A May weekend in Cairo

butterfly weed

driving around the farm

coral bean

Papa & his hydrangeas

at Papa's pond

mud stompin' - Xavier, Joe, & Levi

at the family reunion - Katy made the chocolate one

Sunset Memory

We walk most evenings as a family around the neighborhood. Tonight = sunset sky - magnolias blooming, their scent - a new very sweet smell too, mimosas blooming pink. Hidden jasmine. Passing by the Holland's garden, their corn now taller than Levi, the watermelons spreading. Picking up metal cans. Seeing the other neighborhood garden & its resident rabbit. Levi's eyes big as it speeds away cotton tail bouncing.

Returning home at dark to look one last time at our own garden. Joe walks in to prepare Levi's things for bed. I'm holding Levi & we're looking again at the zinnias about to bloom, his zucchinis 'growing up', then in front of the pumpkin arbor a pause & then from silence:

"Mommie I'm proud of you." --pause-- " I like that you take care of me."

And it is all worth it then, all the hard work being a parent, living on one income, staying at home with him, it is all worth those small words spoken out of the blue in the quiet of our garden at dark.

Beach Bums......

Levi and I left Mommy at home and took off to Tybee for a day by ourselves. Good, solid man- time building sand castles, driving our dump trucks, swimming in the tidal pools, and looking for seashells to take home to Mom. Have sunscreen and pb&j's, will travel!!

Sunday is

a much needed day home alone. Levi & Joe have gone to build sandcastles on the beach at Tybee. A little housecleaning, jam making, music, and garden zen time for me.

Around the yard

kousha squash | seeds from the annual Old Timey Seed Swap in Athens, Ga | I'd never heard of this type before - fresh like a zucchini but will store like a winter squash | 6 plants & they've started running & setting fruit

the seed pack says prairie coreopsis, 24 inches tall | I started these last year & only had one plant survive to incorporate in my flower ring at the new house | I was beginning to think I'd been nurturing the wrong plant when, in a matter of weeks, this thing went from a foot tall to five feet | but finally it set flowers & they're 'right'

echinacea about to bloom | happy plant: over 20 blooms showing

anybody know what this is? Gertrude gave it to me & I can't remember | it's 3+ feet tall & covered in these light purple flowers

Wyoming Canna from Old House Gardens | a birthday gift from Joe & Levi | their description: Christopher Lloyd, the beloved guru of English gardening, ranked this as one of his all-time favorite cannas. With rich, dark bronze foliage and flowers of sunset-orange that he described as “bright yet by no means aggressive,” it turns 103 this spring! 3-5 feet, from Oklahoma.

Basil - my all time favorite summer herb | this year I WILL have enough to satisfy all cravings (and for many batches of homemade pesto to see me thru the winter) | I have planted dozens

Sunday is

happiness - 90 degrees - homemade blackberry jam - pancakes with warm jam - planting seed-started celosia - dancing in the yard - listening to the Grateful Dead - music all day - a content playing child - grilling burgers - feta cheese - fresh basil - sunset - easy - child to bed at 7 - long kisses - snuggling on the couch - a new movie - live oaks - breezy - a lazy dog - homemade sushi rolls - love

At Home

At the last minute we canceled our Athens trip - so we're home this weekend & went blackberry picking this evening. Got enough for a batch of jam + some for cereal in the morn. We'll go back in a few days - lots of red ones still turning.

feeding me one

showing off a ground beetle (and some really dirty hands)

Athens bound

About to drop. Up since a little after 4am. Going non-stop. Cleaning house, packing, watering plants, gathering painting supplies, chasing Levi, finding the beekeeping stuff, making food for the trip, cleaning the Mazda out, getting camping gear together. We're headed to Athens for a 3-day weekend. We're going to paint our house there & finally get a 'For Sale' sign up. I'm digging a multitude of plants from the yard & moving my beehive over to Carrie's new place.

Anybody wanna buy a 3BR/1BA on 1 acre near Athens? Organic garden already established. 50+ mature pines. Metal roof. Fireplace. Chicken coop. Huge back porch. Priced to sell!