Dirt - the movie

Taking in a rainy day on the couch, I was watching my favorite MLB team lose to their opponent for the day. They've beat them in the previous series against them, so no worries for me. I fell asleeep in the seventh inning, and didn't even get to stretch or sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The gentle rain helped to facilitate a gentle nap.

As I awoke to kids running through the livingroom with voices at full volume - I noticed that the noise of the tv had changed. Indeed...my spouse had turned to PBS - and we watched a few new shows that intrigued me. But, the one that got my garden mind working once again was this...Dirt - the movie. It was a documentary on the show Independent Lens on PBS. See local listings for show times. But, here's a sneak peek if you want to take a look. http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/dirt-the-movie/

I'm being called back to digging in the rock, soil, earth, ground, land, terra, DIRT.

Just a little paint

We have bare off-white walls in every room of the house. That is, every room except the lower level bathroom which I recently stripped wallpaper from during the big football game in early February. This one room has been my biggest irritation with my house, and yet I have done nothing in it for 12 months. This wallpaper is really been a sore spot for me - and so it's finally coming down. My daughter's room is right next to it, and she refuses to use it as her bathroom. Not sure why. It's clean, it has running water and a nice shower. The fan is broken - so we'll need to fix or replace it eventually - especially if we'll be taking showers down there.

This section of wallpaper is all that is left - and I'm just about ready to paint the walls and remove the wood trim to paint that white or install tile with river rock patterns in it. If I find any, I'll post a photo.

Teal is the color I'm dreaming for this room. I'll let you know what actually lands on the walls in the next month or so. Hopeing that this working mom can find some time to make this project a completed reality. Hmmm...started the project in February...forgot about it for 2 months...now will I get to through the next month and be able to do anything with it?

If God is in the dirt...

I heard someone say recently that God is in the dirt, from which all our prayers grow. Hmmm...God in the dirt? The dirt that I dig in is dry, dusty, and tends to get splattered all over my face and clothes when I dig in it. Sometimes, the pliable soil that I finally settle my veggies in needs some work - some additional nutrients, some water, some sun. In fact, if my prayers come from the dirt - are they as strong as the weeds that find themselves a bit of sun and go straight towards it? Or...are my prayers the ones that feed back to it like compost breaks down into fertile soil when I rip them from the ground and pile them up to be reprocessed?

Okay...too many thoughts and metaphors. Sorry if you're a garden follower, and really couldn't care less about my spiritual rantings. More info about my house and garden to come soon, I hope.

Working full time doesn't lend me to as much time tending the garden as I would like. Yesterday I just crashed on the couch, and today I spent time in good conversation with a neighbor friend. Tomorrow night is church night and volunteering, and Thursday night might bring me to pull a few weeds if I'm lucky. End of the week forcast says rain...and I really hope we get some. The front gardens are blooming, but look very dry. I have yet to open up the sprinkler and get the hose flowing. That will come soon...but until then...praying for lots and lots of rain.

Digging in the dirt

I tend to spend several hours at a time pulling weeds and pruning rose bushes...in fact, I'm usually out there from the time I get home from my full time day job until the sun goes down - or until my family screams that they're starving.

Today is Saturday, and it's no different. Although I did get a few house things done this morning before heading out to rid the garden of crabgrass, dandelions, thistle, and clover. I only got 3/4 of the corner garden completed today. And, it's that kind of back-breaking work that is so rewarding. Here are some shots I took today of the growing things I enjoy.

Yup...wild strawberries growing under the pine trees.

Purple corabells - framed with daffodils.

A new bush? I don't remember it being more than a twig in the ground last year. Amazing new find!

Ground cover - tinges of purple in a sea of green.

I love being outside on a sunny spring day. The weed removal is not easy, and I'm not so gung-ho over it as I was last year. But, it's so rewarding to see the clean lines and beautiful perennials bursting forth after the long cold winter.

Grandma loved flowers

I've been awaiting the bright colors of my flowering plants & bulbs to brighten up an otherwise difficult season of grief. I have two dear gals that I work with who have both lost their mothers in the past two weeks, and my husband's 93-yr-old grandmother also died and went to heaven this past week as well. We said goodbye to her today in a beautiful service remembering her life and faith.

She loved flowers, and we were priveledged that she was able to stop over and see our home last summer.I didn't really have a grandmother like that...so in a way, she was my grandmother as well. We named our daughter and gave her Bernadette as a middle name, in tribute to this wonderful woman who loved God and shared her faith with much love.

The daffodils are her favorite yellow, and she loved bright things and flowers were a special favorite. The few tulips on the south side of the garage are up now, and the first two blooms have opened. It's really fun to see something new each day. I need that. Grandma is very much missed. The splash of red is like a sure sign of good things to come.

The porch

Yes, it's April 8, and yes these daffodils came from my garden. The same daffodils that came up last year continue to bloom for a short season, and I didn't have to do anything to enjoy these. My daughter wanted to cut them...and there're plenty more where they came from.

My days as a working mom are very full. I spend my 9-5 Monday through Friday (and some weekends) job in a church doing ministry, which I love...but it's a lot of work. I actually manage the administrative support team for the pastors in the Adult area of our church and it's a 45+ hour a week job.

I love my family. I tend to details for my mom who lives about a 15 minute drive away in the next suburb over. So, I squeeze in some appointments and time to do a little paperwork for her. I manage my family's bills, doctors appointments, and of course, am finishing up our rather simple taxes. Not to mention I'm the one who does 98% of the cooking, laundry, house keeping, and did I say laundry? I get the kids to daycare and school and pick them up again at the end of the day. I try to get a few chores in after work, but my kids hate grocery shopping.

This is my sanctuary! My screened-in-porch was a HUGE selling point of this house. During the summer months, I find time to wake up just as the sun is rising on Saturdays so I can sneak out here and grab a book and a blanket and feel the dewy air and listen to the songbirds in the neighborhood. In the evenings when it's warm, the kids bring out the telescope and we watch the moon and planets circle the earth. We live too close to the city to really see many stars...but it's fun anyhow. The afternoons in the spring and summer lend to wonderful conversations with neighbors, friends and family over a cold glass of mango lemonade.

I washed off the furniture we purchased last summer and rinsed off the dust and debris from the porch last week when the temps reached 75 degrees. It was officially April 1st when we actually sat outside in 60 degree weather with a couple of blankets, a glass of wine and chatted with our neighbor until way too late that evening. So glad we were on spring break. So...we realized we should have generally six full months of the year when we can really enjoy this porch. I just remember the wonderful memories this porch gave us last summer.

I have really missed this porch over the cold and snowy winter. Funny how you don't really know what you have until it's gone. So grateful this season is back, and I can rest my garden-achy bones and put my feet up and listen to the birds once again.

A walk in the woods

My mother-in-law lives in a quiet residential area with natural wooded wetlands in her backyard. Oftentimes she tells tales of the deer, raccoons, squirrels, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and various other birds that frequent the feeders in the backyard. The wetlands also bring much of an insect population in the heat of the summer...but during the spring thaw it's quite nice.

I've never noticed this kind of wild-flower in the forest by her home before. On Easter Sunday we had a lovely lunch at a restaurant - new to us this year - and then made our way back to her home for some dessert and a walk down to the neighborhood playground with the kids and back again.

The delicate little blossoms are white, blue, purple or pink, and are sprouting under the trees and around the wooded area. Does anyone know what they are?