Hi, this is me stopping by for another update on a little bit of everything. Here we go.
Since last we checked in, the school year has ended. Before the end, though, the kids in her class did a little play – a kindergarten interpretation of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Julie was one of the town’s tailors.
Here’s the “emperor” being dressed by the “trixters” – his outfit is labeled “Royal Underwear”.
After the play was over and everyone did their bows, they had a little photo op so the parents could take more pictures. After the serious, smiling face picture, they all did their shocked faces.
The robins’ eggs have not only hatched…
(and newborn robins are some ugh-lay little creatures!) more on the baby birds later in the post because moving pictures around in my little WordPress window is a pain now that they’re all loaded already…
Meanwhile, an update on the garden. A belated update, because these photos are more than a week old, and things are growing like crazy. It’s just silly how much enjoyment I get out of standing around staring at little vegetables. First the wide view…
Here’s a bunch of kale plants. They’re huge now. We’ve been eating kale this week, and it is yummy, and there is more waiting to be harvested.
Here’s a bunch of baby pea plants which will hopefully grow up around the tomato cage. I really should have planted these earlier, but the last few weeks have been cooler than usual, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I might have some small chance of a pea harvest yet.
And some little spinach plants…I think some of them are ready to eat now, and I’m only wishing I had planted more. I don’t think it’s too late to plant another row if I can squeeze it in between some of the other plants.
Calypso beans! Doesn’t the name sound fun? Supposedly, you can either eat them fresh or dry them and use them for soups. Also, this picture is specially squished-out for you courtesy of Photoshop and/or Wordpress.
That’s either a broccoli or brussels sprouts plant, just a little nibbled by naughty green caterpillars that I’ve obsessively been picking off the Kale and other cabbage-family plants, and which I think have moved on to greener pastures for now.
Another squished-out photo – this one is the beets, I think.
Onions!
Or maybe those were the carrots before, and now these are the beets.
Brave little sunflowers by the side of the house…
Other random flowers that we planted in the front, attempting to cheer things up there. Next year we are totally rethinking this bed. I’m going to plant decorative edibles, like lettuce and cabbages, which will probably mean building a raised bed but will have to be an improvement over the current situation.
This is the hanging basket where the baby birds live. It hasn’t been watered nearly enough, but I’m okay with that for the sake of the baby birds.
Okay, even though they’re really ugly, they’re also darn cute.
Mama bird spent all of her free time when she wasn’t in the nest or hunting sitting up in the tree waiting to dive-bomb anyone daring to encroach on the front porch area.
Totally random, Julie made this silly mask the other day and wanted me to take a picture. This is all her idea and implementation, crazy kid.
I had no idea how quickly baby birds grow up and fly away. This photo is from just over a week ago. This Saturday they flew off to start their own little adventures. I’ll miss peaking out at them 20 times every day.
That’s Julie and Sophie with Daisy cat. On a leash. Don’t ask.
Okay, I’ll tell you. She’s been bored since Harry died. She’s been wanting to explore the wider world, and I’d been supervising visits to the yard sans leash for the last couple of weeks. Joe thought she should have one just in case she got scared and bolted.
I’ve got a few singles spun up.
The problem with big spinning projects is that they don’t make for the best blogging because they take a lot longer and there’s not much progress to show. I had a pound each of the gray (100% Polworth from Rovings that I bought at SOAR last fall) and the hand dyed Polworth/silk blend that I bought at the same time. I’m trying to decide now how to ply the big mess – should I ply the colors with the grey as a two-ply? Should I navajo ply the colors and 3-ply the solid? This mess is destined to be a sweater – a simple garter-stitch jackety sweater I think. Suggestions welcome…
Here’s a couple of close-ups to help you think it over. The handpaint one is another squished photo. Must figure that out some day…
And those are the highlights. I’m continuing to work out all the freakin’ time. This Saturday is my two-mile Lake Harriet swim. I’m starting to get just a little nervous, but at least the weather is supposed to be nice and I am going to give it my all.
Also, I went to the dentist this week. I found out I have the first cavity of my life. I’m a little devastated.
Nice garden! Here’s a tip: We bag some of the grass that we mow from the yard (no chemicals) and use it as a mulch around the plants. It keeps the weeds down, provides nitrogen, and the ground doesn’t dry out as fast, so you won’t have to water as much. It works great! I’m a Master Gardener in Missouri, and have done this for years. Enjoy your summer vegetables!
Uh… Why is that harness around Daisy’s rear? LOL.
I only just figured out that I needed to switch my bloglines feed to your blog – no wonder I didn’t remember the photo of your sweater. Doh.
I think the problem with deciding what to do with the plying situation is that they all sound like good options.
I think if you make a two ply with the two different ones, the colors of the polwarth/silk will seem more muted. Which could be quite lovely for a sweater.
But if you are doing a garter stitch jackety sweater, perhaps you want to ply them separately so you can add interest by changing colors.
Ultimately, I’m no help.
It does appear you’ve been very busy. The girls have grown so much since the last pictures.