as viewed from outside, looking in our ancient wavy-glassed windows, a bit of a cairn Levi has constructed on his window sill - this is the absolute joy of children = the art they create = the way they inspire you = the gift of everyday joys 

Joe and I always bring rocks home.  Our home is filled with them.  From every trip Joe and I have taken out west.  Rocks from Kenny's grave.  A broken bit of stone from Eddie's grave.  The chipped up red rock from a hike with Deanna.  The collection of smooth black rocks I picked up when I was 18 visiting the Pacific Ocean for the first time.   Rocks Nick brought us from Alaska.  And now, beautifully, the stones my child thoughfully collects & brings in to share & gift to my own cairns.



a late planting of mexican sunflowers brightening up the fall garden



the tiniest seeds to directly plant into the garden = CLAYONIA aka Miner's Lettuce, an exteremly cold hardy salad green

kiddos

Eastern box turtle - found all on his own - I had stepped right over it - he has Joe's eyes in the woods = doesn't miss a thing

woods explorer in Wildwood

a little helmet free time outside while Levi & I paint signs for the garden

"Kale" - then a butterfly, dragonfly, & working on a beetle

building a garden

31August = 3 rows completed - making these by pulling up soil to create walks/rows - have done these by myself with a hoe - a great workout to shake pregnancy body

today - a bit of glare,sorry - 4 rows complete - winter greens going in - broccoli, cabbage, & spinach up several inch - peas beginning to climb - carrots up 6 or 8 inches - already picking & eating some earlier planted kale

Back Carry

We're trying out the mai tia back carry & I love it.

You are what you read

For a small town, Cairo has a kick-ass (apparently well funded) library.  We are frequent visitors.  Some of our current reading...

Seed to Seed:  seed saving and growing techniques for vegetable gardeners




Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden:  a Hidatsa Indian born about 1839, she was an expert gardener - this book is crazy detailed - very cool



Last Child in the Woods:  saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.  No problems here.

The Winter Harvest Handbook:  year round vegetable production using deep-organic techniques and unheated greenhouse.  My favorite out of this lot.  I must purchase this book.  Have not put it down since getting it.

Planning a kitchen garden.  Levi picked this one out for me.  He usually finds a book for me while we're in the adult section.

Preserve It!  I will be making orange marmalade from homegrown oranges this year!

Flirt Skirts:  learn how to sew, customize, and style your very own skirts.  I'm drafting a 'flare' skirt.  Results to come...

Progress Made

The barn at our new place has 40+ years of accumilations.  We are slowly putting hands on every item & deciding to keep or toss.  Mostly tossing.  But there have been a few cool finds.  Here's some progress being made on the greenhouse attached to the barn.  The next step in here are new shelves & in-ground planting beds.

Mid-way thru the greenhouse clean out

Nearly empty - Levi decides the windows are dirty & scrubs them all himself - pretty awesome thanks Levi