Farm Fresh: Harvesting Tomatoes, Mulching, and Weeding

Last weekend our dogs were on high alert trying to get something in the big log pile. 

 See that pair of eyes peeking out in the center of this photo? They were squeezing themselves down in between the logs trying to catch it.

 I am guessing it was another groundhog, but we may never know since they couldn't get at it to catch it.

The tomatoes are growing like crazy despite hornworm and aphid attacks.  We picked off more than 20 hornworms this week and reapplied diatomaceous earth on plants where there were a lot of aphids. 

 Harvested my first yellow pear tomato

And the kids picked our our first Cherokee Purple tomato and pickling cucumbers for me this week. 

Mama Sadie lost one of her 7 ducklings... We were letting her stay in the barn, but have been keeping her in one of the hoop houses since the duckling was lost.  And no, I don't think it was the rats -- there were no remains so it was probably our neighboring great horned owls.

 Hubby chipped a bunch more branches last Saturday and our friendly neighborhood tree guy brought another truck load too. 

All those chips have allowed me to get a bunch of much needed weeding and mulching done in the big garden.  This year's composting-in-place pile has gotten huge. Peas on the far left are done now and our two rows of sweet potatoes are looking good.  I added some horse manure on that side last weekend and will add some rabbit manure this week to finish it off.

  On the other side, the squash is still swamping the sweet corn in some areas, but I am pleased with it overall. I picked cabbage worms off the brussels sprouts every day for a week and I think the plants are recovering now.

Elecampane is blooming.

 Perry is sitting on another batch of eggs since her three ducklings are mostly grown now.

 The little guineas moved outside. The last remaining adult guinea likes to hang out near their coop.  I think he is lonely and will be so glad to have a new little flock for company.

 I love this view from my kitchen window. It makes me so happy!

Family Fun: Independence Day and a Drive-in Movie

All the big fireworks displays were cancelled in our area, but the kids still made it festive by wearing red, white, and blue. We also had a special dinner of barbecue ribs and salt potatoes. Some people in the surrounding neighborhoods must have been setting off their own fireworks because we saw some from the upstairs windows that night. 

 I am so grateful for our unfinished basement.  It is wonderful to have a place for messy projects. These kiddos love to paint things! And we use it for so many other things --planting and rollerblading and chick brooding.

 This is a picture from their zoom playdate with friends this week. Not as fun as in person, but way better than losing touch completely.

 We are still spending a lot of time outdoors doing chores and playing, though things have been heating up lately. The kids found this dragonfly with a hurt wing.

 Big sister A had virtual YW camp this week and learned to make tassels and pompoms in one of her classes.

 Brother S and Miss L organized their octonaut toys with little signs to show their fellow octonaut fan during a playdate this week.

 Brother M's drone flying video surveillance around our house.  (Photo taken with the drone of themselves).

 The kids decided to drastically scale down their Calico Critter collection.  We are gathering funds to buy materials for their big tree house building project.  And we have had several conversations about what will happen to any toys with small pieces once baby A starts to crawl.  They decided that they might as well sell them on Ebay.  They artfully arranged their various sets, took the photos, and created the listings themselves.  I just helped them get started. They have sold several hundred dollars worth already!

My kiddos have been wanting to see a drive-in movie for years now. (I told them about how we used to go almost every weekend during the summer when I was a teenager). Our closest drive-in theatre is now a couple hours away though. One positive outcome of Covid-19 is that drive-in movies are experiencing a revival due to the social distancing conditions.  The Rotary club is showing family friendly drive-in movies at the fairgrounds all summer.  Hubby took the kids to see "The Incredibles" this week.

Baby A's Life: Week 7

Yesterday I heard baby A's first little laugh!  And we are seeing a lot more smiles. 

 He is still having some reflux issues and gets very uncomfortable sometimes. He loves to sleep with mommy or daddy though.

 He also loves to sleep with his arms up. I think he had his hands up in my tummy a lot too.

I love his little chubby parts!

 Buddha baby -- and so happy and alert.

 The kids have this funny app that makes it look like different creatures are near by.

Antiviral Elder Blossom Syrup

And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man— Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. (D&C 89:10-11)

 Tis the season for harvesting herbs. Antiviral remedies have been on my mind lately and I am pleased to have a bounty of elder blossoms to work with. 

 I stayed up late one evening removing a good portion of the stems so that I could make elder blossom syrup.

 I made a big batch.  This should help us stay healthy in the coming months.

Sew Special: Independence Day Skirt, Slippers, A Quilt

Yesterday morning big sister A brought me some scraps from the fabric bin and said that she wanted to make them into a skirt for 4th of July (that day).  They were already cut in strips and half sewn together.  I told her that I would work on it if she occupied Baby A while I was doing it. [As I said it I totally had a flashback to myself as a 10 year old playing with my little sister S while my mom sewed something for me.]

I hemmed and gathered and sewed the last row on and held it up to her.  "This is not going to be long enough for you -- go find some more fabric to go with it."  About an hour later she still had not found a good match in the scrap bins and we were brainstorming other ideas for it.

Old jeans! we cut off the top of a pair of her old holey ones and voila perfect skirt... a little big for her actually. At least it will still fit next year too.

  Several weeks ago she found a pattern in a children's sewing book for elf slippers.  We enlarged the pattern and she cut everything out. I even had some non slip footy fabric for the bottoms. 

  She sewed most of it with the blanket stitch on my machine. One edge had to be done by hand .

 Before Baby A was born I finished all of his 12 month size reversible pants. These 3 are my favorites.

 And my mom sent this beautiful baby quilt for little A - with my favorite star design and using fabric she bought at the Droguerie in France!

Baby A's Life: 6 Weeks Old

Two exciting milestones for Baby A this week: #1 We discovered that he loves ragtime music. Scott Joplin especially.  When he's crying we start playing it on the piano or the ipad and he quiets down to listen. 

 Transformer masks from halloween could be good covid masks for kids.

Milestone #2: We still haven't managed to get a picture of -- Baby A figured out how to bring his right hand to his mouth.  He comforts himself by sucking on it. 

Brother S finally held Baby A.  He practiced the "face copying reflex" -- I am not sure what the technical term is for that. 

 Baby A also held onto his rattle for a few seconds.

 We are practicing tummy time regularly.