born imaginative.

Garden 2020: Update 6

Update 1
Update 2
Garden update #3
Update 4
Update 5

Want to know what a garden that has been minimally tended and minimally watered for the month of August, during a drought looks like? Not as bad as one might think, thank you woodchips!

Did some succession planting and planted these sunflowers in July. We came back to them just about ready to bloom. Been enjoying steady flowers.

Colorful home cooking.

And the squash harvest wasn't bad, considering. This is a small portion of the 110 lbs. of squash this year. I specialize in growing mystery squash, lol. The neat part is I didn't buy any seeds at all. My neighbor gave me a started butternut squash and I planted seeds from a bunch of our misfit squashes Butternut, acorn, buttercup and sugar pumpkin are what we planted. We ended up with some of all that (not all pictured), plus all the mystery squash. Considering they are charging $1.29 a pound for local squash at the grocery store, we made out pretty well!

And then the frost hit. I was mad at myself at first for not covering. Thankfully I got out there and cleared right away, as I got a call from our arbor man hookup. I feed him and he delivers woodchips. Such a great barter. He dumped this pile right on my garden. This is year four of a Back to Eden permaculture garden, and I dare say I'm never going back to tilling. Time to spread some wood chips and there's garlic and parsnips that I'm going to plant!

Books 2019-2020

This is the collection of chapter books from the 2019-2020 school year that we read together (kids and me). (Plus a couple dozen or so that are either missing in our house or on loan to friends or have been returned to the library or we read on the kindle). This doesn't count their daily independent reading selections, poetry, or all the pictures books we read (which we read picture books everyday for at least a half hour in addition to all this). Almost all I read aloud, but some were done partially or all on audio and a few were "family book clubs" (we each took a turn reading and then talked about).This is what (mostly) media free looks like. This is the joy of homeschooling using literature. They beg for book time. My favorite time of the day is reading to them too. I can't help but smile looking at all the hours well spent on these books together.

Tea Party

Somehow Audra hosted a tea party and not only did she get everyone to dress up, but they also let me take pictures. These photos I will treasure forever.

Some days...

Some days are great. Some days are good. Some are bad. Some are the kind that you hope never resurface their ugliness ever again.

Thankful we have the perfect place to re-set. And that's what we did. We were all better off after that impromptu walk.

Pirate Lootin'

Blimey! Hear there be blasted pirates schemin' to loot our pirate booty. Pirates 'round here hidin' the chest o doubloons right and good from ye landlubbers. Trail set, treasure buried, mappin it out, keeping the results from the filthy lot of ye. Ye think ye can find it? Best be gettin' yer pirate gear and compass ready. Pirates 'round here for ye to come try yer lot. Scallywags be talkin' the talk, but can ye walk the walk?

It's a pirate treasure hunt, in our own backyard. Socially distanced (each family gets their own appointment time), fun and free (although we are accepting donations for our local cat rescue). If locals want more info, please let me know. There are still spots open on Saturday afternoon.

Back home

The very first things my kids did their first day back to home sweet home? Only their most favorite things to do at home ever. Dress up to be 'old fashioned' for the girls (oh the outfit changes!) and play in his 'quarry pit' the boy. The very best place to be is home.