Discovering

The boys are getting pretty good at chasing butterflies and catching them being careful not to actually touch them but to put them in an observation glass.

So much to discover around the yard. As our days are numbered here, we are trying to enjoy every last inch of this place that has been home for so many wonderful years.

Baking Day

Tuesday mornings are busy around here cooking for friends as we like to tell the boys. This summer we hit an awesome Tuesday rhythm. The boys both understand that it is our big day of work and tend to take it upon them selves to play and allow us to get the work done. Often times though it finds us together in the kitchen baking the bread and this week Asher took it upon himself to make a bunch for dinner.

He waited patiently while it baked, then picked some jam off the canning shelf (currant from last year) and we had ourselves a lovely breakfast.

This recipe was a challah recipe that is impossible to mess up! Perfect for any shape, any hands and always tastes so good.

Cooling Off

Oh it is hot. Too hot to sit at the computer, too hot to move. We have spent our week finding places that are cool. Streams, pools, libraries, malls and the coop.

It amazes me that the boys seem virtually unaffected by such heat. They want to go go as much as ever. We hit an outdoor park early before it is too hot, then AC at the library for mid morning. Home for naps in the afternoon and an evening outing for some cool off time, while our house cools off. Our stream outing was great. I am never excited about heading to the ditch, there is garbage and really it doesn't have much of an aesthetic. Plus it takes me a while to chill out with my kids- we can always wash them off! Then the magic unfolds, crayfish are found a teeny tine, small mouth bass, nymphs and ton's of damsel flies, plus a little fish on a line.

You may have to look really, really hard to find the beauty of this place, but if you take the time to look closely and wait it really is there.

Urbana Tiger

Our fist big harvest of the summer garden. the garlic we found growing wild and have cultivated for the past 8 years now out of the ground. We hope that this years crop of Urbana Tiger will be traveling with us north to be planted in a new home in Wisconsin.

Ben and I found this garlic our first year planting at Meadowbrook's Organic Gardens, we never imagined at that time we would spend nine summers in this wonderful, small town.

I am a bit lost for words these days, so pictures it will be.

These Days

I am really enjoying the deliberate way my youngest is with his art. As his older brother never seems to stop moving and turns any art supply he gets his hands on into some animal the idea that young kids spend more than 5 minutes coloring or painting is new. River is an incredibly intentional kid. He thinks before he does, attempts to color in the lines, or paint shapes.

We are loving these summer days, strolling along at this slower rhythm that has us enjoying our immediate environment so much. Lots of time splashing in water, digging in the sand, and painting sprinkled with minutes spent in the blazing sun harvesting berries.

I really can't remember a more pleasant beginning to the summer. The shade of our yard is much appreciated. As a family we are trying to remember to focus on our days and the right now. With a possible move and uproot we are having a hard time not being consumed with the what is to be. Luckily we have two members of the family here to remind us to live everyday with intention and living in the present moment.

Brothers

These two are so busy together and it is a gift for me to witness. I love that they are quickly becoming each others favorite playmate.

Vacation Rocks

Now we are home, resettling, regrouping and reevaluating.

Happy Summer!

Tee Time

Our boy, hitting the ball. He doesn't have all the hand eye coordination for pitching and it was getting frustrating. A small piece of PVC pipe to the rescue and we instantly had a tee. I think this is a step up from our last wiffle ball adventure of the ball hanging from a string.

Now the ball goes somewhere to be chased. This creative little boy of mine transformed that ball into an airplane and hit us travelers to any destination he could choose from. I really need to brush up on some facts as everywhere we went he needed to know what animals live there, I am happy that he was able to fill in for me when I stumbled to find an answer.

My favorite Asher moment of the day, Me: I could really use a quiet moment. A: I have too many questions running in my head, I can't possibly be quiet right now. Point taken. Here's to hoping I can lead him to find the answers he craves.

Life Changing

Big changes and decisions happening around here.

Emerging

We were very lucky in this past week to witness really nothing short of a miracle, a cocoon made from the leaves of our currants opening up slightly, a moth emerging, spreading it's wings and letting them dry and then finding a place to hide until the cover of night when it then left our yard.

The boys were enthralled and kept running back to look at it. Really such a cool thing.

For the Floor

While this project has taken a new shape from my original plans, I am quite pleased with the results. My original balls of "yarn" that I made were used up quickly, crocheting really takes up a lot of material. So quickly I hit the thrift stores for sheets and the boys and I made more strips.

So excited for this to be under my feet. I think we may need a few more sheets to finish it off, but it can be used in the meantime.

A few things about what seems to work best with crocheting rugs. First the Vintage Chica has a tutorial here. Thought it is a little vague I was able to make mine with these loose guidelines. I think you should make the fabric yarn the way this tutorial shows you too. Just cutting left bigger bumps than I liked as VC recommends. If you would like more instruction, Five Green Acres has a pattern available for download.

Plant Propogating!

As we prepare to uproot, all of the work we have done in our yard, isn't something that we want to just leave behind. So in an attempt to save money buying all new fruit shrubs, I decided to try my hand at propagation with rooting hormone. If there is any saving grace to all the rain and gray, making new plants was it for me. Starting with my vibrantly growing plants (gooseberry, jostaberry, black and raspberry and currants) I cut growing tips, stripped off the bottom 4-8 inches of leaves, dipped them in water and then rooting hormone, making sure to get the hormone on all of the nodes where I removed leaves.
and then simply stuck them in the ground.My little helper watered them in as did all the rain over the past three weeks. (old yogurt containers with holes punched into the bottom are awesome watering vessels for little kids.

And now, well they don't look dead, so fingers crossed that they make it, and when we find a new place to put them they are thriving and ready for a move.

Cucumber Tunnel

Which currently has peas growing up it for the early season. I realize I post about our cucumber tunnel most summers as Asher has declared himself a cucumber farmer and spends a lot of time in this particular spot in our garden. This year I thought I would post how we actually make it. PVC cut and stuck in the ground, drilled with holes for string to run through (more necessary for the peas).

Make a wire frame, I think we found some concrete reinforcing wire somewhere and held onto it, bent it to shape, cut is a bit and stick the ends into the PVC.

The peas will grow and be taken out as the cucumbers are putting down roots and their first shoots. In years past, we have also grown nasturtiums with the cucumbers and they are a nice ground cover, sprawling out while the cucumbers grow up.