Man's best friend??? I'm not convinced.

Look here! See that? Know what those are?

Two doggie foot prints in my just planted onion bed. Yes, that's right. No, not my dog, he would never do that. Some dogs just have no garden manners at all. Tsk, tsk.

This strange looking things is actually meant to be a bee shelter, E made it. He got the idea from Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots, apparently bees like to make their home in the pithy stems. It is just an old coffee can filled with sunflower stalks. We will see if it works, I think our fruit trees would quite like having even more bees around.

A Well-worn Path

If you look at the picture of my garden in the header banner at the top of my blog, you will see that the pathways along my garden beds are pretty worn out. They have been trod on for years by me, husband, kids, dogs, and cats. Used in games with wagons, scooters, bikes and Tonka trucks, they were in pretty sad shape. I decided that this would be a good time to redo them, and we set to it last week. I wanted to get the old mulch cleared off the pathways before putting down new mulch, because there was lots of dirt mixed in and this made a good spot for weeds to grow.Now it is true that I am an optimist who tends to think that most jobs will be a snap once I get on them. And I do think that this would have been an easier job if it had been a dryer week last week, as it was I spent a whole lot of time scraping a mix of mulch/dirt/mud off the pathways and carting it around by the bucket loads. But, my whole family pitched in, and we got most of it done by yesterday afternoon - just four pathways left. These first two pics were taken on Saturday, when we stopped work so that I could tidy up for movie night.And here is how it looks this morning. Today I need to work on my unruly strawberry patch, and hope that I can find someone to take, and care for, some strawberry plants.And here is another of my theories - a family that dirties their knees together, stays together.

The Gentle Art of Domesticity

This book arrived at the library for me yesterday. Now I know that saying about never judging a book by its cover, but, in this case, as soon as I saw this book, I knew that I would like it. I've only just had time to peak through at all the pictures, and read little bits here and there so far, but it looks like a fantastic book. Of course, one thing that jumped out at me was a blurb about Sense and Sensibility. Now, because I can tell that this is my kinda book, and that the author is my kinda person, I can only assume that the following excerpt was meant in a good way - the best way, in fact. Here it is:

"Alan Rickman feeling his way round the wainscoting as he droops in love-sick agony is a little unsettling..."

Why, yes it is unsettling how endearingly kind and considerate he is of Miss Marianne (who is entirely unworthy of his affection!!) isn't it? And seeing him so desperate with worry? Afraid that he really will "run mad". I admit that I find it very unsettling too. So I can see that the author and I are very much in synch there. ;-)

* IF you have no idea what I am talking about, then check out this scene on Youtube. (you don't need to bother watching the whole 8 minutes, just fast forward to 7:12 to see the scene in question)

Anyway, I love the way this author, Jane Brocket, describes the difference between domesticity and domestication. And I love that, she too, believes that times spent doing what nurtures us -and our families- whether it is needlework, baking, gardening, painting or any other craft, is a vital part of a "life well spent." In fact, I just love that phrase and I think that if I had to do my life story in 6 words, it would be this - Mine? It's a life well spent. (because I love the way my life is and wouldn't trade any bit of it for anything) Or perhaps - Better than I could have imagined. Fun!



Oh, and here is why I say that this author is "my kinda person", when I was looking at the photos in the book, I saw this one, and wondered how on earth she had taken my picture without me noticing.
I've that same pair of socks, knitted with my own hands...and those are my knees for pretty much all of May and June - dirt-covered but happy. Then I realized that it couldn't possible be a picture of me because I never wear my hand-knit socks for serious knee-dirtying garden work. Never! So, I have to assume that there is just someone out there who is very much like me. And that is also why I have to believe that she meant her Rickman comments in the nicest way possible. :-)

New Beginnings

What's in these boxes?Well, not much yet, in mine. But in 8 year-old E's....there are some new beginnings. Shelter from a hot summer sun. Food for birds. Support for beans to grow up. And, best of all, the makings of a secret spot.

Homemade = Yum

We have been off and on with the yogurt making around here. I started making it again last year because I wanted to avoid plastic containers. I made a new batch yesterday and this morning we had it with our frozen blueberries (blended up with a dash of maple syrup, a bit of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon) and our homemade granola.
All I can say is...yum. And, that we better plant even more blueberry bushes this year.

Check this out!

My friend Katherine ( a incredible artist with anything fabric or needlework related) is having a contest. She is willing to part with one of her treasures, but you've got to be quick. The contest ends Friday. Click here to see prizes!!

Ever feel like you are being watched?

This morning I am cutting cherries in half to make a cherry crisp.

And I have an audience.

Who can resist those faces???