Snack Bags

 

I just whipped up a quick batch of lined reusable snackbags.  One for each of us. (Similar to yours, Jess, but not exact). Now we can carry our trailmix in style.

Garden 2016: update 3

It's about time for another gardening update. Click on the last update if you'd like to see what the garden looked like last month.

Garden Update #1

Update 2

Here's what the garden looked like on June 19th.

I'm officially finished planting. I think. This is the best my potatoes have ever looked!

 Tomatoes soon!

 Lots of salads. My kids love salads.

 I've got green, yellow and purple beans planted.

 

 

The purple are pole beans. I started these really tall sunflowers a month and a half before the pole beans.  Hopefully the pole beans will climb up them.


 Peas will be here so soon!

 These row covers have saved my zucchini from bugs so it seems!  Agriculture fabric is what it's called.  I think I'm hooked.

 I didn't even start these pumpkins inside and they are already this big.

 

 Collards. The self seeded collards. I have some thinning to do

 Empty spots in our garden are actually staggered corn plantings.  I have never grown great corn before (well, my dad did when we were kids, but I never have).  Hoping this is the year.

 I planted more flowers than ever this year.

The cherry tomatoes are just starting out too. 

 I planted a couple of cherry tomatoes near the edge of the garden for my kids to devour.

 

 I somehow weeded all these rasperries.

 Yes, all these! Big heirloom raspberries.
 I am so incredibly proud of my grapes this year. I have worked SO SO SO hard on this spot.  The grapes are off the ground, the multiflora rose is way less than years past, many weeds are out around the grapes. 

 Hoping for a good harvest.

And the elderberries. So many this year, hoping to get them before the birds. I might use the row covers when they are done to protect them from the birds some

 This is why he wasn't with me for the picture taking..can you find him? Both kids have helped grow most of what's in there. My husband gets his vegetables at Hannafords, so he says. He's not into gardening at all. 

 All in all, we're off to a good start so far!

And you? How are your gardens?

 

Strawberries!

Strawberries in Maine!  It's time!  I am hoping within the next year or so to put in some good strawberry patches here and actually maintain them. I didn't prep the beds as well as I should have last time around, so they weeds really have taken over.

And so we go strawberry picking, which is no problem at all.

 And so it goes, Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.  Which he added homemade ice cream to his this year.  Hey, why not?!

 And then as tradition goes, for breakfast the next morning.  The first year I did this for him, strawberry shortcake for breakfast, he sobbed.  Told me it wasn't right, he was never ever going to eat it and so on.  He got over that quickly.  His sister? She thinks it's not a good idea at all and she'll take plain strawberries with yogurt.  Girl, you don't know what you're missing. It's not summer until you've had strawberry shortcake for breakfast! We'll work on her.  If not, I'll just enjoy her helping of shortcake.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to a pretty swell dad.

 And as a bonus, our family of four have the whole day off together.  (That seldom happens!)

Pressed Flower Art

Remember the flower presses my dad made for us? 

Well, they have just about always been filled as of late. Adrian wants to keep his nature find the way they are.  Whatever. Audra has less rules about things. She and I made these. We just added the flowers to plaster of paris and popped them out once dry. The very best molds are the tops of raisin containers I've discovered. The finished product pops out so easily once dry. I love the little bits of homemade made with little hands decorating our home.

Thrifted

 

All that fabric!  Wooden trivet that I love. A loose leaf tea thing that I use more for a fun fine motor picking up thing game, towel rack, the doll making book. $6.50

And below: All those vintage books (most were in the free bin). My kids love the older books much more than the newer books. They will listen to anything, but it's the old books that they ask me to read again and again. Especially The Biggest Bear. Plus Kinetic Sand. Pinking shears!!! (Been on the lookout for these for over 2 years!).  Vintage Christmas binding. That tiny cow.  $5.00

Good Things, Evenings and Another Open Farm Time

For dinner tonight, my daughter was on my back in the ring sling when I headed to the garden to pick the collard greens, kale, swiss chard, lettuce, parsley, basil, oregano and green onions for a salad and pizza.  She said "Mama, isn't it so great that we grow all we need out here?"  Yes, it is great.  Add a quart of milk, homemade crust, some fresh mozzarella and homemade salad dressing...   Well, that's a meal. Plus homemade brownies with homemade ice cream. I tell you, we eat like kings and queens here! 12 years ago when I started on this path to self sufficiency I didn't predict I'd end up here. What a journey it has been!

Evenings. They've been so magical as of late.  The blooms, sunsets, awesome evening temps, we've been loving it.  Plus finishing it off with homemade ice cream has been pretty awesome too.

My kids wanted to invite friends (new and old) to another OPEN FARM TIME!

We'll be home and outside 5:30-7:30 pm Thursday June 16th.  I'll be planting another round of corn and doing evening animal chores (cows, rabbit, goats, chickens and collecting eggs) and kids are welcome to help.  My kids will be picking wildflowers, playing in their hedge they call the "Hundred Acrewood" or running round.  After chores are done, we'll have some ice cream.  You're welcome to come, bring your picnic dinner, bring more ice cream (if we have the turnout like last time, the ice cream I have won't be enough!) or toppings or spoons or bowls.  The train goes by around 6:45, so plan to see that.  If you need directions, send me a message (and I'll plan to check messages around lunchtime ...I'm trying so hard to be screen free during the day, but I'll make an exception).  All are welcome to come. Feel free to share with friends.  Even if you're not local, could you help friends out by 'liking' this on facebook so more than 2 people see the post?  Facebook only shows other people if it has 'likes'. Annoying, huh?  Hope to see some of you soon!