I've been a horrible blogger. I've not even responded to all the kind comments on the last post, tho i treasure each and every one.
Kip and Sierra on Sunday after church. (Do NOT buy tights from Payless Shoes!)
The family with which we are involved ("rent" the kids) is in crisis. Dad left with Joshua. It was chaos. We took the two older ones from Saturday noon until Sunday about 5 PM. I can't say much about this because: 1. It is not my story. 2. It is very complicated and i don't know the whole truth. 3. I would sound critical.
What i can say is that we want to do what we can to help these kids and as much as possible, provide a safe, calm, healthy environment for them when they need a place to crash for a little while.
It is hard to be around chaos without life feeling a bit chaotic as well. We have been taking steps to deal with that. We also are striving to set appropriate boundaries and check that we are not being drawn too much into drama.
I am going to make a serious effort to garden this year. In this climate, that means starting seedlings indoors. I planted 2 trays on the evening of 4 April.
These are my seedlings before we left Tuesday AM, 12 April, about 1 week later.
These were taken this AM. Everything i've planted so far has germinated except the bell pepper (in the same row as the zucchini, 3 plants each). Tho not every pod has sprouted, every type has shown some signs of growth. You can't see the watermelon in this pic, but there are three that are sprouting and shooting up small leaves.
These need to be put in pots in the next couple of days. It will be too cold to transplant them outside until the beginning of June at the earliest. However, a couple of years ago i tried this Jiffy "greenhouse" system. Not many sprouted and i made the mistake of leaving the ones that did sprout in the wet environment too long. They grew fungus and rotted.
I am very excited at this growth. I'm such an inexpert gardener! I have other things i'd like to try to grow, too. I've not started any tomatoes yet. I'd like to do parsnips, but haven't found seed for it. We only have the one raised bed outside and our ground is not appropriate to plant things in it directly, so we will probably have to build a couple of more beds. Duane moans about the expense because we have to buy some soil to go in that big bed (the one we have is 4'x8'x8"). We would do well to start composting soon. We gave it a try in the past, but what we set up wasn't adequate and much too small.
Do you watch Glee?
We don't watch the program, but know a number of folks who do. This is my cousin April. She has been playing an extra on the program. I know she is going to be in the episode on the Prom. If you watch it, keep a look out for my very lovely cousin. :)
My Aunt was out for a visit with my cousin, and Duane and i met them in Dana Point Tue eve for dinner. My sister Elsa drove up from San Diego, too.
I saw a new doc on Thur. I'm pretty hopeful about this one, but trying to to get too ecstatic. Have had too many problems in the past. I'm not going to write about it here, this is too long already. But i did talk a little about it at Hawkes' Health (a forum to which i belong). If you are interested, my part is on page 2 about half way down: hCG diet?
So, that's what has been going on in our lives.
What plans do you have for the weekend? Will you be joining family for Easter? It is coming up quickly! Next week is Holy Week already. The year is speeding by!
449
Kip and Sierra on Sunday after church. (Do NOT buy tights from Payless Shoes!)
The family with which we are involved ("rent" the kids) is in crisis. Dad left with Joshua. It was chaos. We took the two older ones from Saturday noon until Sunday about 5 PM. I can't say much about this because: 1. It is not my story. 2. It is very complicated and i don't know the whole truth. 3. I would sound critical.
What i can say is that we want to do what we can to help these kids and as much as possible, provide a safe, calm, healthy environment for them when they need a place to crash for a little while.
It is hard to be around chaos without life feeling a bit chaotic as well. We have been taking steps to deal with that. We also are striving to set appropriate boundaries and check that we are not being drawn too much into drama.
I am going to make a serious effort to garden this year. In this climate, that means starting seedlings indoors. I planted 2 trays on the evening of 4 April.
These are my seedlings before we left Tuesday AM, 12 April, about 1 week later.
These were taken this AM. Everything i've planted so far has germinated except the bell pepper (in the same row as the zucchini, 3 plants each). Tho not every pod has sprouted, every type has shown some signs of growth. You can't see the watermelon in this pic, but there are three that are sprouting and shooting up small leaves.
These need to be put in pots in the next couple of days. It will be too cold to transplant them outside until the beginning of June at the earliest. However, a couple of years ago i tried this Jiffy "greenhouse" system. Not many sprouted and i made the mistake of leaving the ones that did sprout in the wet environment too long. They grew fungus and rotted.
I am very excited at this growth. I'm such an inexpert gardener! I have other things i'd like to try to grow, too. I've not started any tomatoes yet. I'd like to do parsnips, but haven't found seed for it. We only have the one raised bed outside and our ground is not appropriate to plant things in it directly, so we will probably have to build a couple of more beds. Duane moans about the expense because we have to buy some soil to go in that big bed (the one we have is 4'x8'x8"). We would do well to start composting soon. We gave it a try in the past, but what we set up wasn't adequate and much too small.
Do you watch Glee?
We don't watch the program, but know a number of folks who do. This is my cousin April. She has been playing an extra on the program. I know she is going to be in the episode on the Prom. If you watch it, keep a look out for my very lovely cousin. :)
My Aunt was out for a visit with my cousin, and Duane and i met them in Dana Point Tue eve for dinner. My sister Elsa drove up from San Diego, too.
I saw a new doc on Thur. I'm pretty hopeful about this one, but trying to to get too ecstatic. Have had too many problems in the past. I'm not going to write about it here, this is too long already. But i did talk a little about it at Hawkes' Health (a forum to which i belong). If you are interested, my part is on page 2 about half way down: hCG diet?
So, that's what has been going on in our lives.
What plans do you have for the weekend? Will you be joining family for Easter? It is coming up quickly! Next week is Holy Week already. The year is speeding by!
449
4 comments:
That is pretty cool to be an extra! I have watched glee and it isn't too bad. I have finally gotten to the point that it is so much easier to just by the plant when it is time to garden. I really don't have the room to plant in doors. Yours are looking really good!
I quite like Glee. So that's exciting to (sort of) know someone who knows someone who is on it!
Good luck with the garden, the health issues, and the rent-a-kids. It's tough to see drama and chaos and not be able to do anything but pick up the pieces. But I'm glad you are there to pick up the pieces for their sake.
We're visiting my sister and her husband and my cutest little niece for Easter, so that will be fun.
Wow where did the weekend Go?
It sounds like you have been adopted and have the trust of this family.
Fantastic and scarey, Yes!
You are in my prayers as you share the love and stability these children need. May they sprout up and blossom under your care just as your seedlings are doing!
Wow... i think you're going to have a bumper crop this year!
buzz & blessings
*kare
Love to see your seedlings all sprouting so well. I'm trying to garden more this year too. I have already cleared my garden and now I have to lay a patio and plant things. Lots of hard work ahead!
I've started a new blog BTW - Bobkat :)
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