4th of July Photos

This 4th, we spent the day down at Cane Creek in Farmer's Exchange at the invitation of our friend John.

Joe spent almost the entire time throwing rocks into the water.

Reanna did a bit of exploring, and Finley accumulated a large piles of 'pretty' rocks to take home.
After a few hours of trying to coax Zivah into the baby float (she wouldn't have it), we let her play with some rocks until it was obvious she needed a nap.

We also caught some crawdads. We released them later. I can't imagine eating these things. The small fish in the creek managed to evade the net.

It didn't take long for half the party to go to sleep on the way home.

After supper, we started our own fireworks show.

The rain threatened our fun, but we had it anyway.

Although Zivah didn't mind the pops and screeches,this particular item cause Joe to retreat into the house...

where he watched from the bedroom window.

I know... you aren't supposed to do that.

I remembered the trick my dad taught us. [Get a small bucket of water and a can. Pop a hole in the bottom of the can just big enough to tightly hold a firecracker. Put the can in the water, small hole up. Insert firecracker, light, and run.] I wasn't expecting much. When the firecracker explodes, the pressure inside the can shoots it up like a rocket. I wasn't expecting more the five feet or so, but that can shot up about 15 feet! Everyone was impressed.

Later, we got the kids ready for bed and headed down the road to catch a glimpse of the fireworks downtown. There was a storm front coming through, so they moved the start time up. It was supposed to start about 30 minutes early because of the storm, which was nice, since most people didn't know about it, and we didn't have to fight for a spot on the side of the road. They started the show 45 minutes early instead, and about halfway through, it started to rain. Chris was at the van with Zivah, and Reanna and I were huddle in lawn chairs with the Finley and Joe in our laps, holding the kids' (small) umbrellas over us in a sad attempt to stay dry. Finally, wind and downpour forced us back to the van. By this time, the rain was holding the smoke down around the fireworks, and with that and the rain, you could barely see them anyway. It was rather funny.

Sunday, we went to visit Mr. Tidwell, who at 94, finally had to retire his weed eater.

Today is Monday, and there is laundry to fold and mouths to feed....

Overheard

At night before we tuck the kids in bed, we ask them about their day: "What was your favorite part? What made you sad?"

Last night, after putting the questions to Finley and Joe, Chris asked Zivah what her favorite part of the day was.

Joe protested, "But Dad, she doesn't have any teeth!"

Gardening

I am still amazed at the jungle my garden has become. Above is a photo of one of the many Pensylvania Dutch Crookneck squashes I have growing everywhere. Between those, the cucumbers, and the pumkins, the garden is at least half covered in vine. I had to start pruning the vines back as they kept trying to escape into the lawn. I have been trying to get in there in the evenings to weed a bit. The first night, I developed a blister on the outside of my pinkie finger. I may end up with a weeding callous there before it's all over. I know... I should be wearing gloves, but I love the feel of the dirt and plant stems between my fingers.

Last week, I dug up the rest of my potatoes as the stalks were almost completely dead. I harvested about a 3 gallon bucket of spuds from my little 10 foot row. Not too bad. I also dug up a gallon of carrots. (It now occurs to me that I should perhaps invest in some peck and bushel baskets, so I can really sound legitimate.)

I am wondering, now that my lettuce and spinach has gone to seed and the Blue Jade corn is on its way out, if I could plant some sweet corn and still get a harvest before the season is over. The corn I planted out by the mail box barely grew over 6 inches tall. It then started sending up tassels, even though the were no ears developing on the plants. That soil must be awful. It's no wonder I've had a hard time getting certain flowers to grow there. Sunflowers and daisies are doing fine, but everything else seems to perish. This week I weeded it and dumped some compost and leaves on it in a half hearted effort to improve the soil. At least it will keep the weeds down.

Expecting a Visit: a short work of fiction

I have have a cantankerous old aunt named Flo. She's the kind of aunt you have a love/hate relationship with. She always brings headaches and stress, but her presence represents the richness of family.

Before we had kids, when there was still a spare bedroom, Aunt Flo came to visit a lot. She must not like babies, though, because as soon as we told her we were going to have one, she quit coming. Once a baby was born, she would always stop in for a brief visit just to get a peek at the new face, but then refused to come again until the baby was quite a bit older. I offered to help pay for a hotel room, since the spare room was now a nursery, but her visits have been few.

She called a couple months ago to say she was coming to see us again. I bought some of her favorite food to cook for supper, and instructed the older kids and my husband about the way we should behave when she's around. Then we began to wait.

A few times, I could have sworn I saw her car coming down the street, but apparently it wasn't her. I began to wonder if there was something we had done to offend her, so I even called Uncle Eb to see if there was a reason she hadn't come yet. He told me, no, that I should expect her soon.

Yesterday, she pulled into the driveway. She got out of the car, saw me looking out the window, and shook her fist at me, screaming. Then she drove away. Crazy lady.

The Kids

Just a few things to make note of while they are on my mind...

Zivah has been smashing her face quite a bit. Sometimes, she just doesn't get her hand down in time when she's crawling and does a face plant into the floor. Sometimes she just leans forward into objects like the step stool or table. She has been sporting regular facial bruises.

Today, Zivah and I were sitting on the glider on the front porch. The glider's metal is stamped with little round holes, so Finley and Joe like to pick flowers and stick them in the holes, where they dry out and stay there until I pick them out and throw them away. Zivah seems partial to the dried daisies. I took a flower and started rolling the stem between my fingers, causing the flower to spin. Z saw me doing that and promptly started spinning her flower. I am amazed at her fine motor skills. She is also very good with the toy that has the buttons to manipulate to cause little characters to pop up. I remember it took Joe a long time to figure out the twisting one. Z has it down. Girls do tend to develop their fine motor skills earlier than boys...

She also puts small objects in her mouth, like most babies do. I am thankful that she is smart enough to not swallow if she can't gum it to mush. I frequently am pulling rocks, paper, and other small toys out of her mouth.

Lately, when you tell Joe something, he will frequently respond with a loud, high-pitched, "Whaaaaaat?!?!" I'm not sure where he got that from. It is rather funny.

Today, after finishing up an early lunch, Finley decided to do the dishes. Joe wanted to wash them as well, so I got them organized. Finley scrubbed while Joe rinsed. It worked well, I think, although I haven't actually looked to see how clean they are.

Finley is still obsessed with horses. She is also wanting a rabbit. When we pulled some carrots the other day, she kept trying to get me to promise to save them for her bunny. When I told her I didn't know when we'd be getting one, she said, 'Victor can catch one for me. He's fast!' (Victor is her 7 year old cousin.)

Finley has started reading a little. With the 4 year old kindergarten material I bought last year came some little basic reading books with sentences like: 'Jill is a pig. Jill has a wig.' She can read most of them fairly well.

Finley is really excited about school. We got some of her new workbooks the other day, and she keeps asking to do them. I've got her signed up for a science class that will meet once a week, and she is excited about that as well. When Joe said he wanted to go to school with her: "No Joe! It's not your class! You're not old enough!"