Pickin'

so on Friday we went a pickin' - yep, blueberries mostly and few of the fattest blackberry stragglers you have eva seen! I must say, it was definiately one of those oh so wholesome fam outings... and what made it even better was sharing the harvesting with our good friends, Shawn, Erin and Matthew. We ate berries until our stomachs pooched out and I thought all our hairs would turn blue...
I think the ones who had the most fun were, of course, little Laughfer and Matthew. They like the picking and all, but I think the most fun they had was simply chasing one another across fields covered in melons and bushes.... it really takes soo much, right???
Anyways, I will tell ya that the closure of our little wholesome adventure was pretty hilarious... we stayed much later at the farm than we had intented to and found ourselves with some pretty whiny kiddos... hungry for something other than bluedees (that is what Laughfer calls them!) --- all that to say the car ride got kinda crazy.

This is the exchange I had with Laughfer on the way home.

L: hungry, Mamma! Can we have fries?
Me: Nope
L: Can we have mac n cheese?
Me: I dunno, hun... we will have to see what we have at home.
L: Auwwwhhhh.....
--- much whining and crying, so I said this
Me: Laughfer look at the sky!!! Aren't those clouds beautiful?!!!

--- and here is what she said!
L: NO... They're Gross!!!!!!!!!!

nice, eh???
Love that wackadoo girlie!!!

In the works....

a new work... in the works.

I don't have too terribly much to say about this one yet... I think its b/c I know that something new is a brewin'... what that will look like I have no idea... all I really know is that I am just soo in love with pattern right now...

and these too!

Thank goodness the artistic vocation does not often require a project proposal or letter of intent!

Mercantino's Celebration

Here are a few little pics of Lisa's little showerish gathering last night. sorry about the quality of the views... I must admit that I am definately not the best group photographer.
What a cute model we have here, eh? Little Ester was good enough to sport the lovely little bonnets Mary McCampbell's mom made for the new little Farmer. So sweet, huh???

Anyways, we had a super fun time at Mercantino's... which is is an amazing little coffee house/delicatessean - lovely...

And one last thing... I just had to show off the lastest little bird piece I made for Lisa... it is made with some of my most favorite paper & ribbon. I think it came out pretty cool.

All these things to say... we will have a new little Farmer Jr. here soon and we all are so excited! Lisa, we are honored and overjoyed to be a part of this new little person's life and help out a wonderful new mommie any way we can... Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ladies

so we are all finally well again... thus we had the green light to go and see my sweet grandma at her new place... which is pretty nice btw...

I know these pics are a little funny... the bottom one looks like I'm pushing Laughfer onto my Grandma, when the truth is that it was really hard to get Laughfer off her... She just couldn't seem to get enough of her and really wanted to climb all over her. She couldn't quite get that Grandma is not quite as jungle gymish as mom and dad. But, it really was sweet to see my girl giving my little grandma big hugs and caressing her face like she does when she plays mamma to her little dolls.... really precious...
Anyways, today was one of my Grandma's good days and it really was so nice to see her and have some good visiting... no matter how funny the convos got...

On another note...
I do think you can see some family resemblance amongst us ladies, wha da y'all think???

Plants, God and planes

today I was talkin with Laughfer over lunch and here's what she said:

L: Whas wrong with dat plant?
Me: The one outside?
L: MMMM hmmm... What's wrong with dat plant?
Me: He's sick
L: Whats that mean?
Me: He drank too much water and it made him sick.
L:He's gone?
Me: Yep... sometimes when plants get really sick they die.
L: He's with God?
ME: Yes! When plants die they get to be with God.
L: And fly a plane...
Me: What??
-----
L: Is this my leg?
ME: Yes
L: What's it do?
Me: It walks and runs and holds you up.
L: Outside?
Me: Yep... and inside too!
L: I like that... I like that leg.

--- Funny, eh?

Emerging from OFF mode

On to new and nicer convo... that last post was pretty sad...

i have found that artistically i seem to only have 2 modes of operation... there is ON and there is OFF and that's about it.
I think that after all that Clothesline and grant proposal bustle I have just been on OFF mode.

And when I'm there, no activity happens... none... period. It's like I couldn't even make myself pick up a brush.

Part of me really dislikes this aspect of myself, but mostly I think it just makes sense... I mean animals go into hibernation... plants bloom and produce fruit and then rest.

Why is it so hard for us to rest???
Anyways...
All that rest talking to say, I have finally begun to move... baby step style... toward activity.
Here are some views of ye ol' studio in production mode.

And if any of you out there are book club girls, make sure you make it to the next one, 'cause I'm bringing you cats a little product of the wee baby steps...
BOOKMARKS!! in assorted candy colors to make reading even sweeter and finding your page a little easier!

There I said it! The cat is out of the bag! I knew I wouldn't be able to keep those guys secret... they are just too cute!

Oh well... never said I was good at surprises... especially surprise presents!!!

Education on the playground

so check this out... we (the girls & I) were playing on our little neighborhood play ground and this is what I overheard from a couple of 7 yr. old YMCAers:

Boy:
"Kiss him!!... Awwww, com'on KISS HIM! It ain't nuthin... I can kiss a girl for like... 4 hours!"

Girl: Watch this!
(as she pretends to hump a plastic ride along car toy like she's riding a mechanical bull)

Boy:
You're humping that car!

Girl:
"Why are you lookin', ya sicko!
I told ya everythang on this playground is sexual... ridin' these cars like.... Uh uh.... or that pole like... uh uh uh!!" (she says as shes humpin' away with one hand up in the air!)


what tha ??????????????????

Was the playgroung really always this foul???

I think my memory card is corrupt.

Nature's bounty

So I have been read read readin' away on Barbara Kingsolver's book 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'... and there is just so much to say.

I guess I just didn't expect to become so deeply inspired... inspired to make changes... changes that effect those everyday seemingly mundane things like making meals and shopping.
yeah... shopping... plllahhh... I can't stand shopping and I know that at one time I used to love taking great unhurried meals full of healthy, tasty veggies... But, ya know... that seems like a lifetime ago.
Let's face it... most days a meal is comprised of what is the quickest simialance of food groups thrown onto a plate before the weeping and knashing of teeth ensues.... i mean I don't totally throw all nutritional knowledge out the window, but of course, there seem to be these compromises that have weazeled their way into my world and have gained momentum at a pace I didn't think possible.

These things slowly seemed to wittle me down into a place of feeling involuntarily addicted to Walmartification. I just kept finding myself there... for anything... and everything.
ahhh - I know, I know... the place you dread so often becomes the place you frequent the most, right.. it just feels so defeating when you know you are supporting the monopoly that is not only bringing a steady closure to small business, but also offering products that are cultivated with a lack of integrity. I know I sound like a wack job boycotting at the entrance of Wallyworld, but I know most of you feel this too as you walk the miles of shiny aisles with lists running through your minds.

Anyways... I find it so hard to make changes that work in my chaotic world that are good for my family - their bodies, minds and needs... especially without the fanatism that these type of changes can bring with them. For me, there always seems to be this overwhelming feeling that there is a universally "right way" to do things - the right way to shop (eco speaking) and the right way to raise your kids and on and on...

All of this to say, I am pleased to be informed of new options for this "American life" - which for me is just being commited to shopping locally for our family... to make our bodies work better and to help our girls understand that nature's bounties are blessed cultivated gifts that come from a very important sector of our community that needs to be supported.

There are so many things I could say about these new ideas - I know that these things can seem so cultish, but I guess I am just happy to be slowly getting off the industrial agriculture train in way that is practical and soulful.

Sleeping Penny Lessons

so we have this hand carved wooden vase full of pennies and spare change that little Laughfer daffer just can't get enough of... she loves to look at the shiny coins and stick her little hands all in them. This is all fine and good and germy which I didn't really care too much about till I caught her trying to stick a penny in her little mouth.

For awhile we have been telling her that the pennies are sleeping and that we should really try not to wake them up. (so wrong, huh!) Anyways, this ploy worked for awhile... but now, the coin obsession is back.
So I had this really great idea....

I said, "Hey Laughfer, I have a great use for the sleeping pennies!" And then I preceeded to tell her about how there is this store called Greyfriar's that takes all kinds of sleeping coins and sends them to kids in Africa so they can get food, water, etc. (no joke - this is a fo real charity event for the month of July, where you can bring in cups of spare change to trade in for a yummy cup o joe)

To all of this Laughfer had many many questions... like these....
Where is it (Africa)?
We go there in the car??
We go there later?
Is Africa coming in here (the bathroom)?
Africa goes potty???????? (What??)

Anyways.... after an incredible amount of explanation, I know Laughfer got the idea that there are kids that don't have food and water and that they are far away, but need help.
My sweet one took to the idea of sending the sleeping coins their way, but I didn't realize how much the idea hit home until about an hour or two later... I was putting her down for a nap and I could see little cogs spinning in her head so I asked her what was wrong and she said she was sad. I asked why and she said for the kids with no food. --- oh my little heart!!

After much reassurance, I think she understands what's up...

Hopefully this tender little heart isn't too overburdened... big lessons for mom... geez....can we say too much information!!! So hard to remember that these little people are so ever easily affected and they lack the callous self preserving layers that we "adults" are so accustomed to. God give me grace....

The magical power of Dirt

What is it about working in the garden that seems to wash away so much of the troubles that float randomly through our minds and hearts???


I think gardens are here for us to dig our hands into the soil and cleanse our souls.

I hope you cats had as lovely a day as I did playin' in the dirt and talking to little people.

Babiness, don't go!

so Autumn Marie got her first itsy bitsy tooth this week! I say that like I'm so excited, but really most of me kinda says that with much reluctance in my heart b/c it means that we have just taken another step away from babyhood.

My favorite thing is to see that little face break into that little toothless smile.... I just love those little gummy smiles.... sounds funny I know....

I just love babyhood so much and it is just slip slip slippin' away --- they all tell you it goes fast and they were right! It makes me want to soak in all those tiny beauties of babiness.... the itsy toes, sweet little ears and endless brown eyes....
I can't get enough I say!

Scott

so Joshers has slide show setting on our PS3 that cycles all of our pictures across our tv screen randomly.

this lovely pic of Scott from way back in 2007 showed up and Laughfer looked at me and asked...
"Is that God?"


nice

the lessions of rossville blvd

so the other day we were taking a little trip downtown...
i always try to make car trips a bit more exciting by telling Lavender about all the exciting things we are zooming by...
our little trips go something like this:
Me - 'Laughfer, look look at all those flags!"
Laughfer - "I see them"
Me- "Laughfer, do you see all the flags?"
Laughfer - No, I don't see!
and on and on it goes...

now here is how our last ride went...
Me- See the big big red sign, Laughfer?
Laughfer - What is that big blue?
Me- What big blue?
---- and then I notice the shack/tarped adult tape and stolen shoe operation going on over on the left... so i point to the left and say
"that big blue house with the man ?" and she says yes...

What the heck.... ??? - What do ya say???? I don't know...

so I just told her it was a sort of a store... and then she asked "can we go to the big blue???"

Nope was all I could utter in the midst of many giggles...

THANKS Rossville for an educational adventure!!!

'Mom's Stupid Canvas'

So I have two canvases hanging around taking one bazillion years to dry. I put the brightest shiniest hazard orange colored canvas ontop of a pie safe to dry.... which is just great for me b/c it is just above my little head, so I never bump it or anything.
Now Joshers on the other hand... is such a giant that the lovely orange paint has just about left it's mark on every single stinking shirt he owns... as you can imagine, he absolutely LOVES this... and the canvas has begun to be known by an assortment of lovely descriptions.

So yesterday, the canvas branded Joshers yet again, which caused an exasperated proclamation from my Sweet husband. And little Laughfer just looked up at him and said...

"Did you bump Momma's stupid canvas????"

The Spell of Autumnn Marie

Some super sweetness Autumn Marie style!
There are about a million and one things that make loving this babe so incredibly easy...
like the spontaneous belts of laughter that pour out of this tiny girl's little mouth...
or those endless brown eyes...

maybe it's the way it is soo easy to get tickles going...

or perhaps its just the magic of this new little person beginning to shine through.

Nevertheless, love abounds for Autumn Marie!!!

Lavender in the Garden

Ever since we put this screen saver on our computer that cycles all our pictures across the screen I have been feeling a big urge to memorex...

It just seems like these little people are turning into big people so quickly before my very eyes.
I love watching them discover new things and find all those itsy bitsy lovely little details that make even the smallest treasure something remarkable.

I know you can't ever really record these things and part of me wonders if that is even something we should want to do, nevertheless the urge to document seems to have
reached a higher place in my priorities lately.

These pics were taken in my Grandma's lovely garden. I have many many memories of it filled with flowers and yummy sun warmed cherry tomatoes.
mmmmm.....