Howdy folks.
I didn't update last night, so here is one for you. After piano, the kids and I headed over to the East Side, took Gramma shopping, and then after we dropped the kids off at youth group, we went back to her house and packed up a few things so she could come spend the night last night. We got home at 8:30, and I was in bed asleep by 9. Up early this morning to get the Boy off to classes, and then we three women hit the house. We hung about 6 loads of laundry out on the new clotheslines, and then we hit the laundry room. We pulled out the washer and dryer, cleaned them inside and out, dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning. It looks so much better in there. I realized as we were cleaning that one of the reasons this particular room is so dirty is that it is used for so many things: laundry room, pantry, kitchen, mudroom, and entryway. No wonder it was so messy!
Good news is that Gramma is going to come down again this weekend and help clean. We were trying to come up with a way to have a family beach weekend, but it didn't work out, and now I am glad, as my Mom is so good at this cleaning thing, and it really makes it more fun to do this deep cleaning when you have good company- someone to laugh at you when you fall through the trap door that you didn't know was under your dryer because of all the crap and crud covering it! Found many lost socks- I just hope we still have their mates.
Other plans for this weekend include more gardening, and some art time.
Gotta go- I have been so very tired lately- the Boy just informed me he has a band concert tonight (Why does he always wait till the last minute to tell me these things!!), so I think I am going to take a bit of a nap so I don't experience narcalepsy (sp?) during the concert.
TTFN,
LB
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tidbit: Home again, home again, jiggity jig.
I'm here! I made it home Tuesday (stayed an extra day!), with the help of Dy to keep me awake on the long car ride home. Got to do something about the narcaleptic car rides though- I was nodding off and had to pull over way too many times. Sleep-reading is one thing, but sleep-driving isn't working for me.
I slept hard last night, and am well this morning. We have a piano day today instead of tomorrow. I will update again tonight. Hope all is well with everyone.
TTFN,
LB
I slept hard last night, and am well this morning. We have a piano day today instead of tomorrow. I will update again tonight. Hope all is well with everyone.
TTFN,
LB
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tidbit: On the road again..........
Howdy folks!
So, it is 8:30, and I am just now leaving, 2 hours later than I had planned. But it was probably better that I got 7 hours of sleep last night, rather than fall asleep on the road, hmm? I have my flutes, art supplies, and walking stick packed, but still cannot find my camera. Sigh.
I will be back late Monday. I may blog from my sister's, but may not. My goal is to be support, however she needs it, so blogging may not fit in. But I will try to make some art while there, and will take pics with the Boy's camera on return. I so have a hankering to use my fun watercolor paints on an Oregon sunset. I am not happy about the reason for my trip to the ocean, but my soul will rejoice in going home to my birthplace, I know.
TTFN,
LB
So, it is 8:30, and I am just now leaving, 2 hours later than I had planned. But it was probably better that I got 7 hours of sleep last night, rather than fall asleep on the road, hmm? I have my flutes, art supplies, and walking stick packed, but still cannot find my camera. Sigh.
I will be back late Monday. I may blog from my sister's, but may not. My goal is to be support, however she needs it, so blogging may not fit in. But I will try to make some art while there, and will take pics with the Boy's camera on return. I so have a hankering to use my fun watercolor paints on an Oregon sunset. I am not happy about the reason for my trip to the ocean, but my soul will rejoice in going home to my birthplace, I know.
TTFN,
LB
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tidbits: Gardens, art, laundry, and support
Howdy folks! I am here, keeping myself so busy I have little time for blogging. I miss blogging, but I am getting stuff done in my life, and that is worth it.
Mr. B. came over on Friday and tilled both my big garden beds. The Dude bought me 20 bags of steer doo, which I need to get into the bigger of the two beds this week. Once that is done, I will need to plant it. We went to the glorious garden party on Saturday. As a result, I have 24 tomato plants in the ground, but I still need to buy about that many more to have enough to can and donate. I have several squash and cuke plants to still get in before this weekend.
On the art front, I spent all last week working down in the studio, getting it organized and cleaned up. I am currently enrolled in two online mixed media surface courses, so I got started on the first lessons in each of those. I don't have anything finished to take photos of yet, but I am planning on working daily, so hopefully will have photos soon.
I am officially on laundry strike: I am only doing the household laundry (kitchen and bath towels and our bed linens), and the Dude's and my clothes. It is still a lot of laundry, but I am making headway. Not worrying at all about the kids' laundry is very freeing.
My oldest sister lost her mama (we share our father, but not our moms) on Sunday morning, and is doing about as well as you would expect, and needs some lovin', so I will be leaving Friday morning to drive down to the Oregon Coast (my birthplace, and one of my fave places in the whole world) and spend the weekend with her. I may go down again next weekend for the memorial if she needs me to. I plan on taking art supplies, but will do whatever she needs me to do.
That is it for now. I am headed to the laundryroom to put another load in, will fold a bit, and then down to the studio for a bit.
T.T.F.N.
LB
Mr. B. came over on Friday and tilled both my big garden beds. The Dude bought me 20 bags of steer doo, which I need to get into the bigger of the two beds this week. Once that is done, I will need to plant it. We went to the glorious garden party on Saturday. As a result, I have 24 tomato plants in the ground, but I still need to buy about that many more to have enough to can and donate. I have several squash and cuke plants to still get in before this weekend.
On the art front, I spent all last week working down in the studio, getting it organized and cleaned up. I am currently enrolled in two online mixed media surface courses, so I got started on the first lessons in each of those. I don't have anything finished to take photos of yet, but I am planning on working daily, so hopefully will have photos soon.
I am officially on laundry strike: I am only doing the household laundry (kitchen and bath towels and our bed linens), and the Dude's and my clothes. It is still a lot of laundry, but I am making headway. Not worrying at all about the kids' laundry is very freeing.
My oldest sister lost her mama (we share our father, but not our moms) on Sunday morning, and is doing about as well as you would expect, and needs some lovin', so I will be leaving Friday morning to drive down to the Oregon Coast (my birthplace, and one of my fave places in the whole world) and spend the weekend with her. I may go down again next weekend for the memorial if she needs me to. I plan on taking art supplies, but will do whatever she needs me to do.
That is it for now. I am headed to the laundryroom to put another load in, will fold a bit, and then down to the studio for a bit.
T.T.F.N.
LB
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
new coop part 2
Here is the inside of the new coop. So far, there is this one rimmed shelf running all around the edges. We can add more shelves above or below this one as we get more chickens. 
See? They like it. Today was the first day one of them actually laid an egg in the new coop!
Here is Lucy, mad as heck that she is on the inside when there are bugs to eat (I was weeding- she loves to follow me around and eat the slugs off my garden gloves), trying to peck Winnie, who seems fascinated by the big lady-birds. The white bits on the ground are shredded paper bits the Girl had used when we were out of cedar shavings.
Here is Piano Girl, holding one of the new babes. Again- except for Winnie, they all look the same to me, so who knows which one she has! Look how grownup and serious my Girly looks!
Here is the Boy, sitting in the bed he is supposed to be weeding, taking a wee break with one of the babes. I think this was Sweetie. Look how long my Boy's hair was. It was all poking out in all directions from his head. I say was, because we shaved it all off for him this morning, just about a half hour after this was taken. He looks very handsome. And serious.
That's it for chicken photos for now. Thanks for visiting the homestead. Amy, are you hyperventilating at all the bird photos? I promise I make the kids wash very good with your soap when they are done holding the birds.
LB
See? They like it. Today was the first day one of them actually laid an egg in the new coop!
Here is Lucy, mad as heck that she is on the inside when there are bugs to eat (I was weeding- she loves to follow me around and eat the slugs off my garden gloves), trying to peck Winnie, who seems fascinated by the big lady-birds. The white bits on the ground are shredded paper bits the Girl had used when we were out of cedar shavings.
Here is Piano Girl, holding one of the new babes. Again- except for Winnie, they all look the same to me, so who knows which one she has! Look how grownup and serious my Girly looks!
Here is the Boy, sitting in the bed he is supposed to be weeding, taking a wee break with one of the babes. I think this was Sweetie. Look how long my Boy's hair was. It was all poking out in all directions from his head. I say was, because we shaved it all off for him this morning, just about a half hour after this was taken. He looks very handsome. And serious.
That's it for chicken photos for now. Thanks for visiting the homestead. Amy, are you hyperventilating at all the bird photos? I promise I make the kids wash very good with your soap when they are done holding the birds.LB
New Coop part 1
Howdy folks! How 'bout a chicken update? Before I show and tell the new coop and the new babies, I would like to let you know that we lost the Girl's favorite pet chicken, Goldie, while I was in AL. She got sick, seemed to get better, and then I got the fateful phone call from a teary Girl, all in the space of a few days. We don't know what was wrong, but none of the other chickens are sick, so that is good. My Girly handled it all by herself, with her usual grace and strength, prying the dead chicken's cold feet off the perch, wrapping her in an old towel, digging the grave, and giving Goldie a nice prayer and a few kind words, before burying her next to her chicken-sisters' graves. Only at this point did she let herself shed a few tears. I was so sad for her, and so proud of her. Rest in peace, Goldie, you were a great chicken, and a good pet to the Girl.
(Click to enlarge the photos, if desired.) Here is the part of the chicken yard where the coops and runs are. On the left, is the little coop where the 8 new babies are staying. Then you see the run next to it, where the old girls are for now. When the babies get a wee bit bigger, we will move them into the run, and the old girls will go into the little coop at night. Inside is the old rabbit hutch that came with the chickens we rescued 2 years ago. The boxes poking out from the sides of the hutch open up, as does the top of the hutch itself, for easy egg gathering and cleaning. If you click on the photo, you can see six of the new little girls exploring the yard.
Sorry about the chicken wire, but that is the way it goes. Here is a good shot of the remaining three old girls- Annabelle is the Rhode Island Red in the hutch, and Chickie-Boo (the Golden) and Lucy (the silver one), the Wyandottes are on the ground inside the run, trying to peck the littles on the outside there. The little white one is Winnie the Peep, and I have no idea which one is with her- they all look alike to me. Look how big they are getting though! For the record, the new babies' names are as follows: Annie, Clarabelle, Henrietta (these three are all inspired from Thomas the Tank Engine stories, in honor of our two-yr old friends), Dottie, Hannah, Sally, Sweetie, and Winnie.
Here is the door to the run, and the new coop.
Sigh. I took these on the Boy's camera, and don't know how to make the photos go right side up, but will post it anyhow. Here is the new coop. It butts up against the shed. That is Lucy in front, and Annabelle's behind there to the left of the door opening.
See the next post for more coop photos.
(Click to enlarge the photos, if desired.) Here is the part of the chicken yard where the coops and runs are. On the left, is the little coop where the 8 new babies are staying. Then you see the run next to it, where the old girls are for now. When the babies get a wee bit bigger, we will move them into the run, and the old girls will go into the little coop at night. Inside is the old rabbit hutch that came with the chickens we rescued 2 years ago. The boxes poking out from the sides of the hutch open up, as does the top of the hutch itself, for easy egg gathering and cleaning. If you click on the photo, you can see six of the new little girls exploring the yard.
Sorry about the chicken wire, but that is the way it goes. Here is a good shot of the remaining three old girls- Annabelle is the Rhode Island Red in the hutch, and Chickie-Boo (the Golden) and Lucy (the silver one), the Wyandottes are on the ground inside the run, trying to peck the littles on the outside there. The little white one is Winnie the Peep, and I have no idea which one is with her- they all look alike to me. Look how big they are getting though! For the record, the new babies' names are as follows: Annie, Clarabelle, Henrietta (these three are all inspired from Thomas the Tank Engine stories, in honor of our two-yr old friends), Dottie, Hannah, Sally, Sweetie, and Winnie.
Here is the door to the run, and the new coop.
Sigh. I took these on the Boy's camera, and don't know how to make the photos go right side up, but will post it anyhow. Here is the new coop. It butts up against the shed. That is Lucy in front, and Annabelle's behind there to the left of the door opening.
See the next post for more coop photos.Tidbits: Self-pitty in the past and garden time.
Howdy! I am here, and done feeling sorry for myself. That is pretty much how I spent the whole day yesterday, and it felt so wasted, and I felt very isolated. Enough of that!
Today, we are schooling, and working on clearing the garden beds. I also have some bills to pay.
Our dear friend Mr. B. is going to bring his tiller over on Friday and help till my garden, so we must get it ready! The kids are already outside, so I must get out there. PG has her baby chickens out- I will try to find my camera (I *THINK* I brought it home from Dy's, but cannot find it anywhere!) and take some photos of them and the new coop- they have really grown!
That is it for now- I will post more later, just wanted you to know I am here and done with yesterday's pity party.
Hugs,
LB
Today, we are schooling, and working on clearing the garden beds. I also have some bills to pay.
Our dear friend Mr. B. is going to bring his tiller over on Friday and help till my garden, so we must get it ready! The kids are already outside, so I must get out there. PG has her baby chickens out- I will try to find my camera (I *THINK* I brought it home from Dy's, but cannot find it anywhere!) and take some photos of them and the new coop- they have really grown!
That is it for now- I will post more later, just wanted you to know I am here and done with yesterday's pity party.
Hugs,
LB
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Aarrgghh!!
I started a post for you way back on Saturday, but just haven't had the heart to finish it. I have been cleaning, reorganizing, decluttering, teaching, and sleeping, in that order, since I got home, and it seems to be taking all my time and energy, so when I get to the computer, I just don't have the interest or fortitude to blog. At least that's what I have been telling myself. Sigh. I need to work on my attitude, don't I?
My mom was going to come down and help me with this house today, and she just called and canceled at the last minute, and now I am starting to go into overwhelm. I need to get a handle on this house, the messy, unused studio, and these disobedient, unruly kids. I will try to get to the blog later today, but can't make any promises.
Sigh. I wish I was still on vacation at Dy's house. I miss her and we made a really good team. Two mamas make dealing with everything all at the same time so much easier, and so much more fun!
LB
My mom was going to come down and help me with this house today, and she just called and canceled at the last minute, and now I am starting to go into overwhelm. I need to get a handle on this house, the messy, unused studio, and these disobedient, unruly kids. I will try to get to the blog later today, but can't make any promises.
Sigh. I wish I was still on vacation at Dy's house. I miss her and we made a really good team. Two mamas make dealing with everything all at the same time so much easier, and so much more fun!
LB
Monday, May 05, 2008
Tidbits: Blogging from Dy's, part 2
Howdy folks!
I am having such a fantastic vacation here! I am not sure I have ever been made to feel so welcome and so much a part of the family when visiting. Alabama is beautiful (except for the ticks- I have now witnessed the removal of two of them, and the scorpions-ewww), the birds are singing all the time, the trees blowing in gentle breezes (and it isn't too hot- we timed this visit beautifully), and I am being so well fed and regularly loved on by babies and big kids- how could I not be having a wonderful time?
yesterday I held the wee babe for 3 hours straight- what bliss!!! And the children and I made art out under the trees for several hour, too. This is better (and cheaper) than therapy.
Friday is going to come way too fast.
Dy took a mess of photos and posted them today. Go here to check them out.
Love and hugs,
LB
I am having such a fantastic vacation here! I am not sure I have ever been made to feel so welcome and so much a part of the family when visiting. Alabama is beautiful (except for the ticks- I have now witnessed the removal of two of them, and the scorpions-ewww), the birds are singing all the time, the trees blowing in gentle breezes (and it isn't too hot- we timed this visit beautifully), and I am being so well fed and regularly loved on by babies and big kids- how could I not be having a wonderful time?
yesterday I held the wee babe for 3 hours straight- what bliss!!! And the children and I made art out under the trees for several hour, too. This is better (and cheaper) than therapy.
Friday is going to come way too fast.
Dy took a mess of photos and posted them today. Go here to check them out.
Love and hugs,
LB
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Tidbits: Blogging from Dy's, part 1
Happy squeal! I am here and doing fine! So far I have seen a cardinal, and heard unfamiliar birdsongs, experienced a thumderstorm (all we got of the tornadoes), had blackeyed peas and roasted chicken, kissed and cuddled a sweet little mouse of a babe, shared my tea with toddlers, and listened to kids play Ode to Joy on the keyboard. Happy sigh!
It is beautiful country here, and I have been made to feel so welcome. Dy and Zorak have done such an amazing job on this house, and the children are just about the most well-behaved kids I have ever met. Very sweet and affectionate.
Tat's it for now,
LB
It is beautiful country here, and I have been made to feel so welcome. Dy and Zorak have done such an amazing job on this house, and the children are just about the most well-behaved kids I have ever met. Very sweet and affectionate.
Tat's it for now,
LB
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Hi! Did you think I fell off the edge of the planet?
I didn't (the earth is ROUND, ya' know!), but it has been a crazy-busy time here lately. We got in from our conference trip about 2 am Monday last week, and hit the ground running. I was single parenting, and managing all our commitments, and trying to get well, and just couldn't make myself care about blogging. You know I still love and appreciate you even when I don't blog right? I have to admit, being away from the computer has been a great thing, and I am doing so much more in my real life.
Yesterday was my baby Boy's birthday. He isn't a baby or a boy any more. He is a tall, kind 16 yr old. Happy Birthday to the Fine Young Man! We spent the day at the zoo and had a wonderful time. One thing we reall love is to go into the day/night exhibit and having close encounters with the animals there- yesterday it was a slow loris, Edward the armadillo, and a tawny frogmouth. We also got to visit up close with a siamang. Love the zoo. What a fun way to celebrate.
Today I am desperately trying to get into integrity before I leave for Alabama tomorrow. This means advance prepping for my S.E.L.P. class tonight, running errands, packing, finishing up unit study plans so the Dude can easily monitor the kids and they can teach themselves (lots of websites, reading, and narrating back to him), etc.
I will try to blog from Dy's and I know she will take lots of photos and blog my visit, too. Have a safe weekend and next week, and I will see you all soon.
Yesterday was my baby Boy's birthday. He isn't a baby or a boy any more. He is a tall, kind 16 yr old. Happy Birthday to the Fine Young Man! We spent the day at the zoo and had a wonderful time. One thing we reall love is to go into the day/night exhibit and having close encounters with the animals there- yesterday it was a slow loris, Edward the armadillo, and a tawny frogmouth. We also got to visit up close with a siamang. Love the zoo. What a fun way to celebrate.
Today I am desperately trying to get into integrity before I leave for Alabama tomorrow. This means advance prepping for my S.E.L.P. class tonight, running errands, packing, finishing up unit study plans so the Dude can easily monitor the kids and they can teach themselves (lots of websites, reading, and narrating back to him), etc.
I will try to blog from Dy's and I know she will take lots of photos and blog my visit, too. Have a safe weekend and next week, and I will see you all soon.
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