On a lighter note, we have been enjoying lettuce and spinach and a few broccoli florets from the raised beds! So good! We’ve even been able to give bagfuls to the neighbors.

I also have planted 26 tomatoes, red cabbage, pole beans, lima beans, carrots, sweet peppers, onions, basil, mint and parsley. I already had spearmint, but wanted some peppermint. Mmmm, smells so good!

I practice companion planting, and also planting marigolds in among the plants. Oh, I also have potatoes. These I plant in big flower pots, in layers. They are doing very well, also.

I haven’t decided on what to plant in the beds that had lettuce and spinach, though I really want to cucumbers. So I’m guessing I’ll be planting them in there.

Rattlesnake Pole Beans, King of the Garden Lima Beans, Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts, Longfellow Flint corn, Early White Vienna Kohlrabi, Lincoln Garden Pea, Tam Jalapeno Pepper, Zucchini Gray Squash, Rouge Vif D’ Etampes Pumpkin, Seminole Pumpkin, Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin, Five Color Silverbeet Chard, Break O Day Tomato, Gold Medal Tomato, Yellow Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Basil-Genovese, Celosia-Flamingo Feather, Mixed Colors Love-In-A-Mist, Kilimanjaro White Marigold, Red Cherry Marigold, Lilac PomPom Poppy, Giant White-seeded Sunflower, Bird’s Eyes.

I am going to order two apple trees, though I’m not sure from whom. I am considering Gurney’s, though I got a recommendation for Stark Bros. The price is the same.

I am hoping to share my seeds with some friends. Or swap some seeds for other seeds. As soon as I receive the mini-greenhouse I ordered, I will be starting my tomato and pepper seeds, maybe even some marigolds for keeping beetles at bay.

Of course, none of this will work, unless the Lord blesses the seeds and the work that will go into all of this.

I have been doing lots of reading up on herbs to grow this summer. I’ve also been studying up on Stevia and how to grow/harvest it. I’ve also been trying to pick the kinds of tomatoes, beans, etc to grow in the garden this year. So many varieties to choose from. It’s hard not to pick too many. Or to become overwhelmed. I definitely have found that I need more garden space/beds.

I cleaned up the back yard from when the boys played in the snow a few weeks back. I also took a look around the yard looking at the raspberry canes (looks like we’ll have some raspberries this year!!!) and the blackberries. They aren’t doing as well or growing as fast as the raspberries, but they are healthy-looking. I would really like to plant another cherry tree and some dwarf apple trees. I’m still looking into dwarf as opposed to regular-sized apple trees. I am looking forward to the bush cherries doing well this summer.

Through reading a book about herbs, I have learned that chives and carrots are companions in the garden. If grown in close appoximity, the carrots grow larger. And they do overwinter inside in pots, so I’ll be growing some in pots and placed near the carrots in the raised beds.

I found an offer for a set of shelves with a greenhouse cover with $25 off. I would really like to get this (hubby is all for it) and set it up on the southern part of the patio. This way I could start tomato seeds early and anything else for the summer.

Went to the library with the kids last week and we came home with an armload of books. The twins picked out a movie and a book about steam locomotives. I picked out books about Indians, early American history, slow cooker cookbook, gardening books, early Indiana history, and oldest son picked out a book about space travel. We have all been enjoying the books and movies. Found some books to read to all the boys about George Washington, American Indians, and pioneer Indiana. The twins love anything about George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. I am planning on going to Mounds State Park in the spring as a school trip.

Canned tomatoes: Puree in quarts: 6       in pints: 15       Juice in quarts: 14    Stewed in quarts: 3

Canned apple sauce: in quarts: 5       in pints: 7

Canned green beans:  in quarts: 24

Canned bread and butter pickles: in pints: 17

Canned bread and butter veggies: in quarts: 1      in pints: 7

Homeschooling is doing well. The twins are progressing in reading and math. They love science and history. They really love anything about Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. And space. One of the twins still loves trains. It hasn’t turned out to be a passing fad, but he really is infatuated with them. #1 son is doing well, too, though I want to pull out my hair at times. He has learned things in grammar,  but forgets to apply them. But he really enjoys math, science (Botany this year), and history.

Beading has been doing well. I haven’t had any more parties, but orders do come in steadily. Most of the older necklaces, the ones that I don’t wear all the time, I’ve taken apart for the beads to use in other things.

Hubby stays busy, though at times it looks as if it will be very slow, but then the Lord always provides a load.

I have one part of the cabinets that is full of recipes, clippings, etc. that will be dealt with this coming winter, when it’s too cold to go outside and all the canning/freezing is done. I am also getting rid of all the cooking magazines that have been stockpiled in there as well. I have great intentions on some things, and that’s as far as it gets. I read somewhere that creative people have a really hard time getting organized, cleaning out their stuff, simplifying their lives. For example, they (I) don’t see just a sock that has no partner. They (I) see a would-be puppet, duster, etc.

On Sunday, I had a conversation with another mom who is feeling overwhelmed with the stuff in her house. I told her what I did and how great it is to see no piles/stacks. She was going to try to do the same with her house this week, while her husband is gone. I encouraged her to attack the small piles first, and keep the larger, out of sight ones for a later date. I hope she is doing well, poor girl!

I’ve also been shredding (for baking), slicing and chopping (for stir-fry) zucchini and summer squash. THis I put into the freezer. I’ve also helped mom-in-law with sweet corn, which she then gave me all of last year’s frozen sweet corn for my freezer. She also taught me how to use a pressure cooker and we canned 24 quarts of green beans for our pantry. (We did much more for her pantry.) I also have been blanching and freezing any beans that have come out of our garden.

The peas are doing well and should be seeing the pods filling out soon. More green beans are on the way. The butternut squash and pumpkins are doing well. So are the spaghetti squash. I think the yellow squash are done. More cukes are ready to pick about every day. I am so thankful that it doesn’t come on all at once! Oh, yes, the tomatoes are doing well, even during the worst “blight” years seen for awhile. Tomatoes like it hot and dry, and it hasn’t been either of those this summer. (So much for global warming!)

The Lord truly is gracious and merciful to His children, who are so weak and helpless without Him.

On Sunday morning, #3 son was holding the door open for a lady. She looked at him and told him thankyou and called him by his name. He looked up at her and said, “Thank you for calling me by my name”. I know that they do get tired of being called by each other’s names, and by other generalized names.

This has been (and hasn’t been) #3 son’s weekend. Sunday afternoon, while I was telling hubby goodbye for the week (he had to leave early), I guess there was catastophre erupting in the house. Lady (our not-so-lady-like dog) had jumped up to the table and grabbed the pan of brownies and was devouring up what she could. #3 son went down to save the brownies (his words) when Lady growled and got mean (his words again). She nipped him on the face. When I came in and heard the story, I grabbed a paddle and whacked Lady on the rear end, then sent her out on the chain in the front yard. Then the kids were concerned that I was going to kill Lady, at which time I told them that she was being punished and, no, I was NOT going to kill Lady. Later, that evening, #3 son and Lady was running and playing with each other. I believe that #3 son will not try to “save” any other food from Lady, no matter what it is, from now on! Poor guy. By the way, his face is fine, though if Lady had got his eye or nose or mouth or ear, we would have to start looking for another dog, for Lady would be “pushing up daisies” in the back yard! There is definitely seldom a dull moment in this family. But I wouldn’t trade my family for any other family!

One lady at the party wanted earrings, but not dangly ones. This will be a challenge for me. But, I’m up for it.

I heard many at the party, and elsewhere, that they were looking for only earrings. To me, earrings are very easy to make (except non-dangly ones) and therefore, I don’t make a bunch. I guess I want the ladies to tell me what part of the necklace they want their earrings to look like. Mom suggested I just make a few to go with each necklace and then the ladies can pick what they want. I also heard another woman say that she’s not into earrings or necklaces, but she loves bracelets. So, I’ll be making more of these, also.

The garden has been keeping me busy, with weed-pulling and Japanese-beetle picking. With these little boogers, I drop them into a big cup half-full of hot soapy water, in which they drown. These beetles get on everything, except the yarrow, zinnias, autumn clematis, passion flower, daisies, tomatoes, lima beans, and annuals. They tend to munch on the pole beans, lemon balm, Rose of Sharon, roses, purple clover, crabapples, and burning bushes.

The tomatoes are prolific this year. I’ve even started picking off ripe cherry tomatoes! I’ve also had a couple of yellow squash already. THe turnips did well. These seem to attract all the bugs that would pester the potatoes, so I have left a few for this purpose. The onions, carrots, spaghetti squash, lima beans, pole beans, runner beans, and pumpkins are doing well. So is the acorn squash. I’ve really enjoyed the bee balm this year. I plan on planting/moving this plant all over the yard next year. THe bees and hummingbirds have enjoyed this plant also.

I’m trying to decide what to do with the boys next year for school. There are so many things I want to do, so many I want to try, that trying to decide is turning this girl’s brain into mush! I have to remind myself, from time to time, what I want to accomplish and that I want it to be easier on me. I usually “wing it”, but with three boys needing education, I will be needing a more structured curriculum. It will still be hands on, but I will be using the instructor’s manual in most areas. I’m still debating about what approach I want to do with spelling.

Saturday was the Fairland Fish Fry. #1 son was in the parade on the 4-H float. It was neat to see all the people out and in the parade. The local church was giving out free bottles of water and, when the parade was going through, we loaded up with candy. Afterwards, the boys got to ride rides and see a helicopter land. We all enjoyed a hot dog or a fish sandwich. (Prices were outragious though!) It was a nice day, though we were all tired and very hot by early evening. Later that evening, an old friend of hubby’s stopped by with his wife and kids. We hadn’t seen him for awhile and it was nice “catching up”.

Sunday, after a good sermon, we headed home and then went to hubby’s parents’ house for Father’s Day. Nice to see the family and all the cousins played in the water. We had a great time laughing and teasing each other. Missed my dad though and spending time with my side of the family.

Had a friend from childhood days over on Monday, along with her two children. She was picking up some jewelry I made for her and her mom. Had a nice time catching up with her.

I have been trying to get my children’s homeschool curriculum, etc., for cheap prices. It’s so easy to be swayed into getting more than one really needs. I’m thinking “simpler” this year than last.

Besides the fish fry this weekend, next weekend is the time when the kids are to turn in all their projects. #1 son had 3 this year. A lego creation, a recycling project (make a new use out of a plastic or glass bottle) and a rock collection for geology. The first two are done, but the third project is taking more time. The rocks are collected and classified, but the board and poster board is not done. Still looking for little plastic boxes to use on the board to hold the rocks.

After that is the Shelby County Fair. The projects done and turned in, hot dogs ate, ribbons and pins given, and rides to be ridden (correct english?). I look forward to this weekend. Of course, it’s also 4th of July that weekend. I love this holiday. All the patrioticness (such a word?)!

I am thinking of entering some jewelry into the open show at the fair. I’ll have to wait and see.