Esther is down with Laura; Della and I are at Panera's. We were desperate enough that we sacrificed a morning at home so we could come here and use the internet w/o worrying about exceeding the mysterious limit that plunges our speed into the Paleolithic zone.
It's raining, again; and I would have worked outside longer yesterday had I known. Today I was going to buy plants for my flower planters but who wants to tour outdoor garden centers in the rain? The older I get the more cat (and goat) like I become about rain.
Yesterday I did plant my cucumbers and dill. Instead of the wonderful neat "square foot gardening" raised beds, I had 3 pallets wired together (former compost heap). I put a board across the front, filled it with old manure, and so avoided building at least one trellis! The garden is soaked from 2 weeks of rain. Frogs are living in the low spots. It's going to be a while before I can till up any of it. So for now, my raised beds (which I'm trying to add to each year; at the moment I have 3) are the only part I can work on. One raised bed has potatos already planted in it, so I have two to work with the next time weather permits.
Still Homesteading After All These Years...
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Down in Florida, letting my nails dry and preparing for church...we're going to Christ Community Pres, PCA. Rebecca's off to te gym, Josh is snoozing.
Yesterday R and I went furniture shopping since they've been living in a mostly empty house. She found a black leather dining room set (since she has no kids, cats, or dogs, it may survive). It has a square table and 2 chairs and a curved bench. VERY nice. Also found a couch, which is leather and brown suede (microfiber). We checked the Sal. Army-nothing even for end tables or lamps. We were going to try to fill in with thrift store items but in the limited time I have here, we may not be able to find much. I don't know where the good stores are. Beck needs Laura down here for decorating help!
We had a great drive down, and I checked every ditch we went by for beady little eyes. Good thing I didn't bring Sparky the Australian terrier. I would have been terrified of him getting near the water. This place could turn me into a phobic. I don't mind reptiles except when they are capable of leaping out of the water and eating small dogs and children!
Beading: the only Clearwater bead shop seems to have closed down due to the economy. Sad.
Off to church, Mom
Yesterday R and I went furniture shopping since they've been living in a mostly empty house. She found a black leather dining room set (since she has no kids, cats, or dogs, it may survive). It has a square table and 2 chairs and a curved bench. VERY nice. Also found a couch, which is leather and brown suede (microfiber). We checked the Sal. Army-nothing even for end tables or lamps. We were going to try to fill in with thrift store items but in the limited time I have here, we may not be able to find much. I don't know where the good stores are. Beck needs Laura down here for decorating help!
We had a great drive down, and I checked every ditch we went by for beady little eyes. Good thing I didn't bring Sparky the Australian terrier. I would have been terrified of him getting near the water. This place could turn me into a phobic. I don't mind reptiles except when they are capable of leaping out of the water and eating small dogs and children!
Beading: the only Clearwater bead shop seems to have closed down due to the economy. Sad.
Off to church, Mom
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sparky, Chicks, and Febuary
Lee and the new dog
February has been busy. In January the rhode island chicks came (25 of them). They are now housed in the garage but soon I'll have to think seriously of moving them out to the chicken portion of the barn. That means I'll have to decide what to do with the older chickens; perhaps just give them away. They're still laying but I'd rather start fresh.
Sparky is an Australian Terrier, just acquired last week. So far the worst thing he's done is to get out. He zips out the door unless you fix him with a gimlet eye and say, STAY, SIT, in an I mean it kind of voice. Della has been dying for a small dog but says this doesn't count since he's a family dog, not her personal dog. I give up. Now she's talking about greyhounds and dobermans. Not likely. Sparky made friends with my special cat Mochi, and he an Sarge get along. He's not yippy or hyper, definitely likes to be with people, and I'm very pleased with him.
The third event of February is I have brought my first orchid to bloom. I have 6, but except for the 3 bought while in bloom, I've never had one bloom for me. I went to see a retired couple that have a greenhouse full of orchids in nearby Culpeper and they were extremely helpful. They told me some things I could stop worrying about (because when you read orchid books they make it sound so complicated) I was ready to give up and take them all to Rebecca in Florida on the grounds that maybe they'd like her weather better. These orchids spent the winter in my bathroom, and I guess the low light was ok given the daily doses of heat and humidity during my bath. A wood heated house isn't the easiest place to grow orchids!
This Friday, the 20th of Feb, Larry and I are driving down to Rebecca's. We'll be taking her dulcimer and a few other things that have been languishing under beds and in closets. I'm looking forward to some Mom and daughter time, and Dad's going to play Retired Guy and sit in a lawnchair in the sun with a book.
February has been busy. In January the rhode island chicks came (25 of them). They are now housed in the garage but soon I'll have to think seriously of moving them out to the chicken portion of the barn. That means I'll have to decide what to do with the older chickens; perhaps just give them away. They're still laying but I'd rather start fresh.
Sparky is an Australian Terrier, just acquired last week. So far the worst thing he's done is to get out. He zips out the door unless you fix him with a gimlet eye and say, STAY, SIT, in an I mean it kind of voice. Della has been dying for a small dog but says this doesn't count since he's a family dog, not her personal dog. I give up. Now she's talking about greyhounds and dobermans. Not likely. Sparky made friends with my special cat Mochi, and he an Sarge get along. He's not yippy or hyper, definitely likes to be with people, and I'm very pleased with him.
The third event of February is I have brought my first orchid to bloom. I have 6, but except for the 3 bought while in bloom, I've never had one bloom for me. I went to see a retired couple that have a greenhouse full of orchids in nearby Culpeper and they were extremely helpful. They told me some things I could stop worrying about (because when you read orchid books they make it sound so complicated) I was ready to give up and take them all to Rebecca in Florida on the grounds that maybe they'd like her weather better. These orchids spent the winter in my bathroom, and I guess the low light was ok given the daily doses of heat and humidity during my bath. A wood heated house isn't the easiest place to grow orchids!
This Friday, the 20th of Feb, Larry and I are driving down to Rebecca's. We'll be taking her dulcimer and a few other things that have been languishing under beds and in closets. I'm looking forward to some Mom and daughter time, and Dad's going to play Retired Guy and sit in a lawnchair in the sun with a book.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Quiet Saturday
Della, Seb, and Esther all went to a dance today-Esther's first! They were gone from 12 noon to 10 pm.
Dad and I spent the day puttering on separate projects. He worked on the bankbook, fixing a grill, and fixing Seb's airsoft part. I started to make a candle (recycled wax+a brown crayon for a fall look) but realized I didn't have wicking so put that project off till I can get to Michaels. I fixed a salt spool holder for Della's guinea pig, mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned the downstairs floors (and nobody walked on it while it was wet!), cooked for tomorrow's church tailgate picnic, and organized drawers and my tools. Found several lost items!
A little boring...I had intended to get out to check on an orchid greenhouse but after 4, yes, 4, days of shopping for coats for Della and Esther, I didn't really want to go out again. By the way, we ended up paying $80 for Esther's coat, and $100 for Della's, and I wouldn't call either coat high quality, but passable. Those were supposedly big discounted prices, but seemed high to me. It's not like LL Bean quality, serious warm wear. It's fashion plus some warmth. We also checked out a couple new thrift stores-found one for teens that Esther liked! She's into being a teen these days.
The big news: Della is getting a story published! Do you all realize how many of us have written things that have been published? We do have the writing gene.
Off to bed!
Dad and I spent the day puttering on separate projects. He worked on the bankbook, fixing a grill, and fixing Seb's airsoft part. I started to make a candle (recycled wax+a brown crayon for a fall look) but realized I didn't have wicking so put that project off till I can get to Michaels. I fixed a salt spool holder for Della's guinea pig, mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned the downstairs floors (and nobody walked on it while it was wet!), cooked for tomorrow's church tailgate picnic, and organized drawers and my tools. Found several lost items!
A little boring...I had intended to get out to check on an orchid greenhouse but after 4, yes, 4, days of shopping for coats for Della and Esther, I didn't really want to go out again. By the way, we ended up paying $80 for Esther's coat, and $100 for Della's, and I wouldn't call either coat high quality, but passable. Those were supposedly big discounted prices, but seemed high to me. It's not like LL Bean quality, serious warm wear. It's fashion plus some warmth. We also checked out a couple new thrift stores-found one for teens that Esther liked! She's into being a teen these days.
The big news: Della is getting a story published! Do you all realize how many of us have written things that have been published? We do have the writing gene.
Off to bed!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Thursday Routine
On Thursdays I get up at 5:30, wake up Della, and then we prepare for a long day: I drop her off at the State Lab about 7:15 (after she stops by 7-11 for her essential coffee), and then I begin the trek up 66 to Fairfax. Today the trip to the pottery class took the whole 2 hours I have allotted. I just couldn't do this 5 days a week, even 3 days a week. I'd find another job, or move closer.
Pottery class is rather intensive. If you aren't feeling great, you probably won't do well at your work. Not only do you have to feel creative, you have to be up for the physical work and the hustle of sharing facilities with all the other people. It wasn't a good day for me today! Hannah has been taking the same class but she's stopping after this session, and I'm considering taking a break for the winter session. January through March pretty well covers the bad-weather days around here, and maybe I could get some other creative things done at home.
My schedule this school year has been working well:
Monday and Tuesday no on-going committments; we try to stay home and get lots of school done.
Wednesday the girls have writing class, and then we do all the Warrenton/Bealeton errands. Yesterday we also added in a couple thrift shops, since I had a dinner all made up, but that made the day a little TOO long.
Thursday Della and I are gone all day; Esther stays home, looks after all the animals, and has every-other-week piano lessons. She loves having some time to herself for reading and Facebook, but sometimes she gets a little lonely I think.
Friday we either stay home and do more school, do something social, or run bigger errands. Tomorrow we have to look for coats for the girls. They both had the bad taste to outgrow their good coats, and the thrift store coats aren't fashionable enough. Odd, we can find other types of clothes we like at the thrifts.
Ansil's having a hard time at college, 90% of it being Organic Chem.
Rebecca and Josh are buying a house!
Laura, poor dear, has been having big dental work done.
Seb, Della, and Esther are going to a dance this Saturday.
All for now!
Pottery class is rather intensive. If you aren't feeling great, you probably won't do well at your work. Not only do you have to feel creative, you have to be up for the physical work and the hustle of sharing facilities with all the other people. It wasn't a good day for me today! Hannah has been taking the same class but she's stopping after this session, and I'm considering taking a break for the winter session. January through March pretty well covers the bad-weather days around here, and maybe I could get some other creative things done at home.
My schedule this school year has been working well:
Monday and Tuesday no on-going committments; we try to stay home and get lots of school done.
Wednesday the girls have writing class, and then we do all the Warrenton/Bealeton errands. Yesterday we also added in a couple thrift shops, since I had a dinner all made up, but that made the day a little TOO long.
Thursday Della and I are gone all day; Esther stays home, looks after all the animals, and has every-other-week piano lessons. She loves having some time to herself for reading and Facebook, but sometimes she gets a little lonely I think.
Friday we either stay home and do more school, do something social, or run bigger errands. Tomorrow we have to look for coats for the girls. They both had the bad taste to outgrow their good coats, and the thrift store coats aren't fashionable enough. Odd, we can find other types of clothes we like at the thrifts.
Ansil's having a hard time at college, 90% of it being Organic Chem.
Rebecca and Josh are buying a house!
Laura, poor dear, has been having big dental work done.
Seb, Della, and Esther are going to a dance this Saturday.
All for now!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
30 Years and Counting
Hello, all, thank you for the calls! Dad went off "to do errands" and 3 hours later came back with flowers, a card, AND a decorative item from Hallmark. Which made me laugh a couple years ago I was talking with the manager of Midas and he said, "I love that Hallmark shop. You can always find something for your wife, have it wrapped, and make it home in time for dinner."
We spent the day doing things around here...couldn't take the day off from school since Esther needed to finish her essay about Siamese Cats. So we just went ahead and did the rest of school. For me, that means reading the devotional with the girls and doing history. They do the rest themselves. For history we just started a DVD course "The Later Middle Ages" taught by a W&M professor; I also bought a couple other DVD courses to supplement-one on the Popes and the Papacy, and one on Great Authors of the Western World. We're just going to watch some of those for history, and Della will watch some for background as she does some of her reading list.
I am really enjoying using these courses now that all the students are old enough (though Esther still thinks they are kind of boring).
We had our first frost Oct 19-I brought in the last peppers, tomatos, and basil. There are still some young greens in the raised beds, but don't know if they will produce anything. We haven't had more than 1 rain for a month.
Laura, where are the pictures?
Rebecca, I am reading the Elemental Masters books of M. Lackey and two in particular are good: The Serpent's Shadow, and Phoenix and Ashes, should be read in that order. Of course you do have to wade through the soapbox lectures on women's equality/socialism, but they are fun books!
We spent the day doing things around here...couldn't take the day off from school since Esther needed to finish her essay about Siamese Cats. So we just went ahead and did the rest of school. For me, that means reading the devotional with the girls and doing history. They do the rest themselves. For history we just started a DVD course "The Later Middle Ages" taught by a W&M professor; I also bought a couple other DVD courses to supplement-one on the Popes and the Papacy, and one on Great Authors of the Western World. We're just going to watch some of those for history, and Della will watch some for background as she does some of her reading list.
I am really enjoying using these courses now that all the students are old enough (though Esther still thinks they are kind of boring).
We had our first frost Oct 19-I brought in the last peppers, tomatos, and basil. There are still some young greens in the raised beds, but don't know if they will produce anything. We haven't had more than 1 rain for a month.
Laura, where are the pictures?
Rebecca, I am reading the Elemental Masters books of M. Lackey and two in particular are good: The Serpent's Shadow, and Phoenix and Ashes, should be read in that order. Of course you do have to wade through the soapbox lectures on women's equality/socialism, but they are fun books!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Back home again
It's Sunday night. The past few days I have been in Newport News seeing Laura, and Annapolis seeing Grandma, and Fairfax seeing Hannah, and I'm REALLY done with driving for the next two days!
Today Dad and I went to Lowes and bought a new fridge. The circa 1987 fridge in the kitchen is starting to have troubles, so I've had a stainless steel one picked out for several months. This weekend they had a tax holiday for energy start appliances, and Lowes had 10% off and I had an $89 rebate card from when we bought the freezer. So we did shave some off the price.
We also looked at flooring. The carpet really needs to be replaced in the living room/office area. I just can't figure out what to put in that wouldn't clash with the hallway (one kind of wood) or the fireplace room (another kind of wood).
Talked to Ansil, Hannah, of course Laura this weekend. Didn't hear anything from Rebecca. (If you are reading this, honey, hope things were ok for you this weekend-call me!)
Della and Esther and Dad were at a goat show this weekend. Seb went with me down to see Laura and her friend Rachel. They are looking for houses close together since both their husbands are going to be stationed out of Langley AFB for the last year of PA training. It's a nice place down there (but you certainly have to pick your neighborhood).
Grandma and I did some more beading. I made a necklace of Czechoslavakian glass that she had found to match a blouse I'd bought. Grandma's into making blouse and necklace sets. It's really nice to fit the length of the necklace, as well as the colors, to a particular top.
All for now, darlings.
Today Dad and I went to Lowes and bought a new fridge. The circa 1987 fridge in the kitchen is starting to have troubles, so I've had a stainless steel one picked out for several months. This weekend they had a tax holiday for energy start appliances, and Lowes had 10% off and I had an $89 rebate card from when we bought the freezer. So we did shave some off the price.
We also looked at flooring. The carpet really needs to be replaced in the living room/office area. I just can't figure out what to put in that wouldn't clash with the hallway (one kind of wood) or the fireplace room (another kind of wood).
Talked to Ansil, Hannah, of course Laura this weekend. Didn't hear anything from Rebecca. (If you are reading this, honey, hope things were ok for you this weekend-call me!)
Della and Esther and Dad were at a goat show this weekend. Seb went with me down to see Laura and her friend Rachel. They are looking for houses close together since both their husbands are going to be stationed out of Langley AFB for the last year of PA training. It's a nice place down there (but you certainly have to pick your neighborhood).
Grandma and I did some more beading. I made a necklace of Czechoslavakian glass that she had found to match a blouse I'd bought. Grandma's into making blouse and necklace sets. It's really nice to fit the length of the necklace, as well as the colors, to a particular top.
All for now, darlings.
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