Spring again
A fine April wind is blowing and it's definitely spring. We ate our first grilled dinner last night on our new gas grill - marinated sandwich steaks and heaps of grilled potatoes and onions. The snow is mostly gone, but the ground is still icy cold to the touch. There is so much to be done before summer hits in full swing!
Summer is not downtime around here. The children have many activities to keep them busy. There are day camps and vacation Bible schools running from mid-June through early August. The little ones need to get in their swimming lessons. The big ones want to go away to summer camp. We are busier during the summer than during the school year.
GARDENING ~
I've seen gardens going in around my area so I'm of the impression that it's time to till up the backyard. Gardening around here can be tricky for first-timers and the inexperienced (like myself). If you start too soon and get a frost or snowfall (like we had about 10 days ago) then you're efforts are for naught and you have to start all over. If you wait too long, things don't have time to grow before it gets too cold again. This area is not for the faint of heart. I don't think I would have chosen it had I not been born here. I started several plant sets last week; tomatoes, melons, scallions. The rest are to be planted hopefully over the next week or so depending upon our access to a tiller, the weather, and my beloveds work schedule.
LIVESTOCK ~
Our new chicks are due to hatch this weekend - just in time for Ressurection Day!! I missed them so much last year and I just can't wait to have new hens. Rachel is at the perfect age to start enjoying them. A new 12x14 coop is in the plans for this summer. Right now they are "incubating" on the kitchen counter between the sink and the Salvation Army pile. Once hatched we keep them in a steel washtub til they're big enough to go into the pens. I'm not sure I want them to stay in the kitchen that long though! The boys may be joining 4H through a friend who has a farm - they plan to raise livestock as their projects. I've never done 4H before so I don't know much about what I'm getting into. There are rumors of a pig in the works - but we are in agreement that a shelter must be built first.
On top of all that, the boys decided they wanted new pets. So we are now the proud owners of: 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 fish, 2 hamsters, 18 chicken eggs, ... and a partridge in a pear tree.
HOMESCHOOLING~
I've spent most of the last two weeks pouring over stacks and stacks of homeschool resources trying to come up with something fun and inspiring for next year. Endless textbooks just are not our style. It has been a struggle getting through this year and some subjects we are still way behind on. I've ordered lots of interesting quick study type items for this coming year. Short workbooks, classic novels, puzzle books and language games, math manipulatives, anything to 'mix it up a bit'. I've had no problem getting them to read but written work is not a priority to them (unfortunately the state really likes to see that they've done some so I have to be the meanie that makes them do it). The remainder of my school time has been spent threating my sons to get their bookwork done or they will be doing it while watching 4th of July fireworks...
YARDWORK ~
We've spent several days outside cleaning up from the winter. Our (now) beloved dog seems to have a taste for trash. He's strewn several bags around the yard over the winter. We cleaned up each one quickly as they were spread but as the snow melted we found more and more stuff strewn around. The remainders of a remodeling session from last fall are still sitting next to the house waiting for us to haul or burn them (depending on the material of course - 2x4's make wonderful campfire wood, panelling... not so much. Our fieldstone fireplace has given in to the elements over the winter and needs to be reset. Our dirt driveway needs to be graded, mud ruts and a hump in the middle threaten the exhaust on my low riding minivan every time we enter or leave. There is grass to be reseeded and siding to be washed, and a few odd strands of Christmas lights that we simply could not get down after the holiday.
Our aged swingset developed a distinct tilt over the winter - it's going to have to come down. (Rachel will be heartbroken!) Fortunately we have re-inherited one from a friend whose children have outgrown it - we just need to go pick it up and reassemble it.
But the true frosting on my cake... the thing that ASSURES me that spring has arrived... is not the birds singing, or the snow going away, the drive in restraunt re-opening for the season today, or even being able to keep the doors open for more than 15 seconds at a time. The REAL sign of spring (that cropped up unexpectedly on a Tuesday)...
YEAH!!!!!! Just in time, my ebay box is starting to get empty!
Summer is not downtime around here. The children have many activities to keep them busy. There are day camps and vacation Bible schools running from mid-June through early August. The little ones need to get in their swimming lessons. The big ones want to go away to summer camp. We are busier during the summer than during the school year.
GARDENING ~
I've seen gardens going in around my area so I'm of the impression that it's time to till up the backyard. Gardening around here can be tricky for first-timers and the inexperienced (like myself). If you start too soon and get a frost or snowfall (like we had about 10 days ago) then you're efforts are for naught and you have to start all over. If you wait too long, things don't have time to grow before it gets too cold again. This area is not for the faint of heart. I don't think I would have chosen it had I not been born here. I started several plant sets last week; tomatoes, melons, scallions. The rest are to be planted hopefully over the next week or so depending upon our access to a tiller, the weather, and my beloveds work schedule.
LIVESTOCK ~
Our new chicks are due to hatch this weekend - just in time for Ressurection Day!! I missed them so much last year and I just can't wait to have new hens. Rachel is at the perfect age to start enjoying them. A new 12x14 coop is in the plans for this summer. Right now they are "incubating" on the kitchen counter between the sink and the Salvation Army pile. Once hatched we keep them in a steel washtub til they're big enough to go into the pens. I'm not sure I want them to stay in the kitchen that long though! The boys may be joining 4H through a friend who has a farm - they plan to raise livestock as their projects. I've never done 4H before so I don't know much about what I'm getting into. There are rumors of a pig in the works - but we are in agreement that a shelter must be built first.
On top of all that, the boys decided they wanted new pets. So we are now the proud owners of: 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 fish, 2 hamsters, 18 chicken eggs, ... and a partridge in a pear tree.
HOMESCHOOLING~
I've spent most of the last two weeks pouring over stacks and stacks of homeschool resources trying to come up with something fun and inspiring for next year. Endless textbooks just are not our style. It has been a struggle getting through this year and some subjects we are still way behind on. I've ordered lots of interesting quick study type items for this coming year. Short workbooks, classic novels, puzzle books and language games, math manipulatives, anything to 'mix it up a bit'. I've had no problem getting them to read but written work is not a priority to them (unfortunately the state really likes to see that they've done some so I have to be the meanie that makes them do it). The remainder of my school time has been spent threating my sons to get their bookwork done or they will be doing it while watching 4th of July fireworks...
YARDWORK ~
We've spent several days outside cleaning up from the winter. Our (now) beloved dog seems to have a taste for trash. He's strewn several bags around the yard over the winter. We cleaned up each one quickly as they were spread but as the snow melted we found more and more stuff strewn around. The remainders of a remodeling session from last fall are still sitting next to the house waiting for us to haul or burn them (depending on the material of course - 2x4's make wonderful campfire wood, panelling... not so much. Our fieldstone fireplace has given in to the elements over the winter and needs to be reset. Our dirt driveway needs to be graded, mud ruts and a hump in the middle threaten the exhaust on my low riding minivan every time we enter or leave. There is grass to be reseeded and siding to be washed, and a few odd strands of Christmas lights that we simply could not get down after the holiday.
Our aged swingset developed a distinct tilt over the winter - it's going to have to come down. (Rachel will be heartbroken!) Fortunately we have re-inherited one from a friend whose children have outgrown it - we just need to go pick it up and reassemble it.
But the true frosting on my cake... the thing that ASSURES me that spring has arrived... is not the birds singing, or the snow going away, the drive in restraunt re-opening for the season today, or even being able to keep the doors open for more than 15 seconds at a time. The REAL sign of spring (that cropped up unexpectedly on a Tuesday)...
"YARD SALE"
YEAH!!!!!! Just in time, my ebay box is starting to get empty!
posted by Amber | 4/12/2006 11:39:00 AM
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