L's version of a superhero says, "Tadaa! Noodles!"

She may not look like me, but...

Bluebonnets

These pictures are from April, I believe. I realized I never posted them.

Vermicomposting

I just spent 10 minutes tearing up a cardboard box. Now the pieces are soaking in my kitchen sink. In an hour or so, I'll drain the sink, and take the soaked cardboard out to my worm box. My two year old and I both think it is pretty cool that we have worms on our patio to eat up our trash (at least our non fatty food trash and a good bit of paper). If that'd weren't reason enough to be excited about my worm box, those little crawlers also provide rich compost. Woohoo! All this on our tiny patio.

Things I've learned so far:

If you buy a watermelon that tastes kinda yucky, don't put the whole watermelon in your worm box (or at least not all on the same day). This will turn the worm box into a swamp.

You definitely need holes drilled on the bottom of the box. This also helps prevent swamp like conditions.

If the box is smelly, something is wrong. Probably you've overwhelmed the worms with too many fruit scraps.

L loves to "feed the worms." This is the exact kind of pet our lifestyle can handle right now.

The Grapes of Wrath...

...is a bit of a downer. But so very good.

I hosted a play group this morning, and L was in a grumpy mode. She kept saying, "Go Home!" We need to work on some hospitality skills.

Tomorrow I have a morning with nothing on the agenda. Will we go to the library? Play outside? Putter about at home? I love days with open possibilities. They give my soul room to stretch out.

I'm still figuring out my new hairstyle. I was discussing this with Sam a few days ago, after a day where I felt my hair was especially "teacherish." Sam said something like this:

"Well, I really like your new haircut. But you have to be careful how you part it. You don't want to part it like a TV evangelist."

Gourmet Today

Sam ordered Gourmet Today for Mother's Day from half.com, and I am loving it. It is a treasure trove of yumminess.

A Good Week

I had a lovely time in Florida with my sweet niece Hazel Jane and my brother and sister in law. It was sorta like a retreat, as Dave and Katie worked during the day, and Hazel was a gem. I played guitar, read, journaled, watched "Once" and "High Fidelity." Great flicks. Then the evenings were full of fun conversation with Dave and Katie and joining Katie in the 30 day Shred workout. It was a kick.

It was good to be there, and good to come home. Lilias took about a day and a half to wind down from all the fun at her Gran's house. We've had more fun picking mulberries, playing in the rain, and hanging out the laundry. She's actually becoming pretty helpful. I love how she announces very loudly whatever it is she is hanging out: "momma's panties" or "dada's boxers."

I'm hoping to become a little more orderly at home. I've realized that I'm highly motivated by crossing things off lists, so I've made a few months' worth of weekly household task lists. We'll see how I do.

Now it's time to read some Grapes of Wrath. Good night.

2 quarts

I'm guessing we've picked well over two quarts of mulberries so far. This morning, Lilias and I walked over and picked our breakfast. The tree is in pretty bad shape, with many branches nearly touching the ground--which makes it perfect for an eager two year old. A homeless man walked by shortly after we started picking and we offered him a handful. He offered us some friendly mulberry tree related conversation. It struck me as odd that as a person with plenty to eat I am free to forage without anyone bothering me, whereas I'm guessing if the homeless man did the same, he would be run off. Perhaps not.

An acquaintance-friend of ours is working to start a yard sharing csa program in the poorest part of Waco. The basic idea (as I understand it) is that poor homeowners could farm their backyards with organic produce under the guidance of the World Hunger Farm and then sell produce at a farmer's market (in addition to eating it themselves) or have shares purchased for the produce like they do at our CSA.

Urban Foraging Season

My urban foraging season has officially begun. A mulberry tree down the street is ripe and apparently ignored by everyone else. Hurray! I already have a good bit of berries frozen. So exciting! I love mulberries! I love foraging! Hurray for usufruct!

Storm

Yesterday's storm did a number on my patio garden. Pretty sure the eggplant is toast, and some swiss chard and sweet basil aren't looking so hot either. We'll see what pulls through.

Time to cozy up with Madeleine L'Engle's Walking on Water. A most excellent book.

Brownies and Rain

There's a downpour going on. I love rainstorms. We ate lentil stew, homemade bread, and brownies (containing 8 eggs and 4 sticks of butter) for dinner.

I am thankful for Sam and Lilias. Sam is singing "Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer" to Lilias right now. Lilias loves Christmas songs, and often walks around our place saying to no one in particular "it's so hard to wait for Christmas." (Always with her head cocked to the side.)

I am reminded today of how desperately we need to remember our own stories. How the Israelites frequently forgot their own history, and how this got them again and again into trouble...the same is true for me. It is a constant temptation to rewrite our own stories. I need Ebeneezers sunk deep into the ground.

It was a grey cloud kinda day. Which prompting some writing, chai making, guitar playing, fluting, and harmonica piddling. Not a bad exchange. Now for some wine and maybe brownies. Blue skies ahead.

Lil's Favorite Song

"Silent Night, Holy Night,

AAAAAALLLLLL is Caaaaaaaaaalm,

AAAAALLLLLL is Bright,

Round the oven, mother 'n' child

so tender 'n' mild."

Resurrection?

I am considering attempting to perhaps be consistent about blogging. Before announcing this to anyone, I thought I'd try to make a few posts.