Books!

 Well, would you look at that?!  My own 'homemade' library card.

Books, books, books.

A HUGE part of our life is books and we are SO thankful for our public library. Not only are the librarians fab, but the Maine inter library loan system is top. Nearly every weekend, I request online what we're interested in (we have access to oodles of libraries in the state through this).  I then get an Email when it's delivered and go pick it up at our local library.

The library is such a huge part of our family that I knew it was a matter of time before my kids played library.

Which is exactly why I saved this fab library play set for the right time. My 8 year old self would have swooned over this! (Confession, all my books were alphabetized and I had an elaborate checkout system during my childhood days.)

Audra worked checkout.  Warning-overdue books have steep fines.

 Adrian was chief shelver. Books in his library are organized in sections by subject...all over the house.

 He also has these "For Reference Only" stickers, which are for important books such as this informational book "Bees Help Farmers", written and illustrated by Adrian.

We've actually been hard at work creating an elaborate library with our own books in a nook of our home. I moved all these bookshelves and they helped shelve the books.  Once it's finished, this library play will take a more serious turn, I predict. I'll try to get some pics. How fun!

Meanwhile, I have been keeping track of the chapter books we've read/listened to this last year. If I got them all, 144 Chapter Books, phew! Below is our final list. If you have any suggestions for the next year, do share! My most favorite part of parenting is reading to my kids.  I cherish these days we all snuggle up and read

Chapter Books from June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017 (And wishing I kept track of the year prior!)

Mr. Poppers Penguins
Black Beauty
Anne of Green Gables
Farmer Boy
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
5 Children and It
Strawberry Girl
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Sarah Plain and Tall
White Fur Flying
Railway Children 
Jungle Book
Paddington
One and Only Ivan
Crickets in Time Square
Family Under the Bridge
Caddie Woodlawn
Stone Fox
Polyanna
Heidi
Betsy-Tacy
Where the Red Fen Grows
Mountain Born
Princess and the Goblin
Chitty Bang Bang
Nuts to You 
My Father's Dragon
All of a Kind Family
Tales of Winnie the Pooh

Lord Faunterlory
Secret Garden
A Little Princess

Mouse and the Motorcycle
Ralph S. Mouse
Runaway Ralph

Beezus and Ramona
Ramona the Pest
Ramona Forever
Ramona and Father 
Ramona the Brave
Ramona and Mother
Ramona Quimby Age 8

James and the Giant Peach

Charlotte's Web
Trumpet of the Swan
Stuart Little

Hundred Dresses
The Moffats
Ginger Pye
Pinky Pye

Clementine Friend of the Week
Clementine Family Meeting
Talented Clementine
Clemtine and the Spring Trip
Waylon One Awesome Thing
Oliver

Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Mercy Watson Fights Crime
Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride

Flat Stanley
Flat Stanley and US Capital
Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventures

Santa Paws
The Return of Santa Paws
Santa Paws Saves the Day
Puppy Patrol Best of Friends
Unwanted Puppy

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic
Mrs. Piggle WIggle's Farm
Happy Birthday Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
Hello Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

Boxcar Children
Surprise Island
The Yellow House Mystery
Mystery Ranch
Mike's Mystery
Blue Bay Mystery
The Woodshed Mystery
The Lighthouse Mystery
Mountain Top Mystery
Schoolhouse Mystery
Caboose Mystery
Houseboat Mystery
Snowbound Mystery
Treehouse Mystery

Meet Kaya
Kaya's Escape
Kaya's Hero
Kaya and Lone Dog
Kaya Shows the Way
Changes for Kaya

Meet Felicity 
Felicity Learns a Lesson
Felicity's Surprise
Happy Birthday Felicity
Felicity Saves the Day 
Changes for Felicity 
Very Funny, Elizabeth

Meet Caroline
Caroline's Secret Message
A Surprise for Caroline
Caroline Takes a Chance
Caroline's Battle
Changes for Caroline

Meet Josephina
Josephina Learns a Lesson
Josephina's Surprise
Happy Birthday Josephina
Josephina Saves the Day
Changes for Josephina

Meet Kirsten
Kirsten Learns a Lesson
Kirsten's Surprise
Happy Birthday Kirsten
Kirsten Saves the Day
Changes for Kirsten

Meet Marie Grace
Meet Cecile
Marie Grace and the Orphans
Troubles for Cecile
Marie Grace Makes a Difference
Cecile's Gift

Meet Addy
Addy Learns a Lesson
Addy's Surprise
Happy Birthday Addy
Addy Saves the Day
Changes for Addy

Meet Samantha 
Samantha Learns a Lesson
Samantha's Surprise
Happy Birthday Samantha
Samantha Saves the Day
Changes for Samantha
Nellie's Promise

Meet Rebecca

Rebecca and Ana

Candlelight for Rebecca

Rebecca and the Movies
Rebecca to the Rescue

Changes for Rebecca

A cat's life

This cat has the life.

After our day in the city and leaving with a headache from coping with the crowds, my family of country bumpkins needs a day much like a country cat to recharge.  So, that's where we shall be, on this daybed, in our pajamas, with an animal or two, recharging with a few good books.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I heard someone knocking at the door. I was expecting someone to pick something up.

I hollered "Come in!"

And look who entered.

 You know, finding chickens in random places, toted by this one is a common occurrence around these parts.

 I'm not sure if I'd call these chickens lucky, but I'd definitely say they have more experiences than the average chicken.

2017 Garden Update 2

Garden Update 1
Garden Update 2



Many thanks to my neighbor and my husband, the garden is IN.  Wahoo.  Only we've had so much rain that I am about positive some of what was planted will rot and I'll have to replant.  No matter how many years gardening, the weather/bugs/wildlife/you name it throws you a curve ball. It's the name of the game.  Always learning

This year I didn't start as much from seed as I usually do. Gave myself a little break given the baby was coming. I did buy some started seedlings from the nursery, which is just fine in my book for this year. The majority of everything else is from seeds I saved (including tomatoes, bush and pole beans, peas, cilantro, greens, pumpkins and flowers to name a few), plus my own potatoes I sprouted. It's crazy to think of how many years I have been just saving seeds and re-growing from seed packets years ago.  I think the only seed packets I bought this year were broccoli, parsnips, corn and broom corn (kids want to make a broom, so we are trying something new!).  We shall see what this growing year brings us.

Over the last couple of years, I have been trying to pay special attention to what sort of crops are ready to go early spring with little effort.  I noticed no matter how harsh the winter, the collard green plants from last year re-grow before going to seed.  I have been letting them grow, eating a ton early spring, then letting a few go to seed every year so volunteer plants just randomly grow. I let these volunteer plants continue to grow when I weed throughout summer and we end up with more plants and more food in the spring from their reseeding. I did the same thing last year with cilantro, letting it go to seed. This spring we have had a steady supply of cilantro from volunteer plants sprouting.  I'll let them grow and go to seed again this year so we have early cilantro next spring. In thinking about spring veggies, parsnips are another I'm focusing on.  They are an early spring food.  I have a patch I planted that will hopefully go to seed and provide us with more volunteer plants for next spring.  I'm at the point with year round garden veggies and am trying to get the maximum yield for springtime with little effort.

So far, we've taken in 27 pounds of food so far from the garden.  I have harvested hardly any rhubarb and need to make it a priority to get some in the freezer for jam making this winter. I hope it will be a good growing year.

The only rhubarb I have picked is what they 'surprised' me with when I least expected it.

And this his how my kitchen looked in the middle of all the 'help' I received. 

Love them...so happy and carefree.

Thrifted

7 books, including Usborne and Jan Brett, four pairs of like new socks (one with cats...a big hit). Brand new New Balance flip flops for Audra and a sweet handmade dress for Anna-Kate.   Not that she needs one more dress and it's a bit too big right now, but it's the sweetest dress ever.  All this for $6.00

Handmades and Doll Baby

Look at this lovely handmade from my good friend, Jenny. I love it, thank you! Plus I love this little doll baby.

 

June "Chicken Soup with Rice"

Another month, another verse and another bowl of soup!  We're making a "Maine" version of "Chicken Soup with Rice", inspired by the "Chicken Soup with Rice" by by Maurice Sendak (1962).  Kids are really enjoying memorizing the poem of the month and I'm taking their picture with their soup in the same spot. 

It's neat to see how the seasons change month to month on this old Maine farm. 

November here.  
December here.
January here.
February here.

March here.

April here. 

May here.

I cannot commit to making the same soup 12 times this year, so I vary it. This month's soup was chicken stew. 

In June I saw a charming group 
Of roses all begin to droop
I pepped them up with chicken soup
Sprinkle once, sprinkle twice
Sprinkle chicken soup with rice