simply staying busy...

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I will call my mom in a short while, don't want to wake her up early.  I woke up to find that my sweet girl had sent me a mother's day wish just after midnight, she is nothing if not prepared.  It made my morning.  Frankly, I am not a huge fan of Hallmark holidays, honestly since I have gotten older I don't know that I am a fan of any holidays.  They are simply far too commercial and over the top. Not that I disagree with having a holiday to celebrate mom's, dad's, loves, etc.  I just despise the over commercialization of them.  A phone call, a text, if close enough I simply love a hug.  But I don't do well with the rest of it. I'm not even a card person, rarely buying or mailing them out.  It's simply not me. 

I also struggle with holidays that bring home pain to someone.  And unfortunately, there are many that hurt on those very holidays.  I know, I'm strange.  So what. I have wonderful children that I love to the moon and beyond.  The fact that they are busy living their best lives is all I need to make me happy. I messaged with my boy yesterday, I got an awesome message from my girl.  Life is good!

I don't plan to do anything other than having a normal day.  Actually, I plan on a repeat of yesterday.  And trust me, yesterday has my body screaming ouch, simply, plainly just ouch!  If it is part of my body it is letting me know that it is not thrilled with my actions yesterday.  Any of them. Well, all except for the new knee, it doesn't hurt at all.  The muscles around it are not thrilled, but the knee is a blessing. 

Hubs and I worked so hard yesterday.  But it was such a fulfilling hard.  It wasn't hard for the sake of hard. My sweet Hubs looked at my to do list and went to town.  It felt amazing to have things just falling off the list left and right.  Before I'd even watered the treetop garden he had pulled up most of the old landscaping vinyl it's currently lying in the driveway, but three different folks have all asked for it.  That's a win all the way around. 

We finally removed all of those crazy wild shrubs that we have been in a love hate relationship with for eight years.  Trying to decide if we wanted to keep them as they framed the small back patio.  Or did we want to remove them, because honestly they were a bit of an eyesore.  The only two values they brought were the fact that they kept anyone from falling off the patio and the deer wandered up to graze where we could watch them up close. In fact the second one is the primary reason they were such an eyesore. 

It's amazing the difference just removing those old overgrown shrubs had on the back yard. It grew so much just removing them.  Today we will tackle other parts of making it a more livable and puppy friendly space.  But that needs to wait a moment.  I'm simply tired and sore.  Besides, I think the neighbors would probably like some peace and quiet on this early Sunday morning. 

We also worked to remove a small mountain (it felt it anyhow) of dirt and rocks so that we could repair the irrigation system.  Hubs and I were both sore, cut up, and flat out tired by the time we finished, but for $12 and a bunch of labor we were able to repair it ourselves and didn't have to wait until the first week of June to have it fixed.  I would never pay to have an irrigation system installed, it came with the house.  But, since I do have it, why should I waste the time and water using a sprinkler? That being said, I might need to purchase a replacement gardening shovel, because they were a bit old and using them to pry all of those rocks free without damaging the system has them a bit misshapen.  I know we live on a very rocky hill, I didn't realize until yesterday just how rocky.  Also my respect for the fence installation crew just grew even greater. 

 I have a confession to make and it rips at my heart surprisingly.  I went into the garage to grab a bag of worm casings (I was working on planting my tomatoes) and I was startled by a tiny baby black snake.  He scared me to the core, but he wasn't any bigger than an earthworm.  I didn't want him living in my garage and tried to be brave enough to pick him up and move him.  I moved him a bit too suddenly and harshly evidently, as he didn't make it.  I am crushed.  Seriously crushed.  I was trying so hard to overcome my fear of snakes and realizing that he was a good snake trying to move him to a safer spot and I accidentally killed him. I didn't know that baby snakes were so fragile.  Now I keep waiting for momma snake to come and let me know that I am a mean and horrible person.

there was also time to snuggle the babies
yep that is my lap they are both sitting in

Somehow in the midst of all that chaos I managed to make 5 quarts of spaghetti with meat sauce, plus a bit extra that Hubs will enjoy today.  And I dehydrated a sweet potato for the babies.  They love them dehydrated. This morning I am getting ready to make a big batch of french onion soup, I got a great deal on onions and Hubs and I love it, even without the bread in the middle. I plan to can that up also.  I love my new pressure canner.  I am having a great time fixing all of these yummy treats.  Hubs is loving the homemade dinners even when I am simply too tired to deal with it all. Ironically with not eating out, both of us are dropping weight with the homemade meals. 

Today will find us outside working again, those 90° temps will be starting tomorrow, so we want to get all of the outside work finished up while its cool.  I am going to pull all of that ivy, I've absolutely had enough of it.  Hubs will take care of all the pressure washing.  We might even pick up a lilac bush or two to put where the ivy once lived when I get it all pulled out.  I also need to pick up one or two good sized planters so that I can get my okra planted, forgot about doing that yesterday.  And we need to look at how much sod that area that used to hold ugly shrubs is going to require.  I am not a fan of muddy puppies and that is a HUGE area to be muddy. 

Well, I have a few more moments to rest before starting this day.  So it's time for another cup of coffee and to cast on my second sock.  First one was finished yesterday. I love the feeling of accomplishment, of taking care of our business and the rest that comes when it is done. 

love and peace...

 

the ties that bind...

Family time.  A precious gift that I had not been making a priority.  In the past it was a mixed bag of tricks.  Could the boys go?  Did they allow dogs?  Could we get off work?  What was going on at our various locations of employment?  Would we be able to go off the grid long enough to chill by a fire in a spot without cell service?  Were we simply too exhausted to consider running away? Too many chores to squeeze in before the end of the weekend?

Sitting here in my living room wrapped firmly in a blanket, listening to the music that sweet Hubs is playing from all angles and reflecting on the weekend past.  Those reasons all look like excuses.  It was fun, it was crazy, it was definitely full of incredible memories. 

Hubs and I gifted our neat little pickup tent and mattress to the second youngest grandson. In theory it was incredible.  In action, we are simply too damn old and inflexible!! He is going to enjoy it to no end! He loves being outdoors and it will allow him to take off fishing and not worry about where to sleep.  

Hubs and I have a plan b.  And isn't life about the plan b?  We scoped out a few tents and have decided to get two air mattresses instead of one, because it's not fun when one of us either gets jarred from a deep sleep when the other moves or ends up with no covers when the other gets cold and pulls them all tightly around each other. This weekend definitely tested that cold theory out and proved to both of us, that we are blanket hogs when needed. It is no longer a theory, it is a fact!

We didn't end up floating, not a single one of us thought getting on the water in temps that barely reached the low sixties during the "heat" of the day and the low forties at night sounded like fun.  Or for that matter even safe to one's health.  Brrrrrrr... we will save that for later in the summer, if it ever decides to show.  All of us were a bit shocked that the last weekend in May was so bitterly cold. 

Again... plan b... fires and hot coffee make a great time to bond! We didn't plan our trip overly well, we were spread pretty widely across the campground, but discovered that all of us had a great time wandering and chatting as we walked back and forth. Looking for stones, talking and laughing.  Grazing at each site to see what was cooking or sitting around for snacks.  Learned I really love a mimosa with a shot of peach whiskey in it.  Sure takes that to an all new level. 

I got the most amazing ten minute or more hug from my sweet mini-me (although she makes me look so short now - maybe I'm the mini), she just snuggled up to warm her old gramma up.  I am not going to lie that will forever be a highlight for me! I met my nephew's girlfriend and his sweet baby puppy! We were blessed to watch the smaller clans of individual families blend together into a larger clan of the greater hole.  The oldest grandson arrived in the middle of the night, he'd been out west to take care of his dad's mom, I see him so rarely, but cherish it so much.  He's such a copy of his dad, I am so blessed by the winds of fate that have grown my small family of a daughter and son into this huge wonderful blended mass!

We had the opportunity to spend time with the second youngest granddaughter and her cousin. Our family is a bit confusing, and I dare any genealogist down the road to follow it and connect the dots. In most cases there is at least a drop of blood somewhere connecting it all, in others, there is simply the power of love.  We have members of our little clan that arrived there simply out of time and their connection to someone else.  The original bond broken, the permanent bond unbreakable! 

The oldest daughter was under the weather on Saturday, having forgotten to eat while taking care of everyone else, and while we missed her bright smile and laughter for most of the day, it gave Hubs and I a chance to chat with her youngest sister on her mom's side.  Getting to really know her was so much fun, she will definitely be absorbed into the fabric of our clan also, she is such a good person, full of love and amazing energy!

This weekend was our first big blended clan adventure.  Everyone left full of energy, love, and a determination to spend a lot more time at this little camp ground perched on the black river.  While we were not excited about being cold, we were so thankful to have the time together.  Those of us in tents considered a third night, but as the temperature promised to dip even lower, we opted out. Trust and believe me, sleeping in a tent when it is in the low forties takes a lot of fortitude and determination.  

Hubs and I spent a bit of time together, just the two of us walking along the shore in the early dawn looking for hag stones.  He found the first one, it was a double on top of it.  I admit I was a tad jealous.  Although I think I might have ultimately walked away with the most by the end of the day. Including the one with a heart inside that I found when the entire clan was walking along the shoreline later in the day. 

The entire landscape was covered in beautiful druzy quartz that glitters so beautiful in the flashes of sunlight. I found one that was a beautiful deep purplish red while wandering the shoreline.  Hubs and I both found heart shaped stones that we gifted to the girl - she has collected them since she was a child. 

As we start this memorial day, we carry into it incredible memories and feelings of a weekend spent bonding, learning, loving and exploring.  It was an incredible way to spend time digging deeper into this wonderful family that we are blessed to be part of.  

Memorial day is to remember the men and women through time that have given everything to allow us to do silly things like this weekend.  To protect our liberties and freedoms.  In our sitting room there is a family picture of Hubs' Dad and his two brothers.  One of them made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, I've sat by his graveside and listened to Hubs tell me what remains of the family stories.  I know that he died in battle on his birthday.  So many families have these stories.  The losses that have provided for the future.  Take a moment today to remember and cherish those brave souls, to celebrate the gift they so selflessly gave to all of us! The gift that gives us each the opportunities we have. 

And definitely make memories that guarantee there will always be more family stories to be passed down.