finger print card is accomplished. I am going to walk into getting my "Certifide Nurses Assistant" so if I need to get employment I am set up well for it. I have surgery on my dental implant in a week and a half. After that I will see if I need to seek a part time job.
I will be getting the schedule for the CPR training to get the certificate also.
I may not get the employment but if I do I will be ready.
I will be working with the Elderly or with the special needs community.
The kids are home and happy. I met them at the entrence with a cold cup of water. I guess Dove is having braces pains from teasing. she was very upset when she first approched. The water and the anouncment of the lemon bars soon changed the mood.

I have my implant surgery on the 29th
The kids have a birthday Party on the 30th
The kids also have a birthday/swim party on the 1st!
Talk about Gods provision and the fellowship of good friends!

Speaking of that Please pray for my neighbor. She is having a duble Mastectomy next Tuesday. We are getting togeather on the block to take her meals.