Mother’s Day, result of party, plants
12 May 2009 Leave a Comment
in books, Countrylane Beads and Things, family, landscaping, Lord's blessings
What a wonderful weekend, what a wonderful family, what wonderful blessings the Lord gives to me daily! It truly was a blessed weekend and the time spent with family was wonderful! After a good Sunday school lesson and a blessed morning sermon, we spent the early afternoon with hubby’s family. Then the late afternoon was spent with my family. The day before, my mom, brother, 3 boys and I went to a cousin’s 30th birthday party. The boys had a great time getting to know their cousins, a goat, 3 horses and a pond out back. Us adults had a great time talking and mostly laughing with family and new friends.
My wonderful family gave me a very nice digital camera and a book written by Dr. Laura titled, “In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms”. I’ve started reading this book and have already been blessed by it. For those of you who don’t know who Dr. Laura is, she’s the 3rd top listened-to radio talk show host. She is also a psychiatrist and marriage counselor. But she was first, a stay-at-home mom and highly recommends homeschooling. Hubby loves to listen to her show while he is on the road. He says that it reminds him how good he has it at home and reminds him to treat his family kindly and love deeply.
I haven’t told about the results of the jewelry party. Many clothes were gathered for the shelter. The sales were down, but there were many conflicts of people’s schedules and I know that the economy has a lot to do with it. But I still had orders to fill and someone brought me a necklace to redo. This encourages me, that I am gaining a reputation that one can trust me with their jewelry. I do my best and if someone is not satisfied, I will do it over until they are satisfied or just give it back to them the way they gave it to me. Two people have scheduled a home party with me, for later in the year. Another person who couldn’t be there has said she would like to host a home party with me and a cousin said the same thing. This will help get my name and work out there. A good friend has promised me a brochure as soon as I get some pictures to her. Ain’t that sweet?
It’s spring and that means that I’m planting things. The spinach and lettuce are coming up nicely and I have already enjoyed eating on the spinach. #2 son loves eating “leaves”, #3 son tolerates it, and #1 son turns his nose up at it, if eaten plain. But he will eat it and loves it, if it is cheese, or the like. I am planning on making some spinach tortillas. The turnips are sprouting and so are the carrots. Still looking for the green onions to make their appearance. I am planning on planting the pole beans as soon as I get the pole bean teepees built and put up. These “teepees” are made out of long sticks/branches that have fallen out of our trees over the winter, then tied together at the top with twine, and set in the ground to look like teepees. I also made another hog-panel trellis and will be planting something viney on that as well. I ”dug out” two large planting containers out of the shed that will be what I plant potatoes in. These can be placed anywhere in the yard. 6 tomato plants were given to us two weeks ago and have been put into the ground. They are doing well, so they must like where they are. For their beds, I have been digging a trench and burying kitchen scraps. The scraps will rot and compost the ground while the tomatoes will be drawing on those nutrients.
Yesterday, the boys and I went to the local Feed and Seed and bought mulch, Tickseed (Coreopsis Grandiflora) and 2 Shasta Daisies. These were bought using a gift certificate that was given from my brother for my birthday (in Feb.). I have planted the Tickseed close to some Coneflower, Bee Balm and a flower that I call Mexican sunflower. These are off of the south side of the patio. Earlier this spring I put in a dry river bed to conceal a tile that runs out from behind the wall. THis is still in progress, though I hope to be done by Memorial Day weekend. We are planning on having people out for that weekend. (Talking about all of this has made me want to go out right now and work in the dirt!)
Terracing the backyard
14 Oct 2008 Leave a Comment
in landscaping Tags: landscaping
After little brother put in the patio and retaining wall, which we love, we have had a problem the past few years with erosion. Water coming off the hill, will run around the retaining wall and pile dirt (mud) on the patio. After this past summer with all the rain, and after scraping mud off of the patio, I decided something new had to done. So, I designed a walkway from off the patio and gradually up to the yard behind the retaining wall. (Our home sits on the side of the hill, with the back of the house going into the hill.) I dug out about 6 inches, little brother brought over some gravel, and after filling in with gravel, I put in some large flat stones to step on, then filled in with pea gravel. Looks good so far. Yesterday, I cut railroad ties with a chain saw and placed them in some dug out troughs. They will act as a step and as an edger to keep back the mulch that will go in behind them. I did have to put in some old metal edging that mom had to keep back the mulch from washing down the hill. Now I’m ready to put in the mulch. Years ago, someone had put in one of those brick bar-b-que pits, which had started to crumble apart, so two years ago, I took it apart. What’s left over is a concrete pad that is crumbling apart. I would really like to put in a fire pit here. The steps lead up to this place from the patio. Perfect to use when the nights get chilly, after everyone has eaten, to just move up to the firepit and get a fire going. Sure hope this works.
Cutting the one railroad tie was a feat I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to finish. They really ought to make houses out of those things. I’m not sure what this thing weighed, but it was by far the heaviest tie I have ever tried to manuver. I would have had my husband help me with all of this, but he is too busy trying to make a living for us. With the economy as it is, it is harder these days to find loads for him to haul. But the Lord is in control. And He will clothe, shelter and feed us.
