Field Trip

I went on a field trip today with my daughters class. No work today but I'm thrilled to be asked to go on a field trip, they get more few and far between, also the fact that my girl still wants me to go. I'm not too embarrassing yet!

We went to some botanical gardens.

Our inside docent was Martha.

Very nice but a slow talker. My ADD was going haywire.

My girl said I kept wandering off.

The girl sniffing flowers.

Guess what this is?

Here's a major clue.

Yummers.

I got in trouble at the kaleidoscopes.

I was told i could visit them later.

Made a new friend at the desert area.

Reminders of home.

A couple years back, I learned how to weld and someday in my spare time I hope to do metal art.

The docent outside was Teri.

She was earthy and awesome.

I love her braid.

I asked, she made her bag.
Cool huh?

I love that sign.

Water below.

Spittle bug.

We then went to a local park for salad, pizza and cookies.

A great day with my girl.

Highs and lows

Have you ever had a few days stretch where you have incredible things and shitty things all mixed in together? Thats been my last few days.

I had some major downers in my extended family, which I wont get into, but it had me stopped in my tracks the entire day on Tuesday. I am slowly getting out of that funk.

Usually I plant my entire garden much sooner than now but we have been having weird weather in Michigan lately so I waited till last weekend to do the warm weather crops. I planted on an 80 degree day. The next day plummeted and we got a killing frost.

I lost 4 of 7 Zucchini plants.

Half the row of potatoes are blackened. I am hoping some make it.

I lost 8 of 12 pepper plants.

The worst is all my tomatoes i started from seed are gone.

Giant CRAP!

Ok now for my annoying habit of looking at the bright side of the coin.

I should be able to replace most of the veggie plants by purchasing already started ones from the market.

The pumpkin I let rot out by the clothes line is kickin with sprouts.

Check out my future strawberries but pay no attention to the weeds.

Lookie what I harvested today.

And the best news of all.....

I recommended my best friend (the amazing water color artist) to the woman coordinating the art fair space I'm at and.....

WE ARE IN THE SHOW TOGETHER!!!!!!

I am happy beyond words.

This was us at a show we were both at last fall (I have no idea who that lady on the left is but she looks nice).

At this point whether I have a successful show or not is irrelevant because it is going to be so much fun. When we get together it's like we are back to the giggly girls we were at 14.

Great Weekend

We had a wonderful family weekend. Before i get to the details i just want to say that this morning we went to our towns Memorial Day Parade, every time those Veterans walk by and we all stand clapping and cheering, I cant help getting choked up and a little teary just thinking what those brave men and women have gone through and what the new enlistees (they walk too) may go through as well. God bless them all.

I planted peppers, hot and sweet.

Zucchini.

The girl planted beans.

We teamed up for the cucumbers.

The tomato seedlings we started were more than ready to go outside.

The boy and i planted those, we put them under milk jug greenhouses because of the wind. We also made mini compost bins to give the tomatoes a boost during the growing season. We planted one big tomato plant I had bought at the market so we wont have to wait till the end of July for our first tomato.

T-Bone turned 6 on Saturday so the girl made and hung a banner, baked and decorated a cake (we forgot to take a pic). She also made T-bone a dog friendly "cake", a dog biscuit with peanut butter "frosting". We cooked out on the fire pit and the dog was oblivious about the "party" but we sure enjoyed it.

I have heard, from the egg council, that there is no difference between free range eggs and store bought.

SAY WHAT?

Well we chicken people know better and I have the proof.

These eggs I boiled for deviled eggs tell a different story.

Notice the halos.

The boy built obstacle course type things for his rumble robot.

Pretty slick.

Remember my old freebie shelf....

....i got around to painting it and will be a great display shelf in my shows, light weight and painted white.

It was hot today so the girls were just hangin out.

The six week old partridge rocks and the 4 week old dark cornish.

Awkward looking stage.

I think I guessed right on my free exotic when I thought it was a Silver Spangled Hamburg.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21218499@N08/2338487631/

What do you think?

I just don't know if it is a roo or a pullet.

Thoughts and prayers go to the people hit by this weekends tornadoes.

I'm better, thanks.

Thank you, wise women who calmed me down on my previous post.

I figured out a schedule, it seems to be working.

The house is still standing, the family seems fed and happy.

And this week i made....

Twelve new bags, plus 2 more started and waiting.

One is going to a niece for her 10th birthday, she said she wants to start a collection of purses made by her relatives. Is that the cutest thing ever!

I finished 16 tissue packs and 15 more are started and waiting.

I also made a toe sock chicken.

It is mostly hand stitching so I worked on this and the tissue packs in the car during the boys' soccer practice.

I love that face.

The problem I have is that toe socks are hard to find, so there may not be a lot of these guys.

At quitting time today, I stepped out to greet the bus and all the chickens were by the porch...

....under a bush....

....and under the Honeysuckle.

What were they hiding from?

These two scary ducks.

What a bunch of chickens.

On the walk home from the bus,
our "Indian Dog" was on the trail of some small creature.

Yes, I said "Indian dog."

He is part of the Blackfoot Tribe.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.