July 22-28, 2018
Groundhog, Basil Butter, and Interview for Dog Adoption
Groundhog, Basil Butter, and Interview for Dog Adoption
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| Eating our way through July with our garden veg! |
Hello Friends!
We had a few exciting things happen this week as Dd and I prepared for our trip to Indiana to visit the "L" family. Just like last year, we are going to enjoy the Indiana State Fair with our good friends. We will spend the week at their house and enjoying their company.
Dh's co-worker's (Andrew) parents are fostering a dog in their home. Andrew showed Dh this rescued dog and somehow Dh feel in love! So, we've been watching little video's on the dog's playful antics from Andrew. They are calling the dog "Bo" or "Stanley." I don't know why he has two names, but as I belatedly type this, we in the near future, will meet him and call him "Henry."
When we filled in our application we had to give three references and all three friends were called this week. Then on Wednesday night I rec'd a call and was interviewed for 1 1/2 hours!!! The interviewer, Amy, and I had such a great chat and had very similar views on all things dog. She has homeschooled her eight children! She told me, in the end, we could pick any(Henry) of the dogs that were up for adoption, but we wanted to stick with Bo/Stanley(Henry) as he was the one Dh fell in love with, although he is the only one that isn't living with cats currently. Bo/Stanley(Henry) will have to learn all about cats when we bring him home. I'm so excited that I spent hours puppy proofing our house.
When we filled in our application we had to give three references and all three friends were called this week. Then on Wednesday night I rec'd a call and was interviewed for 1 1/2 hours!!! The interviewer, Amy, and I had such a great chat and had very similar views on all things dog. She has homeschooled her eight children! She told me, in the end, we could pick any(Henry) of the dogs that were up for adoption, but we wanted to stick with Bo/Stanley(Henry) as he was the one Dh fell in love with, although he is the only one that isn't living with cats currently. Bo/Stanley(Henry) will have to learn all about cats when we bring him home. I'm so excited that I spent hours puppy proofing our house.
Groundhog:
While I was inside puppy-proofing the house, the chickens started going crazy so I raced out to see what was going on. I didn't see anything inside so I looked to see where they were looking and saw they were staring out the back, towards the backwoods.
I rushed down there but didn't see anything. I thought I'd pull a few weeds while I tried to access what could be going on. The chickens kept fussing so Dd came out and went to the front of the coop and immediately saw a groundhog INSIDE the coop. A mad dash and we managed to get the groundhog out! She almost ran over Dd's feet running out the door.
I rushed down there but didn't see anything. I thought I'd pull a few weeds while I tried to access what could be going on. The chickens kept fussing so Dd came out and went to the front of the coop and immediately saw a groundhog INSIDE the coop. A mad dash and we managed to get the groundhog out! She almost ran over Dd's feet running out the door.
Tree'd Groundhog:
I decided I needed to stop everything and reinforce all the exterior walls of the coop with dirt, gravel, and big rocks immediately. The previous owners had placed landscaping rocks all around the pool area. I decided the chickens needed those rocks more than we needed to look nice, so I got the wheelbarrow and started loading rocks in. Dd noticed what I failed to see, as I had come out of the pool gate a groundhog had scurried up a thin little tree!!! Oh my! How funny to see this fluffy groundhog up this sapling of a "tree." She let us take pictures of her for a few minutes and then we left her alone to get down and compose herself. We didn't see her for the rest of the day, but I did see her by the pool again the next day. When she was up in the tree I noticed she looked like she was nursing, so I figure she must have her den (and babies) somewhere near our pool.
Garden:
First ripe Blackberries!!!! I also ate the first red tomato.
The Butterfly Bush, Black-Eyed Susan's, and Sunflower Week!
The garden is doing really well. I cut down a lot of kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard; two trash bags full, to share with the "L" family. I also brought some red tomatoes. Since the kale bugs are picking up steam, I know there will be a lot of stripped kale when I return. blah. Saturday I picked a huge mess of greens to blanch and freeze before it got eaten by bugs. It took me most of the day to do.
Basil Butter:
I made up a big batch of basil butter for our freezer. I picked some leaves off the basil plants, chopped them up and stirred them into room temperature butter.
Then I used parchment paper to roll them into butter logs, wrapped, and froze for future use.
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| Look at her belly hanging down! Quite a big girl. |
Garden:
First ripe Blackberries!!!! I also ate the first red tomato.
The Butterfly Bush, Black-Eyed Susan's, and Sunflower Week!
The garden is doing really well. I cut down a lot of kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard; two trash bags full, to share with the "L" family. I also brought some red tomatoes. Since the kale bugs are picking up steam, I know there will be a lot of stripped kale when I return. blah. Saturday I picked a huge mess of greens to blanch and freeze before it got eaten by bugs. It took me most of the day to do.
Basil Butter:
I made up a big batch of basil butter for our freezer. I picked some leaves off the basil plants, chopped them up and stirred them into room temperature butter.
Then I used parchment paper to roll them into butter logs, wrapped, and froze for future use.
Strings Group:
Dd practiced a lot on her guitar and really impressed her guitar teacher, Joe. Instead of our normal one hour practice, this week was two hours long! The practice went well and Joe was so pleased at how much Dd had practiced and improved in one week. Another girl in the group, FA, wanted to try out the guitar so Dd let her take home her guitar since we are traveling to Indiana next week and won't be practicing. Instead of having our big group meet, only Joe, B, H, Dd, FA were there for practice. I guess the adults are taking some summer time off from the group.
Volunteering at the Library:
Dd volunteered this week at the Ruff Readers program. The Ruff Readers is a great program where children can sign up to read with whichever dog they want for thirty minutes. I think they had four different dog options and a two-hour time open time.
Volunteering at the church's Five Day Club:
Dd, H, and I volunteered to help out at the Five Day Club one day this week. In Indiana we had VBS weeks at our church, but here they have something similar, it's just not held at the church but at people's homes. The thought behind the event is exactly the same---trying to share Jesus to children who might not know; an outreach type of program. The day we were there ALL the kids that attended already go to church, so we didn't really succeed in being an outreach; but the day was good.
Church:
I'll put this down here where it might get overlooked. I have to lament how disappointing it is for me to hear our church talk politics on Sunday; all little things mostly talking about the president in prayer time. I've typed this message week after week and always delete it before posting b/c I don't want to air dirty laundry publicly but I am so sad to feel like I do NOT want to go to church on Sunday because of it. In Indiana, it was a given that you left all that talk at the door.
I just want to say, it has been a real burden and an inner fight just going to church each Sunday. I feel like our church should be a place for unity--unity---unity. It is hard to me to feel so close to these brothers and sisters in Christ, yet politically we couldn't be more polarized against each other. I do keep going for the parts about the bible, but it gets harder every week. I'm sure there are thousands of fellow believers trying to have fellowship at churches around the country with people that are either watching Fox News or mainstream coverage that clearly divides what and how we see the events of the day. It is really a very odd time we are living in and not one area of our life, unfortunately, church, that isn't drenched in it.
Chickens:
Zeus is still having seizures, but the other chickens are all doing really well and eating lots and lots of greens. It's a lot of work gathering greens for them, but they sure do appreciate it!
Dd, H, and I volunteered to help out at the Five Day Club one day this week. In Indiana we had VBS weeks at our church, but here they have something similar, it's just not held at the church but at people's homes. The thought behind the event is exactly the same---trying to share Jesus to children who might not know; an outreach type of program. The day we were there ALL the kids that attended already go to church, so we didn't really succeed in being an outreach; but the day was good.
Church:
I'll put this down here where it might get overlooked. I have to lament how disappointing it is for me to hear our church talk politics on Sunday; all little things mostly talking about the president in prayer time. I've typed this message week after week and always delete it before posting b/c I don't want to air dirty laundry publicly but I am so sad to feel like I do NOT want to go to church on Sunday because of it. In Indiana, it was a given that you left all that talk at the door.
I just want to say, it has been a real burden and an inner fight just going to church each Sunday. I feel like our church should be a place for unity--unity---unity. It is hard to me to feel so close to these brothers and sisters in Christ, yet politically we couldn't be more polarized against each other. I do keep going for the parts about the bible, but it gets harder every week. I'm sure there are thousands of fellow believers trying to have fellowship at churches around the country with people that are either watching Fox News or mainstream coverage that clearly divides what and how we see the events of the day. It is really a very odd time we are living in and not one area of our life, unfortunately, church, that isn't drenched in it.
Chickens:
Zeus is still having seizures, but the other chickens are all doing really well and eating lots and lots of greens. It's a lot of work gathering greens for them, but they sure do appreciate it!
Blanching Greens:
I'm still working on freezing kale/chard for the winter.
I'm also freezing some for the chickens.
I'm still working on freezing kale/chard for the winter.
I'm also freezing some for the chickens.
Academics for the Week:
Bible:
Church, Sunday School, and bible study (Entrusted by Beth Moore (Study on 2nd Timothy) )
Sunday night Dd and I went to the evening program on Paul--very good.
Automotive Repair:
Saturday Dh and Dd spent the whole day working on the van and Subaru. They changed the front headlight bulb in one car, changed the air filters in both, Rotated the tires in both, changed the oil in both, and aired up the tires. The day before, Friday, Dd thoroughly cleaned out the car for our trip.
Volunteering:
Ruff Readers program at our library (2 hours)
and
5-Day Club, church children's outreach camp (1 day)
DuoLingo: Spanish
Typing: NitroType
Dd has been going to town with her typing this week.
Reader:
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: In Process
Apparently, this book isn't such a hit with Dd, she is dragging it along week after week. I'm going to start audio's next week to get through my goals a bit faster.
Fun Reader:
Rogue Wave (Water Fire Series) by Susan Casey: In Process
The Circle by Dave Eggers: In Process
Physical Exercise:
Swimming: 2 hours
Car Repair: 6 hours
Music:
Guitar: 6 hours this week
Strings Group Practice: 2 hours
NEXT WEEK:
Dd and I will be with the "L" family in Indiana!! Yay!
......
Bible:
Church, Sunday School, and bible study (Entrusted by Beth Moore (Study on 2nd Timothy) )
Sunday night Dd and I went to the evening program on Paul--very good.
Automotive Repair:
Saturday Dh and Dd spent the whole day working on the van and Subaru. They changed the front headlight bulb in one car, changed the air filters in both, Rotated the tires in both, changed the oil in both, and aired up the tires. The day before, Friday, Dd thoroughly cleaned out the car for our trip.
Volunteering:
Ruff Readers program at our library (2 hours)
and
5-Day Club, church children's outreach camp (1 day)
DuoLingo: Spanish
Typing: NitroType
Dd has been going to town with her typing this week.
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| Enjoying eating all our garden veg! |
Reader:
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: In Process
Apparently, this book isn't such a hit with Dd, she is dragging it along week after week. I'm going to start audio's next week to get through my goals a bit faster.
Fun Reader:
Rogue Wave (Water Fire Series) by Susan Casey: In Process
The Circle by Dave Eggers: In Process
Physical Exercise:
Swimming: 2 hours
Car Repair: 6 hours
Music:
Guitar: 6 hours this week
Strings Group Practice: 2 hours
NEXT WEEK:
Dd and I will be with the "L" family in Indiana!! Yay!
......
......
