A First Time For Everything

And today was a first time for one of our kids to have stitches! On his way to the breakfast table, Phinehas (age 4) tripped on air and fell, gashing his eyebrow on the edge of one of our kitchen chairs (hard and wooden). He came up roaring with rage and quivering in pain/anger. I scooped him up, took him to the bathroom, put a cool, wet washcloth on the VERY ugly wound and called the Carpenter and said, "Can you please come home right now; Phin bumped his head and probably needs stitches." Needless to say, my Hero made it home right quick!

In the mean time, I put Phin on the couch with an ice pack over the washcloth and a little cup of cheerios (a big treat for the kids.) He was quiet so I called a local Dr.'s office to see if we could take him there rather than the hospital; it was a go! By then, Phin started whimpering. I asked him if he was OK: "Yes." What's wrong?: "I want to eat my breakfast!" In that moment I knew Phinehas was going to be just fine!

Anyway, my Hero took Phin to get his three stitches and Phin was a champ - kept his hands down the whole time... and then got to go back to work with Andrew. Probably, in Phin's mind, the wound was worth it to get to work with Papa!!

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Speaking of first times for everything, you'd think that maybe there would be a first time for me to take timely pictures of my super cool drying rack I mentioned before; however, though it has been on my to do list for about 5 days, obviously I've not gotten to it! I promise I'll try and get them up before the summer is out! (And who knows? Maybe you'll get to see a picture of Phin's stitches! Hah!)

Elderflowers, Red Clover Blossoms, and My Hero

Presently, as I type, I have a nice set of four homemade drying racks for drying all sorts of lovely herbacious type things, made my none other than the Carpenter (my Hero) himself. Today I tramped across a ditch and through some tall, mosquito infested grasses to a large elder bush, heavy laden with lacy white blossoms. I snapped off an armful of branches and now the delicate clusters are spread out on one of the racks. Beneath the rack of elderflowers is a rack of almost dried red clover blossoms, needing just one more day before they can be stowed away in a jar, ready to be added to teas. (Red clover tea is an excellent remedy for coughs; I also add it to an inflammation tea that Andrew drinks)

Soon, wild strawberry leaves and fresh mint will be added to the drying rotation and later on yarrow and mullein will follow. On my way home from the library I spotted the grandfather of all elder berry bushes behind a neighbor's barn; I'd venture to guess that he will let me collect a good amount of berries later in the season. I'm hoping to dry lots of random extras from the garden so they are ready to be tossed into soups all winter long. Its fun having these handy drying racks - just pick some stuff and toss it on, gather it up a few days later and stuff it in a jar! Plus, the kids can help: you know - pick a red clover blossom here, gallop through the grass whinnying like a horse, pick another blossom there and eat it... They keep me smiling!

Annie, the Duck Bus

Annie, the Duck Bus

Meet Annie, the new addition to our family – named by Abigail, of course. We picked her up yesterday and brought her home. She is a Mallard Sprinter – hence “Duck Bus.” Today, the Carpenter has become the Mechanic and is changing filters, sparkplugs, and a bunch of other things I know nothing about. Both Phin and Abbi are trying to help now and again: “Phin, hand me that filter.” “What filter?” “The thing I gave to you a little while ago!” “I don’t know where it is.” “Find it!” “Oh. Is this it?” “Yes, son. Thank you.” In a couple weeks we are going to take a trial trip up to Lake Ontario to visit G-G (Great Grandma). The kids have been told that, yes, they can be excited about a trip to “Camp” but that they need to NOT whine or beg about wanting to go sooner. Their solution? “Elroy [the dog]! Do you wanna go to camp TOMORROW?! Yeah, boy! Sure you do! Mama, Elroy wants to go to camp TOMORROW!” Hmph.

On a different note, after we had been singing on the car ride home from getting Annie, I got all teary eyed when Abigail said, “Mama, if you were silent for 100 years but you were still alive that whole time, I would really miss your voice.”

Sharp-Shooter and Schooling

Yep. I'm now a sharp-shooter. (For today, at least.) I shot a squirrel (for Elroy to eat) on the first shot. The bullet went in right under the poor, unsuspecting creature's chin, dead center. I was so shocked that I actually hit the critter that I forgot to feel remotely sorry that I ended it's life (but when I did think of it, I only gave it a fleeting thought as the bugger had ben in my garden!!!)

Onto a completely different topic: Homeschooling

You probably know that we are planning on homeschooling. We've unofficially been doing it for 5 years now! Well, I was absolutely dreading July 1st, the date I THOUGHT I had to register Abbi with the local school district. Last night I was filled with elation as I discovered that I don't have to do a thing until NEXT year, when she is 6! Hip hip, HOORAY!!!

Random Ramblings

You'd think that since I now have more regular internet access I would post my rambling thoughts more often. I guess not. But here are a few of them, in no particular order:

Summer snow: The cottonwood fluff floating on the warm breeze, sticking to wet, dewy feet in the morning sunlight. I like this snow!

Multiflora Rose: Invasive, persistent, threaded with thorns, choking out other life... but such a heady scent! I can't bring myself to dislike this glorious plant! Now it blossoms in splendor; in the autumn it will be laden with tiny hips, tart on the tongue, full of goodness.

Ice Cream: Whoever invented it was a genius. I hope he died fat and happy.

Lady's Smock: That white and purple fragrant flower that we all call wild phlox. I've had armloads of them brought to me by the children! And there is even one persistent plant growing high up in the crotch of a tree! We had fun imagining the fairies planting it... or the chipmunks... or the birds... or the wind.

Orioles and Full Moons: Last week we had a full moon. The nights were crystal clear and when the moon was at its highest the quiet night was shattered by the voice of the oriole we have nesting in a nearby tree! Incredible music. Breathtaking. Clear, simple, pure, lovely!

Anniversary Apricots: Yesterday was our anniversary! The Carpenter and his wife have been married for 8 years; each grows sweeter than the last. To celebrate we had "Anniversary Apricots" - apricots soaked in brandy with pieces of vanilla intermingled in the jar. They sat for two months; it really was a coincidence that they were ready on our anniversary, but we took advantage of it! They are yummy. Not something that you would necessarily crave and want to consume vast quantities of (like the afore mentioned ice cream). But they are refreshing! If you come and visit, we'll share!

Well, that is all for now, except for a quaint little funny that Abigail said earlier today:

Twice today our Suburban would not start; the battery is old and lacking. So, after the second time, Abigail declared that "Papa needs to get us a new battery. He can get rid of the old one and put the new, baby one in and it can grow up to be BIG and STRONG!!"

Darla is a Genius and I am a Chicken Herder

We went away this weekend! Andrew took the boys on a canoe/camping trip and I and the girls visited with my friend Darla and her daughter (and the young boys; her husband and oldest three went canoeing too.) Anyway, during our visit, the ever industrial Darla made homemade baby wipes using paper towels and a very simple formula. While she was putting them together she remarked that she should make some cleaning wipes to keep in the bathroom; all you need to do is take a paper towel, wipe the counter, the sink and the toilet and voila! Done!

Well, I capitalized on her brilliant idea and now have a container of cleaning wipes in each bathroom... and a 5 year old girl eager to assume the responsibility of the one upstairs! Here is the formula I used:

Solution:

1/3 c White Vinegar

1 2/3 c Water

Nice squirt of Dish Soap

6-8 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract

5 Drops Orange Essential Oil

5 Drops Lemongrass Essential Oil (Obviously, you can use something different, if you want!)

Pour Solution into your container (I used a plastic tupperware container that the 1/2 PT roll fit nicely into)

Cut a paper towel roll in half

Remove the cardboard thingy from the middle (you pull the wipes from the center - ingenious!)

Let paper towels soak up the solution

Clean away!!! (Or find a 5 year old to do it!)

As you can see Darla is a genius.

And I am a chicken herder: this morning after breakfast we all went outside and found that one of the chickens flown the coop, so to speak. Actually, she flew over their "playpen" - the fence to corral them during the day to the specific part of the hogweed infested yard that we want them to peck around in. So Mario (yes, the chicken is a girl, but she has this black mark on her beak that looks just like a mustache) was clucking like crazy, very anxious about being separated from the rest of the girls. I tried to convince her that I was just going to return her to the playpen, but she didn't understand my clucking. So, I had to chase her ALL the way around the fence, stumbling over rocks and fallen trees, tiptoeing around nasty hogweed, around the Ash tree and then FINALLY she ran into the shed where I cornered her and grabbed her!

She, of course, was much relieved... and the kids were much amused.

"Do you have a wife?"

Uncle Philip is visiting. Philip is a friend of Andrew's, a dear brother in the Lord who just finished college. He came for supper tonight. The past few times he has visited, Phinehas has asked him, "Do you have a wife?" Here is how the questions came tonight:

Phin: "Do you have a wife?"

Philip: "No."

Phin: "Why?"

Philip: "Well, I just don't right now."

Phin: "You should get one."

Philip: "Oh. I should? How?"

Phin: "You can catch it!"

Philip: (laughing) "That would be wild!"

Phin: "Yeah, and you can tie it up with a rope like a cowboy!!"

Fortunately, we have a bit more than a decade to change Phin's wife hunting philosophy!