The Inadvertent Farmer

Random Thoughts and Court Proceedings

Dear Mother Nature...this sucks!  Sorry that is not very lady like but it is raining BUCKETS around here and I'm never ever going to be able to plant anything without it rotting...sob.

My youngest 3 year old son has officially gone from sweet angel baby to typical loud, ornery, destructive little boy. I was hoping that at least 1 out of 4 of my boys would not go through this.  Hide the china and batten down the hatches...here come the tornado!

My daughter had just turned 8.  How did this happen?  I am cancelling all future birthdays, that's it...she's done growing up.

#3 son is visiting for spring break...I wonder if I beg enough if I can keep him from leaving me and going back to school?

Scratch that...he has school loans and I would hate to get stuck with them due to him not finishing school and being unemployable.

*****

I attended the first hearing on my CASA case yesterday.  The court was full of over 30 cases of parents accused of...starving their kids, abusing them by throwing them across rooms,  breaking bones of their babies, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment...

Truly if I didn't believe that we can all make a difference I would lock myself on my farm and never ever leave.

We all know that bad things happen in this world, but I for one have never been smacked across the face with just how bad and how often bad happens before yesterday.  We live in a small community...how can there be well over 30 cases just in one day of children mistreated in such horrible ways?

As I watched the state's attorneys and the social workers read of the details of case after case I sat wondering how they can do this for a living...each work day being confronted with such horrors.  How does ones heart handle such things?

Then I watched the defense attorneys defending the parents and wonder what kind of burdens they are left with on their hearts.  Can they separate what is clearly their jobs and what as a human being they would like to see happen to their clients?  Another job I cannot fathom having.

So as for my little guy, he is still in a foster home, one that if full of people that have fallen in completely in love with him.  His casts have been taken off, the pins removed from his arms and he is a happy, healthy 10 month old.

And I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure he stays that way.

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Come back tomorrow and I'll let you in on a little secret about a new series I'm doing and where I'm doing it at!

Sunroom Lego Battles

My sunroom has cream colored loveseat and nubby oatmeal colored carpet.  It is floor to ceiling windows that even on the cloudiest day is filled with light.

It is the one room I love to snuggle up in and read or pray. 

My bright, lovely, feminine retreat has lately been taken over by scene like this...

Sponsored by my almost 4 year old son.

Hey little man, who is this guy?

He is Doctor No-Legs...he is evil.  He is a baaaad guy

As I sit on the floor next to my sweet angel baby he proceeds to weave the following tale...

Dr. No-Legs catches people and chops off their heads

Then he stacks them into...what are those thing called?  You know those Indian things...those poles.

You mean totem poles?  You are telling my that he makes totem poles out of heads?

Yeah totem poles!

This is the good guy, he is a hero, he is from the space patrol.

How do you know he works for space control?

Mama, look at his jacket, you see those letters? Those say 'space patrol'...my big brother told me.

What is in his hand?

A gun...a BIG gun

He isn't gonna shoot anyone with it is he?

Only bad guys.

His friends are getting the bad guy with him.  That's what good guy do mama, they get bad guys!

What are they gonna do with him after they capture him?

They're going to leave him.

Won't the bad guy get away and go do bad stuff again?

Oh mama just wait and see!

Look!  He's gonna get eaten by an alligator AND a shark!  Isn't that cool?

Ummmm...I guess.

I like it when the bad guy get eaten by stuff.

You do?

Yep...or when they get runned over by big trucks.  Or when they get smashed by dinosaurs!

And what are the good guys doing while the bad guy is getting eaten, do they feel bad for the bad guy cause he's getting eaten?

No mama...they are singing!

Really?  What are they singing?

They are singing Jingle Bells.

Why Jingle Bells?

They like to.

OK.

******

This is where the difference can so starkly be seen between boys and girls. My sweet daughter would have had the good guys talk the bad guy to death as they tried to change him.  Not the boy...

He just throws him to the alligator AND the shark! 

No mercy...no prisoners!

All Boy!

 

 

 

 

 

Life is nothing if not Colorful!

I love color.  When you live in the Northwest where the skies are most often gray and the hills are always green a person need a little color in their lives...

Fingerpainting

My little helper painting our front entryway red...in his robot pj's!

An antique stained glass window in our sunroom

And as if life wasn't colorful enough...

There is always the legos that my kids wage epic battles with.

This is the bad guy getting eating by a shark AND an alligator after being tossed overboard...

Come back for that whole story tomorrow!

But for today...

Go and make your life a little more colorful!

kinderGARDENS 2011 Preview, Gardening with Children

Well here we are fellow soil-lovers...its actually spring 2011...how did that happen?

It is time for KinderGARDENS again!

We'll keep it on Thursdays just like last year and we'll start...

May 5, 2011

And go through September with the winners being announced...

October 6, 2011

That's 5 whole months of gardening with our (or borrowed) kiddos and sharing our gardens with each other...seriously I can't wait! 

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Here are some of the ideas that I (or you) have come up with...

Gardening for the hungry, adding an extra row or two for the hungry in our communities and teaching our kids the joy of giving and coming back here to share our experiences! (Thanks Cathryn for the idea)

Doing a post on using Vertical elements in our childrens' gardens from arbors to potato condos! (thanks Susan and Rebecca for the inspiration)

Crafting from our gardens...leaf exchange, stepping stones, potato stamps, etc.

Cooking with kids...recipe exchange of our very best ideas for using our produce in a kid friendly way.

Adding whimsy to veggies...the best way to add a little pizzaz to our gardens, art, labels, gnomes anyone?

Recycling in the garden...using what we have or can get for free for our gardens

?????...I know you have some brilliant ideas that we can use here!  Feel free to shout it out or email me with your ideas.

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I have not figured out the categories for the winners yet. 

I will have to do something different for prizes this year...last year all the books and gift cards were 'out of pocket' and this year things are a bit (ok a lot) tighter budget-wise.  I will try to get some sponsors for the contest.  If anyone has ideas for sponsors or how to get them for our KinderGARDENS series let me know.

I do have some prize ideas that will be fun...so not to worry!

We're doing our maze again this year...but instead of sunflowers I'm seriously considering using hops!  Has anyone any experience with growing hops?  If so feel free to share any advice you have!

They are a very fast growing vine that is pretty cool looking...could make for a very jungle-like maze!

Maybe I could add a tunnel...

Ohhhh the possibilities!

Come back on the first Thursday of May (or sooner I hope :)  ready to share your plans for this year's gardening season with our kids...little or big, it doesn't matter...as long as they are willing to get dirty!

 

This year's garden plan, Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a very important part of my garden planning each year.  It is yet another weapon in the arsenal of an organic gardener.

Each crop family has its own nutritional requirements and set of pests and diseases.

By rotating your crop on a 3 year (or more) rotation you will not deplete the soil of key nutrients and have disease organisms build up in the soil.

I finally put pencil to paper yesterday and drew out my garden plans for this year...

I've rotated my tomato/pepper/eggplant/potato family away from where they have not been for at least 3 years

I've moved my cucumbers to another very well amended bed.

Peas and beans have been moved to fix nitrogen in a new area.

Corn is now where tomatoes were.

Potatoes and pumpkins are in brand new areas that have not been used before.

The kids' maze has a new home too...it was where the tomatoes are going to be this year!

My compost bins are either going to be re-built using straw or I'm going to go with a more permanent version...still deciding which way to go with this.

When I see the garden all designed and waiting for planting I just about can't wait for the weather to clear so I can get out there and get my hands dirty!

So what about you?  Do you plan your garden ahead of time?  Or do you just fly by the seat of your pants and plant where the spirit moves you?

*****

Come back tomorrow when we will discuss our kinderGARDENS series for this year!

 

 

 

May your spuds never have frost!

May you have no frost on your spuds

No worms on your cabbage

May your goat give plenty of milk

If you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal

Don't walk in front of me I may not follow

Don't walk behind me I may not lead

Walk beside me and just be my friend

Old Irish Saying

 

From Gizmo and I may you have a very good St Patrick's day...and may the luck of the Irish be with you!

A Poem about Rain and Hanky Panky

Its March in the Northwest...its gonna be wet!

Its soggy and drippy, on that you can bet.

 

I've got moss on my back and webs in my toes

I've got flat lifeless hair and rain on my nose

 

What's there to do when you're bound to the house?

Hubby suggests hanky panky with spouse!

 

Ok that is fun but I long for the soil...

I miss my sweet garden in which I do toil.

 

I want to be growing some good things to eat

Like carrots and corn and even a beet!

 

But the rain keeps on falling and everything's icky

The garden is soggy, drenched and quite sticky.

 

So 'til my old tiller can get some more traction

Guess my sweet hubby will be getting more action!

 

 

Gardening with Children...are you ready...am I?

So here is a recap of my winter...

• Mom diagnosed with cancer

• Mom starts chemo

• Remodel apartment over garage

• Mom moves in with us

• Mom continues chemo

• Father-in-law diagnosed with cancer

• I start CASA training

• We rent mom's house after interviewing 10,000 people

• I finish CASA and am sworn in

• Mom has surgery

• I get my first case (abused 9 month old...sigh)

• Father-in-law has surgery

Oh and I almost forgot

• My firstborn got married...in my house!

All the while homeschooling, mothering, cleaning, cooking, teaching a church class, being a wife and camel caretaker.

I seriously considered shutting down this blog and burying my head in one of my raised beds...seriously I did.

But then there was these on my hard drive...

And I remember that over 40 of you joined me last year for KinderGARDENS...and I just could not bear the thought of not visiting all of you again in your gardens and seeing your kiddos get their hands dirty!

And I have plans...BIG plans and I want to share them with you too!

So if you all are ready, I think we should start talking a little about KinderGARDENS for this year.  Please feel free to shout out any ideas you guys have to make this year's contest even better.

So for now let's put on our thinking caps and meet back here next week same time...same place and get ready to get dirty!

*****

And for last year's winners...

I still have several gift cards waiting here on my desk.

Please email me at:

[email protected]

and give my your address so I can get them sent to you just in time for spring gardening!

 

Icky Nose Picker or Sleeping Angel?

Anyone who has children that have outgrown naps at a very early age will understand how sweet it is when the above little ones conks out in the middle of the afternoon...like a little sleeping angel

 
Unfortunately you will also understand most little kids' unsavory habit of picking his/her nose as they have yet to understand the social ramifications of such things...ick!

When you combine the two you get this...

Nice...sigh.

And yes I will keep these as blackmail for some future date yet to be determined.

A Good Day for a Book and some Cookies!

It has been stormy, blustery, wet, and cold here in the soggy Pacific Northwest.

What I usually do is moan and groan about the weather and threaten to move to Hawaii.

Today I'm going to embrace the frigid dampness and come up with a few reasons to like (but never love) this weather.

1.  I have no guilt about not working out in the garden...I can barely see the garden for the rain.

2.  Sweaters and slippers.

3.  This is the perfect excuse to bake something as the extra heat is always appreciated on a day like today...preferably with chocolate.

4.  Yet one of many reasons to make soup!

5.  The wind chimes sound like a crazy symphony outside my window.

6.  Knowing that I do not hate this weather more than anyone in the whole world...the camel does!

7.  Flannel pajama pants are still on at lunch.  Of course not due to laziness but due to needing to stay warm...really.

8.  Being thankful for a house.

9.  Cuddling up as an excuse to stay warm

10.  And lastly my very favorite thing to do on a blustery day...

Sitting in front of the stove enjoying a good book!

Which as it turns out is just about Sweet Girl's favorite thing to do too!

Baby boy likes it too.

Now only if the house would clean itself...that would make today just about perfect!

(For those of you wondering, yes that is a surfboard in the corner of our bedroom...and yes there are two little beds there too...and a propane torch which we start fires with...and an old lunchbox in case anyone gets the munchies in the middle of the night.  Pretty much our lives in a snapshot...)

How about you?  What do you do when the weather makes you housebound?  Are you cool like some and break out the paints and creat a masterpiece on canvas?  Or are you like me and curl up in front of the nearest heat source while ignoring your messy house?

 

 

 

 

A Pottery Barn Chicken Apron Dress...???

I finally used a piece of something that I have had stashed away for years now...I was waiting for just the right project to use some!

You can't get any more special than the first birthday of a darling little one who happens to be the daughter of a dear friend...

This is my Pottery Barn Chicken Apron Dress!

The little white apron is made from a dust ruffle from Pottery Barn.  I purchased it new on ebay for a song back when Sweet Girl was just itty bitty.  I waffled between chickens and palm trees for her nursery...palm trees won!  That left me with a perfectly charming bit of embroidery to use as I wish.

Of course I still have a lot left...and I have a little girl who is pretty sure she needs another chicken outfit!

Which would imply that she already has a chicken outfit...she actually has a few.

I have this thing for chickens!

And camels...although somehow not as cute on a dress!

 

 

Green Super Food Smoothie and my New Flash!

What do you get when you combine a green super food smoothie, a three year old, and your new flash?

Without flash...Mr. Messy Face

With flash pointed up...still Mr. Messy Face

I've never had an external flash before and will have to do some playing around with it.

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And if you are interested here is my recipe for my  Green Super Food Smoothie.

I blend this all this organic goodness with Pomegranite Juice in my trusty Vita-Mix.

• Large handful baby spinach leaves

• 3 or 4 Kale leaves

• 1 apple cored and quartered but with skin

• 1/2 frozen banana

• 1 handful each frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

• 1  heaping Tbsp raw cocoa powder

(optional powders, super nutritious)

Acai

Spirulina

Chlorella

Noni

Red Maca

Goji Berry

*****

My kids like the smoothie unless I add all the powders, then it gets a little weird for them.  I pour theirs first and then usually add the extras for mama!

Are smoothies part of your routine?  How about juicing?  If so what are your faves?

 

 

Welcome March!

Welcome sweet March...you sneaky month you.

It seems like you should be the beginning of spring.

But too often you are just a tease...in fact I am looking out my window right now.

And guess what?

Snow!

 No matter...I'm gonna start my tomatoes anyway.

So take that!

*****

On a different note...I love these t-shirts.  The company is called 'Wild Olives' and they use Bible verses to make the most rockin' tees!

Want to win a groovy hoodie?

Follow me my minions!