Beautiful Blooms

What a fun surprise to have a lovely bouquet delivered to the door!

Meanwhile, outside, some of our mystery trees began to bloom.

Inside I planted a few flower seeds for the garden in plastic strawberry containers to put under a fluorescent light.

This bouquet lasted a good two weeks! We still, over a month later, have 2 green sprigs left that are in a smaller vase. 

Thank you God! Thank you Mom!

Finger Lickin' Foods

While on our travels out west last year, a friend in Washington graciously sent home a portion of her sourdough starter with us. It survived the few weeks in our RV fridge until we landed back in Kansas. Then (after our kitchen was put back together) Annie & I commenced to trying it out. We prefer 100% whole wheat in our breads, so these sourdoughs are turning out a bit dense. However, the family really does like English muffins from this batter, so we double batch them every couple of weeks!

* Especially good toasted for breakfast with cream cheese and strawberry jam! *

I bought some egg roll wrappers on sale at the grocery, so one evening was deemed Chinese cuisine! Using the recipe on the package as a guide, Annie did the prep work while I advised. And took care of the laundry, other girls, and various household duties.

We gobbled the crispy, crunchy, greasy treats...ALL GONE!

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Another new recipe Shannon really likes is called Company Coleslaw. I saved this thing from my high school Home Ec class and am just now -19 years later- trying it out!

Company Coleslaw

1 small cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained

2 medium apples, diced

1 1/2 c. grated carrots

1 c. chopped celery

1/4 c. raisins

1/4 c. mayonnaise

Yield: 11 one cup servings

I substituted fresh pineapple for the canned. Our local Wal-Mart competitor prices Aldi (60 miles away) and a whole pineapple on sale is little more cost than a can, but much more quantity and nutrition and deliciousness !

Another Virginia Cousin Visit

Even though our family hasn't made it back east to visit relation in almost a year and a half, our children have had opportunities to be in Virginia with grandparents and cousins. Some of them even came out to Kansas too! 

Kate is closer to Riley's age, but her and Annie had a great 2 days together while she caught a ride here for the weekend. They fixed a mystery lunch for us on Saturday. We chose several items from the menu for 3 different courses. They cooked, baked, and served all the food.

hors d'oeuvres and the menu

 Cora's first course was tea, pumpkin dessert, and silverware.

My first course was dessert, spaghetti, water, napkin, and knife. That was awkward to eat!

I enjoyed the meal so much I forgot to take more pictures! They had fixed chicken quesadillas, broccoli casserole, cheesy potatoes, sweetened carrots, and mixed fruit as well.

the leftover dishes

Later that day we planted a north and south tree row for a (eventually) wind break. Around 18 poplars and that many Thuja Arborvitae - with water drip systems, of course. This is Kansas!

Sunday was spent at an all day church event. I didn't get many pictures of Ms. Kate's stay, but Annie treasures the memories dearly. Cousin times are so precious!

Final Art Projects of school year 2013-2014

Our season of oil pastels has come to an end. And we still have some nubby pieces left for future creative expression if anyone desires!

This project was a combination of art and writing. After the children colored in their black bordered wavy lines, they filled in descriptions of "I am". I enjoyed reading their finished products, self-definitions and all!

When cousin Ginny was here for a week, we made our first pom poms. I think she had already made some to attach to knitted baby hats, but this project was for a braided bookmark that is glued to a journal or other book of choice (similar to the ribbons that are found in Bibles as bookmarks).

Everything is more fun to do when you have a friend!

The last paper of the year....

Pastel flowers with a watercolor sunset and sprinkles on top! Well, dribbles of paint sprinkles anyway.

Riley flicking his paint sprinkles.

 

Now for unscheduled art...

Since the girls learned about rubber band bracelets, they have been fishtailing anything similar. In this case, loom bands for weaving hotpads! They were too big for fingers so... enter toes!

Miss Caroline wanted to make a living centerpiece for the table and thought the tiny Hello Kitty figures were sooo cute hidden in the jungle. She actually replaced the water and sand several times as it became stagnant and odorous.

And then she had to make some daisy dandelion chains for herself and Mama.

That's the end of our official school art for this year. We're studying biology and animals next year, so we will probably do some animal sketching from some drawing books I have already.

Early Spring Homesteading

The beginning of May in south central Kansas certainly isn't early spring, but when these pictures were taken, it surely was!

After much contemplation, we decided to plant our 1st garden in the "flower beds" outside our back door where it hopefully will be fairly sheltered from the hot arid Kansas summer wind. First the area had to be cleared of lumber, limestone rocks, empty stock tank, etc. Then Riley tilled and fluffed and lowered and leveled the dirt.

Next, we sprinkled shredded paper from the local recycle center on top. There was a bit of wind to whisk away various slivers. The girls helped shake it out. On themselves first, then spread onto the soil bed.

  

Lastly, horse manure from our lower pasture was bucketed up by the tractor and spread out. Some of the paper shreds managed to come out from underneath as wind caught it before it was moistened, but overall it appears to be a nice dark improvement to the very sandy soil around our house. 

After Riley accomplished the hard work of preparation, the girls -in turn- helped me plant our almost 400 onions in square foot gardening style. Lots of new variables this year...amending the soil, planting squares vs rows, a new location to garden, a fresh garden spot, new varieties of seeds & plants!

I also poked some purchased cabbage plants in the ground to get going while the evenings are still cool.

A couple years ago at our 'Sawyer house' we planted blackberries to one side of the garden. The new tenants didn't want them,  so we transplanted them to an existing tree row of small trees south of our house. We never did get many berries from them...the best fruit bearing year Riley's peacocks snatched them before they ripened! However, we will still try!

Riley spruced up the neglected small trees surrounding the place. We weren't sure what kinds they are, but after several bloomed, I think we have some Bradford Pears, Red Buds, and maybe Crabapple. This one he's working on is a Mulberry.

It's so nice to be sprucing up the place while enjoying the warmer weather! Some of our visions are indeed coming to fruition!