Monthly Archives Jun 2008
Sunday afternoon at Pineland Farms
June 30, 2008
Yesterday was family day. We were supposed to go hiking but a check on the weather forecast the night before kiboshed those plans. Instead we all slept in and after a 10:30 breakfast (preceded by a fantastic thunderstorm), we all sat around and asked the "so what are we going ...
When the family's away, the mommy will play
June 30, 2008
My family went to see WALL-E tonight. Since it was a pay-your-own-way family outing I opted out. I have better things to do with my time and money (we all get a little allowance each week). Like treat myself to a forbidden fluffy-white-bun toasted veggie Italian from the corner pizza ...
Food crisis realities
June 28, 2008
This is not happy. This is not beautiful. This certainly is not fun in my back yard. This is pain, suffering and hunger in "my backyard", and it breaks my heart and leaves me feeling sickened with helplessness. Other than donate dollars I don't have a clue what to do ...
Garden Report - Move over pink
June 28, 2008
The soft and somewhat overwhelming pinks of the front flower bed have gone bye now. When we bought our house I inherited peonies and rhododendron that put on a big beautiful show each June. But by the end of the month I'm ready to say adios to pink. June is ...
Super Sweet Farm Day
June 27, 2008
Pickin Eatin The kids and I spent time at 4 farms yesterday. We started at Claybrook Farms where Celine was taking horse riding lessons, yesterday's was the last. To honor that occasion we simply had to stop at Nezinscot, farm number 2, on the way home for farm bakery cinnamon ...
Lazy (?) Summer Days
June 26, 2008
I'm not sure exactly when the summer steam roll train started this year. Probably sometime in February when I began to fantasize about raised beds, weekly pick-ups at the farm, fresh picked berries, wearing sundresses and going to the beach. I'm officially five days into summer and pretty dog tired ...
Make It From Scratch Blog Carnival
June 24, 2008
Check out Chezart for this week's Make it From Scratch Blog Carnival. A link to my laundry soap recipe is posted there along with lots of cool "make it yourself" projects. I just love learning from other home-industrious people! There's even a recipe for making shampoo from soapwort plant - ...
A boring post about RSS
June 23, 2008
11/19/08 Update I just came across this video that does a fabulous job of explaining how RSS works: Original Post I've gotten a few e-mails and in person comments from friends who missed my soap giveaway contest. There is a surefire way you won't miss anymore amazing blog posts (who ...
Summer Solstice, Tougas Style
June 22, 2008
We greeted the first day of summer early so we could get into the White mountains mid-morning to avoid late afternoon thunderstorms. Maybe it was the early morning or the huge meal (Damien's birthday supper) the night before but I was cranky and sluggish all the way up. We had ...
Happy Birthday Babe
June 20, 2008
Today is my husband's 36th birthday. Every day I am thankful that he is my best friend, partner, lover, co-parent, provider, sounding board, technical support, primary household researcher, fellow adventurer and pilgrim on this journey called life. I am at a loss for words ("it's about time" he thinks) when ...
Garden Report - Mid June
June 19, 2008
Summer hasn't even officially begun and I already feel it's half over - what's that all about?? Must be all the time I've already spent in the garden. Thankfully the first intense part of the vegetable garden work is done. Just in time for the start of berry picking (we'll ...
Loving my neighbors, one bouquet at a time
June 18, 2008
I don't think Jesus Christ made life any easier for his followers (although I don't like labels I'm comfortable calling myself a follower of Christ) when he simplified all the law of the Hebrew Scriptures into the two commands to love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as ...
And the winner is...
June 17, 2008
I'm sheepishly announcing that my mom won the prize, no favoritism, I promise! Yesterday I wrote all the names on pieces of paper and Brienne (a non-reader) drew out the winner's name. Mom, this is kind of convenient considering your birthday is coming up. Now I can just send you ...
Weekend Smiles
June 16, 2008
We spent Saturday night camped out in our friend's yard. It was a wonderful time together on Saturday afternoon and then a night of gentle rain and a little thunder and lightning. The rain canceled our Sunday hike plans but that meant spending more time chatting with our friends about ...
Name That Soap Contest
June 13, 2008
Ok, I'm going to be honest upfront, I love your comments. It's reassuring and somehow validating to know that someone, anyone, is reading what I've spent time writing. And maybe you're encouraged, enjoyed a pretty picture, had a laugh or can identify with growing gardens and the joys & struggles ...
Mama Music
June 12, 2008
Just bought the new Plumb album Blink yesterday. I spent the evening listening to it and blubbering about how much my babies have grown up. I have never heard an album like this, melancholy mama pop tunes. When is the last time you heard songs about the sleepless nights and ...
The view around here
June 10, 2008
This morning looked like this. Before the day got really hot, 90F in early June in Maine is kind of ridiculous. Thankfully we had made plans to visit our good friends and so spent the hottest part of the day at their town beach, a block from their house. Maine ...
Monday Mama Thoughts
June 9, 2008
Perhaps it was reading Lori's lovely post this morning, which reminded me once again (like I need reminding when my eldest is almost as high as my shoulder) how my babies are way past babies and growing much too fast. If not because of those thoughts it certainly was because ...
Year of Wonders A Novel of the Plague
June 9, 2008
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks My review rating: 3 of 5 starsJust finished this historical novel about an English village during the plague epidemic of 1666. As a homebirth mama and backyard herbalist I was particularly drawn to the narratives of midwifery and herbal lore. And so grateful that ...
Brienne Bubbles
June 7, 2008
I already posted a photo today but I just couldn't help posting this one as well. Too many photo ops these days.
Spring School
June 6, 2008
A couple months ago, when the first warmish days of spring arrived, we unceremoniously* dropped the more formal aspects of our homeschooling. Our idea of formal meaning setting aside time for scripture memory, math, spelling and handwriting practice, about an hour a few days a week. We have kept up ...
Greener...down the toilet
June 6, 2008
This journey to live more "green" is a process, often painfully slow. Sometimes the steps we take are large (can't think of any recent ones) but more often they are daily, small steps towards living a more earth friendly lifestyle, for lack of a better phrase. One of this month's ...
Garden Report - almost there
June 6, 2008
Four down, 2 more to go. Tonight we planted the Jacob's Cattle bush beans, Soldier pole beans, corn and decorative gourds. The gourds were volunteer seedlings from the compost heap. The beans will be harvested and eaten as dried beans. We eat A LOT of dried beans and I'm curious ...
People in my Neighborhood
June 4, 2008
Remember the Mister Rogers or Sesame Street song (I can't remember which) "These are the people in your neighborhood"? Well these are the people, whom we have the privilege to call friends, in our neighborhood. Introducing The Faire Bande à Part Housing Cooperative, friends and fellow community members:
The Real Dirt on Farmer John
June 3, 2008
Watched a great movie this weekend that I wholeheartedly recommend seeing. The Real Dirt on Farmer John is a documentary about a family farm turned CSA farm, but it is so much more than that. It's a story about a man and his love for his land. His family's past, ...
Garden Report - Tomatoes Planted
June 2, 2008
I finally have garden progress to report, today I planted tomatoes. It doesn't look so pretty but I'm using High Yield Tomato Mulch for better water retention and weed prevention. But mostly to reduce blight caused by soil spores that splash up onto the leaves. The "mulch" is also supposed ...
Boardin' to the Old Port
June 2, 2008
When we decided this morning to head to Portland instead of the mountains we didn't realize the Old Port Festival was today. Coincidently, our original plan to scooter, bike and board around the back cove was thwarted by the unanticipated gravel path. Can't skateboard on that. Plan B was the ...
Sunday Morning Crafting
June 1, 2008
Today we're headed to Portland to walk, skateboard & scooter the Back Cove Trail. Thunderstorms are forecasted for the mountains and although we'd love to be out hiking we don't want to run the risk of being on a summit in a lightening storm. While we wait for Daddy to ...
