Rain where have you been

I usually don't like storms, but today just getting the rain was made the storms worth while! Took a look at the garden after the first of the rain and we have corn coming up!

The area looks so nice and clean after the rain washed all of the dust away. To bad this won't do much to alieviate the drought.

Gardening

This evening we planted the corn, cantelope and watermellon. You know, I really don't like being told I don't know how to plant corn. Where is it written that each kernel of corn has to be planted two inches apart! I tend to plant things a little closer together. This hasn't been a problem before. It's not like there isn't enough fertilizer and compost in the garden, we did feed 3 horses in there the last 3 years!!!

Softball and Easter

Last night the game was close. The girls lost by 1 run, although the first half of the game they were ahead by 1 run. K struck out her first time at bat and on her second time at bat, she was hit in the face with the ball. No, she wasn't hurt, just a little shaken. Thank the Lord for the face mask they are required to wear. K just didn't seem all that into softball this year and I have been having a hard time getting excited about it as well. Apparently during practice K hasn't been having much fun. Even during the game last night, K was put in right field and saw no action. Talk about total boredom! At practice tonight, K didn't understand what the coach was wanting her to do so she was put in right field. K missed a ball that went past her, did't even move to get it, so the coach benched her. Thinking this is the last week for softball this year.

On the other hand, I think everything is ready for the Easter baskets. New outfits, some candy and a small toy. Even got eggs to color, have the ham thawing. Need to get sweet potatoes and find the squash casserole receipe. Looks like it's going to be a fun Easter.

Friends

Friendship is one of those oddly dynamic relationships that either evolve over time, wilt with lack of mutual respect or blow up like a roman candle on the Fourth of July. Over the years I have participated in all three kinds of friendship like most others have. I have also reevaluated what I really value in friendship. There is nothing like having a truly life-long friendship! I had friends who moved and never heard from again, yet there was one who was always on the edge of my thoughts. How strange that I had a dream a couple of years ago about her becoming a nurse, then her mom calls and we got together at my house. We still "talk" every so often, and I know I will never forget her. Some how it is really hard to "forget" someone you have known for 29+ years, although it is strange that sometimes I just "know" that we need to touch base with each other.

I wonder why sometimes a friendship is harder to maintain than it is really worth. Why would a "friend" walk in the same room as you and barely acknowledge your presence? Thinking it maybe time to start distancing this relationship. Seems that others know more about how the "friendship" is and how I feel about certain things than I do. Odd that I never knew these "friends" to psychic or mind readers before, or that I asked them to intrude within my relationship with mutual friends.

Beginning to really consider no longer teaching classes at my lss, I have way to many other things going on right now. As well as the conflict of interest thing with CTMH. Although I am looking forward to offering online directions for projects through my CTMH web site. Just email me to get added to the community, don't forget to request your sign in name and password.

Tonight is K's first softball game, hoping their team is ready. This is her first season without coach pitch. Will post later tonight or tomorrow with how the game went.

a day on the farm

Seems like the work is never done, whether you have 1/3 acre lot or 300 acres. We have 3 acres, yet have a garden more fitting to 30 acres. Imagine freshly tilled soil as large as most front yards of the average suburban home. I really love the smell of fresh dirt, then planting all of the seeds and covering them with bare feet. Yes, I really do garden bare foot.

This year I promised my Dad that if he fixed the tractor so we didn't end up having to get a newer one, I would purchase a tiller to go on the back. Well, he fixed the tractor (same one I have used and they have owned for 15+ years) and this week I had him pick up the tiller. No more tilling that 70' by 135' garden with the walk-behind tiller.

In March, Tim put out 25# of seed potatoes in the 8' by 16' raised bed and onions in one of the 8' square raised bed. Last week, we put out sugar snap peas in the big garden. Today, out went tomatoes, cabage, eggplant, peppers and brussel sprouts, all in the raised beds. By Easter, we are planning to have the corn, cukes, squash and okra planted in the garden and green beans planted in the last of the raised beds. Yesterday, I was asked why we put out a garden, wasn't it easier to go to the roadside stand or produce stands and get fresh veggies? Yes, it may be easier for some, but I like the idea of going out into the garden and picking fresh peas and eating them off the vine. Last year we grew "moons and stars" watermellons, devine food, especially picked and eaten still standing in the garden.

We bought 3 piggies yesterday. Our local pig farmer sold off all of her pigs last fall, so this year we had to find another farmer. We found the last pig farmer in our county and lucked out at not having to go to the sale barn for our pigs. Not that I really have any objections to the sale barn, it's just nice to have an idea of the conditions they are raised in.

On 2Peas someone had posted about why some scrappers have the need to have the stock of a small scrapbook store in their homes. I for one can relate to the feeling of having a store and not really using it as I should. Think I will challenge myself to use my stash more often and to scrap at home more. Not that scrapping at home should be that difficult, except I have to much stuff and not enough room or maybe not enough organizational knowledge.

Hopefully next post will be about how clean and organized my scraproom is! :)

Parent Teacher conferences

One thing about having school age children, every so often you get to find out how they really do when you are not around! This year D is in kindergarten, found out that he is reading at a 1st grade level, is doing great academically and socially. Last year he dealt with a bully most of the year. Finally he had enough and fought back, not that I encourage fighting. Some times showing a bully that you are no longer being pushed is all it takes. K is in the 2nd grade, reading in a 4th grade level, needs help on some math skills, and needs encouraging in responsibility (ie turning in work). Almost can not wait for C to go to school, but then again, I really can!!!!!!!!!!!!

After PT Conferences, we bought vegetable plants for the garden. Wouldn't you know, we ended up with 30 tomato plants, bell peppers, eggplant, watermelon, cantaloupe, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Then I added squash, bean, okra and radish seeds to the mix. Now we just have to plant it all and keep it alive.

Went scrapbooking tonight, couldn't seem to keep focused. I just ended up working out some ideas. Absolutely nothing spectacular :( Maybe I will do better tomorrow.

Cats, storms, stamping and scrapping.

Who could not love a face like this one? Miss Cassie is one of our outside cats. This photo was taken after our February snow. She has tendency to want to come inside when she is not supposed to, which is anytime Tim is home. Our other outside cat doesn't care to come inside and knows that Tim doesn't really like cats, especially inside the house. The kids, on the other hand, like the idea of all the cats being inside. I like this idea as well, if only I could get some help cleaning the litter box.

This evening was eventful, weather wise. Started out a beautiful day with the promise of lovely Oklahoma spring storms. As evening approached so did the big rolling clouds. We did see one wall cloud, luckily it went back up. Nothing much to see exept all the rain that we did NOT get.
Remember that school yard saying "rain, rain go away, come again another day," now I go arround saying "rain, rain don't go away, come today and tomorrow"!

After the weather cleared up and moved on East of us, the kids played outside. Then I had the bright idea to let 2-socks out in the yard. Forgot that 2-socks hadn't been in the yard since the ponies left. Leave it to 2-socks to run through the garden not once but twice, including through the recently sprouted potatoes and end up in the front yard with all three kids and Tim. Thank Goodness, Tim had the kids on the trampoline and 2-socks didn't go that far in to the front yard. Tim didn't even say anything about 2-socks running through the garden. I really need to do more scrapbook pages with my horse and critter stories, past and present.

On to scrapbooking and stamping! I recently started up with Close To My Heart. I love their stamps!!!! Nothing like having all of your stamps in a 6" x 6" envelope, add a block, some ink and you're ready to go. I have ordered cling vinyl and ez-mount for all of my wood mounted stamps to start taking them apart.

Back to CTMH, I went ahead and added a website to my growing list of achievements. It can be found here. It has an bulletin board, chat room and gallery. Send me an e-mail and I will add you to the community. I intend to add online classes for my CTMH customers and friends. I look forward to sharing scrapbooking and stamping with as many as I can.

I had not played with CTMH cardstock before and was leary of all cardstock except Bazzill. Yes, I will continue to use Bazzill, although now I will supplement with CTMH cardstock. I am loving the white core. Sand and tearing has never been so much fun. And those that know my scrapping style know I love to tear paper. Tearing will never go out of "style" for me!

Some how I never thought blogging would be for me, now lets see if I can keep this going.

Life

Life does happen, and sometimes it just gets better!