The Inadvertent Farmer

Silent Saturday The Camel Edition

Here we are again on a Saturday and all is silent here at the farm...well except for the rooster, the kids and the dog!

I usually do a completely random group of photos...but today for your viewing pleasure it is all Gizmo all the time!  Today is the day for all kinds of strange costumes and I figure none stranger than the sight I see every day out my window!

 

 

 

"Moi, je suis belle"

 

Yes Gizmo we know you think you're beautiful!

Tea anyone?

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

I will see you right back here tomorrow...or not...its up to you.

But Gizmo and I would love to see you again!

Kim...the inadvertent farmer

 

Colony Collapse Disorder Good Bye My Little Friends

As a farmer you get used to the rhythm of the natural world.

Animals are born and others die...it is the way of things.

You may be saddened but you know that it is the way it is supposed to be...

This is not something that is remotely in nature's rhythm.

We have lost 7 different colonies to Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD.

Our last hive was lost this fall...

I am actually in tears as I type this.

 

How does one get so attached to honey bees?

Could it be the delicious honey that they share with us each year?

 

Is it their unequaled work ethic?

Maybe it is the indispensable way they pollinate our garden and orchard...

It is probably a combination of all of these things and just the allure of the mighty little insect that is the honey bee.

We have always been so careful to not use pesticides on the farm for fear of harming our tiny friends...

 They have always been surrounded by a buffet of things to feast on, both wild...

And purposely planted.

Yet they have still disappeared...

Leaving us perplexed and saddened.

The honey bee is being lost at a rate faster than they can reproduce...

I shudder to think what that means for the bees...

And for us.

We are more dependent on these little pollinators than most people could possibly realize.

"Perhaps nothing on our list of disappearing America is so dire; plummeting so enormously; and so necessary to the survival of our food supply as the honey bee.  'Colony Collapse Disorder,' or CCD, has swept beekeepers throughout the U.S. and Europe over the past few years, wiping out 50% to 90% of the colonies of many beekeepers -- "

(quote from the top 25 things vanishing in America...the bees were #3 on the list with the family farm being #1, but that is for another post.)

I sure hope we find the cause and the cure soon.

For now our farm and our lives will be a little quieter, a little less productive, all because of the loss of our tiny friends.

Puzzling

I must admit that it is puzzling to me that more people don't do it...

Of course I have heard all the usual reasons...

Socialization, lack of patience, too much responsibility, too much work, and my favorite...

Are you crazy???

But when you get a chance to hang out with your kid,

In the middle of the day...

 In the middle of the week... 

In the great outdoors...

While doing a puzzle together...

All the while discussing the important topics of the world like the lizard you just found and then let go...

Or why there is more moss on the north side of the trees...

Why is it that more don't?

Homeschool?

It can be the perfect fit...that last piece to the puzzle! 

The one that makes your life not perfect but perfect for you and your kids!

 

If you have ever considered homeschooling there are so many books, organizations, web resources, groups that are there to encourage, coach, and help.  I would be more than happy to help too...just email me or leave a comment here if you have any questions.  I would love to be a help and encouragement to anyone considering this wonderful, crazy option called homeschooling!

It is a decision that will lead you on all kinds of wondrous adventures...some will be fun, some will test your patience but all will be worth the trip!

BTW Sweet Girl put her first 'big girl' puzzle together that day up at the lake...she was so proud...and so was I...good job sweetie!

 

Painting Furniture Makes Old look New!

My in laws were bringing a load of furniture up to our house to store until they needed it at their new home in Arizona.

On the way a drawer from one of their dressers flew out of the back of the truck and smashed along the side of the road.

When they arrived they were not going to unload this now misfit dresser with the rest of their things but instead were going to take it to the dump thinking it was now useless.

I of course being the frugal pack-rat that I am asked if I could have it.

After they looked surprised and hubby rolled his eyes they unloaded it for me...

I had a plan!

Yep I was gonna paint it...Sweet Girl was due to be born in a few months and she would need a changing table/dresser for all her cute little girlie things!

I lightly sanded and primed...

I painted the whole thing white and then just had fun!

I stenciled the bottom apron but the rest was all freehand.

I also built a new sliding drawer that was of an open design so all her diapering things would be easily accessible.

Now we use the top drawer for pj's instead of diapers and have removed the changing table cushion.

It now resides happily in her closet with her hats and knickknacks.

Along with her organic baby food sign that was being thrown in the trash at a local grocery (Thanks Brenda!)

So a little paint and a little creativity helped save this old dresser from the fate of being trashed...

Too bad I can't figure out how to keep Sweet Girl from trashing it herself!

Stay tuned next week same time same place for some more fun with paints...girlie style!

 

So have you re-purposed or repainted anything lately?

Not Me Monday the Potty Edition

Warning...this post is not for the weak of stomach, the newly pregnant, or those with a less than strong constitution.

 Potty Adventures with my five kids...

Or what I would never do as a sane, caring, compassionate parent and wife!

Recently I did not forget to put a towel under Baby Boy as he unexpectedly fell asleep on the couch (he still wets in his sleep).  He then of course did not wet all over himself and the couch as though he had just finished off a whole liter of pop!  I tried to blot it up as best I could... but since company was coming over I knew I had no time to launder the cover on that section of the couch so I did not just flip over the damp cushion. Of course I did not spend the whole visit hoping my dear friend would stay on her side of the couch as apposed to the pee pee side.  I did not forget all about it until a few days later when I was searching through the couch for the remote control and lifted up said cushion and wondered what the stench was...I would never ever do such a thing because that would be gross!

I would never leave one of my kids with their father while potty training...because well he is not quite as long suffering as I am when it comes to this particular child rearing topic.  So one day I did not leave my #2 son with his father when he was in the midst of training to use the toilet.  As luck would have it small son did not poop in his underwear.  My husband did not show his usual compassion and take darling son outside and proceed to clean him off with the hose in the middle of the yard...with cold water!  He of course did not warn my small son that every time he pooped in his underwear from then on daddy was going to take him outside and hose him down...this particular son did not ever go in his underwear again...he really didn't!

I of course did not tell my husband that hosing a small child off outside with the hose was not what the books recommend for potty training...you were to be caring and kind and above all not become irritated.  Husband did not proceed to tell me that the books were certainly written by some...and I quote

"Pansy assed intellectuals who obviously have never raised real children...just hypothetical children."

How can one argue with logic like this???

  
 

Then there was the darling daughter that was so sensitive to smells when she was little that she would sit on the toilet while gagging the whole time when she had a bowel movement.  She never had an accident in her pants but there were times that I had to clean vomit off the floor when she was done with 'business'...

My three oldest boys would never stand around the commode and pee together to see how many bubbles they could make...and I would never stand at the door and watch the show chuckling to myself to see such a sight...well because I'm too proper for that and so are my children!

I never do a really cool 'pee-pee dance' when my children make it to the potty in time!

And lastly I would never discuss in a public forum the private trials of my potty training experience with my kids...because it just wouldn't be seemly.

Ahhhhh she didn't just say that!!!!

So now if you never visit me again on Not Me Monday I will completely understand...but I will miss you!

How to Take a Better Picture and Its Not What you Think!

Want to take better pictures?

Love all those beautiful photos you see on other people's blogs?

I have just 4 words for you...

Do this and I personally guarantee lovely photographs.

Are you ready?

Here it is...

 

"Go to the beach!"

It is pretty much impossible to take bad pictures at the beach...

You may get some goofy ones, or some mediocre shots, or even blurry ones but somehow you will still love them...

It is just too lovely there to actually take a bad picture...

No matter how fast the kids run or how hard the wind blows the pictures are always something to make you smile!

I took well over 100 pictures on this day and less than 10 ended up in my recycle bin...much to the horror of my overstuffed hard drive!

Something about the endless sky...

The perfect light that tip toes on the waves...

Footprints in the sand...

The vastness of it all...

I can't think of a more ideal spot for taking really great photos...

Or a better place for making memories!

Besides we all need to kick off our shoes once in a while and run barefoot in the sand!

Note...these photos were taken at Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast, that is haystack rock in the background of the first and last pictures!

Silent Saturday

Good Saturday to everyone that has happened upon my little blog...

If your are new...it isn't usually so quiet around here.

For those friends of mine that visit often...

Enjoy the peace and quiet!!!

 

 
  

And so as not to disappoint his fans

Gizmo our resident camel...

Yes that is a camel drinking from a water hose...no need to adjust your computer! 

 

If you happen to be a gluten for punishment and/or have a hankering for weird camels here is the link to the rest of this sorted story! 

 

Hope everyone is having a marvelous weekend!

See ya tomorrow for more craziness...

Kim...the inadvertent farmer

Oh, I almost forgot...I'm over at Not Dabbling in Normal today with a post about a child's hand.  Yes a child can learn a lot from playing in the dirt and feeding watermelon to a camel!

 

Friday Funnies...A Mother's Heart

When going through my simply insane amount of pictures once in a while one comes along one that simply touches my heart.

It isn't necessarily the best in technical terms.  Maybe the composition isn't perfect, maybe is isn't the most crisp of photos in the bunch.  But there is just something about it that pulls at my heartstrings.

Today this was the picture.

I played with it, making it black and white...while wiping away a tear at the profiles of my #2 and #4 sons together in brotherly love...

I cropped...

 

And even changed the orientation from vertical to horizontal...

All the while bursting with pride a these beautiful beings I had birthed and brought into the world...these lovely boys that had obviously gotten the best of my genes...

Pride goes before a fall...

Or so they say...

Because when I finished fawning over this lovely picture I scrolled down to this...

 

 

 

OK...so obviously he got some of his father's genes!

 

And although this one got my blond hair did not get his crusty nose from my side of the family...

Nope...his dad's side for sure!

Genetically, it is all a big crap shoot!

 

Or as Forrest would say

"Life's a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get."

 

Happy Friday all...have a great weekend!

See ya tomorrow for Silent Saturday where you must endure my strangely random series of photos!

 

Roasted Peppers Playing With My Food Again!

Although my pepper plants are still producing a pepper here and a pepper there.  This was that last big harvest of the season.

And before I put them onto the BBQ to roast I just has to play with them just a little...

Also I decided enter this first photo in the Abundant Harvest Photo Contest over at Gardening Gone Wild.

 

These little yellow guys are called 'Yum Yum Gold' peppers...and they certainly are that.  So very sweet with hardly any innards to clean out.  A perfect out of hand snack!

Not to mention just plain pretty!

When I was done playing around I put them on the grill...

Since I'm a free and easy kind of girl I let the red and the yellow peppers co-habitat while they roasted...

Are you shocked?

No I am not a prude...call me progressive and open minded.

Just don't ask my teenagers...they would deny that strenuously!

For those of you that have never roasted peppers. The object is to blacken the skins all around making them easier to peel and imparting a sweet smokey flavor to the peppers...truly a marvelous was to do peppers!

Ohhhh the smell coming from that BBQ...I don't think a steak in the world can match it!

 I had to do a grill full of just the little yellow ones...the ones too shy and self conscious about their small size to co-mingle with the big lusty red ones.

I am in no way projecting here...

As each batch was done I threw them in a large bowl...

 

And covered them to let them sweat a little...like a sauna for peppers!

After they had cooled I easily peeled them, took out the innards and seeds and cut them into strips.

I would love to say that I ate none of these and left them all for the freezer and that night's pizza...but I must be honest...I ate some...

Ok...I ate a LOT.

They were just too good and frankly I didn't try very hard to resist!

In the deep dark months of winter when I am out of roasted peppers I will regret my lack of self control but for now I am enjoying these with no guilt...well very little!

Getting them ready for the freezer is as easy as taking the amount I would use on a pizza and putting it onto some waxed paper.

Folding the paper into little packets and...

Putting them into freezer containers...one for red, one for yellow.  That way if I want a yellow pizza I don't have to go searching through all the packets cause all the yellows are altogether already.  Color coding for the freezer.  Yes I am that girl...that highly organized color coded girl.

For those that know me in the 'real' world you can get up now...rolling on the ground laughing is just not dignified!

And I am all about being dignified after all.

Now stop that...seriously...you're making a scene!

Ughhh, some people...

 

The Great Grape Harvest!

Hey Everyone...Look what I've just picked! 

Yep...Grapes!

Mama had great plans for grape juice...

But we had other plans...

We're pretty sure none of these are gonna make it all the way to juice or jelly or even raisins!

 

Nope...the only place these are gonna go is in our mouths!

 

 

Hey mama...we think you might want to plant some more grapes!

 
 
 

Yummmmm! 

Not Me...Never

It is that time again...

Fall?  No...

Canning? No...

Painting, Sewing, Jogging...Nope, Nada, Nah!

It is...

 

Potty Training time...for the 5th and last (I'm presuming anyway) time.

But I of course being the prim and proper parent would never do this...

Meet Capitan UnderPants!

I would not send my baby to grandma's in his Cookie Monster underwear and red rubber boots...nope, would not do that, it would not be civilized!

 

He seldom goes to Grandma's without some sort of container to collect treasures in...

 

Why rubber boots when it is not raining? I hear you wondering...

It of course would not be that it is much easier to clean pee out of rubber boots than it is out of leather tennis shoes...no that would never be my reasoning...that would be just a little icky!

I of course as a parent would not worry about the amount of laundry potty training causes, therefore forgoing pants for the next month or so.  I would never be so insensitive to the tender baby legs that might get scratched on the pasture grass or any potential scraped knees...no I am a much more tender mother than that!

 

Nor would I assault the sensitives of any stray UPS driver that might meander up our dead end drive...

Bye Baby...have fun at grandma's!

Another thing that a sensible parent like I would never ever do...

I would never look at these pictures and realize that today it is potty training...

Tomorrow...College!

I would not then proceed to start to cry and have to stop posting while I composed myself...

No that is just not me...

 Oh who am I kidding?  That is just exactly like me.

Bye bye baby...mama will miss you.

Sniffff...

Come see what else we are NOT doing!

 

Only a Real Man...

Only a man completely comfortable with his masculinity would wear this...

 

In public, while coaching...

Yep, my man is a real man!

 

It also helps that he has fathered 4 sons and this is his only daughter whom he would do anything for, including wearing pink while coaching a bunch of other 6 year old girls...

 

Which by the way he says is just like herding cats!

I have never herded cats myself but if it is half as hard as herding camels then...

No thank you honey...you can do the coaching!

 

They are too busy giggling, hugging, grinning and talking to really care much about the game.  They run the wrong direction...kick it into the wrong goal.

And just don't care...not a speck...not an smidge...nope they are there to socialize, the game is just a means to that end.

Oh the difference between our boys and our lone girl is simply shocking.

When the boys lost it ruined their whole day...they fussed and pouted and carried on.  Sweet Girl doesn't even know the score at the end of the game...and never thinks to ask.  She just wants to know if one of her little friends can come home with us!

I asked her once what she liked about scoring a goal...her reply

"My friends do a cheer for me and give me hugs"

Ohhh my dear sweet hubby...his inner competitor must be withering away.

His masculine drive for his team to be the best, to have the single minded purpose of domination of the soccer league has been stamped out by a bunch of little girls in pink shirts.

 

One little girl in particular...the one who doesn't care if her foot connects with the ball or not!

Nope...she's just there to have fun!

Me?  Well I find the whole thing completely amusing...

You go girls!!!

 

And honey, thanks being such a super coach...you rock!

 

Beside you look great in pink!!!

giggle...

Silent Saturday

 

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Next week I'll be sharing our grape harvest, another craft project, and the usual random musings and maybe if you all are lucky the camel might grace us with he presence!

See ya then,  Kim the inadvertent farmer

You can also find me at Not Dabbling In Normal where today I'm sharing some of my all time favorite whole grain bread recipes and tips for baking with the kids!

Friday Funnies OH Brother!

With four sons around ages 23 to 2...you just never know!

It is like having my own private circus!

There are tumblers, acrobats, and clowns...

And just think...I have a ring side seat to all the hilarity and mayhem!

The King is Sick Now...

 

Not Me, I Would Never Shave a Camel!

 

This could not have happened at my house because if it had...

That would make my life just too weird even for me...

 

While washing some dishes the other day I happened to look out of the window to see the camel leaning across the fence almost to the point of breaking it...all the while ignoring the electricity pulsing through the supposedly critter proof top wire.  This part of the story I fully admit happened.

I of course did not run out side shouting at said camel and would never ever throw one of my wet half washed pots at him...that would not be rational.  I would also not leave it out in the field for 5 days, nope, never.

He of course did not move back but a few paces and look at me, annoyed, while chewing the grass he illegally got from my side of the fence...I get no respect.

I did not then stomp back into the house and yell for my 21 year old college student son who was minding his own business doing homework...I would not interrupt homework for anything, it is far too important!

I then did not proceed to tell him I was either going for hubby's shotgun or the clippers.

He being the calm son would never need to explain to his emotional mother that it would be a LOT of trouble to bury something as big a a camel with nothing but a shovel...

The clippers it was...or wasn't!

I of course have camel clippers (yep, go ask for those at the feed store!)...I would never borrow the clippers my mom has for her cock-a-poo, no that would be too odd.

I then did not proceed to have my son, who should have been doing homework, shave the camel's neck as to make for better contact with the electric fence...would never do this.

The poor boy did not get camel hair all over him... 

I certainly did not then let my 6 year old daughter grab the clippers and go for it... 

I would never think it prudent parenting for a small child to be handling an electric cutting device while standing beneath a 1500# slightly grumpy camel...not me I'm a better parent than that! 

If I was to let my daughter do such a thing I'm sure she would do a great job!

 

Meanwhile...

I would never in a million years recruit my freshly out of Marine Boot Camp favorite nephew in the whole world, to partake in such a strange thing as in shaving a camel...nor would I have him hold a manure covered bucket with grain to keep the camel still.  I have way more respect for him than that... 

I of course would never ever tease him that if he is ever shipped to Iraq that he would fit right in...knowing how to shave a camel and all...I would not find that completely amusing, cracking myself up insanely...nope I have a better sense of humor than that!

I would never suggest that if he was really tough he would get up and ride the hairy, obnoxious beast...no I would never tease a Marine!

Nope things like this don't happen around here...really, they don't!

No...that would just be too strange.

 

Besides...camels don't like to be shaved...really they don't!

Come see what else we are NOT doing!

The Queen is Delusional...

The Queen has the Flu

Not Me Monday...Yes I went to college, Why?

 
Sweet Girl and I made a great little project the other day...

We cut our wood, measured our lines and then carefully painted it with lovely pastel colors...

We then painted itty bitty numbers, taking care to not get any paint on ourselves...

We of course would not be so messy.

Yep...we're making a place value chart...

Sweet girl is learning about this in math...

The 1's place, 10's place and the 100's place 

Of course being a college educated mother this is all just kids stuff to me...

I also painstakingly put little x's on each of the number leaving the 's' in each one plain to add some artistic punch...it would certainly not be because I was tired of painting little x's...

And if any of you smart readers can see what I'm going to not be admitting to please don't let me know how fast you noticed...it would make me feel much better about myself, thank you very much...my tender ego thanks you too!

Little flowers were meticulously painted in the direct center of each column...

Meanwhile my 21 year old college student son comes in to watch, the following conversation never happened

Hey mom, what are you doing?

Making a place value chart for Sweet Girl's math lessons...cool huh?

Yeah but...

But what?

Have you looked at it...really looked at it?

Why did I mess up the paint somewhere?

Didn't you say you went to college?

Yes I did...what's with the sarcasm?

Just look at it mom and you will eventually figure it out.

He heads to the refrigerator while chuckling to himself...

I look at my little chart...

and look..

look some more...

No! I would not do that...

I slap my hand on my forehead and my son laughs out loud, Sweet Girl looks puzzled, and Baby Boy laughs just because his brother is.

No, a smart cookie like me would not get the chart backwards, I would certainly not put the hundreds where the ones go or visa versa.

I then did not have to pry all the numbers off, scrape as much glue off as I could, repaint and re-glue...I would have to do that because that would be an irritating waste of time.

I also would not realize after I was all done that the tens column actually did not have to be redone because it was correct...no, I did not remove it also.

Of course there was not evidence left on the lovely chart of my mistake...never.

 Who put that arrow there?

Of course my darling college student son would never tell his brothers about this with great amusement...no, he would not embarrass is mother like that.

Of course I did not spend all afternoon wondering what my oldest children and their lovely friend were thinking of their college educated mother... 

Because I was too busy watching Sweet Girl's soccer game...

And being cool...

In my drugstore glasses...

And my Bonne Bell over glossed lips...

I certainly could not be bothered by sarcastic older children...

 Besides...Baby Boy knows nothing about place value...

Yet!

Come visit and see what else we are NOT doing!

Note when I get the number cards done I will show the completed...and correct...place value chart to you

Silent Saturday

Well here we are folks...another Silent Saturday where you don't have to endure my mindless chattering about kids and gardens and the bloody camel...

So I'll shut up now and let you enjoy these photos that prove just how scattered and random my mind really is!

 
Leaf at the Lake Cabin

 
Punching down whole wheat bread dough

 
Camel in the Mist

 
Foxglove at the Lake

 
Watching Sister's Kite

 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

If you're feeling up to it I would love to see you back here tomorrow for Sunday Supper!  

Friday Funnies...Out Takes

When I take photos of my sweet darling daughter, my only girl...my princess,

This is what I love to see when I download my camera...

Sweet little girl photos...

The innocence of childhood captured forever...

 

Ahhh...she melts my heart!

But as a mom I know that for every sweet angelic picture I will also get at least two of these...

Grrrrr...Miss Monster...

Or this...

 Lady like huh?

 
 

Don't even know what this face is about...

 

And while she's eating we might as well remember this one...

And who could forget this? 

So next time you visit somone's blog and think that those are the sweetest most photogenic kids you have ever seen...

Remember that chances are that their computer is quite simply overrun with these...

OK...

Maybe not exactly like this...

But you get what I'm trying to say...

Right?

This is My Reality...

Today I'm a tad droopy...

Missing a few petals...

Some minor holes in my leaves.

Yesterday I had a skin graft in my mouth.  Thanks to a cruel twist of fate I have fabulous teeth and crappy gums...

No matter how much care I give them, no matter how tenderly I treat them...they are receding.  Leaving the roots of my otherwise healthy teeth exposed to the big bad world.

So In order to cover the roots my dentist must take flesh from other places in my mouth and carefully stitch it over the receding gum line.

After three natural births and two c-sections this is not what I consider major...just annoying.  Mostly because it hinders my ability to eat anything crunch, salty, spicy, or hot.  Hmmmm applesauce anyone?

There you have it...

So while the kids are their usual bright, colorful, perky and slightly thorny selves...

 

I am slightly droopy...and hungry.

That is my reality for the day. 

 

Note: When I started this blog I never could have imagined that I would use sunflowers and roses in the same post as skin grafts...ahhh you never know where blogging will take you!