Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I am so thankful for the interlude of rainy days. The garden work around here grows as we dig new gardens, plant and transplant. We’re redoing our vegetable garden plans, expanding flower beds and looking to dig a strawberry patch. I enjoy long days in the sunshine, working in the dirt, Greta with me. Rainy days are restful, though, and give a chance to catch up on inside things. To slow down a bit: laundry, crochet, bake, read.

Greta loves the days outside. She calls all flowers “pretty”—“prah-tuh!” I am letting the Johnny-jump-up flowers grow wherever they please so she can have an abundance of flowers to pick. She is so careful. She picks one at a time and carries it around with her like it was a gem. She holds it to her nose to smell, then brings it to me to see and smell as well. “Num-nah?”, she says—her word for food that somehow in her mind translates to smelling as well. It makes sense to me. When she is done with the flower she brings it to the garden again and tries to put it back. She holds it up to me, “bah!”


She plays so hard: digging in the sandbox, helping mama to plant things in the garden, riding the mower with Daddy, chasing birdies. She gets a bit worn out, so rainy days are good for catching up on naps and snuggles. She loves riding in the ergo, and will run excited over to the coat rack to get it if I ask if she wants to go in it.

Yesterday afternoon she rode in there while I did some baking. I was inspired. I picked an armful of rhubarb stalks, made a pot of tea and lit some candles. Mozart’s “Requiem” was still playing softly from the stereo from earlier in the afternoon. We made rhubarb coffeecake, which turned out nicely (aside from a slightly-too-dark crust), and a double batch of banana-walnut-oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies (because I had a couple of squishy bananas about). It was lovely.






It’s still cool and rainy this morning. More cookies baking from yesterday’s dough. Perhaps I’ll get to finish the potholder I’m crocheting with yellow and white thread for Mama’s strawberry teapot from a vintage pattern (I told her I must…it’s begging for one). Greta Rose and I are going on an outing this afternoon with Grandma Connie to do some errands and shop for some herbs for my garden. (Happy Birthday to me!)


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Vintage illustrations (in the last post and this) are from a delicious 1960 picture book A Day on the Farm that I picked up for a nickel during our city-wide garage sales this spring. I keep it with the books on my bedside table for early morning reading with a certain snuggly girl I know who has the sweetest little sleepy face ever. :)

Thursday, May 21, 2009

from the other morning with Pa
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This morning
Mama's little gardening buddy
sundress, sweater and hat
ready to go outside
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(She found the mug with my garden seed packets. She loves those--they have pretty pictures and rattle!)

Thursday, May 14, 2009

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Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

::'~ Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863

Photo: morning scribbles with my new colored chalk from Ana

the Dandelion Princess

Monday, May 11, 2009

::'~ to remember

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Greta and I had a lovely afternoon outside.
I strung two more sections of clothesline and am so glad to have the extra space.



Greta discovered the wonders of the sandbox for the first time today. She played happily there for quite a while while I planted pumpkins. Sweet little thing! (Of course I gave her lots of kisses on her sandy face.)




I picked the first big bunch of my very own rhubarb ever. My plant is a division of a family plant at the farm and has taken a couple of years to get going. Greta and I made rhubard muffins for supper. Oh, I enjoy those.




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{The crabapple trees are blooming in my town. We picked some yesterday to brighten the house for our family dinner, and now my whole house smells like the blossoms.}

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Friday, May 8, 2009

Daddy's girl

Greta is certainly her Daddy's girl. She always perks up when a loud truck drives down the road in front of our house. If she sees anything with wheels she makes her "brrrr" sound that is her imitation of the noise that Daddy's truck makes (even the grill...because it has good sized wheels). Her lastest thing though in the large moving vehicle department is a love for Caleb's Dixon lawn mower. At first she was afraid of it, but in the last week or so she has become quite fond of it. One afternoon she spent her outside play time standing next to it, playing with the knobs and levers and making her "brrrr" noise.



Well. Caleb took Greta for a ride on the Dixon, but not only that she got to hold to the handles. That was all she needed! She knew just what to do with them. She was going to drive the lawn mower. She and Daddy went zooming! Caleb held onto her middle in a big empty stretch of driveway and she did the driving. She can only go straight ahead, so Daddy had to turn her around periodically, but she had oh-so-much fun! Caleb and I laughed and laughed to see Miss Rosebud getting such a kick out of driving!

(I have a little movie of her driving...It's just being slow to upload.)

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