2009 October 28
by simplysharon

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.

Thomas Jefferson

Mutant Veggies

2009 September 23

My garden is just about done for the year.  The weather has turned colder and all that is left is a few Roma tomatoes that are half orange and I am hopeful but doubtful  they will turn red.

I’ve been canning carrots and canning beets this past week.   I froze the last of the peppers today and made a batch of orange rhubarb jam.  Just for fun.  It turned out really good!

It is always fun to see the variety of vegetables that emerge from this rocky ground here in the high dessert.  Here are my samples for this year.

Poor confused carrots did not know which way to go in our clay soil.

Poor confused carrots did not know which way to go in our clay soil.

Mutant beet

Mutant beet

This came up with the beets.  Uhm is it a turnip??

This came up with the beets. Uhm is it a turnip??

Take a walk with me

2009 September 18
by simplysharon
riding bikesup the drive

riding bikes up the drive

Our humble home

Our humble home

Flying

Flying

wheelies

wheelies

Flowers for you hair momma

Flowers for you hair momma

Don’t you wish you were 6 yrs old!

2009 September 15
by simplysharon
Bucket Diving

Bucket Diving

DSCF2792

He’s there!

2009 August 4
by simplysharon

Dropped off my son yesterday at a hotel in Denver.    It was THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!  (not yelling just emphasizing)

He flew out this morning and is right now at Ft Benning.  Probably being yelled at by some big mean grouchy looking guy in a uniform.

Despite all my fears…. I think he is going to be fine.

update

2009 June 16
by simplysharon

He’s BAAAAAaaaack.

Son got to MEPS (military entrance processing something or other)   The doctor would not pass him in his physical.    He stubbed his toe in a great game of lazer tag with some of his friends.   This was 3 days before leaving.

He is so dissapointed.  Can you believe it?  A stubbed toe.

We will be saying goodbye again in August.

From Homeschool to Army Life

2009 June 14
by simplysharon

My oldest entered the military this morning.  He left for Ft Benning GA.  Change.  Life goes on… doesn’t it?

I was a little emotional this morning. Not too bad I kept busy making breakfast and all.   The big test was when my 6yo son asked me
“how many days will (the 18yo) be gone?’   I had to explain that he will only be
back for visits and that he will be living somewhere else.   That nearly did
me in.  LOL    But I did not cry until just before he left.   And again when he
drove out.

After he was gone I just seemed to calm down and was fine.  Sure I am
worried about him and all but I really do have peace that he will be fine
and will make us proud.  OK I better quit now before I start crying again!!

Two observations that have nothing to do with each other.

2009 May 27
tags: ,
by simplysharon

Good thing I took a picture of our little outside fish tank.  It was broken today.  No one got cut, but the tank is in the trash.  We had that tank for at least 4 years.   Look out goodwill here I come.  It is fish tank season!

——————————————————-

Did you know that the definition of a ’small business’ is one that grosses less that 10 million?  I also saw the figure less than 25 million.

I guess that makes my husband and myself a microscopic business!  LOL

We make enough to take care of ourselves  thank-you-very-much!!  Now if we could just keep some of it.   Taxes, sheesh.

Summer Fun for Kids

2009 May 26

What do you get when you combine

  • boys
  • critters
  • fish tank, or a large jar
  • or a horse tank?

Summer time fun.

An old fish tank just may be the best Salvation army buy you might ever make.  Get one with a screened lid. Kids will be entertained for hours.  They can watch all kinds of critters.  Frogs, lizards, grasshoppers, tadpoles, baby chicks, baby bunnies.  The list could go on.

The last 2 summers my boys went down to the pond and ‘caught’ tadpoles brought them up and put them in the tank to watch them grow and develop.  Lots of fun!  I wish I could find a picture.

Here are brief descriptions of the pictures below.

  • When the frogs got big enough we transferred them to what we call the horse trough. This horse trough  gets lots of use. It has also housed lizards (obviously when it was dry) gold fish, and sunnies caught from the pond. Actually makes a decent swimming pool too.
  • The spider actually was in a jar and not the fish tank.  It was so big my youngest was imitating it’s teeth!
  • Here is a HUGE bull frog the boys brought home.  It was in our indoor tank.  It is VERY unusual for this one to hold wild critters.  It just happened to be empty when this big bull frog made it to our house.  The gold fish had just been moved outside to the horse trough.  The boys figured they’d like a change of scenery.
  • The boys have a smaller fish tank that stays outside and this is where the wild things go.
  • This outside tank is  well used. It has also housed crawdads.  The boys and their dad are ‘crawdadin’
  • It also makes for great GI-Joe sea adventures and underwater explorations!

spring planting in the garden

2009 May 23

Got some more vegetables planted in my garden.

  • 8 roma tomatoes, 1 cherry tomato and 1 pear tomato.
  • 2 pickling cucumbers, 1 slicing cucumber and 1 other cucumber don’t remember what it is called… some exotic looking thing that my friend got by accident and was going to toss so I took it.  maybe it’ll turn out to be something cool.
  • 4 green bell peppers, 4 anaheim, 2 spicey peppers ( can’t remember the name of that one either.
  • 2 cantaloupe
  • 1 watermelon

Spinach is almost ready to pick,  only two lettuce plants came up so I reseeded, they are just sprouting.

I forgot to snap a picure of the carrots . I think that is 3 things I’ve forgotten for this post. :0)

I have what I believe is a pumpkin volunteering… should I let it live? It is in the middle of our corn rows.   Lets have a vote! Leave a comment and let me know.