20 Of My Favorite Things

Join us over here
1. Color-Summer shades I find myself stumped. I think I need time to think about me?
2. Dessert-Pecan Pie
3. Smell-clean fragrance free
4. Flower-white rose
5. Animal-wolf
6. Month- April
7. Beverage-organic carrot juice
8. Pair of shoes- Merrels, any thing by them. They must have good arch support. My arches are very high. So a sensible show protects my knee.
9. Snack-candy
10. Song-How Great thou Art
11. Book- I am a reference reader. Non Fiction
12. Fruit- Navel Orange
13. Hairstyle- Natural no hair spray
14. Piece of clothing- satin and lace panties (blush)
15. Store to clothes shop- I don't clothes shop ????? I have been given so many things. Maybe Ross?
16. Season-Spring
17. Hobby- Gardening
18. Thing to collect- Beading supplies
19. Movie- Epics...I often thrive in the soundtracks of the picture
20. Restaurant- Pei Wei Asian (fresh veggies and well prepared)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window... Afternoon shadows, swinging in the slight breeze the feeders tell me of my neglect. Tomato needs to be picked and the evening hour promises the temperature to reduce. A few hours later...

I am thinking... How fun was that...A neighbor was out front, Steve called to me to come. When I attended it was a neighbor who is from Turkey...she had i tow a friend who was also from Turkey who was an educator in Turkey teaching that language. The neighbor asked if she could show her my garden. She told her about my "beautiful" back yard...Perspective comes in here I guess. I see it as a mess of dried grass and such.
What a small world we gardener live in.
I gave her a copy of some Arizona tips, some flower seed and some tomato.

From the learning rooms... Study of soil composition, fertilization and essential elements. Research to prepare for fall gardens. The Meal Plan needs also to be done.

I am thankful for... my Husband's endurance. He helped Dash with his room all weekend. then he took a trip to the folks coming home with an old metal arbor. Grapes in the fall:)

From the kitchen... Lemon aide set up in recycled bottles for the week for lunches and the counters cleared except for the apples to be washed. Caught up a bit now. Light load of dishes to finish in the morning. Strawberry Jam, bread, yogurt, and laundry soap to make this week.

I am wearing...A turquoise fitted knit top, caprie Jeans and no shoes. Two rings on a finger and no bells on my toes. I did find a very nice head band that holds my hair back. My bangs have grown past the end of my nose now. It is nice to have it held back. I am not trying to grow it out, just have yet to budget it in. There is also a nasty burn on my forearm that is making itself well known.

I am reading... Craft article of the 1950's, gardening sites and many new interest I am gaining knowledge on.

I am hoping...To go camping at months end. I have a funeral to go to at weeks end and I am hoping to have a balanced emote. That does not exhaust me. To be able to do my duties and care well for my family.

I am creating...a clutter free space to create in.

I am praying...My husband, A friend who knows of a 13 yr old who has now lost both of his parents. That my kids can stay well. Two schools now have shut down a few miles south of me.

Around the house... My head is above water! At last I am getting caught up a bit. Reasonable tasks that I will accomplish with time and energy to do some art and creating. Some self care would be in order as well.

One of my favorite things... serving and eating of the plants I grow.

A few plans for the rest of the week... kids have a dentist apt. in the morning, Baby shower Tuesday next. Funeral next Saturday for my nephew who took his own life in March. It needs closure, I need it to have closure. Bible study, Moms in Touch, Baking, jam making and such. Crafting. I want to do another topical study I really enjoyed it.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
It helps me
"Get a Grip"
;}

All in a Day...

Hello, I have started another Blog

A Place To Create...
I worked hard on this project, I'll talk more about it over there.

I hope your all having a nice weekend.
I am getting ready for a new week.
My Darling used his last Gatorade so...
Lemon aide was in order.
This task awaited his help to pour the new bag of sugar for me.
I buy it in a 25 pound bag.
GASP!
Yes but think about what you consume...
Now although sugar is not "good " for you. It is processed by use of animal bone to whiten it...interesting tip:)
If you look at what is being consumed...
HIGH FRUCTOSE Corn Syrup...it is in everything.
It is processed as a by product, from Genetically Modified Corn!
So now the sugar looks a bit better :)

So remember cooking from scratch means buying in bulk the best you can acquire.
A 25 pound bag will last a long time. It does not spoil and it is often cheaper per pound to buy. Be sure your storage is ready to receive it.

Remember those winter Lemons from the neighbor I gleaned, juiced, and froze
It is now summertime. I wish I would have juiced more.
By the end of that I was very tired of juicing. :)Lemon aide for lunches for Steve and the kids.
Real lemon juice, sugar and reverse osmosis water...
that is all...
nothing else...but love mixed in it.

Speaking of Love, not perhaps agape but non the less a pleasing part of life.
Simple Syrup is a great source of many things one of them being my own homemade flavoring/sweetener for my coffee.
This bottle "butter scotch",
a half of that little jar made a nice concentrated flavor, more flavor use less.

Now the soy milk is organic.
Oh that butterscotch oh...oh... that is a good cup of Joe!

To the last drop friends!

Well we all went up to Costco for the monthly stock pile shop.
I found something for the skin of our darlings, and for myself to have in my purse.
Summer is coming fast this is a must in the desert.
I have to remember to make good use of it now.
I put it on a shelf by the back door.
I think the other will go on a shelf by the front door.

Look what I splurged on!
I know me...splurge it does happen from time to time.
This is a gift for all my hard work and good service:)
It was really a great deal. Under $6. for 10 pods.
I look forward to using it.
Make my own extract from recycling them.
Make use of the pods for baking and such.

They are beautiful!
At least 6' long!

Now we know the U.N. is is trouble ,but really Russia is going to get in some bad press if they do not make a better vehicle. :)
This was given to Dash on an adoption day. I found it for him when we were in Russia. I gave it to him a little too early I think.
It took well to the gluing.

Used a few cups of vinegar in the dishwasher to remove the hard water build up.
Just run it on a soak cycle.
Vinegar!
Good stuff!
I watched a show that in Europe they even have shops with many different flavors/strains of it.
It can be very costly.
Over at Down to Earth she has a nice tutorial on making the "mother of vinegar" sounds nasty, but it does have many health benefits.

Well Daddy man finished Dash's room.
He deserves a trophy!

I worked hard in the garden.
Spent time working on
"A Place to Create",
in more ways than one.
On to other things....

Posted over at Bee Bliss Gardens tonight

I have compiled several basic soil preparations and know how of essential soil elements how too for getting your garden ready to plant.
We had a busy day today.
I spent time over at my sisters.
They moved back here to take over the house that their son was managing.
His funeral will be on the 9 th, Saturday.
At 1:00 at Messengers Mortuary in Scottsdale if you wish to attend.
Some concern here with the flu and my niece coming with the new baby.
We helped her with some furniture and unpacking of dished for they will be having a get together at her home after the services.
My nephew for those of you who may not know lost his life to suicide at the end of March.
His sister being weeks away from her first birth.
We waited for baby so she could fly home for closure.
I was pretty shook up to share her pain, she just must be suffering so badly.
We sat and looked at photographs from birth to well too the last days of his life.

She went to a sewing meeting where she was very beloved today, and they all stood up to applaud her when she walked into the door.
It sounded like it must have been perfect!
How wonderful for her to receive a welcome like that at this time.
She had been house bound due to winter in Connecticut.
Not knowing anyone there.

I came home to a call from my dear friend Trisha, (hi baby) an invitation to go out with us four "captivating sisters of the heart" who have gathered for each others birthdays for years.
I had totally forgot of it.
She called and left a message.
Girls I just started crying it just felt like a big warm hug!

I took a nap to shake off the sorrow.
The afternoon evening is low key and the kids down to bed.
Dash got his room cleaned up by the Daddy Man while I tended to the garden care.
I had a drain hole plugged on the tomato in the garden,.
I fed the melons some phosphorous, cut down some more of the pea vine.
I now better understand my delemia in the garden and will be much more ready for the fall crops.
I will work to have good melons, onion, beans,strawberries,lettuce, carrots, and tomato's.
Pulled my first carrot and it was amazing like the flavor was on steroids just so carrot tasting!
I thought perhaps the absence of flavor in our store bought foods make us eat much more than we need to feel sate.
Well I worked hard over at bee bliss tonight and I am tired .
I am coming to visit.
Trisha thank you, and you too Lisa and Michelle.
I would love to get together on the 16th.
I look forward to it.
It will have to be in the evening for Dove has her party until oh 1:30 before I could be available.
Love all of you dear souls out there.
Shine
take all that light of yours and just blow out that darkness!

Alert recieved by the Mesa Public School District

Swine Flu
It is here
A school in Chandler Arizona is closed.
A recorded alert call came from the health department this afternoon.

Mesa Public School District
www.mpsaz.org
click on news

Oh man just 14 days of school left.
Doves little friend kept home yesterday throwing up at school today...
(was vomiting in the school bathroom)
I called the school, Dove said that the girl got a nurses pass and then the nurse said she was a no show...
No,NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

The kids and I all had a flu shot this year and so far the virus is mild.

Look for
Excessive High Fever
excessive vomiting
and breathing difficulties.

Dash and I both have asthma...guess we won't see the folks either this weekend.
MILove has asthma too.

Art Master Piece...the conclusion

conclusions...

All that energy of darkness needed light to be shined on it...
So here is what I did.

I just called her back...
"hello S-----, say I

"On hi Donetta" said she

"I have been racking my mind to think of how it might have been interpreted an issue of assignment to the kids and this is what I came up with. ..."
I told her of a packet on pointillism where a master of a blank flower is...
I suggested that she get into that packet and remove that so that this does not repeat itself.
"I think that when I handed this out to the one teacher she may of thought it an assignment for it was returned to me. I gave it to the kids to do on their own time."

She said that she would remove it.

I told her regarding the time thing that I could put a timer in my bag for the next year to help me kept better track, for with 28 kids in my face time is hard to keep track of.

She thought both of those were good ideas, then her voice softened...

" S---- , I began a little choked up. When you called me with no salutation or greeting, and told me all I had done wrong, with a curt tone..., and yet never thanked me for what I had done..."

She interrupted with..."I thought I did thank you...perhaps you don't remember it..."

I said" if you did the other rang much louder in my ear. It really hurt" voice shaking

She softer said..."wow, my life is so full personally that I just wanted to get it over with...When the district office called me to complain that the guidelines were at issue, I really did not like having to deal with it. I don't think I will do this again next year. It has been a really hard year with all the stress of the budget cuts and Art Master is an expensive program to offer and the big wigs are finding any fault they can with it.....

"That sounds very stressful" say I
I asked " was the complaint about me singly..."

said she that it was general, and when she went around and asked it was then that I was the one complained about.

I told her that I understood challenges at home. That I am raising two special needs kids and I fully understood how hard it can be...

She softened and she spoke of her fatigue of serving in the capacity she was in. She spoke of how she hated to have to even call me. That she just wanted to get it over with. She acknowledged that she was far less compassionate than she normally would have been.
Then she apologized for the fact that she did pour out those feeling of frustration and fatigue on me on me.

I told her that I accepted her apology and forgave her.

When in conversation she brought it up again, I reiterated that I had forgiven her.
I told her however if any other of us received a call like that she may want to consider if any further action should be taken regarding it.

One thing that continues to bother me is the lack of respect that I was shown by whoever decided to call district on me instead of setting a boundary that I could of easily found a solution to.

I do understand that it is her role to be the intermediary to confront the issue. I was not offended by it I was stunned. It was the tone and lack of kindness of the call that hurt.
It was embarrassing, it came off so shaming.

OH CLEAN HANDS
IT IS FINISHED

Art Master Piece

A bit of a vent here.
I am so...struggling with the shades of anger here.
I just got a call from the lead over me in the volunteer service from the public school. She too just a person a mom of a student.

She began The call with ...."I will be picking up all the art prints next week...This will be the last week." no greeting or salutation at all!

I Said "oh hi S----, how are you? I did leave those in the class rooms and the material is in the box in the copy room... Oh, I will be interested in serving next year"

she then continued with " well I had an issue that you need to stick to the guide lines...no art projects...and the time limit must be adhered too." I never did an in class room art project. I did encourage them to explore art on there own time and passed out a paper one day of a flower. The one teacher gave them back to me, I did not expect her to and was surprised. Now Dash's teacher she was only ever Not hostile feeling on the very last visit".

"oh, say I, was there a problem?...Who had an issue?"
Wanting to apologize to the offended. Perhaps problem solve would be a timer next year?

She said "that is not important the important thing is that you stick to the guide lines that is why they are in place."..........

I told her..."I am not offend it is just that I was unaware there was any issue. The teachers have asked of me to continue and to stay"

She said "That's fine for those teachers. Well there was a issue , and that is why the guide lines are in place.

"All right well thanks for letting me know...See you next year..." say I

good by..was her reply!

Not a thank you or anything!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have gone out of my way to offer service for several months at the sacrifice of my own family and home by choice and the lack of acknowledgment...well I guess that is my issue that it is an offense to me...I am human.

Makes me wonder 1) either I am her kicking dog 2) perhaps someone used her for a kicking dog.
3) she is a well shall we say...a dark soul! (cant see her soul) all right to be fair...her behavior was dark!

The children and the fondness they show is thanks in full true, but really!

How well can you keep volunteers if you treat them like that!
Oh that's right I was the very last hold out, perhaps only one other person had prints in class rooms last week...That might just explain that.

I was so angry!!!!, and ya know that is alright I was just treated with rudeness and offensively. Now I have some work to do not to allow this hostile feeling to germinate. I want to just tell those two teachers off for not telling me if there was an issue.
I am humiliated and embarrassed too. I think she shamed me...Interesting I see it now. Well shame on her. That is not right to treat anyone with that as your power tool.

Did I error so badly because it is hard for me to keep time and talk to 28 kids at the same time.
I think I am hurt. I think I need to get a really good grip:}

I called Dash's teacher and left a message declining to demonstrate the painting with oils next week. I said it was not part of the Art Master piece and that I would not want to use up her valuable class time.

Now watch it was probably that other teacher who had an issue. You know what though I am not going to even put myself in that position. I wish I would of pulled my son from her room like I wanted to at the first of the year. I am sure there must be some grater purpose here but I am not enjoying it and neither is Dash.
I better shut up and cool off.
:}
Wow how hard it is to accept critique when given so poorly.
I am working through to keep my hands clean and my heart pure.

Friday Funnies

Have you ever had a problem staring staring you right in the nose.
So I Worked the three hour morning with/for the family,
tended the garden
(come visit the garden at BEE BLISS)
watering,and the animals. I came in here to cool down and have a cup of coffee. The pot prepped I sat down here a moment. Funny thing is I was waiting and waiting well I did not turn it on. So I humored myself, and went over and clicked the switch and sat back down to task. Kept thinking wow, I must be congested this morning for the coffee is hardly leaving the room with an aroma...
I got up ...the pot was not pluged in :}
Oh me.

Happy May Day!

One of my innocent sweet pure memories of my childhood was the dance around the May pole in elementary school. Yes some of the historical traditions are rooted in Pagan worship....
Here I am just simply saying it was a memory that is rare of my childhood.
It feels free, joyous and innocent.
It is a dusting of beauty in a cloudy existence of this woman's childhood.



The maypole is augmentative of other things not so complimentary yes,
BUT TO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE.

That is how I recall it.
For me the celebration of life meant that in a few days I would celebrate my birth.
I remember feeling that May Day was a part of me, a celebration of life.
I saw beauty around me the days preceding the day that marked the beginning of many years of death and destruction.
Mayday however reminded me that somewhere there was life.
Somewhere beauty, innocence and joy rebounded and then...then I was born.
Flowers and the beauty around me in nature is Gods May Day Basket to me.
I catch Him as give him a holy kiss for the gift.
His gift to me...being surrounded with beauty.

May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to the Haymarket affair or any of several public holidays.^[1] In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. As a day of celebration the holiday has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times.

To Learn more

The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.

May Day Baskets
Make a flower-filled basket for a friend
The tradition of the ancient Roman and Druid holiday of May Day has endured for centuries. It has been a celebration of spring turning into the pleasures of summer. Traditionally, a "Maypole" was the focus of the festivals. Even today the Maypole is used in the replications of old-time festivals. The Maypole is a tall pole in which ribbons are woven around by groups of dancers to make unique designs and patterns. Gathering flowers and branches became a tradition and "bringing in the May" became a popular activity on May 1. The giving of baskets became part of the festivities later in the evolution of May Day. Today baskets are often made by little children, filled with candy or flowers and then placed on people's doorsteps or tied to the door handle, as they ring the doorbell and dash away before they are caught. You can participate in this activity yourself by making a special May Day basket or using any small basket to fill with flowers to give to a friend. Fill a small basket with freshly gathered Spring blossoms. Tuck a small vase or something that will hold water into the bottom of the basket and fill the basket with a selection of flowers. Tie a bow or ribbon streamers onto the handle and fasten it to the door handle of a friend.

Thankful Thrusday

What a wonderful thing it is to have a husband who LOVE GOD! A man who longs for His presence...I have a wealth a treasure here on this realm here that is unmatched in that.
How sweet to long for every moment I have with him, as well as with HIM.

In the morning I have to rise and shine...yet it is by choice that I shine.
I like having that choice, feeling the warmth of making it. How awful it would be to be forced into shine. Forced to buff and polish, to rehearse and pretend. I OH I am so rich in this freedom.

I spent the most of my day de-cluttering my sewing table and cutting table. The beading desk and floor swept. Clearing this creative space I am so honored to have. Getting ready for the hot weather here is to prepare to be and do indoors.


Today a big job done.
This is grand central.
A wonderful cart that my MILove blessed me with.
It is very handy.
The white binder is my brain on steroids :)
Having a garden is a science in many types of bioligy.
So I am keeping the findings of my studies and research contained here.
I list what I have planted and where.
I am going to collect seed to continue to grow heirloom plants.
NO GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS WHERE I CAN STOP IT!
This binder has so many topics it covers
homemaking
goal setting
homemade cleaners/soaps
bread baking
composting
water harvesting
bla bla bla :}

On the cart is a place to be able to keep the binder open on a daily basis
The recipe box
the garden enciclopedia
My box of cards and also a file for each kid
Parental study, child developmtal information.
I keep my old budget sheets as well for reference


Lettuce and beans picked 4 strawberries to adorn the desert plates picked. An egg and beans.
My hens not liking the heat or perhaps needing some tender care are slowing the egg production. I must have at least 4-5 cups of cherry tomato in the bucket today...All I have need of. Spaghetti and salad tonight.

Two day harvest!


My loving children came home today in an out raged panic...a second grader who is a neighbor kid (he and his brother have been found waiting out front on several occasions) was going to be home alone for an hour because the 5 th grade brother could not come home with him. My kids were incensed!!!!!!!!! "Mom it is not alright Mom help him" ....of course I grabbed him a water. Being locked out of a house here is not comfortable, our heat is hard on a soul. As is being unattended when you are only 8 years old! I was not sure if the parent knew or not. So off we went. The child did not answer the door (a comforting thing). The neighbor nest door verified that the kid was an occupant of that house. He said he would keep an eye out for him. A police officer lives between the two homes. So off we went unable to much more than that.

To see Dash and Dove so passionate about the safety of a child thrilled me.

We went to the Roller Rink and left a deposit for Doves Un-birthday party. We are holding it for her before the school year ends this year. We have a coupon good for 30% off of the thing. Pretty cheep party. In an air conditioned place too. I had Dove make the decisions and interact with the sweet young woman. Making her responsible is so important to her abilities. It is also fun to give her the power of choice within my boundary.

Stopped to get my medication, You know that a neighborhood is a wonderful thing. For it I am so grateful. To go to a store and be known and fondly thought of. It is so wonderful. There is a wonderful, beautiful, woman who is full of light that tends the register at the pharmacy. I love exchanging light with her.

We kids and I stopped at the grocery for a gift to bring to an evening with a friend. My children amaze me. Knowing that this friend recently tried wine I though to gift her a bottle to bring something to the evening of movie watching and gab session.

As I walked down the wine isle my kids were appalled.
"Mom why would you want wine..? Your not sad...
You know mom... that it is the sadness that makes a desire for the wine Mom".
I stood astonished at the wisdom within them.
I thought of the passages the ones of the same truth.
I taught them these things over the years.
They have never said anything about wine or such, not that we have it often.
This was different though, profound in the commpasion for my friend.
I did not correct them, nor try to explain the relax therory.
I just supported the wisdom they displayed.
A much bigger lesson.
I bought some chocolate for the movie.

I am sitting here in a space that is cleaned of clutter.
Much relaxed as I darn the sock, Milky the kitty needs a stitching up, as does happy holidays
(a little dog) and empty that little basket on the floor.
Dove and Dash are listening to the story with the Daddy Man
Supper is done, left overs secured.
Me time.
I'll come and visit

needed someone to promote Eldala

I received a sweet note from my dear friend of many many a year...
She is a novelist.
Actually she and I wrote our first novel at the same time together.
She absconded with me and to me to the mountains where my novel is based.
It was a nanoproblamo project.
Well she kept true to her heart and dream and self published.
While I have yet to finish the editing phase of my novel.
I have it still in my "some day " list of things to accomplish.
Michelle is an awesome beautiful warrior woman of amazing talent.
If your in the mood for a good read that is inspirational fiction then head over her way.
Here is her blog site.
She Is a homeschooling Mother who has always kept a heart of kindness toward me.
I think you will have a hard time putting "Eldala" down.
It is captivating.
Just like it's aurtor.

Anna has decided to be my agent (sunglasses, clipboard, snapping gum, and all) and she asked me what I needed. I said I needed someone to promote Eldala and she started making a list. Guess what? You were all on the list, along with one of her stuffed animals.

Just thought I'd let you know, in case you get a phone call from a 7 year old girl, claiming to be my agent.

Michelle


http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/

my first novel

in 2007, i published a fantasy book for me and my kids. if i had to categorize it, I'd call it a YA fantasy/ adventure story with romantic elements. it's also an easy read. you can find it here at amazon. the link will also take you to reviews and a "search inside" feature.

Word Filled Wednseday

Special Exposure Wednesday.

join us here
Contrast
With having two special needs it can be a real balancing act to keep them both nurtured at the same time.
As it is in any family.
Oh how much of Dash I missed having to tend to Doves panic.
When our children (any child ) suffers it is so heart wrenching.

Tackle it Tuesday

Well it is Tuesday
and I did tackle it!
Wow four classes of kids today and oh the wonder.
One teacher allows (asks) me to sit for a good hour and a half and just converse and listen to the children.
With only three more weeks of school here this was the last Art Master Piece presentation today. The kids were over all unhappy about it being the last time for me to come.
We worked out a bit of a solution.

In the second graders class I will take my traveling easel to the class with a canvas and oils to show them the medium. I taught them how it will be for me an exercise in courage to paint before them.First time for everything.

The next class I presented to the fourth graders will have a field trip that day. I will attend with them. It is to a nursing home. Once again the children gathering to hug me good by provoked a sweet "look, you are like a Mother to them"...from the teacher.
I will paint for them the following day.

This will be perfect for I will have no time line.By 2:15 I will go to the other second grade class, the one Dash is in. She has opened up for me to do the same thing for her that day.

I have received four invitations to a Ice Cream Social for the service workers at the school. Funny I am not able to eat ice cream. I will bring the family and the Dash and I might bring some non dairy treat to enjoy the moment.

I am sure going to miss tackling Tuesdays with the children over the summer. It is so rewarding to serve this next generation.

Now by 5p.m. I tackled my pillow for 30 minutes until supper was to be cooked.
I am tired. Supper did get cooked and it was yummy!


Dove is now becoming hormonally moody.
It is so hard to help my husband understand her needs.
Now that is a BIG TACKLE!
He asked for forgiveness, yes it was instant I gave it to him.
Now that makes any tackle easier. :)
Me being post menopausal now for 7 years via surgery...well I sure feel for her.
It does bring back those memories of young womanhood.

Tackle a adolescence through love and understanding today.
She will be full of grace tomorrow.

All in a day

One of Dove's gifts at Disneyland were the round beads.
I told her I would make her a necklace out of them.
I had the cute word beads, they have a different word on each side.
These are the characters she got autographs from.
It is strung on elastic.

Supper was a delight.
My family is just excited over these home grown salads.
Plates all but licked clean!

I gathered almost a pound of seed off the flowering vine out front.
It will be fun to plant them next year.
I think they will grow over the shed on the shady side.
Perhaps around the base of the compost barrels.
I am so excited about the garden plans.
We talked about bamboo to hide the houses behind us.
Much to research. I want to do a through investigation about the needs that it will have.
Now we have a pick up truck I will start searching "Freecycle" for some free stuff to build the raised beds out of.

Lots to do.

Dash rode his bike while I tended to seed gathering. He did tricks and chattered while attedned by my eyes and ears. He is so busy of mind that child. He created a whole new game over the last two days. Designed the characters and assigned them roles and such. Pretty mind blowing stuff that kid comes up with.
We had a great devotional today about the 5th commandment. I was able to teach them to respect the office and to understand the hierarchy of authority over them. I taught them to do what is right no matter who is telling them to do differently and that I will back them up. You should of seen their eyes! I explained to them that many tricksters can pretend to be authority, to never just believe anyone who tells them they are a police man or an authority. To make them prove it. I tought them that if they answer to God that HE is the highest athority and that as long as they do what is right, even if they suffer for it , that they are doing the right thing. Giving them the example of a reporter in jail to protect the innocent. Also the study 60 minutes did where 5 of the 6 adults approched by a man saying he was a police man took a child for the man. I told them that only one man said NO to him and that he would call the police and wait for them before he would do what he was told to do.
Good Stuff!
Well I want to come walk around the blog block and visit ya all.
See ya in the comments.

Yard care, prepairing for the Garden extention.

While I was cleaning the coop yesterday,
My Darling was scooping the doggy doo.
We used the wheel barrow to haul the chicken doo to the compost.
He asked me if I still wanted to move the shed...:}
Oh, Oh, yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!
So we teamed up and used a drip pan to slide the compost over.

Trimmed a bit of orange tree limb to tuck the shed up under it a bit.
This way the neighbor does not have to look at it.
He mowed the seedy grass for me.
I have bad allergy to grass, real bad.

We used the old Egyptian technique.
We slid it on boards and then I would shift the planks over and over until we got real close to the spot. Sweet baby cut a finger and poured out his own blood to complete the job.
Now I have a place to store the tools and supplies...
They will now be close to the garden.

So sweet as it is a garden shed.
This will have a nice work surface, and a place for all the plants and foods.

This side will be extended out to a garden with some raised beds.
We will be fencing it off eventually in some way.


This Morning I was given some grapefruits.
So a morning at the patio to do the mail, calls I had to make and such.
I enjoyed my coffee, and fruit.

The dogs were thrilled to get the grapefruit scraps.
Yes they eat grape fruit!

The girls were happy to get some feed and attention.

Steve tied up the trellis by drilling a screw into the masonry wall and then used a wire to attach it. The beans, are doing well. These are the "blue Lake" vine beans.

Pulled my first onion. I am like a little kid...just too curious ;}
I wanted one for supper tonight.

With the shed gone off the west side I have all this room here.
I love the wide open space over here.
This will get gated off to be used for the berry garden in the future.
I have to acidify the earth. I will do this over the hot summer months.
I'll add some compost too.
near the outer corner where the black water pipe is...
I will have the pomegranate tree put in soon.
I am so concerned of the dog eating the tree though.
I have a budget for some trees this month.

Everything got hosed down, the laundry hung today and the porch hosed off.

With the dogs inside The patio got a good hosing off.

I hope to get this spray painted this week.

As well as this.
I purchased these things when I got a settlement years (like 12-15?) ago.
I had a bad fall in a shower stall where a maid had used lemon oil on the shower stall.
I got hurt pretty bad.
So with what was left after all the bills , I earned this.
I earned the patio furniture the HARD WAY ;}

The cushions were purchased from the funds left me at the death of my Dad.
This is mine.
In marriage never is something looked at as his or mine.
These things are what I liked though.
They are a set that meant a lot to me.
Now they are not something I think we would have chosen together.
Steve does not like them much.
Funny in marriage how we can loose ourselves if we are not careful.
Fortunate we have also found ourselves too.

I found a way to keep the mess down while loading the feeders.

Well I better tend to supper.