Seeds

I know I'm not the only gardener that gets a gleam in their eye this time of year and has nothing but seeds on the brain. In my case, what's on my mind is too many seeds going to waste, while I have to have small container gardens. I have hundreds of dollars tied up in seeds I can't use. Granted that some of them are getting rather old, but would anyone like some, even if hardly any sprouted? Thought I'd ask before I weeded them out and tossed or made a list.

Some of my old seed is sprouting just fine, evidenced by the green showing up. More daily. Ahhh, I love and hate this time of year!

Taking the Plunge

Today I took the plunge and finalized my seed orders for 2011! Hopefully in the next week, my seeds from Baker's Creek and Renee's Garden will both arrive. Yea!

Winter blahs have arrived

Isabelle pretends to not like Matthew, but then I turn around and she is cuddling.

We've done more painting.

My hibiscus bloomed. I can always count on it to bloom when I get the winter blahs. It bloomed just in time.

Maybe I'm just starved for color and spring, but I thought this bloom was particularly beautiful.

Because I have finally gotten the winter blahs, I've started adding Valentine's Day color. Matthew and I went out and bought the cutest heart tablecloth at Target. I normally put heart picks in my wreath, but I left them behind, so Matthew and I used our new heart punch to make paper hearts for it.

I rather like the effect.

Matthew liked using the heart punch so much, that he used the heart and circle punch this morning. Once we get a new glue stick, we'll start working on Valentines.

Matthew thought I ought to paint with him, so I did. He decided that I hadn't done a very good job, so he improved my artwork. At one point it was raining pink rain. Another, lots of pink flowers were blooming. The black might be a train track. He had stories for everything he did.

Playing in the woods

Saturday we got up early and went to some friends' house in east Texas.

They live in the country on 4 acres with 2 little country boys.

Yesterday we went to church with them and we all enjoyed it. I wish I'd thought to take a photo of Matthew in his Sunday best.

Matthew had a ball. He didn't want to leave. EVER. (At least until he woke up, as we got home, and then he announced, "I'm tired for Texas. We need to get a big truck, put all our stuff in it and go back to Kansas. Some stuff goes in our car too.")

Yesterday we got home on the last rays of the sun. Phil called and let us know that he had badly hurt his back again. The powers that be, have removed him from tank commander and put him in Headquarters. He is very upset, as well as I am. We now know he can no longer do what he loves to do and it hurts. He'll be starting the medical rounds again, as they decide what to do with him. Please hold Phil in your thoughts and prayers that this latest setback will be a blessing in the end. I'm sure it will, but for now it hurts.

What's happening around here

We started off by collecting bur acorns on a walk.

I took more night shots.

I love how they show the motion.

We went to story time at the public library. They got to sing, do a craft, read book and danced with ribbons. Matthew really enjoyed it.

Our acorn collection has increased. The tiny ones came from our walk to the job fair Wednesday and the middle sized one came from the library parking lot Tuesday.

It got so cold last night we woke up to frost, which you probably can't tell in this photo!

Then today coming home from the post story time, I pulled over so we could get more acorns and collected leaves this time. He's so proud of the seed collection he's getting.



There is what it sounds like around here sometimes. Enjoy!

A stepladder, a box of cereal, a good night, and...

..a subject.

A stepladder with a box of cereal makes a much better base for long exposure night shots.


Run inside! They're coming for us!

5th hole

Phil and I have made a pact to put as few of holes in the walls as necessary so that we don't have to patch them. We've made exactly 4 small holes, until today. While waiting for the maintenance man to come (who never did), I decided I had to put up my candle holder. I've waited 3 months to put it up. You may remember Faith's big barn sale. I bought it after that was all said and done and LOVE IT! Now it's the first thing you see when you walk in. It was worth putting a 5th small hole in the wall.

It's been all about outside or trying to not go crazy inside

Bird feeder we made.

First bird I saw using it.

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal like to eat seeds off the ground. They come everyday.

This guy comes everyday too. He will even let you stand right under him.

More tanks rolling along. We haven't seen them behind to house for 3 days although they are still shaking the house.

The other day I looked out the window and saw 2 lights in the sky. Maybe flares of some sort?

More equipment.

We've had alot of rain and the lichen/moss loves it! It's really bloomed.

One of those animals isn't stuffed.

Matthew and I made a huge "bed" to be pulled by the train and played with it most of the afternoon.

Puddle stomping in the rain.


Huge puddles everywhere.

I wonder what this bird is, rather yellow, maybe an immature orange-crowned warbler? It liked the suet we bought Thursday.

How many birds can you find?

I find it so fascinating.

Isabelle playing.

Tons of sparrows came and ate suet yesterday.

Watching a movie.

At the other end of the street, the motorpool is right behind the houses. At this moment I wished I lived right there. All the equipment so close. The photos I could have taken.

I liked the way this bush turned colors.

Matthew showing off cedar berries on our walk. We've started collecting seeds on our walks. Matthew is especially proud of the bur oak acorns we got on the last walk before the monsoon rains.

He has so much fun taking his own photos!