blog change

go to

http://www.thatmomwiththosekids.blogspot.com

suddenly

Spring came screaming in-shouting! I am here! Look at me! I am HERE! I have ARRIVED!



Wyatt wakes up and it only takes him about 10 seconds to look for shoes and run outside to greet his new best friend. Being 3 he must have forgotten it wasn't always cold out there.

The flowers are new. The buzzing beez are new too! There are already tadpoles in the pond and the birds are singing before the sun can rub the sleep out of its eyes.

easter was in full bloom.






There have been several days near 90 already-just a brief tease of summer.
We took full advantage-all of us have fresh new freckles to prove it.

I am so happy to be shaken from my cozy winter slumber. I was wallowing in it far to deeply. Now I raise the windows and leave the back door open all day. Birds have flown into our kitchen and back out to the bird feeders-its a frenzy of life. YES!

spring is coming

The rain has started. It is the rain that will coax all my sleeping plants out of the ground. I have already seen evidence of the earliest signs of spring. The crocus I planted years ago are out first-sending back messages to all the other sleepy plants that it is, for sure, time to start thinking about warm weather.

This week will be the time to clear out the garden and start adding some compost and a little sand to the soil.

The equinox comes on a Saturday-next saturday-March 20th. It will be time to plant lettuce. Hopefully we will get to eat some of the lettuce before the deer find out about it.

As much as I love every season I am always ready for the next season by the time it rolls around. The creeping change is barely percievable at first and then suddenly a new season opens up bringing its own weather and traditions. Hopefully I will have some photos to add-once I fix my laptop :)

stopping time

Things have been wearing away at me. I had to get out of the house for a few days. I packed the kids into the van and headed to our houseboat. It was cold and deserted at the marina.




But not quiet-hundreds of gulls were spending the week at the lake! I know it must be part of their migration home. It added a new ambience to the lake. Whenever I stepped outside I could hear them calling each other.



At night it was quiet-even the gulls had to sleep. I love the water at night. You can hear the gentle slapping of every little wave against the boats. It creates a gentle rocking that you aren't even aware of until you are back on solid ground.

Granola recipe

This granola is great with yogurt, as a cereal or to make granola bars.


4 cups oat meal
1/4 cup steel cut oats
4 tbsp wheat bran
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup crushed pecans

combine coconut oil, brown sugar and honey in a bowl.
combine dry ingredients in another bowl-pour coconut mixture over dry ingredients and mix together with your hands.

preheat oven 275
spread granola in a single layer on baking sheet bake for about 10 minutes-the turn it over. bake another 10-15 minutes watching it carfeully so that it doesn't burn.

allow it to cool while still spread out in a thin layer-store in airtight container.

new blog love

I found a new blog today. I love it-I know I will be consuming it over the next few days.

http://plainandjoyfulliving.blogspot.com/

the send out A HANDWRITTEN NEWSLETTER!

I was all over that in a heart beat.

feed your feathered friends

this image of a red bellied woodpecker is from http://persweb.wabash.edu/facstaff/phillipj/red-bellied-woodpecker3.jpg

I never knew how many birds lived in our neighborhood until I began feeding them.

I put out seed in two "store bought" feeders.
we also have several pine cones on twine that we have seeded by smearing them with peanut butter before rolling them in seeds. You can re-seed them many times.

While participating in this years backyard bird count I learned the names of most of our littlest neighbors.

We have at least 6 cardinal neighbors-they show up all at once sometimes so I know it is at 6.
2 huge male blue jays
several tufted titmouse (titmice?)
3 or 4 fox sparrows
2 red bellied woodpeckers-one quite large the other is smaller
1 eastern towhee
a few white crowned sparrows
one very ill tempered mockingbird.
1 red breasted nuthatch

several other small birds that I haven't quite figured out yet.

The bird feeders are right outside my kitchen window- I have enjoyed watching their antics.
It often seems like they talk to one another as they take turns at the feeder. Birds land in the topmost branches of the trees. Hopping down as their turn nears. Occasionally the mean mocking bird shows up and spends all of his time chasing birds away-rarely getting to eat himself. Sometimes while watching his frantic chasing I start to think the other birds are teasing him. Every time he chases after one bird another hops up to the feeder and he races back to chase that one and on and on it goes like that until, disgusted, he flies away.

once you start feeding the birds in winter it is very important that you keep up with it. They will come back every day checking for food-and word spreads quickly! Soon you will have new visitors every day.