Its Been Awhile...

I've been absent from my blog for quite a few months. I'm hoping I can keep up on it now ... not sure, but here's to giving it a good try!

Suffice it to say that its been a long winter... full of time consuming events. Some good, some trying, and if I were to list them all here, I'm sure some of you would tell me I'm not alone in the scurry of trying to keep up.

The economy of our state is not good (to put it mildly). I won't bore you with all that, but there seems to be a great groaning present here. Semi-silent so far, but California, the country and dare I say - the world - seems to be straining. Does it seem that way to you too?

When it all gets heavy, I'm out to the garden... as often as possible. Its peaceful out there. The animals and plants don't seem to notice what the humans are doing, so I think I think I'd rather be with them.

I remember how both my grandparents lived. They went through the great depression and WWII... raising a family when times were tough. They saved everything... I remember finding gum wrappers in a drawer once ... all folded neatly in a little box. I also remember root cellars packed full of lines of canned foods from their bountiful gardens. The freezer was always full. I used to wonder how they could eat all that food... just the two of them. Well, they didn't. They shared it with family, friends and neighbors. And who knows, maybe we will be doing the same. With numerous friends and family going through tough economic times right now, its time to help and share.

I've always gardened. Its in the genes. My grandparents were farmers, as were a whole line of great-grandparents as far back as 5 generations... They came from the Amish... so I believe that when I can test the richness of my garden soil by its scent, and don't need at test kit to tell me whether or not its good ... I can thank my long line of ancestors.

I've always canned and put-up for the winter from my garden (at least, ever since I was first married)... although I must admit that it was my husband-to-be who was the first one to have a big garden and a room full of plants (when we were dating). But since our wedding, we've made it our hobby together... to garden. I'm not sure he's always happy about it though! I always have an on-going list of things I need him to build or do for my garden! (:

This winter brought SNOW to our Bit-o-earth! Yes, right here on the California coast. Can you believe it? Almost unheard of...
It only stayed on the ground for a few hours, then melted off as soon as the sun came out, but still, what a novelty!

And here is the garden today, only partly planted with spring crops... broccoli, cabbage, onions, garlic, potatoes, spinach, peas and tomatoes in the greenhouse. The soil is ready and waiting for corn, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, beans... and the list goes on and on!


Another favorite hobby is the local flea market. Hubby and I happened to drive by one Saturday, saw the array of "stuff for sale" and decided to stop in. I was instantly hooked...

My best find, of late?

A whole box of "Virginia Rose, by Homer Laughlin"... my grandmother's wedding china...

She had divided what was left of this wedding set between my sister and I a number of years before her death. There wasn't much... 11 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, 2 cups and 2 saucers. She had used the set for everyday ... she had 6 children, so you can imagine how difficult it was to avoid breakage.


So... my sister, my hubby, and I were at the flea market a few weeks ago when we spied "the box!" FILLED with more than a whole set of Grandma's china! We were so elated that when the seller said she was asking (only) $20 for the whole thing, we didn't blink... WE BOUGHT IT! ... and divided it evenly between us! Now we each have service for 6 of almost every piece! We figured that box, if bought on ebay would have been worth at least $500!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And see how big my little Sophia and Max
have grown!?

It happens TOO FAST, doesn't it?
I wish I could slow time down a bit...

Of course I'm a bit biased,
but they're so dang cute!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And here are "the girls" ...

... all grown up too... Big chickens, and giving us eggs every day

I have to admit... they're probably the most spoiled chickens on earth...

but I can't resist them.
They're just too dang cute (yes, chickens can be cute) to resist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sophie turns 3
and Max turns 1
in April...
so a matching set of Nami-made(that's me) Sailor outfits
is in order!

~And something extra that I couldn't resist for Sophie~

Isnt' this little stripped fabric irresistible?!
Yes...
and I was a sucker!

I hope you all are well...
and happy,
and making every second count!


... and haven't forgotten me yet! (;


~See you soon~

Not Lazy, maybe a little Hazy, but definitely super Crazy Days of Summer at the Bit-o-Earth!

I don't know where I ever got the idea that

summer should be
Lazy or Hazy...
but mine certainly is Crazy so far

This past week my sister-in-law, niece
and their best friends have been at our house.

What did we do?

EAT
TALK
EAT
TALK
CAN APRICOTS


EAT
TALK
And a little SLEEP

They have never learned to can fruit,
and asked me to teach them.


I have done it most of my life,
so it was an easy "yes"



We have a blast

It was a ton of work



but mostly it was girl time,
and I loved that~

My sister-in-law (Stefany) is going through her first
"empty nest" experience,
as my niece just graduated from high school
and is headed off to college this fall.

Stef's best friend (Carol),
just married off her eldest son,
and
is sending her youngest (Haley) off to college
this fall
and will have a truly empty nest
for the first time in her life.

Both are suffering the beginning effects of "that time of life"

ME?

I've been there with all of the above,
so my job was to assure them
that all turns out well.

The heart breaks
and is sad

but then life moves along
grandbabies join the nest
and life is good again!

(:

I like my job



So this week,
we head up to "the ranch."

A lovely place with tall pine trees,
warm summer days,
mountain weather,
and best of all,
my parents~

Its our annual Family Reunion

Each year my parents,
siblings
all the grandchildren,
and now the great-grandchildren

join together to celebrate being "FAMILY"

My mother is the hub of the wheel of family
We are the spokes,
and we all revolve around her capable hands and heart.

She has American Indian blood that runs deep in her veins,
and has raised us kids learning their ways.

She's deeply spiritual

She has given each of us an Indian name
and a symbol that goes with that name


My father bought her a huge tepee,
which we have painted with all those symbols,
and our hand prints beside each.
Last summer
Aiden and Ashton were added
OH HOW they LOVED that!



At the top of the front of the tepee
fly two beautiful American Bald Eagles
that represent my parents

but they've never been given Indian Names
so this year my siblings and I have chosen names for them
and will present them in a special ceremony.
I don't want to share them here,
in case she peeks at my blog (:

(We always document it with video, photos and writings,
so maybe I can post about it later)

Shawnee is her tribe
Their names will be given in English
as well as the native Algonquain language



I hope you're all having a wonderful summer
dear Blog Friends!
I'll be gone for a little while,
but back soon to catch up with all of you~

Happy Father's Day to my Men!

~Happy Father's Day~

There are many men in my life
Ones who I love and admire very much

There are uncles, brothers and brothers-in-law

But the men I'll focus on here

are

My Father
Happy Father's Day Dad!
I love you

My sissy and I
with our Grandpa and Daddy

Me and my Dad & Mom

My parents with Baby Max,
the newest addition to a fast growing family

To my Dear Sweet Husband
Happy Father's Day Honey
I love you!

This is my favorite picture of Hubby and his boys!

It says it all...

A loving, totally involving, funny, happy Father
He changed as many diapers as I did
He cooks and does dishes
He was there every day in every little way
as the boys were growing up,
in their adult lives now,
and now with his grandchildren!




To my oldest Son
Happy Father's Day Son
I love you!

With Miss Sophia


and now with Baby Matz
(Sophie's pronounciation)
He LOOOOOOOVES his Daddy!


Our little Sophia
She LOOOOOOOOVES her Daddy too!

Our oldest son...
All I can say is,

~Like Father - Like Son~

What I wrote above about his Daddy,
our son is all the same things

And I'm so proud!




This image reminds me of our family on almost every trip we took!
The expressions just about perfectly matched ours
LOL!


I love this image of a Dad and his girl

I found these images at
http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also, I want to give credit where it's due,
and forgot to when I put up the last post...
The title of my post, "Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots"
came from a book by the same title
by Sharon Lovejoy

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots

Its a busy time at my bit of earth.

Its the time of year I relish.

I know I say this at the beginning of every season,
but really,
this IS my favorite time of year!

I can honestly say that I just loooooove dragging out
all the recipes, canning jars, kettles and pots...

and that I just LOOOOOVE
how my shelves look after its all done


...when the rose buds have been dried for winter pot pourri

the peas, corn and so much more are in the freezer

It takes an entire season (100 - 120 days)
jammed packed full
of bending, digging, shoveling,
raking, dry hands, dirty knees,
cricks and crinks in the joints...

...and It takes time to make sure the plants have
everything they need to grow healthy and strong

But I love it.
It keeps me moving
It makes be feel stronger

I'd keep a garden

...just to be able to look at it each day

...just to spend the days out in the sun and fresh air

...just to watch the small creatures it attracts
(even the ones I have to shoo away)

...just for the physical exercise it forces me to exert

...just for the satisfaction of seeing my shelves
all neatly lined with pretty jars filled with food

...just for the satisfaction of sipping the chamomile tea
I had coddled from from seed to flower

I'll keep a garden until the day I can't move

...and then I'll dream about growing a garden

My garden is my little bit of heaven on earth.
Its the best place to calm my stressed-out brain and body.
Out there is where I meditate
...and sometimes not on purpose at all.

It just happens.

It may sound strange,
but out there is where I feel I "belong"

...to something bigger than myself

...to some ancient part of what it is to be human

...to something we've lost

...and to something I need to find again

I love the feel of roots

the look of shoots

The necessity of buckets

and the comfort of my OLD Wellie boots

And one day I hope I can pass this love on to someone else

Will it be Sophia?

or little Max?

or someone I've yet to meet?

or even one of my boys?

I don't know yet...
but I can't wait to find out!