The Inadvertent Farmer

If You Can't Beat Them... Photograph Them!

I have long given up on keeping weeds out of the 'lawn'.  This is mostly due to the fact that our lawn is just pasture grass we keep mowed down right around the house.

Even if we had a real lawn there is no way to keep the weed seeds from the fields that surround the property from blowing in and sprouting up in it...so we don't try.

So instead of worrying about dandelions I enjoy them for the photogenic nature.  This was taken at dawn on a morning that had quite a bit of dew.  The moisture made the seed heads less 'poofy' than usual, making it so you could see right down into the dark ball at the middle.

It is so easy to love a dandelion when you relax about your yard!

So don't freak out about weeds...photograph them!

Although I will admit it makes mowing a bit conflicted!

 

The Winner Is...

Karen Mayes!

"What a nice garden box! I would use one to plant tomatoes along with a couple other vegetables. I grew up on a large farm that always had a big garden bursting with fresh produce. Now I live in a city and have little gardens sprinkled throughout my small yard. The garden box would be wonderful!"

Karen I hope you, Grant, and Wesley enjoy your new garden box! 

Email me at theinadvertentfarmer(at)gmail.com with your address and it will be shipped to you straight from the company.

And thanks to Greenland Gardener for this great recycled garden box to give away...anytime we gardeners can keep things out of the landfills we are happy!

Yes we are thiiissss happy!

Another Use for Homegrown Tomatoes!

You can eat fresh from the garden tomatoes out of hand, cook with them, dry them, freeze them, can them. 

You can put them in salads, on pizza, you can make sauce, salsa, and ketchup from them...

But if you are really, really creative you can....

 

Learn to...

 

Balance a tomato...

 

On your face!

I love it when kids get creative in the garden!

So what is your favorite way to us garden fresh tomatoes?

 

 

Home Again, Home Again...Yippitty Yip!

We're home again and frankly I'm jumping for joy!

So please excuse me while I go play in the garden and pet the donkeys!

What about you?  Are you anxious to get home at the end of vacation or could you stay gone...long gone?

If I were totally honest I pretty much would never leave home...but  being a team player and all, I travel once in a while.  But for me there is no place like home!

Life is Like a Tomato

Life is like a tomato...

Sometimes it is red and warm and perfect from the garden...until...

 

Until you turn it over and realize that a slug has eaten a hole in it and left slime in the crack...I for one hate slime in the crack!

As with life there is nothing to be done but to eat around the bad stuff and enjoy it to its fullest anyway! 

So here is to he very first (non-cherry) tomato of the season, imperfect but delicious none-the-less 

Kinda like Life!

 

One Wild and Precious Life

"Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?"
~ Mary Oliver

 

I ran across this quote yesterday at Soule Mama's place...a blog which I adore!  As summer is into its second half this quotation hit me...hard.

First I cannot believe that it is August...of the year 2011 no less.

 Secondly I want a recount...there has got to be a mistake, somone sped up time when I wasn't looking!

Time seems to go so much faster than it did when I was a kid, faster than when I was first married, even faster than it did in my thirties.  With each decade time's passage seems to be swifter and swifter.

Has it been this way since the beginning of time?  Do all humans ponder the fact that summer used to stretch on almost forever and then suddenly it is gone in a blink of an eye?

After much thought there are a few reasons I think this phenomenon happens...I won't bore you with most of them but the one that really applies to me is...

Busyness.

When you are a kid you have little to do but to play, read, explore and do a few chores...time seems to flow at a slow easy pace with summer stretching out a lifetime.

Fast forward to young adulthood.  You become more busy with work and/or school but without a big household to take care of, time still is under control.

Full blown adulthood!  You have a passel of kids, a house to run, a job to go to, a garden to tend...laundry, dishes, groceries, bills.  Not to mention any volunteer work and church.  There are school supplies to buy, toilets to scrub, and animals to feed.  Let's not forget the kids that need attention and the husband/wife that needs lovin'!  Add that all up and there is not enough hours in the day to do them all properly.

Since there are not enough hours, those precious few seem to scream by at an alarming pace...before you know it you are dead and you never did get everything done!

So here is the conclusion I have come up with...

I can slow time down by clearing some things off my plate. 

If we could go back to the simple summers of our childhood I think we could recharge and learn to slow down  I don't mean completely ignore our responsibilities but really do we need to be so busy? 

You know as well as I do we don't!

So here is my motto for August...

Slow down and savor the last few moments of summer. 

Make it good to the very last drop!

 Afterall we are not guaranteed another...

 

 

Public Service Announcement from the Farm

We interrupt this regularly scheduled nonsense to bring you...

Well, more nonsense.

It seems as though next week we are getting...

Drum-roll please!

 

Three Donkeys!

 

There is a nice lady moving to town who needs to find a home for a mama, daddy, and baby donkey.

She was told that there was this crazy farm lady that loved to take in homeless animals.

Hmmmm wonder where she could have gotten such an idea...

Ahem!

 

I will need to talk to Danni at On the way to the Critter Farm...she knows all about donkeys!  She also writes a wonderful blog about her life with her darling critters!  Here are her two charming fellows...Chester and Beau!

Danni...oh Danni...I need some advice!

I Sooooo Know Better...Parenting Lessons

I have been a mama for over 25 years now.

I am familiar with some of the do's and don'ts of kids...

• Don't buy a bunk bed and not expect at least on broken bone
• Don't think that every stick, lego, and finger will not be turned into a weapon eventually no matter how anti-violence you are...it certainly will.
• Don't have boys with long hair and get annoyed that every old person thinks 'he' is a 'she'...even if he is wearing a Spiderman shirt and carrying a transformer.
• Don't buy permanent markers...ever!
• Don't have a camel and not expect them to try to ride it!
• And...

No matter how much you hate plastic...

And its impacts on the enviroment and our health, don't every serve yogurt...

To a recently turned 4 year old boy...

In a glass bowl...

I Soooooooooo Know Better!

What have you learned to do or NOT do as a parent?

 

 

Rain Photos and New Alpacas

I was not going to post anymore rain pictures...

But I just had to show you these.

Rain rocks on pansies...

 

And cosmos!

 

Just in case you ever wanted to know what bird netting looked like in the rain!

*****

Breaking News: We just received our new alpacas...3 mamas, 3 babies, and neutered male named Mojo!

Come back tomorrow for pictures and find out what our resident llamas thought about the whole thing!

 

Waging War on Weeds at Tip Junkie

Hey all!

I'm over at Tip Junkie where I continue my Gardening 101 series.

This week we are discussing how to get rid of weeds!

Waging War on Weeds

Come on over and share your advice on how you deal with weeds!

Orchid Obsession?

I always thought those people that collected orchids were a bit strange.

Seriously why collect a plant that you can not eat?

Or that need bright light but not direct light...or is rather expensive?

It all alluded me until...

My sweet daughter wanted this for her birthday...

Yes for her 8th birthday she wanted a pink/purple orchid!

So on my windowsill stands this intriguing little plant.

I have enjoyed having it there.

Which came as a surprise to me as my windowsills are usually filled with seedlings or herbs.

Then...

I saw this one...

And I had to have it!

But then there were two orchids sitting on my windowsill.

Everyone knows that odd numbers always look better than even numbers so...

OK...now I'm one of the freaky orchid collectors (of course I mean freaky in the kindest of ways!)

But I still cannot eat, dry, or can, an orchid.

Which begs the question.

What the heck does a farmer needs with a windowsill of orchids?

I'll have to get back to you on that.

 

Newly Orchid Obsessed!

Happy Independence Day!

 

May we all remember that our freedoms were not even remotely free.

Never forget just how lucky we are!

Have a happy and safe weekend my blog friends!

Just Beachy and Growing Up.

How is it that my eldest son is old enough to be married?

How is it that my eldest son's best friend is old enough to be getting married at the beach this weekend?

It was not very long ago they were is school together, playing star wars, building forts from hay bales, zooming around the Mario Cart tracks and building elaborate universes out of Legos! 

I want a recount...there is NO way they are old enough to be real adults!

Where did my boys go?

For those of you with little ones heed my warning.

I know you've heard it a thousand times...

Cherish this time with your babies, before you know it they will be grown and gone.

And you too will be demanding a recount!

So while you are pondering that bit of advice...we will be at the beach...watching yet another part of our family be all grown up...

Sob

I've forbid the little ones from turning into big ones...nope, no becoming grown-ups for the little ones!

Or this one for that matter!

Pretty sure he'll never completely grow up!

Have a wonderful weekend my blog buddies...see ya Monday!

Just Another Manic Monday...Ohhh Ohhh

Mondays are crazy...why is this so universal? 

Songs have even been written about Monday!

Monday, Monday...can't trust that day!

I live in the sticks on a farm yet my Monday to-do list is so long I'm pretty sure I'll still be working on it Thursday!

• Banking
• Baking
• Weeding
• Laundry
• Dishes
• Meeting
• Planting
• Transplanting
• Painting

And lets not forget the treadmill, showering, and blogging!

But for now this is what I'm doing...

I'm chilling with a new seed catalog praising my boys for leaving just enough lentils to put on my spinach salad.

Yes its just another manic Monday... but a girl can still carve out a few moments of peace!

And for those of you old enough to remember the Bangles...(and as a sidenote, I want to look that good at 50+!)

 

 

So what about you? How is your Monday looking?

Me?  I wish it was still Sunday... 

When stuck in the Car and Bored

The kids and I were stuck in the car for a short time the other day.  Short enough that I didn't let them out of their seats, but long enough for mama to get bored (which usually happens within minutes)

Sweet Girl handed me a flower that she had picked at a friends house (post on friend's garden later this week...its stunning!)  Anyway while sitting in the front seat of my husband's car and per usual having my camera in my purse...well you can guess!

Daisy on Blue Jeans...

 

Daisy on Dashboard...

 

Daisy against Blue Sky through Windshield...

 

All because someone handed me a daisy...

 

And I was bored...

As usual.

 

So what do you do in the car when you're bored?

 

 

Thank You for our Freedom

I just wanted to say thanks to all those that have laid down their lives in sacrifice for my freedom.

I just wanted to say thanks to all of those that are still serving and willing to sacrifice your lives for my freedom.

I owe you so much.

Can You Identify this Mushroom?

I know nothing about mushrooms except what the labels tell me at the local market.

We were up at our lake cabin and I saw this growing in the yard...I have no clue what kind it is. 

It is very interesting.  There was only one.  It was growing in the shade of a tree.

If anyone knows what it is I would be thrilled!

With the amount of rain we've had around the Pacific Northwest I'm surprised we're not all sprouting mushrooms and moss!

Happy Tuesday all!

WordPress ate Blogger?

OK all my kinderGARDEN friends...you all seem to have Blogger blogs and Blogger says many of you don't exist, which I know is sooooo not true!

I have been trying since yesterday to comment on your blogs and Blogger won't let me...darn Blogger.

Whatever is going on with them better get fixed or I might have a fit! 

I'm pretty sure my youngest would give me lessons!

I am not even remotely superstitious but did somebody crash Blogger as a Friday the 13th prank?

Maybe WordPress ate Blogger!

Yeah...that must be it.

 

 

Monday, Forgiveness, and Swimming Lessons

Its Monday, its raining and I'm slightly grouchy.

When I was praying this morning I was asking God to forgive the long list of things I always ask forgiveness for...

• Being impatient with the kids.
• Not being thankful.
• Being a slob.
• Annoyance with my spouse.

I know that God promises to forgive me if I ask but darn...I just want my faults gone, not just covered and forgiven, although I am thankful that they are both covered and forgiven...cause they just don't seem to be going away.

Anyway,

We have been neck deep in...

Swimming lessons!  Five days a week...help me!

Hahahaha...she hates water on her face, which if funny cause its hard to swim without getting your face wet!

He doesn't like to swim as much as he likes to jump in...adrenaline junky in training!

I cooked up the last 'sweet meat' squash from last year.  I made it into bread, what was left that is after Sweet Girl finished snacking!

We went on a May Day garden tour...

In a perfect world I would have a garden full of tulips...but since you can't eat a tulip it is not high on my list of 'must plant' plants.

In heaven I'm going to plant lots and LOTS of tulips!

And Bleeding Hearts!

And even a Fern or two!

Someday I will grow things that slugs won't eat and I will never lose patience with my family...frankly I look forward to that day.

Pretty sure my family does too!

But in the meantime I'll just keep trying...

And asking for forgiveness.

*****

Don't forget KinderGARDENS starts this week!

Come join us, bring your kiddos and old clothes cause we're gonna get dirty!

 

 

 

Paging Noah

Yes I live in the Northwest...

Yes it rains here in the spring...

But DARN...

 

 

At least we have these lovelies...although they are not being visited by our bees as I have not supplied the little guys with raincoats and umbrellas, which is pretty much a must have at this point.

If you all see Noah, please have him send an ark our way!

 

Vigilante Justice and other Ramblings

Let's see...

Its still raining...don't even get me started.

I talked to the investigating officer on my CASA case and she says that they have not arrested anyone, and might not, due to lack of evidence.  Let me get this straight...a baby with two broken arms and a broken leg is not evidence enough...really?  Convene the firing squad is my first instinct if I was to be really honest with you all.  I am not usually into vigilante justice but it feels like better than no justice at all...

I'm working on my attitude...as from the above you can see why.

I have three costumes for the upcoming Easter performance this weekend and next that still need to be sewn...and I just cannot seem to make it up to my sewing machine.

I went to the eye doctor yesterday and was told I do not need glasses...guess I'll just keep on squinting!

I have run out of good ideas for dinner...completely out.

We got some of the garden rototilled but had to skip our Dave Ramsey class to do so...sorry Dave but gardening is a great way to save money!

My house is a wreck...but it would be unusual to be any other way.

I hate exercise...but that too would be unusual to be any other way...but I do it anyway.

We have decided not to go to Hawaii...it is just to crazy expensive, Dave would be proud.  We are going to Yosemite instead.

My older boys do not call their mama enough...then again that means nothing bad is happening in their lives and they do not need me...oh that is a double edged sword!

My new daughter-in-law calls me...I love her.

Baby Boy no longer wears a pull-ups to bed...I guess he is no longer a baby...don't even get me started!

That's it...that's all I've got.

What about you?  What's going on in your life?

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.

****

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!

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!