Garden Prep

We went on and started yesterday even though it was cold and wet. The children are getting excited as well.  Here are a few pictures of getting things prepped, taking inventory and talking about all the things we'll need to get done--basic planning. lol

cleaning rocks--for project
counting recycled pots
locating pebbles for potting plants

composting leaves
picked up potting mix
cleaning previously used pots

reading books
looking at seed inventory--ordering more

new gloves
new bird feeder to attracted birds to assist in controlling pests
finding tools

Will share more again. Have a great Monday.

Be well.

Finding Our Way

I've been away from my computer/the internet for a good while now, on a regular basis.  I've gotten really involved in life here.  I've missed reading the many blogs that I follow, of feeling connected to many of you who've become my support system online.

There are days I feel very overwhelmed with all the things I feel like we need to be doing and are doing.  I've revamped our 'out of the house' schedule and am now tailoring our 'in the house' schedule to better meet our ever-changing needs.  I'm reevaluating my decisions regarding homeschooling (how we do it, what we do, what we use), allowing for what each of us needs at this time.  I'm contemplating how we could better do things, making the day go a bit smoother, less stress for me (yeah, it's true!), finding activities that will work for each of my children on the multiple levels they function on. 

For the past month, we've been doing a lot better about involving everyone in chores.  I am thankful that these 'little' jobs make such a big difference on the amount of time/energy I spend in doing them alone.  Last year I spent a lot of time looking and finding ways to limit our consumption and creating of waste.  This still remains a priority for our family.  However, some of the things I was able to do previously, without a whole lot of drama/stress/etc. on my part, have now become that.  I shared with a dear friend the other day that MY SANITY costs and there are definitely times when that--the care of me--is going to come first.  So one of the first things I've put into place is everyone's involvement in keeping our kitchen in order.  We are blessed to have an energy-efficient dishwasher with several cycles/options for washing.  With everyone rinsing and loading after each meal and selecting a short cycle wash, we're using less water and no one person is stuck with washing all the dishes (nor am I in the kitchen all day!!).

Another thing that is helping with keeping me OUT of the kitchen is that I let the girls make lunches.  They take turns and make several different lunches, that have been planned at the top of the week, for each other.  Although they take longer in prep time than I, they are building up their skills and really pitching in.  They are also learning to appreciate what I do (smile)!

I've also started doing less laundry.  Yeah, you read that right! lol!  Everyone has their own clothes basket in which they put their dirty clothes.  I assist on 'their day' to wash their laundry, but after the clothes have been washed, they must either put in the dryer or hang up themselves.  They then collect their dry clothes, fold them and put them away.  This is another area in which I've been pleasantly surprised!!  This method is working for us and actually limits the questions of, "Mommy, where are my socks?" or "Mommy, I don't have any clean...."

We've also made a little chart to keep up with whose turn it is to feed the pets and other wildlife in our lives (birds, squirrels).  We rotate daily as they each like frequent turns at each job.  There are the dogs: food and water, the Koi in the pond and the bird and squirrel feeders--which don't need daily attention (thank goodness!).  Although I do have to oversee all of this, for all the obvious reasons, we're developing patterns/rhythms for the days that will come when I won't have to.

Now that we're settled (for the most part) in our new home, it's easy to give each of the children responsibilities for keeping different area in order as well.  Years ago I remember joining The Fly Lady's email list and reading her blog/website.  Several of her tips I've kept although I don't get those 10-minute reminders flooding my email account anymore! (smile)  Taking 10-15 minutes two times every day, once in the morning, once in the evening for us, and "restoring the environment" makes for a space where company can actually 'drop in' on us unannounced!  (However, I phone call and plan prior to your arrive is appreciated! lol)

After working hard to purge and organize our classroom, our learning time has definitely worked better for all of us.  Everyone has there own designated area/space/drawer with all the supplies they need.  It makes it easy to see who needs what at the end of the month when we restock.  The children have done extremely well (better than I'd hoped) in keeping our bookshelf in order.  I gave them lessons on how to restore things and did set limits on just how many books they could take off the shelf at a time.  I just think we were all excited about things being in a order that worked for all of us.  There are shelves they can't bother books on (top two rows) and after getting detailed explanations as to why, I've had no issues.

Perhaps we're all just growing up.

I'm also putting perimeters on our involvement in our community.  It's been exciting to be 'back home' and we've jumped right back into the flow of things--connecting with old friends, participating in our local homeschool group, joining in library events, making friends within our neighborhood.  For awhile there, we were spending most everyday OUT of the house.  Which was fun, at first, but then became a struggle.  I've helped to start a friends' group for our neighborhood library and although that hasn't put me out of the house more, it has changed my computer time--I do things for the group, which can be time-consuming, and then don't find my way here!  That seems to be the nature of the beginning of things, I guess. 

I also organize our local homeschool group.  Since being back in the area, I've sought to reconnect with those I know and make connections with those who have joined during my absence.  That has been interesting!  Many of the mothers that I started out with are no longer homeschooling.  I've talked with others who would like to see the group be more this...or more that...learning, anew, that you can't please everyone; realizing that I don't really want to.  I've also made some wonderful new connections with others who are looking for similar things as I.  This has taken a lot of energy and time as well.  I'm making plans with several mothers who are committed to developing a supportive community and putting some things in place to make that happen.  Having others to encourage me and be of encouragement to is something I need as a woman, mother and homeschooling parent.  I'm thankful to be finally in a place where they can be a positive thing!

We have joined some new friends in our neighborhood in working in/on the community garden.  This is the third one to be started in the neighborhood--there are waiting lists to join the other two. So I jumped at the opportunity to meet/work/get to know our neighbors while growing food for the late summer/fall.  We have finally found a day that works for us and have been going regularly to weed and check on our crops!  Another homeschooling family joins us there too.  The peppers, squash, tomatoes, and beans are growing nicely--plants that is, no fruit just yet.  But just wait!! :D

Our personal garden is coming along.  I have vision of grandeur that haven't quite come to fruition.  I don't have everything in the ground yet. Mainly because we have puppies (that need forever homes) and I don't have chicken wire to cover/separate everything just yet.  Our little plants are fairing well and I may even do some containers to house the others permanently.  Either way, I am making plans to do some canning later in the year.  We have a field trip to a strawberry farm next week to pick a gallon or two of berries.  Remember last year?  I sure do!  I'm on our LAST jar of strawberry preserves so am looking forward to doing this again with the children.  I also want to can some green beans and tomatoes (mainly sauces).  We'll see how our growing season goes!

I guess it's all a balancing act, really.  There are ebbs and flows to life.  This is definitely a flowing time for us.  I'm choosing to enjoy this time/space knowing that the ebb will come.  It's funny how you can get caught up in living in the other time/space, missing that time, wishing you had it back, instead of living in the present.  I have to remind the children of this as well.  I remind them of days gone by when they were 'tired of just being in the house' or 'wanting to be with friends,' etc.  It helps to remember these times as it gives perspective.

Right now, I'm looking out the window at what my children have created--a tent and pretending they're living during the frontier days.  And isn't that just how it should be?  Enjoying the sunshine, being present in the moment, creating, imagining, exploring, dreaming....

I think we're all learning as we find our way.

Weekend Update!

So we had another lovely weathered weekend!  I was able to pry us out of bed and into the outdoors!

With the kiddies & puppies around foot, it's amazing that my dh and I were able to make great head-way in the back yard!  Remember the Koi pond that I told you about?  It's right behind the deck, well, I guess you one could say it's in front of the deck (looking back towards the house)! lol  Anyway, there was a lovely canopy/cover-thing over it that we lost during the "Winter Storm" that shut down the city for an entire week in January.  It feel beneath the weight of the ice.  I've been a bit bitter about that--but I've moved forward.

Anyway, we finally got it dismantled.  As dh was moving it across the yard, in smaller pieces, of course, I looked and saw something new.  (I love re-purposing things!)  I saw a trellis for letting my beans grow up (or the peppers, squash, flowers, etc. that I've been dreaming about).  We also talked about using it to hold a cover for lettuce--as it get really hot here.  We could even make a little 'hot house' for our tomatoes.  Oh!  The possibilities.

Then my dh decided that he needed to clean out the Koi pond.  We did.  In all the work and cleaning of it, we found how just how genius the previous occupant was in planning this back yard/garden space.  We have this large looking extension coming off the back of the house.  It looks like an oversized tool space that one might have on the back of a truck (just MUCH larger).  I finally looked at it and saw that it's a large rain-catcher.  I can't say barrel, as it's not that.  The box has been lined with the same material you'd use to make a pond.  Well, it's full of rainwater that was then used for the Koi pond, which was used to water the garden.  We couldn't ask for anything better!

We were told that the Koi were living at the bottom of the pond.  Not so.  So now dh is deciding if we'll do Koi or try our hand at some Tilapia and work the aquaponic system he learned about several years back.

All I have to say is things are really getting exciting over here!  I hope to have things in the ground in the next couple weeks. 

Did I mention the yard is outlined in lime trees???  They have the sharpest thorns I've ever encountered. From what I've read they sharper the thorns, the better the fruit.  Interesting.  We'll have several more years before they reach the stage of bearing fruit--but even that thought is delightful.

(Sorry, no photos, I was too busy working....and dreaming!)

 Hope you're weekend was warm!

Our Yard/Garden

For the past two days we've spent the entire afternoon [well, once we've gotten home from the morning activities we've had this week] IN THE YARD!  The weather has been purr-fect for this!! It's been in the mid to upper 60's!  The air is so fresh, birds can be heard and seen flying overhead.

I've checked out a dozen or so gardening books from the library, making lists, circling seeds/plants I want to get in catalogs, and dreaming of what the late summer and fall will be--for our garden, that is.

I took some before photos, as there is a lot of work to be done in this backyard area.  Let me say here that I am not afraid of work!!  The previous occupant was definitely a gardener, and from what I can tell, had a dream for this space as well.  It is taking me some time to figure out just what that plan/dream was, but I'm learning as we clear out the space of leaves.  [There are SO MANY leaves!]

Clearing out the old tomato raised bed

Leaves everywhere; remnants of last year's gardening

All sorts of things....trying to make sense of it! :D

Along the perimeter of the yard are planted some type of evergreen tree and another time of tree/bush that I haven't been able to identify yet, in a nice little pattern.  It appears that there were raised beds (without definition) all throughout the yard.  I've counted 18 of these raised beds--most all of them had something growing in them last season. There were several varieties of peppers when we moved in and tomatoes.  Then there are two large enclosed planting spaces--enclosed meaning with wood trim and chicken wire.

I have identified the blueberry bushes that have been planted between some of the 'raised beds' and there is a rather LARGE composting area.  Ideally, I'd like to move it to the back corner of the yard--I've already started another small pile back there.  I'll need the hubs assistance with this, so for now, it will remain where it is.

We talked about where to place things, taking into consideration which areas will have more sun/shade than others.  In cleaning up the yard (there was so much trash!) we found a lot of garden decorations.  Some we'll use again, others are not in any condition to be called decorations! lol

The boy found a worm--which is a wonderful sign!

A worm!

The girls spent more time playing with the puppies (which will be leaving for forever homes soon).

Doing her best to keep one

Aren't they adorable?!

So after two late afternoons of raking leaves, picking up trash and other debris this is how things are starting to shape up:

This is a 'sectioned' area that had a variety of tomato plants

Leaves in large pile next to composting area (surrounded by tree stumps/logs)

We are definitely going to plant vegetables; the girls want a butterfly garden (I do too), and herbs are on the list as well.  I'm thinking that I'll do them in containers on the deck.  Then there's the Koi pond to get up and running.  Yes, it's a lot, but I'm thrilled!!  The sun and fresh air, working and dreaming have truly awakened my soul!  Spring is just around the corner!!!!

That's our update for now---heading back outside! :D