This and That

Greetings!

I just got back from spending the afternoon visiting with my mom and a few friends while our children and my dad bowled. It was so fun! I missed them while I was on my vacation.

We have had quite a bit of rain, and the grass is really in need of a haircut, but that won't happen until tomorrow likely, as it is still too wet. We are having a windy day and that will actually help dry the ground out.

Woke up this morning to see that the horses had knocked an interior pasture fence down, and were happily grazing were we did not want them to! This is usually the work of Cheyenne who is a 'grass is greener' kind of horse! When Lindsay went out the feed them she also had to fix the fence...

Meanwhile I was busy in the house cooking some bacon and farm fresh eggs from our dear friends at Laurel Hill Farm. It was so good - Thanks Jeremiah and Brigette! Tim was welcomed home from work this morning with a hot, delicious breakfast.

We were so happy to be back from our vacation in time to go to church on Sunday. We like our church so much and love our church family! Afterward many of us went out together to Fuddrucker's for lunch to celebrate Kelly's birthday! Kelly's family came over after lunch and Tim and Duane (Kelly's husband) took the kids along with Jonathan and Chelsea from Hospitality Lane, hiking to House Rock.

We are getting back into the swing of regular schoolwork, and we only have 21 more days of school left in our year! We try to not to focus on 'how many days left' as we want the kids to be life long learners and not just 'school work' doers, however at this time of year we all get excited to see us get close to finishing the required number of days.

Speaking of homeschooling, our state convention is coming up Mother's Day weekend. The 24th annual CHAP Convention is a great place for home educator's to be encouraged through the many speaker's and through seeing thousands of home educating families most of whom you didn't even know existed! Also their are hundreds of vendors, a Teen Track, Kids Track, meetings for Co-op leaders...the chance to buy books without paying for shipping...it's all good! Tim and I have volunteered for the past 14 years or so, and this year Emily and Lindsay will be volunteering as well!

Rachel, Sarah and I planted some flowering plants that we will be adding to our gardens this year. First nasturtiums from Renee's Garden. These are going into the raised beds, as both a repellent for bugs and for edible flowers for salads.

We also planted Fernleaf Lavendar. I have never grown this kind before but we liked the look of it.

We have the West Ladies dvd "The Art of Herbs" and it is so interesting and full of information regarding how to grow herbs and use them. Emily decided after watching it that we need to also try parsley, oregano and maybe sage this year. I think we may need to add more raised beds.

Speaking of growing things, we purchased the seeds to grow this wonderful melon! It is a French melon called "Charentais". We are excited to try it! We bought it from Baker Creek Seed Company.

Well, have I rambled on enough or what? It is just so much fun to be working toward learning new things and learning to be more self sustaining. God is so good to give us such richness.