Gavin - 4 years old. Bristol - 6 (almost 7) years old.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Fun
Last weekend we spent quality time with the Ws in Mahomet, TX. I think its safe to say that G-Mann had fun. His parents certainly had fun visiting with friends of the family, there was lots of eating and being merry and watching little people enjoy the outdoors. I tried a new wine from a local vineyard - Pilot Knob. I'm not a big fan of sweet wines, however I did enjoy the port we shared after dinner.
Urban Farming in 2013
The plants are doing great. Our little garden has really taken off with all the recent rain and warm temps. We have four tomato plants, four potato plants, five heirloom bean vines, three watermelon plants, one eggplant, one sweet pepper, six garlic plants, and a variety of herbs. I am particularly pleased with my Thai basil and hope that I will be inspired to prepare more Thai and Vietnamese cuisine! One of my faves. So far I've made a bean sprout stir fry and lettuce wraps, but what I really want to tackle is Pho.
I am really proud of how we have pulled our garden together on a shoe string budget and with stuff we have laying around. I'm not sure what I enjoy more, saving money or the creative process that ensues from working with what one already has. Its been a lot of fun! While its fun to build something out of nothing, we are also considering investing in nicer materials so we can build a new raised bed in the front yard, where we get full sun.
We've also transplanted several agaves into the ground or larger containers, they are much happier now. Casey built me a large planter with lumber left over from Gavin's fort.
I even have a wildflower patch emerging. They are looking scraggly right now, but I have hopes for next spring, they just need a season to establish their place in our yard first.
We're down to TWO chickens. Yes, only two.
We started with four baby chicks and in the past week we have lost two. How? Our dogs. Everyone we know who has chickens and dogs has a story about losing chickens to the dogs. We were very hopeful in the beginning, as our yellow lab had zero interest in the chicks and our boxer, while curious, never displayed any aggressive behavior toward the chicks.
We have since learned that if left alone in the backyard with the chicks, boredom will get the best of the dogs. I think its my boxer. Now we know that the chickens and dogs cannot be left unattended in the backyard together. Bummer.
Both our Americaunas are gone. We're down to the Buff Orpington and Rhode Island Red. I am sad to have lost the other two, I had grown quite attached and accustomed to seeing all four of my adolescent hens roaming the yard. They each have their own personality and mannerisms. Its not clear at this time if we will wait until next spring to replace our chickens or replace them sooner. If we replace them now, we will have to get older hens, which is not a bad thing! In the meantime, Casey has built a new enclosure for our coop, this gives us more flexibility when we're away for the day and our dogs are left outside.
I am really proud of how we have pulled our garden together on a shoe string budget and with stuff we have laying around. I'm not sure what I enjoy more, saving money or the creative process that ensues from working with what one already has. Its been a lot of fun! While its fun to build something out of nothing, we are also considering investing in nicer materials so we can build a new raised bed in the front yard, where we get full sun.
We've also transplanted several agaves into the ground or larger containers, they are much happier now. Casey built me a large planter with lumber left over from Gavin's fort.
I even have a wildflower patch emerging. They are looking scraggly right now, but I have hopes for next spring, they just need a season to establish their place in our yard first.
We're down to TWO chickens. Yes, only two.
We started with four baby chicks and in the past week we have lost two. How? Our dogs. Everyone we know who has chickens and dogs has a story about losing chickens to the dogs. We were very hopeful in the beginning, as our yellow lab had zero interest in the chicks and our boxer, while curious, never displayed any aggressive behavior toward the chicks.
We have since learned that if left alone in the backyard with the chicks, boredom will get the best of the dogs. I think its my boxer. Now we know that the chickens and dogs cannot be left unattended in the backyard together. Bummer.
Both our Americaunas are gone. We're down to the Buff Orpington and Rhode Island Red. I am sad to have lost the other two, I had grown quite attached and accustomed to seeing all four of my adolescent hens roaming the yard. They each have their own personality and mannerisms. Its not clear at this time if we will wait until next spring to replace our chickens or replace them sooner. If we replace them now, we will have to get older hens, which is not a bad thing! In the meantime, Casey has built a new enclosure for our coop, this gives us more flexibility when we're away for the day and our dogs are left outside.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Life
Life is just plain busy for us these days. My blogging and photography have taken a backseat to the child rearing, garden raising, chicken keeping, homemaking, and income earning. My creative interests are not dead, just dormant and steeping, to be awaken and poured out when the timing is right.
During these times of creative rest, I tend to reassess and declutter - both figuratively and literally. We've recently had new carpet installed in our house, which meant we had to move all our furniture into the garage. The big move-in has turned into quite the spring cleaning event. I refuse to bring the same amount of stuff back into our house. I have made many trips to Goodwill during the last couple of weeks, and there are many more trips in my near future. Organizing projects on a tight budget keep the creative juices flowing and I am glad to finally unpack stowed away boxes from our move last year. Forgotten books and artwork have been rediscovered and its a beautiful thing.
While busy with the day-to-day business of our family and home, we have made time to stop and watch a hot air balloon drift lazily into the sunrise.
During these times of creative rest, I tend to reassess and declutter - both figuratively and literally. We've recently had new carpet installed in our house, which meant we had to move all our furniture into the garage. The big move-in has turned into quite the spring cleaning event. I refuse to bring the same amount of stuff back into our house. I have made many trips to Goodwill during the last couple of weeks, and there are many more trips in my near future. Organizing projects on a tight budget keep the creative juices flowing and I am glad to finally unpack stowed away boxes from our move last year. Forgotten books and artwork have been rediscovered and its a beautiful thing.
While busy with the day-to-day business of our family and home, we have made time to stop and watch a hot air balloon drift lazily into the sunrise.
It's important that we do that.
The Hunt
I am finally getting around to retrieving photos off my camera! These are a few photos from Gavin's Easter Egg Hunt at our house on Easter morning. The Easter Bunny hid Gavin's basket on the top deck of his fort and about two dozen cascarones in the backyard. We found eggs in the BBQ pit, the vegetable garden, and the chicken coop! That Bunny had some great hiding spots.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Conversations With My son
Some of Gavin's and mine best conversations are had while driving home from work and school. He tells me about his day or looks out the window and tells me what he sees. This was the conversation we had earlier this week while driving home during a thunderstorm.
Mom: "Gavin, what do you think about all this rain?"
Gavin: "Elephants need rain, mama."
Mom: "Why is that?"
Gavin: "So they have water to drink, and so the grass will grow, then they will have something to eat. Mama, did you see that lightning?"
Mom: "Yes, I did."
Gavin: "Did you know lightning is scary?"
Mom: "Why is it scary?"
Gavin: "Because it comes down from the sky. And if the electricity touches the children on the head it will make them cry or they will die."
Mom: "Yes, I knew that. It is called being electrocuted or electrocution."
Gavin: "Elecshricooshon? Electrickooted?"
Mom: "Uh huh."
Monday, April 1, 2013
Easter in San Antonio
Easter week was actually mostly relaxing. Our holiday started Thursday afternoon when I picked G up early from school for his 4-year well-child visit. It took a turn for the dramatic when he got three shots at the doctor's office. Not fun, but my little guy is a trooper. After the doctor's office we visited one of our favorite playgrounds before heading home to spend quality time with our better 1/3 and our dogs. Friday G and I stayed home from work and school. We ventured into the city for play and fun at Town Lake and then back home for relaxation. On Saturday we woke up early, but on our own without alarms! What a treat. I went for a morning run around the neighborhood, prepped some food for our feast, and then waited on our special guest Cousin M - a recent Austin transplant. After we all piled into the truck we headed down south to San Antonio for a day of family and Easter fun. We colored eggs, ate too much, rode motorcycles, initiated Cousin M into our family with the traditional smashing of cascarones onto one's head, and then headed back north for an evening of vegging out in anticipation of the Easter Bunny's visit.
Egg dying
Cousins, just before the big hunt
Sisters
Cousins
My dad has recently taken his love Harley Davidson motorcycles to a new level. He now owns THREE.
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