Tomato Crazy

Puppy sitting 101

GARDENGURL — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:04:09 GMT

Today we puppy sat for my Vet friend. She was a nervous nelly to leave her babies with me. I felt like I had a newborn times 12........ The Momma dog was a first time Mom and she kept wanting to sit on them. Uhhhh move your big black rear off my head Mom!! (I am sure they were thinking that) I did get them out each and everytime. She had 13 and they lost one. Once they get those peepers open LOOOOOK out! These are pure blooded dobermans. I wish I could of gotten a better pic but I did not want to stress her out with a photo shoot.

Monarch Butterflies

GARDENGURL — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:18:21 GMT

I am unsure where they are headed. I looked it up and California or Mexico--- seems to far. Maybe Mexico? I will have to do some further research. How many can you see in the second pic? I had 5 but one flew off right before I took the pic. I just love butterflies!!!!! They are visiting Abby's garden. She has Butterfly Weed, Pentas, Lantana, dill, Zinnias, and flowering Rosemary. That reminds me.... I owe someone a rosemary plant!! (I have not forgotten)

San Diego

GARDENGURL — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:05:44 GMT

Well we just got back last night. I can tell you we are still on California time! We all "slept in" this morning and are trying to get back in the groove. We went to San Diego to see my brother get his BIG promotion to CHIEF. It was a sweet and proud moment for all of us. What a relaxing trip. The family all went to the Aircraft carrier The MIDWAY
We also went to the San Diego Zoo. I can tell you without a doubt that Matthew was all about the ship and could of cared less about the Zoo. Abby loved both. Abigail and I took a flight simulator at the museum (she says I was a horrible pilot). I can't help it if we were struck by enemy fire and put into a tailspin.....
In front of the ship was a huge statue of a sailor kissing a girl. I took a pic so you can see the size of it!! It was a wonderful visit with my family and I was sad to leave! OH my brother... he has a trampoline.... OH and 2 kittens... my kids were in HEAVEN.
Link to small Album
San Diego

Winter Garden

GARDENGURL — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:40:58 GMT

I am TRYING really hard to get out my winter stuff. I really mean I am trying to CLEAN up the spring/summer garden so that I can plant my winter garden. I have already planted 45 brussel sprout plants... and 27 collards. I need to get out lettuce, arugula, turnips, beets, peas, carrots, garlic, spinach, mustard greens, cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli raab and a few other goodies. I have to say 2008 has been my largest garden of my life. My basil is still doing wonderful and so is my peppers. I went ahead and fed them in hopes of having another round of peppers for fall. I have a ton of new blooms. Normally this time of year things are slowing down for me and I throw up my hands to the weeds and say, " I give up" but this year I am still at them! I keep thinking how hard it was to "clean up" for spring and so I am NOT going to give up. I think I am also motivated that my chicken girls LOVE weed salads. I try to sneak out so that they can't see me working in the yard but they are like little eagles... when they see me they just cluck up a storm. Then I feel like I need to RUN down and give them something to hush them up. I feel like they black mail me..... Pictures tomorrow.

I must have "good" nerves

GARDENGURL — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:55:22 GMT

Here is Brother helping me put together Abby's storage shelf from Ikea.

Muscadine madness!

GARDENGURL — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:50:19 GMT

Beautiful huh? We, my friend E and I and our little people went picking muscadines and scuppernongs. These are in the grape family with hard skins and juicy insides. They apparently grow very well in the South and were the first cultivated types of grapes. Now what to do with these beauties? Doesn't E look like the picture of an Earth Muffin Momma?

Saturday and Sunday

GARDENGURL — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:03:33 GMT

IKEA here we come. Abigail has outgrown her little pottery barn table we use in the school room so I am going to IKEA with a friend today to get her a new table. I can't believe how tall she is. My guess would be 5 foot 2. I think she is just growing fast. While we are in Atlanta we will shop at the Dekab farmer's market. I can't even begin to explain how huge that place is. We will also be hitting up Trader Joes Whoooo HOOOOOOO Did I mention that I am going sans children? Abby has skate practice and brother will be staying with Daddy, Abby is already whining.
I have decided to start a new hobby. I know, I know that is JUST what I needed to be doing right now but I can't help myself. I will post a pic when I get started..... .
John's middle son is a nurse and will be staying for Gustav. My brother is in the Navy and will be headed that way when the time calls. Hopefully those who choose to remain will be safe. They are saying it is the storm of the century.... YIKES The only good thing about the hurricane Hannah is that it may chase Iris up here for a visit. I would love to see her.

Pirates!

GARDENGURL — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:58:09 GMT

Who says home school children don't get to socialize? My children are ALWAYS being social... almost too social. Today we were invited to a birthday party. I have only a short time before my kids won't be embarassed about their Mom dressing up like a pirate with them so I am taking advantage of it!

Nothing and rain

GARDENGURL — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:13:28 GMT

---I have not felt motivated to update the blog. Not much going on but rain. Each and every night the tornado sirens have been going off and no one hears them but me.... which makes me start to wonder???? Like voices but it is tornado sirens instead. Maybe it is the funky weather that has me in a funk...
Did I mention my Sis is in Alaska? I am so jealous. She went with a friend. sigh
I made about 16 plus pounds of soap (yes really). That is what happens when we can't get outside. I am stir crazy..

She will come from France

GARDENGURL — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:41:35 GMT

SOOOOOO...... our Tooth Fairy is INTERNATIONAL! She brings money from other countries and leaves it under our pillows. (well not my pillow thank goodness) After she leaves the foreign currency we figure how where she flew in from. After we figure it out, we study up on that country. I am unsure how this is helping our geography skills but I will tell you when they are grown.
Oh I wish I had money from China. It would be nice to tell the Matthew she flew in from the OLYMPICS!! sigh It is toooo late she must arrive tonight. The tooth and the envelope are safely tucked under his pillow. If any of you out there would like to make a penny donation equivalent from any foreign money I would be happy to pay you for it. I still have some money from Mexico, Germany, and Canada. Maybe the country hopping is getting expensive with the price of fuel This is Matthew's second tooth and Abby still has a few to lose. I am going to need all the foreign money I can get my paws on
Good night and wish me luck sneaking that envelope out!

Self explanatory

GARDENGURL — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:39:06 GMT

Sound familiar???
Sent via email from a friend

YIPPPPEEE 11

GARDENGURL — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:26:20 GMT

That's right folks 11 eggs yesterday. My girls are almost all laying!! They all like to go in the nest by the water. It seems like yesterday they were just little peeps and today they are such big girls. They are so spoiled. I bring them weed salads several times a day. They know who butters their bread, when they hear me in the garden the start clucking REALLY loud. I can always tell when someone has a fresh egg as they let out a distinctive round of clucks. I think the cool weather we have had the last few days has them sitting on the nest.

Not my cup of tea..

GARDENGURL — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:02:07 GMT

We had a lovely weekend at Amelia Island. I have to say I just kept getting this feeling like I was in the wrong place. It was a huge "Social thing". I can be social.. REALLY I can. It just made me appreciate the friends I have even more. My circle is very small. I like it that way. My heart is big for those in my little circle. I guess I could have a bigger circle, but finding those niche friends is well like finding shark's teeth. I have to even include my Mom and my Sister in that circle. My phone is dead. All those in the circle are proudly entered into my address book. It is like a big thing for me to enter them into my phone. It is a commitment. So this sounds more like a real blog entry.. almost whiny. The friends in the circle know if I do not call for a few days that I am busy. They know if I show up to an event dirty and sweaty it is not because I am a dirty person it is because I have been in my garden. They know how to work my coffee pot. They do not complain when I decide to go "off" deoderant to be more natural. They act interested when I talk about my chickens or my tomatoes. I could go on all night but I just have to say I love them all. (mostest)!!!

Meteor Shower tonight (tomorrow am)

GARDENGURL — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:50:51 GMT

Debating... should I wake both up? I will probably just wake Abby. We will get a blanket and go and lay on the boat dock to watch them..... It is sad we are not in the Mountains of Colorado where there is no light pollution and we could actually sleep under the stars. sigh ......Do I sound homesick?? I have a long blog rant to chat about that but am working on laundry so I will talk about it tomorrow with an update on what we saw.

Home

GARDENGURL — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:51:16 GMT

Apparently I killed my phone battery because I borrowed one from my stepson and my phone started to work Here are the pics of the trip.
Abby

A little starfish. Do you think M has enough sunscreen on?? LOL

And here is the TREASURE... shark teeth

WHOOOO HOOOOO shark teeth

GARDENGURL — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:09:38 GMT

I DID it! I found a tooth. In a fact I found 3. I found one and showed it to the kids then I "planted" the other 2 so that the children could find them. Abby found the hers first then brother. She had to rub it in his face that she found hers first. It brought back memories of hunting for my first arrowhead. I bet I asked my Aunt a 100 times "Is this one"? I bet Matthew asked me 200 times the same question. Speaking of hunting for arrowheads, I felt the same way except the cold waves kept crashing over my toes. I could of stayed out all day "Hunting"!!
Pics when I get home tomorrow. Oh and an FYI they are black not white.
We just spotted a pod of Dolphin out the window! What a beautiful day.

Morning walk

GARDENGURL — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:34:29 GMT

The mornings started off on a sad note---- last night as I stepped out of my car in the dark my phone fell. I drop my phone a good bit so I figured it would be fine. I charged it all night, turned it on and death. I feel horrible. I have killed more cell phones then I care to admit. Last night we drove to Amelia Island as the spouse had a meeting here.... I woke up grabbed the camera and some sunscreen and walked out to the beach to look for shells. Abby found a starfish (alive) and had some fun feeling it's tiny little feet. Matthew was on the hunt for a shark's tooth. I did some research on finding them and now we are ready to find one. Heaven help us if we don't.. any of you reading this can start praying now. The only thing worse then the kids finding something they get focused on is their MOM finding something she gets focused on....stay tuned on the tooth hunt.
Pics coming on Sunday when we get home!

Sweden Won!! (Our Olympics)

GARDENGURL — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:16:20 GMT

Today was the day! Opening ceremonies were held at 9:30. Each family arrived ready to compete in 4 events. Each child could compete in one event and the triathalon. As the families arrived the children reached into a bag and pulled out a laminated tag with a country and its flag on it. The children had safety pins to pin to their clothing so they could display their country. We sat down and had a short lesson on the history of the Olympics and the country of China. The children lined up and we started the Olympic Chinese friendship song, they came forward and announced their name and the country they would represent. THE GAMES BEGAN!!
The EVENTS:
Running
Hopping on one foot
Swimming
Triathalon
Lunch
We had Chinese food!
Music
Olympic Chinese music
Closing ceremonies (medals)
POOL PARTY!!!!
Homework
Worksheets on the Olympics.
One family took home all the golds! Obviously some talent there. My 2 did not win any medals and so one of them had a complete and total melt down..... sigh
I have hopes that each child will root for their country. Tomorrow is the REAL Olympic ceremonies. I wish I was in China taking in all of the energy!

Goodbye Store bought!

GARDENGURL — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:55:39 GMT

The "girls" are 4 months (almost 5) and we have 5 of them laying. Considering the heat of the Summer and their age we are doing really well!!! Most days we are getting 4 eggs and every other 5. We have a little stockpile of around a dozen or so.
They are so spoiled. I have am growing several types of melons and I am challenged to know when they are ripe. Last week I brought a melon in to slice and when my knife sliced into the rind it EXPLODED. I have to tell you having a decomposing watermelon explode all over your table and feet is not a pretty site. The good news is that the "girls" are reaping the benefits of all the over ripe/under ripe melons. I bring them salads of weeds I pick out of the garden. When they see me coming they start clucking. I keep telling them to go get in that nest and lay us some eggs!
Last week I was doing some work in the yard when I could HEAR one of the hens just a fussin. I thought Ut oh maybe a snake or predator was down there as NORMALLY you can't hear them at all. I ran down to find one hen in the nest and one in the roost. The hen in the roost was the one making all the noise. Finally, the one in the nest got out (without laying an egg) and the one on the roost got in. I guess she had to "go". We have 3 nesting boxes but the middle box is prime real estate. They are so comical!

2 in 4 days

GARDENGURL — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:57:52 GMT

The first field trip was to Calloway on Friday. I had not been there since Spring. The first place we head to is the Victory Gardens

As you can see Brother has his eyes closed but it was the only photo evidence of the field trip so I am going to use it This garden is where Victory Garden South on PBS is filmed. After playing in the 7.5 acre garden we went off to their pretend beach and played on the slides and water toys for the rest of the day. I know what you are thinking.... why didn't we have field trips like this when we were little?
I am unsure whether I should call today a field trip? We did get out and it was not at home... We went to a SCIENCE SAFARI taught by a nutty engineer fella. We packed a lunch and crammed our brains with some Science experiments... I actually ate a marshmello that had been frozen with liquid nitrogen. I have to say the smoke tendrils that came out my nose were quite lovely!!!