The Tractor Supply

They were playing on the porch and getting along famously.  My husband and I were both home and were letting them be.  Then we received a big announcement. The "Tractor Supply" was open for business! The two of them collected all this farming stuff, set up the store, complete with the cash register and the cart, they made price tags and brought out the reusable bags. (Do you see that Daisy? look below!)Then to top it off, they both put on suits to welcome us to the store!  In 90 degree weather.

 It was truly the best pop up shop (although it was a little pricey and you weren't allowed to actually keep anything you buy). We all know who the driving force was behind this shop....my little farmer who spends all of his play time farming, all his exercise farming, all his art time farming, etc.  He's consistent!

His Homemade "Doll"

Two days before his sister's 5th birthday, Adrian whispered to me: "Mama!  I haven't got anything for Audra's birthday!  I need to get going! I really need to make her a doll!" Then he came back with a sketch and said "Just like this, mama."

Okay, a doll is NOT a quick project.  The arms, the legs, embroidering the face, adding hair...  I didn't want to discourage him, but I also did not have enough time to be with him 1:1 to do elaborate doll making two days before her birthday. Quick thinking.  His sketch was just so darling.  I asked him if he'd recreate that sketch with sharpies on fabric. He thought it was a fantastic idea. So, he drew her this and backed it with cooking fabric (since she likes to cook), sewed it up, stuffed it and hand stitched it closed.  I was just about all hands off for this project, with the exception of guiding the sewing machine around those curves.

He's just so proud of it.  As am I. Fitting he's wearing his 4-H shirt doing sewing projects.  Probably planned on his part.

He actually gave her to her the morning of her birthday. Her reaction was so precious.  She loves it.

No, that's absolutely not a tear in my eye.  Absolutely not.

Okay, it is.

I am just so touched by the thoughtfulness, craftiness, the personal touch and the beautiful way she received it.  Moments like these my heart just doubles in size.

Garden 2017: Update 3

Garden Update 1
Garden Update 2

 Well, somehow, it's growing!  With a brand new newborn, I got it all planted. I usually do a lot of work mulching. Skipped that this year.  I usually will turn on the hose here and there.  We cannot find the other half to our sprinkler. So I just haven't watered it.  Nevertheless, things are growing.  I thank all the work I've done on the soil and that it must be retaining more moisture.  We've been eating out of it for a while now, but now we're at the point where we're getting a little more variety.  Finally picked our first pepper. Tomorrow might be the day for summer squash and zucchini.  Peas and greenbeans will likely be next week.  And the berries...oh the berries.  We forage all day and still find ones we missed at the end of the day.

 I cannot believe I planted all this WITH a baby, but it's there and growing.

 My raspberries and grapes...can you believe all this was haying field the year we moved in!?

 Hello basil.

 I now am proud to have perpetual cilantro. It just keeps reseeding itself.

 I actually weeded (some) of the carrots.  Hopefully my efforts paid off.

 Peas were in late this year, but nevertheless, they are coming.

 Buckwheat is my fave thing to grow lately. If something doesn't come or I don't know what to put there, I just throw some buckwheat down. It grows with no effort, the bees love it, it keeps the weeds down, adds nutrients to the soil and I can just pull with little effort and give it to the chickens when I'm done.

 Looking forward to seeing what this year's harvest will bring. I imagine it won't be as high as last year (800 pounds), but we shall see. At 50 pounds so far for this year.  How are your gardens coming?

Garden Update 1
Garden Update 2

Ducklings!

I have about a zillion pictures to go through, but first things first.  Audra got ducklings for her birthday. She is over the moon.

Good News!

The topper of last week's struggle was the State of Maine went into shutdown mode.  Given my husband is a state employee, that meant no paycheck for us until the budget was resolved.  No paycheck from him and no paycheck from me (I'm still on maternity leave from work).  No income for our family.

Of course, that stressed us out at first.

But then after we talked, we both knew we'd be just fine.  Early in our marriage we did the Dave Ramsey program (and were even on his TV show with our story).  Our emergency fund is in place. We have full freezers, full pantries, oodles of eggs and a booming garden.  We have been together for 13 years, and in those 13 years I have worked to make us more self sufficient. I had planned for this emergency.  Nothing to fear.

I had a whole plan. We'd use our stores. The kids and I were going back to selling bread, taking the bread money to use as our grocery money for anything extra needed. Adrian has an envelope all labeled with our food money. I was set for a great learning opportunity.

But, as luck would have it, we don't need my grand master plan. The Maine State Budget passed.  My husband WILL get paid. Life will carry on. All is well.

Through all this stress, I am reminded how blessed we are.  We live on this great farm and if there was a true emergency, we have the knowledge and skills to survive.

Although we don't need to survive off our stores and our stores alone now, I think we shall anyway.

Because this is how we do spaghetti night.

 Fresh greens, canned roasted tomatoes from last year, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic scapes. Pair that with homemade/homegrown meatballs (not pictured, they were baking at this time)- yum.

 Plus I have quite the helper.  Add a hand picked bouquet and handwritten nametags and the table is set. Emergency or not, we'll eat like kings and queens.

She's FIVE!

(Here is 4 1/2,  Here's 4 , 3 1/2, 3 years, 2 1/2 years, 2 years 18 months,  12 months,  9 months?  6 months?  3 months?  Just being born )

Miss Audra Grace, you are five!

You are a girl with spunk, energy, a sense of humor and a whole lot of love. You run everywhere you go. You climb, you hang, you are fearless. You sometimes give me a heart attack. You get dirty, you never worry, you are carefree, you are happy.  You give the best hugs, love to be lifted up and say the sweetest things sometimes and the funniest other times.

You eat most everything, but your fave meal would be scrambled eggs (which you could eat 5 of those) paired with any fruit. You can also be found in the garden eating raw basil, green onions, garlic scapes, collards, kale or rhubarb.  You hate cooked onions.

Although you don't mind getting dirty, you also like fancy.  Sparkles, dresses, shoes. Stuff I don't understand.

Even though we aren't sure you are listening at times, you pick up and remember so much throughout your days.  You are interested in gardening, painting and animals. Always animals. Especially baby animals.  You also love books, especially the same ones over and over. A car ride anywhere needs an audio book according to you. You are an excellent baker too.  You can crack an egg better than most adults.

You are miss social butterfly. You love people, especially teenagers. In fact, you want to be a teenager and think it's taking forever to get to be a teen.  You can insert yourself into any conversation, with familiar people or a stranger.  You make friends wherever you go. You have such empathy too and pray for those who are having hard times. We call you our prayer warrior.  You also love to talk and talk and talk on the phone.

You finally sleep through the night. Maybe someday you won't wake with the sun. It rises mighty early in Maine, as do you.

You add such energy and love to our family and are also the one who tires us out! Or house is never lonely with you chattering away. I always think that someday you will do big things with your energy and personality.  I look forward to seeing what big things you'll do at age FIVE!

Love, mama


(And clearly I already make you roll your eyes

I asked you a list of questions that I hope to repeat every year. (Find your copy here).

Nicknames: Sparlkey Eyes

How old are you? 5 and happy.

What is your favorite color? All colors

What is your favorite animal? Most animals. No, almsot all animals.

What is your favorite book? Emma’s Lamb and Moses the Kitten

What is your favorite song? Sing a Song of Christmas

What is your favorite snack? Cheerios

What is your favorite outfit?  Dresses

What is your favorite game?  Kerplunk

What is your favorite toy?  Sometimes my doll house, sometimes my horses. Mostly my real animals I play with.

Who is your best friend?  I have a lot of best friends.

What is your favorite thing to do? Swinging on my swingset and I want to love skip it.

What is your favorite thing to do outside? Run in the field.

What is your favorite holiday?  Easter because I get candy.

What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Zippy and my stuffed animal Blackie

Where is your favorite place to go? To BOG’s camp and to my friends and my family and the pirate ship playground.

What is your favorite restaurant?  Subway

Where do you want to go on vacation? To a donut store and to NY.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Police Animals (Animal Control Officier)

What are you going to do on your birthday? Eat cake, BBQ chips, corn on the cob, BLTs and strawberries.  

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day a day early, as my little Miss Independent shares a birthday with America. She is turning 5 on the 4th of July. Here's my trio!