One of the things she is discovering is how fun it is to make a royal mess! She is really getting into food - both eating it and playing with it and smooshing it and smearing it. This year's strawberry crop is rather abysmal, but we've enjoyed eating some fresh (in honor of my Grandma and Grandpa Myers we finished off our box of cheerios last night with milk and fresh strawberries). Kali picked enough one day this week for a batch of strawberry freezer jam. I was not sure how I'd accomplish making jam with Terah along for the ride so I plopped her in her high chair and gave her a berry. Here's how she entertained herself (once she was done putting strawberries in her mouth).
Kali's out searching for berries once again amidst the weeds. There was one gigantic berry in the front walk everbearing patch that we split 5 ways last evening! In general, though, our patch is declining and all the rain has made the slugs extra happy and prolific, so we are grateful for any that we get. Ok, now that I have just said one thing that hasn't gone so wonderfully this year I better practice my anniversary commitment to Jason and comment on something that is going well! Our lettuce is keeping us in scrumptious salads daily and the garlic scapes are coming in - I hope to make a batch of fresh garlic scape pesto this evening! The corn, squash, cucumbers, melons, dill, okra, cilantro and sweet potatoes are finally in the ground. The onions are weeded and mulched and the potatoes and asparagus are hilled and mulched. I promise, I'm working hard to focus on all those successes and not the project list and the vast amounts of weeding begging for our attention! The sunshine has encouraged me to pull the solar dryer out from under the roof overhang and I've got my first gallon jar of dried peppermint tea in the pantry and there is a round of oregano waiting to be jarred up when Terah wakes!
Speaking of Terah, unless she is sleeping (and even sometimes then) she is on the go! This gal is focused on getting mobile! Yesterday we had a little picnic in the yard and she started up on the blanket with us and before long had ooched over her blanket and onto the grass. She is so far mostly going side to side and backwards (and has the knack for getting herself under the futon - why do kids seem so drawn to getting themselves under pieces of furniture?). So finding ways to keep her happy and contained has been a bit of a challenge. It was wonderful to have mom around this week as she always discovers some new tricks when she is caring for Terah! This past visit's new hit was a little wooden cart (I had more or less forgotten was in the garage). Terah has had a lot of fun rides in it and it helps to get some harvesting done or laundry on and off the line. Though she doesn't sit still long if the cart is sitting still - so keeping her from catapulting herself out of it is not always easy.
After our little picnic last evening we took a rare family walk together. Terah is really enjoying walks which is great. She likes to ride front facing in the pack holding my index fingers - one in each of her little hands. It's very sweet. It was exciting to have daddy and both big sisters along, so no napping happened on this walk. This meant that our evening came to an end the way many seem to these days - a mad rush to get all the evening things done before the baby completely melts down (there was laundry to fold, butter to shake, dishes to do, chores to wrap up, as well as getting a little more food in everyone while slipping in a few rounds of Phase 10. I'm eager for her to be able to be tired without completely losing it (it will come!).
Before I end, just a few more highlights of recent days! It was so wonderful to reconnect with Adam (those times always feel too short with too much time in between). One of my favorite memories was watching Kali and Adam discuss the math problems that Adam got from his dad (a math instructor) and mailed to Kali. She completed them, snail mailed them back, Adam solved them and brought them along to discuss the discrepancies. This even involved a phone call to his dad to discuss some aspects of the problems and a number of dictionaries to check definitions (since Kali feels that googling something is cheating!). They both seemed to be having a grand time, and I had little pangs of wishing he lived closer!
Ending on a happy note - is there anything more thrilling than peas in full bloom? They are over the tops of the trellises in the kitchen garden and looking marvelous. But the thornless blackberries in the bed up from them, are in close competition with their beauty and vibrancy. One thing I love about growing a wide diversity of things is that if one thing doesn't have a good year (e.g. strawberries) in all likelihood something else will thrive under the conditions that didn't work for the other crop. The beauty and strength of diversity is quite evident around here right now!
One of the things she is discovering is how fun it is to make a royal mess! She is really getting into food - both eating it and playing with it and smooshing it and smearing it. This year's strawberry crop is rather abysmal, but we've enjoyed eating some fresh (in honor of my Grandma and Grandpa Myers we finished off our box of cheerios last night with milk and fresh strawberries). Kali picked enough one day this week for a batch of strawberry freezer jam. I was not sure how I'd accomplish making jam with Terah along for the ride so I plopped her in her high chair and gave her a berry. Here's how she entertained herself (once she was done putting strawberries in her mouth).
Kali's out searching for berries once again amidst the weeds. There was one gigantic berry in the front walk everbearing patch that we split 5 ways last evening! In general, though, our patch is declining and all the rain has made the slugs extra happy and prolific, so we are grateful for any that we get. Ok, now that I have just said one thing that hasn't gone so wonderfully this year I better practice my anniversary commitment to Jason and comment on something that is going well! Our lettuce is keeping us in scrumptious salads daily and the garlic scapes are coming in - I hope to make a batch of fresh garlic scape pesto this evening! The corn, squash, cucumbers, melons, dill, okra, cilantro and sweet potatoes are finally in the ground. The onions are weeded and mulched and the potatoes and asparagus are hilled and mulched. I promise, I'm working hard to focus on all those successes and not the project list and the vast amounts of weeding begging for our attention! The sunshine has encouraged me to pull the solar dryer out from under the roof overhang and I've got my first gallon jar of dried peppermint tea in the pantry and there is a round of oregano waiting to be jarred up when Terah wakes!
Speaking of Terah, unless she is sleeping (and even sometimes then) she is on the go! This gal is focused on getting mobile! Yesterday we had a little picnic in the yard and she started up on the blanket with us and before long had ooched over her blanket and onto the grass. She is so far mostly going side to side and backwards (and has the knack for getting herself under the futon - why do kids seem so drawn to getting themselves under pieces of furniture?). So finding ways to keep her happy and contained has been a bit of a challenge. It was wonderful to have mom around this week as she always discovers some new tricks when she is caring for Terah! This past visit's new hit was a little wooden cart (I had more or less forgotten was in the garage). Terah has had a lot of fun rides in it and it helps to get some harvesting done or laundry on and off the line. Though she doesn't sit still long if the cart is sitting still - so keeping her from catapulting herself out of it is not always easy.
After our little picnic last evening we took a rare family walk together. Terah is really enjoying walks which is great. She likes to ride front facing in the pack holding my index fingers - one in each of her little hands. It's very sweet. It was exciting to have daddy and both big sisters along, so no napping happened on this walk. This meant that our evening came to an end the way many seem to these days - a mad rush to get all the evening things done before the baby completely melts down (there was laundry to fold, butter to shake, dishes to do, chores to wrap up, as well as getting a little more food in everyone while slipping in a few rounds of Phase 10. I'm eager for her to be able to be tired without completely losing it (it will come!).
Before I end, just a few more highlights of recent days! It was so wonderful to reconnect with Adam (those times always feel too short with too much time in between). One of my favorite memories was watching Kali and Adam discuss the math problems that Adam got from his dad (a math instructor) and mailed to Kali. She completed them, snail mailed them back, Adam solved them and brought them along to discuss the discrepancies. This even involved a phone call to his dad to discuss some aspects of the problems and a number of dictionaries to check definitions (since Kali feels that googling something is cheating!). They both seemed to be having a grand time, and I had little pangs of wishing he lived closer!
Ending on a happy note - is there anything more thrilling than peas in full bloom? They are over the tops of the trellises in the kitchen garden and looking marvelous. But the thornless blackberries in the bed up from them, are in close competition with their beauty and vibrancy. One thing I love about growing a wide diversity of things is that if one thing doesn't have a good year (e.g. strawberries) in all likelihood something else will thrive under the conditions that didn't work for the other crop. The beauty and strength of diversity is quite evident around here right now!
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