What A Weekend!

In the first photo, Mason found a "creature" that we could not identify. It had a squishy body like a lizard type thing, but looked more like a bug. It had 6 legs and a tail. Mason found it in a swamp like area of our farm. Can anyone identify this for us?

Photo # 2 shows the area we worked on landscaping on Sunday. We were short about 6 feet on the black material we laid under the rock and bushes. We hoped to get everything done but the final rocks laid, but no such luck. I guess the grand finish will have to wait for the next work day!

In the next picture, Maddison put Mason's F150 to work to help transport the plants. The kids were actually a big help. They have really enjoyed this project, which originally started with a lot of dirt work (read: worms, grubs, rock and roots).

Finally, I had to show off our first harvest. Believe it or not, we got this fairly large zucchini from our little garden. It was delicious!

It's All About Your Culture, Baby!

I attended a training today on cultural diversity. I have been to trainings before on this subject and was expecting a rerun of what I had already heard. This speaker, however, presented the information in a new way. She really got me thinking about how our culture affects us in our work and relationships. At the end of the presentation she asked for volunteers to share their background and cultural "beginnings". It sort of reminded me of the adage, "Everyone has a story to tell." What is your story? What is your culture and how was it formed? I would love to hear from you. I will give you just a preview of what mine is:
Middle child from a middle income family raised in a conservative home that valued education highly. Did I add that I was raised in the Midwest? If I was writing an essay on my cultural background, I think that is how I would start it. Of course I would have to add that I have Catholic roots, am Caucasian, suffer from the Irish coloring of my ancestors (blond, not red hair), and value family over all other things.
How do you view your culture? Remember, it is not just about the food you eat, the color of your skin or the land of your origin. Please Share!

Mason!

Mason loves to keep things moving! He is quick witted, sweet and rarely is still in mind or body. Ahh. . . one of life's simple pleasures, a 3 year old boy!

Mason's funny. . .

I went shopping with Amanda and the kids last night after work. Shopping with a 3 and 6 year old has its specific challenges, not to mention I had already worked all day and was tired. The kids were getting restless and Amanda was pulling out all the tricks to get just a few more minutes out of the kids. We pulled up to the last store and Amanda said; "When we get finished here. . . we will get some ice cream". From the back seat, Maddison said; "I knew you were going to say that Mommy, I knew you were going to let us get ice cream". I said to Maddison, "So, you think your Mom's predictable?" Mason, apparently feeling the need to defend his mom, piped right up with; "My mom is not that. . . she is very, very nice." I started to explain to Mason what predictable meant, but by the time I stopped laughing, he was already interested in something else. Mason's quick wit and constant dialog never fail to amaze and amuse me. He is a fellow in constant movement and motion, of both his body and his mind!

It's Hot!

Yesterday we continued to work on our outdoor landscaping project. We wanted to get an early start to beat the heat, but somehow that just didn't happen. So, we found ourselves closing in the end of the porch during the hottest time of the day. And boy did we pay for it! When we finished I came in and took a nap (rare event) and then last night Randy suffered with muscle cramps. According to WebMD, he had heat related muscle cramps. No news to him, since he has suffered with this condition for 40 years. He will often have cramps in several locations at the same time, which can leave him bent over in extreme pain. He took some over the counter pain medication and drank some salt water to get his electrolytes balanced again, and finally the pain eased some. It is so frustrating, because there is really nothing I can do to help him when he is going through this. His muscles were sore this morning when he got up. On a positive note, the enclosure looks great. Our boxer, Gracie, is not too happy about it, though. She loved to hide under the porch to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. She has plenty of other places to go (including a dog house), but none that she likes as well. All in all, it was an interesting day here. It is almost nice to get to go to work today!

Saturday in the Summer

I can't believe that I haven't posted since Wednesday! Time really flies when you are busy. We have several weekend projects going right now. We are finally working on landscaping, and picked out some plants and bushes yesterday to put in the front of our house. We are such amateurs at this. The selection was small so we probably don't have as many as we will need. Neither one of us has a "green thumb", which makes this a struggle for us. We decided to do it ourselves after pricing a professional job. This is one decision we may come to regret someday. We even bought a landscaping book for advice, but it is like buying a dictionary to learn to read! It isn't that we aren't willing to do the physical part of the job, we just really don't know what we want or how to make it aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
We also got a "wild hair" to add a gazebo type structure to the back end of our yard. We have a small deck in the back of the house, but this will be a free standing structure with a cover overlooking the draw in the back of our house. It will have a beautiful view of trees and a winding creek. I have asked for built in benches all around for seating. I am not sure what we will use it for, but it will have a great view and some very nice shade around it. I will post pictures as the work begins. Right now all we have done is stake it out and cut some limbs around it. Another adventure begins! I hope we can make some progress this weekend, but neither one of us likes the heat too well, so the work may be slow going. The temperatures are supposed to be in the 90's all weekend. Finally, summer has arrived!

What the Hail?

On Saturday morning, we watched as the sky kept getting darker and darker. Then the rain came and suddenly it began to hail. What an odd experience hail is. As quickly as it began, it ended.

I wonder if there is a Biblical precedence for the weather we are having this year. Blizzards, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods and hail! And to top it all off, this is the year of the locust (cicada). Didn't the good Lord put Egypt through something like this? I am not a doom and gloom sort of girl, but I am considering the possibility that global warming is causing this, or weather patterns are changing, or . . . or what? I keep thinking that I must get all my affairs in order. But then again, what good would that have done the people of Joplin, or Japan, or Alabama, or Memphis? I guess I just need to remember that there is a higher power and that I must live like this could be my last day. . . make it count and let the people you love know that you love them!