Random Spring Farm Pics, II

Random Spring Farm Pics

One down, two more to go!

Oppossum Baby

'Mom, Mom come quick'. Any mother's heart always skips a beat when you here this tho quickly after I heard 'we found a baby opossum!' So thats why the cats were circling under the eaves of the shop. Sure enough a baby opossum was hanging out at the back corner of the shop. No mama was to be seen and with the cats looking hungrily at the shaky thing we decided we'd better help. I got my work gloves, picked him up and took him to the greenhouse. The kids pulled out an old bunny cage, tore up some newspaper and put him in. Of course, he slipped right out through the wire. Next we tried a large trashcan. This seemed to work while we researched what to do. We found that if you find a baby opossum you should do exactly what we did plus add some hot water bottles to his temporary home. Worried about what to feed him we read we shouldn't feed or water him. Thankfully we have a wild animal rehab here in the Tri-Cities! And they say we live on the back side of nowhere, Try Cecil Estep Road on the back side of Stoney Creek! We got him the sprout safely to his new home where the caretaker told us there were other opossums there just about his size. Maybe some would view us as silly to go to all that work for a wild baby but we felt much better as we drove back to our side of nowhere.

Happy Kid!

Solitude

I miss the boys when they are not here. Their laughter, their energy, their thoughtfulness. Then a day like today comes along and I thoroughly enjoy my solitude. It was one of those days slated for outdoor chores. The weather did not co-operate but I plunged ahead, dodging the raindrops. I weeded and planted most of the garden in the rain. It was not unpleasant, just had to push my dripping hair out of my face now and again. When the sun would come out I would mow a bit and stop with the deluge. I think it took me five attempts but I got the entire farm mowed. I even mowed my little paths and hollows that I have neglected the past couple of years. While mowing I made a mental note of all the over-hanging branches that needed a trim. I even made it back to the same spots with the trimmers. All in all a very productive day. As dusk fell I walked my newly mown paths. I haven't retained much 'city' from my suburban upbringing tho I do love a mowed lawn. Up here in the mountains it has a differnt smell than down in the flatlands with all the concrete. Tonight the freshly cut grass blended with the moist, rotting smell of the forest and it was intoxicating. The muted colors of spring under the lowering clouds and the setting sun were beautiful and calming.

I can't wait til the boys get home to explore all the newly, re-cut paths. But I relish in the peacefulness of the day.

Wonderful Weekend!

What a beautiful weekend! We had Guthrie’s birthday party Saturday and I think everyone had fun. I know the boys and I did. It was so nice having people over again – hanging out, good food, music, enjoying the mountain. We used to have several parties a year out here. One pig party and several smaller gatherings. Saturday I felt as if things were getting back to where they should be.

Someone asked a friend if she was a ‘homeschooling’ friend or some other friend. I had the thought at the time, how does someone have a ‘something’ friend? We all have people we know from this activity or that tho a friend is just that, a friend. I might have met this particular friend through homeschooling or maybe ‘college’ or maybe work or …. But the end result is they are a friend pure and simple. And the group of friends that showed up Saturday are some of the best. It is so nice to be doing things with these friends again. I knew there was a hole in life when the boys went to school and I went back to work because I couldn’t see these friends as often. Now I am so thankful to be able to see them again on a semi-regular basis and once we get out of school we’ll be back in the thick of it again! I have spent a lot of years spending time with people I am not always comfortable with and I have never had that problem with this group of absolutely awesome people.

Bring on the summer!!!!

I'm back!

I am not very sure that anyone else will realize that I am back to the blogging world and I guess that is OK. I actually can not put everything into words yet though I am thinking it will not be long. Once everything sinks in I should be up and running. It has been over two years since I blogged last and that time period has been filled with such joy and such anxiety I am not sure where to begin. I guess the best thing is to start at the beginning. There is a part of me that wonders who will be reading this and how should I approach this. Then I suppose I think it doesn't really matter - this is my blog, my space and if you don't like it don't read it!

The reason I stopped blogging was my life as I knew it pretty much fell apart. I was happily homeschooling my boys at the time tho except for some very good friends that was the only good thing in my life. I suppose most people look at the fact that a couple with two beautifully happy children is a good thing and don't mess with it. However, if that couple, or one of that couple, is miserable then it really isn't a good thing at all. So, in a nutshell, I decided that my happiness was important. Yes, my children did, and always will, come first in my life. AND I see that my happiness as an individual is also important. It is not only important to me but to them as well. All to often we go through life with 'should be's' and 'ought to be's' and 'have to's'. I wanted my children to understand that at some point they have to make their own happiness. And being with someone who makes you miserable is not a choice I want them to make.

So two years ago I got a divorce. And let me tell you, next to having my babies, it was the best decision I have ever made. Now, I am my own person. I decide what is best for me. I am not last in line. As of today, the boys and I own our own farm. We can get back to living life as we see fit. We can get back to homeschooling. I hope that people see that I am still the wonderful mom I always was and that my two boys are getting the best things in life they can. They are allowed to be who they are, to chase their own dreams, to not be pressured into being who others want them to be, to find their own happiness.

Stop back by if you would like.

Still Here

I thought I ought to drop in just to let everyone know we are still around. Life has thrown us a few curve balls in the last few months. We are healthy tho many adjustments are being made in all of our lives that I will share when we are on the other side. Life always brings changes. Some good, some not so. Tho I strongly believe everything works out for the best and it all makes us stronger.

Happy Hallooooooweeeeeen!

It has been a couple of busy, fun days. A good friend and excellent teacher brought over a cloud chamber for the boys to see the visual of radioactive particles. DH brought home some radioactive items from the job in PA an dit was interesting to be able to see the trails left by the different particles. Very cool.

Then the rest of the time has been devoted to costumes, candy, friends and pumpkins. C is still on a Lord of the Rings kick (if you remember he was Gandlaf last year) and was Legolas and G was an alien. They hauled home tons of candy. We had the get together at a friend's house. I made a blood colored punch and floated a frozen ice hand (rubber gloves are great!) in it while dry ice bubbled from beneath. Most ghostly.

Sit, have a cuppa'

Saunter on over and have a cup of Tea with Ren. She has some wonderful comments on community.

ALL are Welcome!

We spent a lovely morning with our homeschool group. It was games day. Everyone brought their favorite games. I'd say there were somewhere between 20 and 25 children playing happily all morning. Even tho the group has had its ups and downs the last little bit I still feel so good when we have days like that. As I have said before I haven't had too many problems with 'others' about homeschooling. Whether with the 'schooling' world or other facets of the homeschooling world. I knew early on a group like SOFH would be the only way to go so I never tried the religious groups. I have too many faults with 'religion'. Religion is so different from spirit. I was reminded yesterday of how lucky we are to have SOFH. Every now and then a new member will join us from another group. Yesterday, I met a lovely woman who had been a member of one of those religious groups. She left because the 'Christians' of the group were arguing about who should be allowed in their group. Catholics shouldn't be allowed because they aren't Christians. Episcoplaians weren't Christians and so on. In my book no one can decide who is or isn't Christian. My brand of 'Christianity' is so far different from most tho that doesn't make me any less of a good person. Being a 'Christian' is being honest and kind and loving. Guess what folks Catholics and Episcopalians can be all these things - just like Muslims, Buddists, Native Americans, Atheists.... I am so glad I have found a group where it doesn't matter your religion, or your ethniticity, creed or even educational ideas. Here's to more great gatherings!

Thespians

It is somewhat hard to tell from the pic due to the light but those two creatures are a frog and a dragon. The boys have been taking a theater class the last few weeks. Their last gathering was Wednesday and they put on a small play. The boys enjoyed it so much they want to take the next set of classes.

I found it very odd that out of the 10 children only 2 parents showed up to see the fruits of their labor. I see this as an example of the blessings of homeschooling. I am not saying those parents don't care about their children, I am sure they do, tho living the 'schooled' life sure does get them used to letting someone else raise their children. I can't say that all those missing parents didn't have valid reasons for not attending but 7 out of 10 children didn't get big mamma/papa hugs after their hard work!

As for a little more Thespian work I am back at ETSU this fall as a standardized patient. I am enjoying the work. This group is so different from last year. Last year's group, with some exceptions, did not start out as communicators - hence the importance of the program. This year it seems like most have excellent skills which makes the scenerios go quicker.

Bit o' Frost

We have had a bit of frost the last couple of mornings. The idea is settling in that winter is on its way. I have been putting off the idea of a fire or turning on the heat tho soon I will have to do one or the other. This morning it was 61 degrees in the house tho it has quickly warmed up with the sun. Now most folks would question why we haven't turned on the heat yet. Tho I do have at least one friend who would say "61? Yep, thats about right." The obvious answer would be why turn on the heat when it is cold, while we are sleeping, just for a few hours. I do have to think that it is partly that wonderful, crisp feeling I get when I get up in the morning and think about a hot cup of coffee and the wonders of fall. Mostly our woods are full of tulip populars. If the combination of cold and water isn't just right the leaves turn brown and fall before much beauty is seen. We do have a few hard woods that brighten the landscape and we got an eyeful of beauty fall while in Pennsylvania. So, with more wood than I can burn in a season out back and a full tank of propane bring on whatever winter has to offer. I will be glad to put up the mower for a few months!

Little Devils Enjoying Their Den

Take You Ridin' in My Car, Car

I love to travel! I love being home too tho there is just something exilireating about being on the open road. Since M is now a travelin' man we have some nice opportunities to get out and see what the world has to offer. This past weekend we headed off to Bloomsburg, PA. Bloomsburg is northeast of Harrisburg and pretty much out in the middle of nowhere (no offense to the middle of nowhere as we live there too!). A nice little college town that was full of wonderful weather and pleasant people. We intended to see lots of historical things over the weekend as we had our pick of places that were close: Philadelphia, New York City, D.C. We chose Gettysburg for our first day. Another lovely little town. It was somewhat cold and overcast and, as in everything, we were on a budget so we purchased a '2 hour tour' CD and had quite a nice afternoon driving the battlefields and stopping at our leisure. The boys liked Devil's Den the best. Pretty much just a big boulder field where the southern snipers kept the nearby union forces at bay til the end of the battle.

We decided to head to Philly for the weekend. Here we saw once again how Homeland Security is wasting our tax dollars! After standing in line for 1 1/2 hours to see the Liberty Bell we realized the hold up was for security! Big signs everywhere about what is not allowed inside. Now I am all for watching out for suspicious characters and such but the process by which they do this is ridiculous. Of course, it hadn't crossed our mind we would have to be searched and M always travels with a pocket knife - or in this case 3! So while we are busily stripping off jackets and going through the metal detector our backpack sails right through without a hint of knives traveling inside. No, the security people spend an extra five minutes patting M down because the buttons on his overalls sent their detectors up a wall. But we finally did get to see the Liberty Bell and went from there to Independence Hall, Ben Franklin's musuem and Elfreth's Alley. We had planned on stopping for the evening in New Hope. In the 1920's many artists fled conservative Philly to a community more in tune to their own needs. Near here is also where Washington crossed the Deleware. We were unaware there are NO HOTELS in any of these small areas and our search for lodging for the night took us quite awys away from New Hope. Which causes us to look for other attractions the next day. We headed to Reading and found Goggleworks - a wonderful community co-op of artists. A couple of glass artists were in the glass studio and all of us were fascinated for an hour watching them make glass mugs. Definitely worth missing our planned stops. Another place we stopped in on the way home was Centralia. About 40 years ago, due to some trash catching fire, the coal mines under the town caught fire and as they were unable to put the fire out it is still burning today. The roads and driveways are still there tho most of the houses are gone. I would expect it would seem like an eerie, surreal step into the Twilight Zone if one didn't know the history of the 'town'. If you follow the link you will see a picture of the town 'today'. I am not sure when 'today' was tho I can say not even that little bit is left now.

Monday we the boys and I headed off to see a few covered bridges. Being that we have one covered bridge near us I had always assumed there were few left. Guess maybe that is only around here as there are 24 just in the county where M was working! We managed to see a handful including the only twin covered bridges left in the country. I should say they 'were' as one had been demolished in a flood this past summer. The county is in the process of deciding if the million dollar price tag to rebuild is worth it. The coutryside is lovely there. Very neat, lots of small bedroom communities. Reminds me a little of home tho without the bigger mountains.

A couple of odd things about the area. Tho the weather was perfect all weekend we rarely saw people out and about in the small communities. No one sitting on their front porch, no one fishing on the many lakes or the rivers, no bikers. We are used to seeing people walking all over the place on beautiful fall weekends. Surely they didn't all go to the Eagles game. Another strange thing were the signs on the highways. Huge signs warning you of aggressive drivers and drunks. Everywhere you looked there was signage about these two groups of people. Made it look like PA has a corner on the market of bad drivers and one was going to jump out at you on every corner. We didn't see one.