Y’all, I cleaned out my pantry. Now, every time I look in there, I hear angels singing!
Here’s my loose tea drawer.
Here’s my spice drawer.
Tonight, we are cleaning out the fridge and freezer. I can’t wait!!!
our house
Garden Update May 4, 2015
I put up the supports and planted the seeds for the bean teepee! I planted some generic pole peans and also some cranberry pole beans from Colonial Williamsburg. I also planted a volunteer butternut squash from the compost pile and some summer squash seedlings around the outside and Adele planted her watermelon seeds too.
Adele’s garden hasn’t sprouted quite yet (except the chamomile), but I expect it will be looking lovely soon enough. And my plastic container of lettuce, arugula, and spinach.
Below, the herb spiral is already doing so well! I have lemongrass at the top (still waiting for some perennial rosemary to add up at the top too), then some teeny thyme seedlings (I have more that I started from seeds inside – waiting to get a bit bigger), oregano, parsley (with teeny seedlings of carrots that you can’t see), chives At the bottom (which is out of the picture), I will dig a huge hole for the frog pond (the bucket should arrive tomorrow).
Tomatoes next to the crepe myrtle with peas planted below the crepe myrtle (not sprouted yet) – I’m hoping to use the lower branches of the crepe myrtle as a trellis for the peas.
Adele and the rest of the neighborhood kids loooooooove the hammock swing.
Lots of happy pea sprouts. Grow, little peas, grow!
Peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers (not sprouted yet), and two pots (I’m waiting for more soil – then I’ll plant more of my tomato seedlings). 
Herb Spiral is Done!
Last Saturday was “yard work day” =)
Kent went to get our bricks and soil, etc. Then we all worked together to unload quickly so that he could return the truck without having to pay extra for going over the hour rental.
After we unloaded everything off the truck and I had about half of the herb spiral built, my neighbor walked over and told me that the county is making him widen the road before he gets his plans approved to build his house. Which means that my herb spiral will soon be part of the road instead of part of my yard. So, I took it apart and rebuilt it closer to the house. I’m soooo glad he told me before I added the soil and planted everything!
The lowest spot at the end of the spiral is where we will add the frog pond. I still have to get a bucket and dig the hole. 
Here is the Montmorency Cherry tree we planted last year after Eleanor was born. Kent bought it for me as a “push gift.” =) Under the tree, we planted comfrey and something else that I can’t remember. They are supposed to be good for the roots of the tree, i.e. feeding with plants rather than using chemicals.
Grateful for poison ivy, pruning in John 15, & yard update
Remember how I mentioned the back corner of our yard that I am hoping will be the home of a hammock before long? I’ve been clearing it out for a few days now and truth be told, I’ve been really enjoying it. Being outside, breathing fresh air, working with my body, thinking my thoughts without interruption (maybe this is the main thing?), etc. Really good times, I tell you! Well, the main task in that area is clearing out brush and millions of vines. I didn’t actually see any poison ivy, but the evidence is all over my arms.
So, our family theme has been eucharisteo for a few years now. And I finally started my own official gratitude journal earlier this year. I have been grateful for Everett’s stroke and resulting brain damage, grateful for struggles as a mother (everything from lack of contentment to dealing with whining kids and obnoxious toys), and lots of everyday things like baby smiles and snuggles, seeing a bird preening outside our front door, the privilege of working together with God to grow plants . . . Well, now, I have a new challenge – Poison Ivy. Of course, it is not easy to be grateful for the pus-filled blisters that hurt because the skin is stretched so tight, the really really really itchy redness, and the fact that the rash keeps spreading every day (for the last four days) so I have no idea how bad it will be before it eventually stops. But, it hit me this morning, that this can be my version of fasting. You see, I have been pregnant or nursing for pretty much that last seven years, so fasting from food just wasn’t a good idea for health reasons. And, while I have been grateful for both the pregnancies and also the nursing babes, I have been a little sad to not be able to fast. So now, this outbreak of poison ivy can be like fasting. Instead of hunger signaling me to pray, I have the pain of the rash. So, every time I feel discomfort, either pain or itching, it will be a reminder to pray and thank the Lord for the reminder =) And thank the Lord for loving me so much that He would die a miserable death and suffer separation from His Father just so that I could be saved from my miserable sin and abide in Him.
This morning, as I was reading John 15, my happy place for the past few weeks as I meditate on Spiritual fruit and abiding, I was struck by verse 2. I understand a branch getting cut out if you bear no fruit, but I didn’t really understand why you would get cut out (pruned) if you do bear fruit. Then I saw how later in the chapter the terms “more fruit” and “much fruit” are used. So, I saw how fruit, more fruit, and much fruit are levels of fruit productivity. So, the Father will prune us (the branch) even when we are abiding in the vine (Jesus) and bearing fruit (of the Spirit see Galatians 5:22-23) so that we will then be able to produce more fruit and eventually much fruit.
I won’t show you any pictures of the back yard in case there is any possibility of the poison ivy jumping through your screen. That would be too mean. This is of the East side of our front yard, with the driveway on the right. The hose is marking the herb spiral. I had to modify it a bit because of the way our yard slopes down to the west (our whole lot is on a pretty steep slope).
And these containers will be for the many annual veggies I will plant either this week or after the last frost date (I am going with May 7th): tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, beets, and a whole slew of herbs and flowers.
And the bean teepee and squash (around the outside) are going by the mailbox on the West side of the driveway.
Spring yard updates
We have now lived in this rental house for a little more than one year. Since we were very close to having baby #3 when we moved, we just didn’t do much with the yard last year. However, this winter, I started reading some great permaculture books and we have some grand plans for this tiny 1/8th of an acre urban homestead of ours!
The two huge trees (to the right) in the back are tulip trees and they are seriously huge! As soon as they leaf out, this whole yard will be shaded for most of the day. I am having the tree company come out one more time to trim the trees to let in just a bit more sun. Try to imagine that triangular portion with all the vines removed and some lush moss growing and a lovely hammock hanging between those trees . . .
Back yard
With the OK from our landlord, we had a tree company come out to remove the fallen logs from the wilderness area in the back yard. It still needs a lot more work, but we are going to clear it out completely and plant some Irish Moss (stepable, but doesn’t need to be mowed) and various perennial wildflowers around the edges and hang a hammock!
Front yard
In our South-facing front yard, we are building an herb spiral out of stacked stone (pics and lots of info HERE) as well as a bean teepee and a LOT of self-watering containers for annual veggies. Since this is the front yard, it needs to be pretty. I’ll keep you posted so you can be the judge.
Our herb spiral will have lots of yummy herbs: perennial rosemary, common Thyme, oregano, Italian parsley, hardy white bunching onions, common chives, garlic chives, basil, lavendar, sage, cilantro, mammoth dill, and a frog pond at the bottom with watercress. Then I will interplant with salad greens in any available space (Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce gourmet blend, mesclun mix, and arugula). Then on the ground on the South side, I will plant beets, chamomile, cucumber, beans, and lemon cucumber.
The bean teepee is just 6-10 poles at least six feet tall gathered at the top with pole beans planted around the base. I think this will be fun since there are so many kids in our neighborhood – like a playhouse.
Our self-watering containers (I have 14 so far – and they are BIG – some as much as 21″ in diameter) will grow: five varieties of tomatoes (dwarf/patio size), sugar peas, snap peas, cucumbers (two varieties – hoping to make LOTS of lactofermented pickles!!!), snap bush beans, and more mesclun mix.
And, we will try to grow one watermelon plant (Adele’s choice at the seed store) in our alley along the East side of our house (gets some South-facing sun too).
I’m also hoping to add a bird bath in the front and back yards. Apparently, if you have a source of water available, birds won’t peck your tomatoes. Here’s hoping!
This picture below is of my greenhouse – just kidding, it’s just a window, but it’ll do. Most of my seeds are direct sow, but we did start a few tomatoes, thyme, and even some watermelon in addition to a bunch of wildflowers – just for fun. We’ll almost certainly grow our peppers and tomatoes from seedlings bought at the local nursery, but we are homeschoolers, so I thought this would be worth the effort to just see what happens. And, through the gloriously-large window, you can see the multitude of containers just waiting to supply us with bountiful harvest this year!
Our new eat-in kitchen
From the moment I first saw our rental house kitchen, I thought the island counter-top should be extended to make an eating surface. There was plenty of room for a walkway on the other side as well as an extension. Kent is usually a good sport about all my crazy ideas but he said NO WAY are we going to buy a remnant of marble for a rental. Now before you go taking sides, let me explain that I wanted to make sure that I love marble, since that’s what I’m planning when/if we remodel our kitchen in Mystic. I thought spending the $500 or so would be way worth it to enjoy now and also to know for sure whether we wanted to invest in it for a whole kitchen. But Kent said absolutely no, so I dropped the issue. But, then I saw this image on a blog:
The blogger was discussing the various parts of the kitchen and she said that the bar the stools are tucked under was FREESTANDING. And – bam! – I told Kent that we could have a freestanding bar next to our island. He loved the idea and decided to begin the project that very day. =) Now, I still think the whole thing would be better covered in marble, but I am beyond thrilled with what I have now.
Here are a few pics to give you an idea of the area where we now have the freestanding bar in the kitchen. It’s between the island and a half-wall to the living room
As you can see, every square inch of this island gets used on Pizza Fridays. We are so happy to have a bit more counter space =)
We used to eat every single meal in the dining room. Now we eat in there once or twice a week at the most. In general Kent and I regret the casualization of our culture and we like things formal. So, eating in the dining room wasn’t a big deal. But, now that we have the option to feed the littles in the kitchen, it is soooooo much better. I now keep Everett’s highchair in the kitchen next to the refrigerator (which is so much more convenient for his food, supplements, bibs, etc.).
Kent spent about $40 on lumber which he attached using the Kreg Jig (which he loves – he used it for my built-in desk in the Schooling Room too) and metal brackets (to attach the top to the legs).
I caulked, painted, and waxed. And, viola!
Eleanor’s Nursery
I finally took some pictures of Eleanor’s room with some daylight. I wish I could show it to you with her finished quilt, but alas – it’s not done yet. I’ll add a picture of it at the end so you can photoshop it in your mind. =) 
Two of those windows are south-facing, so it could actually get lovely light during the day, but the wooden blinds are closed almost 24/7. Very occasionally I will give her a few toys to play in her crib, but mostly she just nurses and sleeps in here. This room is the perfect nursery, in my opinion: serene, simple, calming, and beautiful. And I can pull the white blanket off the rocker and wash it in the washing machine – easy peasy. Unfortunately, you can’t see the beauty of the antique dresser in these pictures, but trust me – it really is lovely.
I change diapers in the bathroom (just a few steps out the door), so I don’t need any diaper changing stuff in here. I sometimes use this changing pad to get her dressed. Above, you can see the lavendar stool I painted with Annie Sloan chalk paint (leftover from Adele’s room) – quick and easy! I left the wooden legs unpainted because they are so pretty. I realize that I have a LOT of different tones of wood in here – and I’m OK with that; perhaps it’s because the (non-wood) colors are pretty muted.
I know this crib area looks bare to most people, but I see calming serenity. I bought a crib skirt (really cute tiered white ruffles) – actually two so that it went all the way to the floor when the crib mattress was higher, but I like it better with nothing.
And the obligatory gallery wall. I know it’s a trend but I just can’t get enough. The three oval frames on the left were made by my late paternal Grandma Eva. She made lots of ceramics when my sister and I were growing up. The frames hold pictures of each of my babes, just hours old (Adele on the far left, then Everett, then Eleanor). I used an antique filter on the pictures, so that the colors would be extremely muted (to go with the muted colors scheme in the room), but I may reprint them with less adjustments.
Here’s a picture of her unfinished quilt to assist with the mind photoshopping =)
P.S. I bought the fabrics for the quilt and the poofies for over the crib and that’s about all I bought new for this room. I bought the crib, rocker, and dresser on craigslist and everything else we already had.
