Rock Hunt '11

Well, it was that time of the year again. .the annual geology trip!

This year just my friend Taffi and I went. .hauling 7 kids. .some that were ours, and some that were not. Grant stayed behind and drove the combine for his papa to help finish off harvest. Cami stayed home simply because I can't deal with her on this trip by myself with all the other things that I need to do. That left Tristan and Devin from my crew. .and Tristan left early with my folks yesterday so he could go help my family with their wheat harvest.

We headquarted in Newton this year. .and did a tour of central Kansas. .going into the eastern Flint Hills, up to northern McPherson county, and as far west as Russell county. We totalled 680 miles before making it home. .hot. .tired. .filthy. .and hungry Sunday night around 8:00. I have to admit that the weather was incredible. The temps were down from the 100's to the mid 80's with partly cloudy skies, that distracted the hot sun from our heads. We did incur a little rain Sunday morning, but it finished as we hit our first stop. Perfect weather for hunting.

The kids are really doing better at picking things up and collecting specimens specific from the areas we go to. Taffi and I find that we are no longer the overwhelmed geology moms that know nothing. .and we can actually identify a lot of things in the field.

A highlight for the kids was getting a hotel with a pool. They are funny to watch as they use their social skills.

There were some classes for the kids, a wonderful catered supper, and time to ID the specimens and get questions answered before we got all those rocks home! Our hotel was right next to Braums (how fortunate is that), so we enjoyed meeting up with my Aunt and Uncle for ice cream and a visit.

The milkweed was blooming in the flint hills, and I enjoyed seeing the wildflowers as much as I enjoyed hunting rock.

Sunday found us around Wilson, and what beautiful scenery that was too! It was much hillier there than I had expected. .and though the whole state is still dry, it was much greener there than it is at home, and that was refreshing to see. . places that looked like spring instead of August! 

The man pointing his hand knew a LOT about wildflowers. .and gave me a little education at the top of the hill where I was admiring the array of blooms.

This milkweed was probably the prettiest blooming thing I saw all weekend.

He called this a sensitive plant. .a very interesting plant indeed. When he touched the leaves, they proceeded to fold themselves up together for a bit. My wildflower book called it Sensitive Briar. .and noted that because the leaves are painful to children who are running barefoot and get them caught between their toes. .the plant is also called Devil's Shoestrings! HA! It had a gorgeous hot pink flower on it!!

We also saw lots of coneflower blooming. .which is one of my favorites!

We were glad to get home, only to repack and head out for camp this morning by 7:30. I helped to haul 32 kids to western Kansas for a 2 night 4-H camp. I am staying again this year (my 3rd) to work as the "camp nurse." I have been plagued since I got here with cuts and scrapes, sunburns. .already. .sprains, burning rashes (from the stinging nettle they keep finding), and homesickness. .and it's only been half a day. Finally things are quieting down for the night! I will certainly enjoy a pictureseque walk in the early morning before any of them arise. .and a cup of coffee from the heated box. .blech!

Devin's already got 3 girls lined up to dance with him tomorrow night. .and all this time I was worried about Grant!

Please pray for our safety and patience here at Camp Lakeside!

Gardening on a Whole New Level

I've been pretty excited about all of the new possibilities for plant and animal life that the new pond has brought. This week has moved that excitement to a sense of success and amazement!

As I moved the water lily to a little deeper water earlier this week, I noticed a big, fat bud creeping toward the surface. Tuesday morning, the bud had made it out of the water and I snapped a picture before going to work.

It has bloomed the last 3 days. .but was always closing back up by the time I got home from work. Today I was home in time to witness it for myself. The edges of the flower are a little crisped from the horrid heat (it was 104 degrees yesterday), but beautiful in it's own rights.

There was also a bloom on the water hearts today too. .it didn't like the heat and was completely gone by this afternoon. I had read somewhere a comment by a water gardener, who noted that their water lily had been in the pond for 3 years before it bloomed. So I was afraid mine wouldn't either.

And to top the excitement of the water lily, as we rested by the pond last night (the first night in many that we were able to be home), we had the pleasure of watching two bluebirds make a nest in this bluebird house. 

My pictures aren't that great. .but they are what they are. Those two worked for at least a couple of hours hauling stuff into the nest. I am not sure if they are nesting, or if they are feeding babies. I haven't been brave enough to take a flashlight and go peer into the hole. 

Regardless, this nest is one of the closest to the house, so they are easy to observe and I'm sure it will soon become apparent. I enjoyed watching them at the pond this evening while I ate supper. The pond has been worth every penny spent, every sore muscle achieved, and every frustration endured. 

God's creations continue to awe and amaze me daily!

Thanks for sharing in my environmental excitement. .

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mi Vida Loca

I am finally resigned to the fact that when raising four children. . .there will no longer be a

"slower" time than right now. Seems as if the last few years I find myself saying "oh, we'll wait till _____ when things slow down a little bit" Fill in the blank with summer, winter, next week or whatever. We had a great weekend. .with everyone running. .sometimes in the same direction and sometimes different ways.

Wheat harvest has started here. .and though we are no longer committed to helping, we do enjoy going to check out the progress. Tristan took both of the photos above last night when we went out to watch. We have been trying to sort through some of their photos this weekend for possible fair entries. Devin bought a new Kodak last weekend with all his hard earned savings from housework and chores. .and he enjoyed trying to figure out his camera too. His harvest pictures weren't too bad. .but his mom deleted his best picture of his dad's racing rig as she tried to figure out his camera. Sorry D!

Dev took one of his best buddies to the drag races with Grant and Jeremy on Saturday. They had a great time and slept all the way home Saturday night. Apparently, they consumed about $12 worth of giant pixie sticks during the one day outing!! Grant snapped this picture of them enjoying popsicles on the stone bench Sunday after church and lunch. That photo just demonstrates summer to me!  Both the older boys used my camera this weekend simply because it is a little better than theirs. .and that is why it is mine! They're trying to wrap up fair photos. Tristan was convinced that he was going to get some bird photos. .specifically the tree swallows as they swooped the water for bugs.

We didn't think it could be done. .since they light the water for a split second. .and rarely in the same spot. Didn't take long for Tristan to get bored and frustrated and lay the camera down. Grant came along and was able to snap this little devil. .not a fair picture by any means. .but something he could gloat over his brother! I thought it was funny to see all the fish right there watching too!

Among some other garden tasks, we worked on the waterfall again yesterday. I think we have the water all directed the right way now but not without a little drama! The mishap occurred while using the black waterfall foam. It is exactly like the expanding foam you might buy at the lumber yard, except it is black, to create the illusion of shadow under the rock in a waterfall. It helps block any space that water might take as a path of least resistence, instead of going over or around the rock as we would like it to. The foam sticks to skin like super glue, and doesn't come off for days!! Jeremy used it on the spillway and as he was replacing rock, I picked it up to use in a few small crevices along the stream bed. Seeming to have a jam at the end of the dispenser tube, Grant asked to look at it.  I continued what I was doing and lifted my head just in time to watch him give a hard pull to the trigger, which in turn shot tiny particles of waterfall foam all over my back (which was sun-up), arms, legs, hair. .and my NEW swimsuit top. I think we would have to just laugh if we had seen what that looked like. .but considering that I STILL have black dots all over my arms. .some in my armpit. .lower back. .and that my new top is completely ruined. .it really wasn't that funny! Though we did laugh about it later in the evening. My only saving grace is that the top was black and white. .and so. .I can use it to some degree and probably get by.

It's been hot here. .upper 90's to 100 and beyond. Today is forecasted to be 103 and tomorrow 106. Lots of things are enjoying the cool of the pond. Grant caught a picture of the grackle with some straw he undoubtedly snatched from the garden.

We've also spotted this brown thrasher a few times. .and was glad he stopped by for a drink so we could get close enough to identify him.  Jeremy spotted a hummer yesterday morning, and we enjoyed watching it splash around in the sprinkler for a few moments before it moved on to better things.

I also saw this kildeer right across the fence. .am wondering if she has a nest right there. .but never took the time to go check on it. This bird makes it's nest on the ground, where it arranges it's eggs to look like stones.  If someone gets too close, it starts to act like it is hurt to distract attention from the nest. Tristan found a baby kildeer a couple weeks ago in the east pasture..pretty cute!

The two big boys helped me rescue some super huge sandstone rocks that we put down to make a path 5-6 years ago. .I used them to finish rocking around the mulch at the fire pit.  It was hot and dirty. .and the rocks were SOOO big. .I had forgotten that we actually used a pickup wench to get them up and placed. They were placed flush with the soil, and over the years, the soil has blown over and they weren't as visible anymore. We used manpower and a tractor bucket and then more manpower to move them. I think that landscape paper and mulch will keep the weeds down and finish off the whole area around the pit. The rock really made the scene!

Devin and his dad started his woodworking project for the fair yesterday.  He likes to work with wood. .and is really learning how to work everything safely.  More to come on what the project is later. .they got them constructed and will sand off glue and stain them soon.

Photo of the day. . .

How an 8 year old remembers how to measure 4 3/4 inches. . .

Mark it with a pen directly on the tape!!

Remember to live for the day!!

For when you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries and YOU rejoice! Old Indian saying

Be blessed!

Blooms of the Week

I read blogs from many places around the US and one from Canada. The sentiments seem to be the same everywhere. .the weather this year has been WEIRD! Around here, we have sure been lacking in rainfall. Over the last week or so, we have managed to score several small rains, 1/2 inch or less, but with the incessant wind and blistering heat (upper 90's) the soil is still parched. The pastures surrounding our home are dry and brown, with barely any green grass visible. And ranchers are running out of grass for the cattle. .a problem no one likes to have this early in the season when grass should be abundant.

Dragging hoses is the name of the game here. .mostly because I haven't had time to check for and make repairs to the drip irrigation lines. .Hopefully this weekend.

Aside from my containers and spruces, I am trying to plant more things that are succulent, native to our nasty climate, or xeric.  But, despite the lack of natural water and drying winds, I do have lots of blooms in the gardens.

Wondering if anyone has EVER seen petunias in these shades??

They are lime green and hot pink! I was hooked from the moment I set eyes on them. .and they are doing REALLY well in the places I have put them! If someone really wants the name of them, I can try to remember where I threw the plant tags.

The holly hocks are planting themselves around in a multitude of colors. The big one that used to be in this spot has not come back this year, but it seeded several offspring that are all different colors.

I'm not sure I will let them all stay next season, but I didn't have a better plan for this year, so I let them live.

Many different colors along the north side of the house too.  It is on the project list for the future too. Right now it just has all these hollyhocks. .and if any of you grow them yourselves, you know that after they are done blooming, they aren't very lovely at all. .with dried up stalks and bug eaten leaves. So after the climax, this bed will be really pathetic to the eye. I'm just waiting for the inspiration to come to me!

Some are even two toned. .more bang for the buck.

This is my current excitement. This is a Ratibida. .or prairie coneflower. This variety is called Mexican hat. It started blooming this week, and will soon be loaded with flowers. .so expect to see more pictures of it in the future. Isn't that foliage just AWESOME too?? It's a new plant to these gardens and I planted it with a bunch of other prairie wildflower plants I bought from High Country Garden this spring. I thought that they would look great on the south side of the pond. .and will hopefully make a nice little mini-habitat as it fills in.

I have really been making fun of myself over this little pink poppy mallow. It came in the soft colors inferno strip garden I put in 2 years ago from HCG. I have seen this plant EVERYWHERE around here. .in MY own pasture and along MY driveway as well as in the ditches. I had no idea that what I have seen in the past around my area, was the same thing that I paid money for to be sent to me in a little black plastic pot from New Mexico!! It is making a nice little groundcover around the Nepeta and Penstemon though, and I am well pleased with it.

Here's a little niche that I created with limestone while re-working the rock of the falls a few weeks back. I found a hardy iceplant at the local garden center. It is perenniel, and should fill in the spot nicely. Bonus is the big, crisp hot pink flowers it sports. They were closed when I had time to snap the picture a couple mornings back. .I will try to do better next time. .cause it IS worth the view.

Here's my only current "living" bouquet. The larkspur are still blooming in different colors. The butterfly weed just started its bloom. The plant seems to be smaller than last year, and several plants haven't come back. .I will have to get to the bottom of my problem. I am starting them from seed. .and would like to get several fairly large areas of them throughout the gardens. .success has been limited so far.  The last few years I have put all the seedlings in this same area. This year, I put the seedlings in a couple different areas to see if the soil, sun, and moisture level changes will help them take off better. I think it is funny how the same plants just grow in one area and thrive in the next. The purple coneflower was one that I started last year from seed too. It is short. .and I am hoping that it will get some height. .while picking up Cami the other day, I noticed Becky's coneflowers are already better than 2 feet tall. .maybe some Miracle Grow will help mine :-)

Lots more things will be blooming soon, including my crazy shasta daisies--my favorite. The garden is growing too. .I think the beets are ready to come out of the ground, as soon as I have an afternoon free to deal with them. We don't really like beets (maybe we just haven't fixed them the right way) unless they are pickled. .and by the way these germinated. .we should have enough pickled beets to last the year (if I can keep the kids from snacking on them). This weekend I am hoping to get the last of the mulching done, the drip lines checked and working right, and the new path we started from the deck to the greenhouse finished. Wishing for decreased wind and safe work!! Enjoy your weekend.

If This Doesn't Make You Smile. . .

. . .you MIGHT just be a hopeless grouch!

For those of you that read this blog regularly. .you'll recall that by having 3 boys first, this "raising estrogen" experience is a WHOLE different ball game. 

This morning was just another example.

This one is ALL about pink. .and nail polish. .and LIPSTICK!

Since the bathroom remodel has been in progress, I have hauled my make up back and forth from bedroom to bathroom for weeks now. She has discovered all the cool tools, potions, and colors I have in my collection. .which USED to be out of her reach.

This morning. .I found her looking at all the beautiful colors. .

and applying them as only a 3 year old without a mirror could do!

"That's right dah-ling." Mmwah!

She presented, very proudly, to the kitchen and advised me that she had needed to put on lipstick to be pretty. I HAD to smile. When I asked her if she had looked in the mirror to see how it looked, her eyes got big, hardly believing that she had FORGOT to look!! Oh course, somehow, I expected her to notice that she had gotten out of the lines. .you would think by now I would have learned!!

After she had preened for a few moments, I heard her quietly say

"Oh, I look wondehw-fuw."

No self esteem problems here!

Have a blessed day!

Mom's Garden Tour

Hoping everyone had a great Memorial weekend! The kids and I made a road trip to check on my mom's progress Sat/Sun.  She has been graduated to a four-legged cane for about a week now. .and is getting around much better than when I left her a few weeks ago.  We had a very nice weekend. My sister and her kids were there too. We all did some gardening (while mom supervised). She had a lot of small projects that needed done that she hasn't been able to do. We spent a little time with my grandma and took her out to decorate grandpa's grave. Then my folks, my kids and I enjoyed meeting up with my aunt and uncle and their cousins for lunch before they all went to decorate family graves on Sunday. I took the kids shopping after lunch to stock up on summer groceries, shorts and shoes for those that needed them. Unfortunately, on the way home I started noticing a small sore throat. .that turned into a fever and body aches. .so I enjoyed most of my holiday from the couch.  Darn it!! The only good thing about that was that the wind was blowing about a million miles per hour. .so I didn't want to be outside anyway. Since I forgot my camera for the weekend. .but Grant was busy with his. .I'm showcasing his photos for your viewing pleasure!

My mom's newest project was a pondless waterfall. .which got put in a week ago or so. It turned out great!!

They used some of the native limestone that my mom uses in her gardens. . . and that I have been exporting for years to use in my gardens. 

She has some crazy, out of control vine growing in this same spot. .so we spent some time removing it from some of the areas and thinning the bee balm out as well. I have tried to grow bee balm several times with no luck. .mostly because it is so dry here. I took a small root of hers intending to try it in the bog garden next to the pond. It seems to be getting more sun than I thought. .so it might be just the place to grow the monarda.

This photo was taken from the back steps right off the kitchen. Behind the red rose bush is the waterfall. The noise level is just perfect! She also has several bird feeders right there. .so a good combination for her feathered friends.

Looking the other direction is the back patio with a pergola over it.  This is a perfect place to relax and watch the kids play while the adults visit. .and it's big enough for all 21 of us!

She does such a good job with the little touches. .and all the gardens are so beautiful, tranquil, and full of life.

Grant got a close up of this bloom. .I will have to ask her what it is. .it looks like a fanfare gallardia. .but it is red instead of the typical orange. She had 3 of these plants smothered with blooms!

You can see those plants in front of the purple salvia. The green as far as you can see is foliage from millions of plants that will bloom all summer long!

She had some peonies and late irises blooming. We cut back her autumn sedum (mine here in western Ks never gets tall enough to need cutting before it blooms) And so I was able to take some cuttings of her black sedum to root into my own gardens.  Right now they are just stuck in some pots of soil that Grant brought in for me last night, but as soon as I can, I will scatter those around my yard. The foliage is such an unusual color. .and blends well with all the green foliage.

She also asked us to make a jelly feeder for the few orioles she has seen around her place.  We used this clear plastic plant saucer and put holes in the lip (my dad misunderstood me when I asked for 3 holes around the lip and one hole at the bottom for drainage if it rained. .so I got four holes around the lip. .and I was probably lucky to get THOSE!) We tied some jute string through the holes and made a hanger. Filled 'er up with grape jelly and hung it from the dead apricot tree with the delicious honeysuckle blooms all over it! Nothing ate from it while I was still there. .I guess time will tell.

On the way out Sunday morning, we stopped at an old cemetary that we used to mow every summer for 4-H. Grant took some pictures and I just wandered around looking.

I think I may have him blow this one up for the fair. .I love the way the lichen accentuates the word Mother. I think it gives it a little bit of eery-ness. The fair will be here before we know it!! Hope you enjoyed a short tour of some of mom's gardens. We were blessed with a 1/2 inch of much-needed rain last night. .and no wind so far today.

Can you believe that tomorrow is JUNE?? Enjoy your week!