Where Has Summer Gone? A.K.A..... A Wicked Long Post So Get Comfortable

WOW! We have been so busy this summer. Here are some highlights from this summer, so far.....

I've already mentioned in a previous post that our big living room window was replaced, and the house painted, and that we put in a new totally wicked AC unit in the living that has been wonderful this summer.

When you live in a house, if it isn't one thing it is another. We had some suspicious water in the basement, and when we had the gray water and septic tanks pumped, discovered it was way past time to replace them. Oh, goodie. Of course, the pipe from house to the new tank had to be replaced as well. We can't complain, as the old system was 40 plus years old.







I know, I know... everyone was just on the edge of their seat just hoping for pics of a septic system. Glad I could oblige. NOT!

We have been blessed to get some veggies out of the garden. This is a pic of the first of the zucchini:



We haven't put any in the freezer as we have been eating it up as fast as we can pick it. It is so good steamed, raw in salads or on a sandwich, on pizza... the options are endless!

We have done up about 6 of these bowls of green beans:



A couple weeks ago we were able to squeeze in a fantastic visit with some long-lost friends who we reconnected with over the last couple years. We met while we were both out walking trying to induce labor when I was expecting Benjamin. They moved from our area about 11 years ago, and we hadn't seen them since. It was so good to catch up with them. We met at a park on a wicked hot day, then made our way to this public fountain. It shot up about 20 feet in the air then rained down. The area around under it was that matting that a lot of places use in playgrounds so it doesn't get slippery when wet, and kids won't crack their heads on it when they wrestle around (notice I'm not mentioning any names such as Kyle,Kody, Benjamin, or Steve).



Earlier this summer Isaac was introduced to the pool. He seems to like it okay. :)



Ohhhh, yeah, and we got a new toaster!



I know, that is almost exciting as the septic tank.

A few weeks ago the older kids came running in during nap time and said that they had found a kitten by the neighbor's pond. Apparently someone had thrown it in the pond to drown it, but it got out, and was shivering and hungry and tired. They begged us to keep it.



Don't worry, we said "no." One of the other neighbors ended up adopting it.

I have been working on the sewing pile. Lots has gotten done!

Jeursha's swim dress:



The boys' swim pants (Not pictured... Benjamin.. somehow I haven't cornered him yet!)



I had fun on Ebay checking out swimsuit material and ended up to experiment a bit, so here are two swim dresses for me:





If they appear to be a little short and boxy, that is because... well, I am a little short and boxy. :P

A T-shirt dress for Jerusha (which came out too long! Easily fixed...)



Here is a detail pic of the fun stitching around the neck line I did with the machine:



I got the following tablecloth below a dog's age ago, and finally got around to hemming it for use:



A close up of the fancy stitching for the hem:



And FINALLY the valance for the boys' room:



There was quite a bit of fabric leftover. The reason why I didn't make it as long as the window is tall is because my children have a nasty habit of catching/pulling/somehow-yanking on the curtains and bending/breaking/turning-into-a-pretzel the curtain rods. I have long since decided to have shades and valance for simplicity's sake.

But I digress...

The leftover fabric (an Indian motif) is screaming out to be made into a wall hanging with Seminole piecing in the border. I dug through my stash and found some that will work, so this coming week, that is what I will be working on. I know, I still have quilts to finish ( and start!) but they will have to wait. When inspiration strikes, you just have to go with it.


Looking ahead....

Monday the 26th, we are blessed to have the Heritage Singers from Maranatha Baptist College in Wisconsin doing a little concert at our church. This weekend will be spent in prepping for that... I will have 8 extra people to bed and feed for the day! Where I am going to put everyone, I'm still not sure, but have several options. The menu has yet to be planned, but that is easy. Something good, and LOTS of it! LOL.

We are looking forward to some family visiting on the 3rd of August for the week. So excited to see this particular branch as we haven't seen them in a LONG time! There are a few younger nieces and nephews involved in this, so it will be fun to have the cousins get reacquainted with one another.

The following week we may (or may not) be attending a VBS at a like minded church that we have never been to before. The problem is that I was thinking about starting school that week and not sure we can do both. Mama may not have enough energy for that! The VBS time is 10 to 12pm, so it would mean the entire morning is used up until after lunch and nap time. Usually we don't start out with much... maybe just math and english to get the synapsis refired and ready to go. Then each week we add in a little more. So, we *could" do it... the ones old enough to work on schoolwork would be doing it during nap time. The question is, how much do we really want to pack into one day? We will still have the garden to deal with, and hopefully some nice summer weather to enjoy.

If we don't start school on the 9th, we definitely will by the 16th. I have some major organizing and rotating of school supplies to do.

In the not too far distant future it will be time to tackle my Fall/Winter sewing pile. But that is another post!

The point of all of that is that summer has gone by so swiftly, and summer break is almost over for us. Where does the time go?

Now I Know What My Grandfather Meant

I remember as kids, we would go visit my grandparents. I was always awed by what seemed like a perfect and HUGE garden my grandfather kept. I know perhaps my childlike perception at the time may have been a bit exaggerated, but it seemed like every plant was hale and healthy, and there was never even one little weed to be found. I also remember from time to time hearing my grandfather say, at the end of a day out in the garden, "OOOhhh, I'm all lamed up."

Today I know exactly what he meant.

Yesterday was a beautiful day to be outside, and for me, to be in the garden. We had planted peas last week, knowing they are pretty hardy and withstand any frosts at this point. Plus we started them from seed, so they are just barely now peeking their heads out of the soil.

I had several dozen other plants to transplant, and wasn't so confident they would survive a late frost, so we kept them in, and have been working on hardening them over the weekend. After much deliberation, research, and discussion with fellow gardeners over the weekend, I decided it was time to start getting them in the ground.

I won't give a blow by blow play of what all went on yesterday, but suffice it to say that we now have planted: tomatoes, peppers, onions, acorn squash, yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins (not actually in the garden but elsewhere on the property where they will grow better hopefully), zucchini, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, rhubarb, calalilies, and strawberries.

Yes, I said strawberries! We got some strawberry plants on a whim over the weekend, and a friend brought down a rototiller for us and we now have a little strawberry patch. Those of you who have seen the house, picture where the incineraters used to be. Those are gone (thankyousomuchNewYorkStatelaws... a whole soapbox for another post), and it is worked up into a little rectangle. You know I'm doing the goodie goodie dance. Well, not today, but I was.

Which brings me back to the beginning. I'm all lamed up. Even the muscles in my hands hurt. I think I can fully understand what my grandfather was talking about all those years ago. I also understand the little grin he had on his face when he said it. Yeah, I hurt, but it is a good hurt. It is the kind of ache that says I worked hard, and I can be satisfied with that.

Thank the Lord for the garden, although I wasn't saying that for a while. We have a very rocky garden, and that is an understatement. We haven't picked rock in a couple years because frankly, with the amount we breed here, it doesn't do any good, but it looks worse than it did last year, so next spring we'll pick rock. But digging and planting through the rocky soil is very hard, and you start feeling it right away.

I'm also thankful for the crock pot, and for using it for supper last night. I set it up when we came in at lunch time, and was so glad all we had to do was whip up a big salad and open up a couple jars of applesauce to go with the main dish: King Ranch Chicken. So good! So wonderful after a day of intense work.

Left to go into the garden are corn, green beans, and spinach. We also need to put the flowers in the memorial garden. I had Esther starting to clean it out yesterday but it is totally infested with ants and she couldn't work with them. I don't blame her! Dale got some stuff at Agway last night so I'll treat it when the rain stops and then we can get it cleaned up and looking nice.

Rain today and possibly tomorrow, so my only plans are to make a couple of rhubarb pies and work on piecing the back to Benjamin's quilt. The rhubarb was given to us Sunday, and I'm looking forward to a nice dinner tonight of spiral ham, red potatoes, veggies and pie for dessert!

Have a blessed day!

Summer... Sort Of!

In our part of the country summer has been much cooler than usual. We have had a few hot days, but they are scattered and tolerable since it isn't weeks of high temperatures and humidity. Instead, on those rare really hot and humid days, we play in our little pool, and that works fine. It has been nice to not have to use the AC units! I am hoping that at this point we won't have to use them at all. However, we still have August to go, and usually August is the worst of it for us.

While I enjoy the cooler summer temperatures, it is making our garden grow slowly. Corn likes the humidity, so ours IS growing, but very slowly. It looks healthy though, and I still hope to get some corn off of it. Here are some pics of how our garden is doing:

Our corn so far:



Our tomato plants are huge this year, and have an encouraging amount of green tomatoes already! I have learned that the tomato plants like warm nights for ripening the tomatoes. We have been having nice, cool, nights, so it may be I will be making fried green tomatoes or green tomato relish instead of canning stewed tomatoes!



I love the violet blossoms on our green bean plants! The ants killed off a bunch of our seeds, but we should still be able to get some in the freezer.



We had our first picking of peas last weekend, and will be picking more very soon. Forget cooking them! We love to eat them raw. I also allow the kids to snack on them from the garden while playing outside. They like them, pods and all!



My brussel sprout plants are doing very well much to the children's chagrin.



Only about half the row of broccoli came up for some reason. What did come up, looks good so far!



Our potato plants are looking healthy. I would normally expect them to be flowering by now, but again, slow growing season for us.



Not pictured is a squash plant that is has tons of flowers on it, our onions, watermelon, which I don't expect to do well because they really like the hot and humid weather, pepper plants, and a few other things I didn't have time to showcase. LOL.

Saturday evening was spent in cooking for Sunday's fellowship dinner after the Baptisms. I made a venison and gravy dish:



You serve the above hot over biscuits, which I made a boatload of.

I also made a blueberry cobbler:



For supper Saturday we had pepperoni calzones with marinara sauce and a salad made from the lettuce in our garden and some fresh peas:



Call me crazy, but I love to work in the garden and wish I could spend all day in it, especially when the temperatures are so moderate. Watching the veggies grow, and knowing how good they will taste makes for extremely satisfying work. I love being out in the sunshine and just enjoying the soft breezes, and watching the birds and hearing the sounds of the kids playing or working alongside of me. Even Isaac is usually pretty content outside in the stroller for a while. Thank the Lord for these wonderful, beautiful days!

Three Ring Circus

Everyday I have wanted to sit down and do some blogging but the time isn't there. I haven't posted much because it is the same things basically... sewing, gardening, wood stacking, and now we have started renovating the boys' room. It started by removing all the small stuff from their room. All the clothes, games, toys, books, blankets, etc. We got the beds dismantled and taken out. The only things left are the big dressers, minus the drawers of clothes. After the rest of the furniture is out, we will tear up the rug and replace it. It really needs new carpet. It is stretched out of shape so that there are annoying ripples in it, and it is just worn. It needed replacing when we moved in 3 1/2 years ago, but we couldn't do it then. Now is the time! After the carpet is up, the new occupants of the room will get to pick the color for the walls, trim and fabric for new window treatments.

Stuff is coming up nicely in the garden, and so far we have been able to keep up with the weeds pretty well. I am hoping the manure we spread will do wonderful things for the corn this year. I was out hoeing this morning before lunch and Elizabeth and I were discussing and wondering how many of the peas will actually make it into the freezer. We love fresh, raw peas! It is habit for little hands to help themselves to the peas while they are outside. House rules... it is okay for the peas and green beans. Everything else they have to ask first. And no trampling the other veggies to get to them.

Dale brought me some soil so I can start some of my seedling lavender and flowers that I didn't have room for in the garden. I have lots of starter pots, so I figured I'd get them going and then transplant them in the garden when the peas are done. Elizabeth wants us to make lavender satchels to put in closets, cupboards and drawers. Ambitious, isn't she?

We have been enjoying some rain. Yes, enjoying! Our garden is rocky and so it drains quickly and needs lots of watering if it doesn't fall from the sky. The nearby creek looks much better after a few good rain showers as well.

We are chipping away at the wood pile, trying to get as much done before the really hot weather hits. Speaking of weather, it is has been gorgeous... upper 60', low 70's during the day and 40's or under at night. One night we even had to cover the tomato and pepper plants because of a frost warning. It was supposed to be in the 20's that night! That was last Sunday. I don't think we got the frost, as we are usually a few degrees above what they predict. Either way, the plants and flowers all fared well. Of course, this cooler weather is wonderful for me, but the kids aren't that happy with it as it is too cool to enjoy the pool, that is all set up and waiting for them. What a tease!

Another I like the rainy days is I can get more sewing done. I have completed all the Ohio Star blocks, 15 in all. Next is cutting out and assembling the Shoo Fly blocks. Lord willing, I'll get to work on that tonight.



Isaac continues to grow daily it seems. He is getting quite vocal with coos, but now with the higher pitched "surprised" sounds that crack us up. He likes to practice each new sound as he discovers them. I wonder if he'll be a big chatter. If he can get a word in edgewise around here! He also has rolled over for the first time by himself. I am glad for him, but oh, does the time go by quickly! Here is a pic of his first roll from back to front: He looks like he is saying :" Okay... now what?"



I was amused yesterday at a few of my children. They were "playing" school. Elizabeth was the teacher, and she had work for Caleb and Jerusha. Last night while she was waiting for Dale to go in and pray with her before bed, she was making up more seat work for Caleb and Jerusha. She's better at this than I am! LOL



In the evening I like to go for a walk, weather permitting. We had our first bouquet for the year. Actually it is the second one. The first one we dropped off the home of a couple that comes to church. They are an older couple, and the husband hasn't been well and is very frail. It was along our route, so we dropped it off. Then we just picked more daisies on the way home.



Same old same old here... busy, but also taking time to enjoy the simple things. I can't wait to go and pick out paint and fabric with the new occupants of the boys room. They don't know who is ending up where yet. I love surprising them and keeping them guessing. Benjamin has been mulling it over and actually has it all figured out correctly, but I didn't let on yet.

By the way, any out of state grandparents reading this, we aren't too busy to enjoy a visit. We will also be able to make room around temporary residents downstairs.

Not to hint or anything. :D

And So It Begins....

We officially have a teenager on the premises! Happy Birthday Benjamin! I tremble... but not because of the famed "teen age" years fear. More a fear of ... oh no, how much more CAN he eat????? Thank God for Aldi!

We have been working on some outdoor stuff on these gorgeous spring days as time allows. School has the priority. We are soooo close to be done, that we are not taking any time off. I think everything will be all finished inside of a week. Yay!

Meanwhile, I have been trimming lilac bushes, weeding in the Memorial garden and planting gladiola bulbs, and I weeded around the baby blueberry bushes, put manure down, and mulched, and of course, we had the garden dragged so now it is all ready to plant. My plan today was to get going on the planting, but it is rainy, so I will have to catch up on a few things inside. It has been so nice out I haven't been able to resist the temptation to ignore the indoor stuff and go outside. Below are some pics of what we have been up to.