The ordinary arts we practice every day at home
are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.
~ Thomas Moore
Last Friday Olivia gave me some beautiful yellow roses for my birthday.
Sunday I trimmed them down and added some fresh basil and rosemary from the herb garden;
then I placed them in 12 mason jars with a little raffia (my favorite trim for everything!).
Once an herb garden gets going it grows really fast.
Usually your second year you’ll be amazed at how fast most plants will spread.
These are all flowers from our yard and road side.
I added in some mint from the herb garden to make the bouquet look fuller and it smelled so good!
We have mint, thyme and rosemary in pots right outside our front door,
which makes it very easy to throw together a quick centerpiece or garnish food.
Well it is that time of year when the gardens are really taking off. Last weekend was the opening of our county’s Farmer’s Market, there is not a lot of variety yet… but there is LOTS OF YELLOW SQUASH!
Olivia and Samantha have been reaping their harvest.
So they ventured out to the market to turn their “greens” (and yellows and browns) into some paper green.
Our garden is off to a great start this year; the Lord has granted us just the right amounts of rain and warm temperatures. We’ve already eaten lettuce which was wonderful!
The tomatoes are already roped off so they will grow upward.
The squash has a bunch of beautiful yellow flowers…can’t wait for the squash!
Cheese Straws are something unique to the southern part of the United States! You will find them at showers, teas and receptions. To buy a package of them at a store you will pay about $4.50 for 4-5 servings It was going to cost me about $40 to buy enough cheese straws for a reception last weekend…OUTRAGEOUS! After all I could make them for about $15.
The dough can be made ahead of time and put in the freezer for when you need it.
We have had rain just about everyday the past week which has caused the gardens to really thrive! The only thing is with all that thriving comes WEEDS! Hopefully today we will get out there and pull the unwanted roots that will choke out what is intended to be used for US to thrive!
The last couple years Alabama has been in a server drought. Nothing makes you appreciate rain like a drought. As I watch our garden and yard flourish because of the blessing of rain, it makes me think of how we as humans respond the same way as the plants do.
This is a great project for the kids. It will help with plant identification, they could even write the scientific name on the back. :o) This gives a real visual for the plant name and leaf shape/flower every time the kiddos are in the garden.
Break a clay pot, a great use for those cracked pots.
Untwist a wire hanger.
Cut it in half.
Using the wire cutters, curl one end around a few times.
Give Away ends Friday night at midnight.
Winner will be announced Saturday.
~
HERE is a little quiz about pumpkins.
THREE Ingredient Pumpkin Gems!
A Cake Mix
(something that will go with pumpkin flavor, chocolate, spice, yellow, etc)
1 can 100% Pumpkin
(not pie filling)
DO NOT ADD WATER AND OIL
OPTIONAL:
2 eggs
(eggs add to a lighter texture, more cake like,
but you can do this without eggs and the texture will be more dense
like a pumpkin bread or muffin)
Chocolate Chips
Walnuts or Pecans
Today was our first Herb Class. One of our teachers was not feeling well so Olivia had the class to teach for herself. In my humble opinion as her mother (OK, hear a little pride puffing up), I must say I think she did a great job. She has had plenty of experience with public speaking, giving 5-8 minute speeches, but not necessarily 'teaching' a room full of people for 3 hours.
Homeschooling in the Garden
By Nancy Carter
Do you already find yourself dreaming of working in the soil this spring? Of getting your hands dirty and watching for those little green sprouts to magically appear?
Why not use your garden planning time as the ultimate homeschool unit study? Don’t think of gardening as something that takes away from your academics time. Think of it as something that can enrich it.
