Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Day Huh?
But I've also learned that even the simple concept of trying to not eat the bread of idleness has left me getting SO much more accomplished everyday. And that when I truly get to where not a moment of my life is fruitless I will get done everyday what I want to get done, what I dream can get done, and have been told that a mom whom homeschools with almost 5 children can't possibly get done in one day - that I CAN grow huge gardens, have animals, have a clean home, clothes on the line, never run out of things, read my Bible, spend great time with my children AND husband, bake all my own bread, and well.. be the superwoman I told myself just isn't realistic. Because in a few days of not NO internet but simply less, of reminding myself throughout the day to not be idle, things are getting done. And I can see a glimpse of just how some women achieve the seemingly impossible.
It's not that I can't do these things. I just choose not to. Like sitting here typing instead of cleaning the morning dishes. Sigh. Off to clean the kitchen :)
Saturday, May 23, 2009
In scrapbooking news
*note* click layout to see bigger
First up, Oops. Garrison fell and gave himself a gnarly little black eye. Doesn't he look cute? :D Who can resist a 1 year old with a shiner? Not this mom.
And speaking of irresistible baby moments, here he is again in rare form. No comments about me not tomato staking him. Clearly I wasn't doing the best job. But man he was so sweetly guilty I loved it.
I'm SO glad my kids are able to play for hours without a single toy. Cass and Adric spent the entire day "cooking" up grass and black walnuts for their restaurant. The two of them can spend hour after hour together pretending anything and everything. It amazes me. And makes me proud.
And oh how Frankie is growing up way too fast. He was so proud (and clearly so was his mom!) when he used the big tiller Clay rented.
I admit that scrapping is relaxing for me. I can tune out why Clay watches a movie and just scrap. It's nice. I missed it for the longest time.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Frankie's joke
Frankie's joke of the day.
I was making salad and asked Cassie to get the Grey Poupon for the salad dressing.
Frankie says "Ew who would want Grey Poupon their salad?"
Get it? Grey Poop on their salad?
Yes potty humor. Do we do potty humor, not really. But man that was a good joke.
Work Is Like Breathing
Work. A few weeks ago it was my turn in our raw milk co-op to go to the Amish. I always leave there inspired and this didn't disappoint. Now there was my new found desire to grow or at least get some birdhouse gourds this year and run a long string of them for Martins. Or my reassurance that a woodstove outside in a screened porch to not heat the house is totally doable for cooking in the Summer. There are always loads of those things. But this time was different. I was left feeling a desire to work.
It was 7 in the morning and everyone, including kids were outside planting gardens. One farm had kids the age of my oldest son outside by themselves with no adults pounding in tomato stakes in a huge garden. 3 yos carrying buckets of milk to the house. WORK. Done by everyone. Not a frown in sight. No one was spared. And then we came to the farm where in the midst of work there was smiles. Children laughing with each other. THAT was play. That was time to be together.
Work there was like breathing. Everyone does it not because they "have to" but because that's what you do. SO much gets done. More than I can possibly imagine.
I prayed about it. The Lord brought me to verses in the Bible, then days later Clay read the same passages during family devotions. And when I was on the brink, Katie posted this post. It was everything the Lord had been working in me. Everywhere I turned there it was.... idleness. The Lord convicted me wherever he could.
So tomorrow it begins. I'm finishing off the week as a no internet week. It should have started today. But uh... my flesh got in the way. But like Katie, I'll post the difference it makes in this week. And uh... no tv for me either. I wish I could say it's never a problem for me, and it usually isn't but the need to commit to it is there. But it goes beyond internet and tv. It's about idleness.
Proverbs 31:27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
My goal is to abolish idleness. Now that doesn't mean no rest. I'm going to attempt to quelch the idleness that takes over my days. How easy it is to be read verses in the Bible and then push them to the side. That Proverbs 31 verse has been read by me 1,000 times and I've felt the sting of that word idleness 1,000 times. But little to no change. So here it is.
I'll be posting this week even if it's just a little note. Well maybe it may be too tempting but we'll see. Hehe. I may know myself too well.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Garden Journal - Thurday May 14th, 2009
Tuesday May 12th:
Planted 4 zucchini plants (8 seeds) about 2 feet apart
Planted 4 butternut squash seeds in a hill - hoping for 2 strong seedling on hill
Planted about 12 feet of cucumbers (1/2 straight Pepino or something and 1/2 pickling cucumbers. Will look at seeds tomorrow) Planted about 8 feet of pole beans
Planted row of Romaine lettuce (ugh I should have pulled out the seeds so I could know what variety but I'm too tired now) between the 2 pole bean teepees in other bean bed
Transplanted second batch of peppers - 20 plants - sweet Italian stuffing peppers and the Hot Pepper Mix from bountiful gardens. I started those under lights this year. About 50 plants in total. I'm thrilled about it.
Garden status:
2 broccoli plants out of 12 going to flower
Other 10 plants have smaller heads slightly smaller than a baseball
1 Bok Choy out of 6 flowering. Ate it. Was amazing
Big Romaine heads ready to eat. Salad tomorrow! Maybe whole wheat pizza and salad. Sourdough pizza crust. Yeah.
Onions have unopened flowers
Straight neck yellow squash planted two weeks ago looking good. About 2 inches tall with 1 set of true leaves.
Mesclun too tall. Must eat.
Clay's garden status. All his silver queen corn is up. Compost transplanted Amish pumpkins looking way stronger than thought all with one set true leaves.
Today Thursday May 14th:
Cut 3 heads of cauliflower. Slightly smaller than store bought ones, nice slight purple color :) They were starting to open a bit so I cut them today. Sauteed with some Spring onions from the Amish, butter and fresh Thyme from the garden. Honestly the best cauliflower I've ever had. Honestly.
Boy it's been raining a lot. Raining a few times a week for 3 weeks at least. Everything in the garden going off, weeds too. Though suddenly my Spring veggies are wanting to flower. Sigh. I guess I need to eat them. Yum.
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