It doesn't feel late at all. Perhaps I drank too much tea today?

SleepyHouse Garden 2010 - Seed Starting

I think I may have bought more seeds than we have garden space for. I was left alone at the store and went a little overboard. Some of our seeds are leftovers from last year, and some we harvested from the garden last year. It amazes me, the abundance that could potentially come from one tiny miracle of a seed.

This year we thought we would experiment with seed starting. Last year we sowed directly into the garden and our growing season wasn't quite long enough to harvest our melons. Maybe if we start the plants indoors, we'll be able to reap more benefits.

Always being frugal, we fashioned growing pots out of newspaper. I'm hoping this works. We really don't have any southern window exposure, and the other obstacle we have going against us is Yumi. She loves to nibble on stuff she shouldn't!

I'm also a little concerned about the hardening process, but we'll figure it out as we go along. If all else fails, we'll sow the left over seeds directly into the garden.

We're planning Roma tomatoes again, since these grew so beautifully for us last season. I'm almost out of homemade sauce in the freezer.

We're trying broccoli and carrots, our favorite two veggies, and I'm trying sugar snap peas for me. I'll also grow myself more Butternut squash.

We're shooting for melons again, even though they didn't work out so well last year. I want to grow sweet yellow watermelons and the boys are sticking with the traditional red.

We have lots of different varies of lettuces to try. We're going to sow these directly and use our inventive cloches, recycled CD cases. I'm adding chard and spinach to the mix as well.

We've never had any luck with herbs, but hopefully that will change. I want to grow Cilantro, garlic chives, basil and Rosemary. I even picked up some catnip for Yumi.

Flowerwise, I want to grow lots of Sunflowers. I thought it would be fun to surround the deck with a forest of sunflowers and in fall the birds can eat the seeds from the flower heads.

We're also going to try strawberries, although I know this is a long shot. I have a strawberry pot that came with root plants, but frankly, it was very difficult to recognize those roots! We went with an ever bearing variety just for fun. I don't really expect to be able to harvest lots of fruit. I will most like find an organic local farm to pick from. Last year we all got sick from the chemicals on the plants.

I also saw this neat sack pot for growing potatoes. You keep adding dirt as the plant grows up and by the end of the growing season, you dump the pot and pull out your potatoes.  I'm not buying the special sack, but I'm wondering if a regular pot would do? If I can find some good seed potatoes, maybe we'll give it a try.

Its killing me. I'm watching dump truck after dump truck of black dirt being shipped away from a build site nearby. I just want to throw myself in front of the next truck and yell, "Dump it here! In my yard!!!"

Chazen Art Museum

"That is not a doughnut!"

 Yesterday we visited the Chazen Museum of Art. The museum has been in the news lately because of a controversial sculpture of two goats, embraced and kissing. What upsets some people is these goats are both male and their privates parts are, well... at attention.

My family didn't see what the big deal was. Frankly, we found the sculpture silly. There were many other pieces in the museum that were much more interesting.

The photography work of Filip Dujardin was inspiring. He alters true photographs of buildings to create new, imaginative buildings, although they would be impossible to build from an engineering standpoint.

I liked Ferrari's Madonna and Child because it portrayed Jesus about to nurse from Mary. With all the controversy on Facebook about photographs of breastfeeding, I loved how in 1525 it was no big deal.

DS11 liked Gleizes' Schoolboy. I guess I should take him to see some Picasso next.

I wish we could visit more art museums. We can't afford to travel and big city museums charge expensive admission. We have plenty of art books, but it can't replace seeing a piece of work in person. 

Our STP Concert Experience

It had been almost 2 years since DH & I last saw Stone Temple Pilots in concert. Our hopes were high and for the most part, the night did not disappoint.

Most of the show was amazing, but things fell apart at the end. Scott seemed to be forgetting lyrics and his band mates were not too pleased. At one point, they stopped playing while Scott continued to sing, seemingly unaware the music had stopped. They returned for one encore performance, but Scott messed up that as well. At the end of the show, Scott exited one way, the band mates the other.

We had prime real estate on the floor, about 3 rows from the stage. Most everyone around us was cool, but when the show began, the morons showed up and took over. The mosh pit got a little rough. At one point, I remember something hitting me in the head. It was a foot. The pain was very brief and we continued moshing until the smell got to me. Apparently last night's drunken morons don't wear deodorant and being mashed up into those stinky pits, it was distracting me from the music.

We moved back a few more rows and found the cool crowd again- those who wanted to enjoy the music and the performance. It didn't take long though before one poor soul was shot out from the moshing in front of us. He was way too wasted. I felt bad for him. His friends should have had his back, but he was lost and confused. He could barely stand up and did fall several times.

Mr. Stoner began to piss off the people in our area and eventually Boulder Man showed up. I have never seen such a human. DH says he was like something out of Lord Of The Rings, Orc like in size. I watched in amazement as Boulder Man picked up Mr. Stoner and threw him back, like he as a piece of waded up paper. Everyone around thanked Boulder Man and we all went on to enjoy the rest of the show.

I don't understand why anyone would spend the money on concert tickets only to get so wasted. How can you remember the show the next day? Why not save the money and get wasted at home, without having to bother anyone in the process?

After the show, I worried about Scott. He is such an amazing performer. I think he has the perfect voice for his genre and he moves way better than Jagger. When he's on his game, he brings something incredible to every song. STP has such an amazing catalog of music, and no one can sing it like Scott. His performance last night has me worried his demons are still around. I don't understand how someone so talented can't rise above it all and succeed.

On the drive home, we stopped to wash some of the concert residue off of us. (Beer spilled on my arm, sweaty moshing, legal and not so legal smokiness...) I stepped out of the car and to my surprise, my left foot wouldn't cooperate. The pain was intense. A few hobbling steps later I recognized it. My plantar fasciitis was back. I guess my feet weren't used to rocking out. The rest of the drive home, DH & I joked about being old.

We stopped for late night burgers at a Wendy's drive through. Why do burgers, wrapped in foil and eaten in your car at 1:00a.m. taste so good?

All in all, our date night was excellent. The show, the people watching, the bonding, the burgers. I'd love to do it all over again, even with the injuries. I'm wearing my Birkies, so my foot will heal quickly. I don't notice the bruise on my head from being kicked by Crowd Surfer Dude, unless I brush my hair.

Thursdays Thoughts

We stayed up very late streaming Dexter episodes from Netflix. When we come to the end of season 3, I'll go into withdrawal, until season 4 is released. This show is brilliant!

Slept in this morning, of course, but I still feel relaxed rather than rushed. I hope I can keep this feeling going into the weekend.

Tomorrow night is Date Night!! DH is taking me to see Stone Temple Pilots once again. Its been so long since we've been to a big rock show. Its about time I lose more of my hearing.

I should clean my house, but I think I want to get my hands dirty in the garden instead. It is too early to plant outside, but I can still get things ready for planting. We never did get a growing table set up. Maybe I will have to get creative and find a spare horizontal surface somewhere to start a few seedlings.

I know I shouldn't be jealous of my neighbor, but yesterday an industrial sized dump truck unloaded black gold all over her driveway. I've been watching her transfer wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow of the most fine looking garden soil into her veggie patch. Some wives may prefer gifts that glitter, but for me a load of black dirt would be heaven.

DS14 has finished reading The Stand and now he's considering whether to read another mega novel or try a regular size book. DH thinks it may be better to keep track of pages read rather than number of books because Jake keeps choosing to read 1000+ page novels.

I better get going. We have homeschool posse this afternoon.

Death Pecker

We discovered our favorite hiking spot, Magnolia Bluff, may be home to a "Death Pecker!"

We came across this tree on the trail and for the rest of the hike, we enjoyed making up stories about a giant wood pecker we've named the "Death Pecker." We had the park pretty much to ourselves so it was fun to laugh and dream up funny scary stories of how we could possibly come to our demise at the beak of the Death Pecker!

Thankfully, we survived and we live to hike again! I may just have to carve a Death Pecker Letterbox and plant it in this park.

Today's hike was one of those rare moments where we drop everything and head to the woods just because we can. We don't get too many good weather days, so we need to take advantage of them when they're here. Plus the beauty of unschooling is we can take learning and creativity with us, wherever we go. I doubt we would have  been inspired to create the legend of the Death Pecker if we had stayed in the Sleepyhouse. We needed to be in the woods and see this gorgeous dead tree.

 

Want To See Something Depressing?

My neighbors are in denial. I just saw a jogger run past my house in shorts. He quickly turned around and later ran back wearing a bit more clothing. I'm guessing the kid on the bicycle without a coat probably won't do the same though. That's wouldn't look cool.

The poor robins are refusing to peck through the snow to score frosty worms. The other birds are tunneling their way to our feeder.

For now I'm sipping chamomile. Later I'll bundle up, scrape off the car, and head to the hardware store for paint. On a day like today, I should stay in the nest and see how much feathering I can do. I'm done with playing in the snow for the season.

 

Friday's Fizzle...

I've hit the wall. I should be painting or being productive in some way, but here I am on a Friday afternoon feeling already spent. I just want to sip hot cocoa and put my feet up.

No coincidence my body seems tuned to the weather. The sun has left and our 60 plus temperatures are now plummeting back down to 30's. We could have 3 inches of snow by morning. At least I'll still have my sunburn to prove to me it wasn't a dream. Spring was here for a few days, and I forgot to wear sunscreen.

DS11 gave me this Yu-Gi-Oh card. I think it is very cool of course, but its actually a very weak card. He knows I think its super cute. He's also been busy making home made Yu-Gi-Oh inspired ATCs. I may have to make an ATC to trade with him for the Domo card he made.

My work this morning went well, except for the final classroom of 3 year olds. Most of the class should have been at home, in bed. I felt so badly for them. Their tiny noses oozed green, thick, nasty badness. Unlike every other safety "Reach-Throw-Don't Go" demonstration I've taught, this room of kids did not seem too enthusiastic. They looked like they wanted to curl up with their blankets and crash out. I thought it was odd too this youngest room had the most kids with the fewest teachers. Maybe they had stuck all the sick kids in one room for the day? The other two classrooms were energized and ready for fun.

I understand the challenges of being a working parent. For 3 years I tried to do the super mom thing. I can remember I never took real vacations because I had to use my vacation days for sick days when my son would become ill. I spent one entire week not enjoying a chicken pox staycation.

We need to allow everyone more time off for illness. We'd all be so much more healthy if people were free to stay home when they or their children were sick. Most schools and daycares have the fever rule, but I think if anything is goopy and dripping, it calls for isolation from others.

Remind me to drink extra Emergen-C this weekend.

Once when John Holt was speaking to a school audience, describing his views on the their structured curriculum, a student asked him, "But surely there must be something important enough that everyone should learn it?" He thought for a moment and replied, "To learn to say 'I'm sorry', 'I don't know', and 'I was wrong'."

Thirteen Thoughts....

1. The paint color is almost decided. Now I have to stop myself from over thinking it and find the time to get it on the walls.

2. More locker room drama at work. Why doesn't anyone bother to read posted signs?

3. I'm in a breakfast rut. I need to go to the library and borrow some magazines and books for inspiring healthy breakfast menus.

4. We hit the 60's yesterday, and today it will be similar. The weekend forecast is snow, some say 3 inches. Only in Wisconsin.

5. I am so addicted to Dexter.

6. I got out some of our Easter decorations, but I have scaled back. Partly because I couldn't find all the boxes and partly because the dark cloud of unemployment stress is still stealing our joy.

7. I'll be happy if I can accomplish spring cleaning, I don't need the Easter decoration flair.

8. I know its silly, but I still feel like I'm losing an hour everyday thanks to daylight savings.

9. Maybe its time to make up some granola to stash away? I haven't made granola in forever.

10. Homeschool Posse comes over today! Yeah!

11. I better vacuum.

12. And go to the Pig for refreshments...

13. That means I should get off this computer pronto!

Last night's shift brought more locker room horror. I'm hoping tonight's shift is uneventful. I've had enough gross out moments at work lately.

Tuesdays Rambling Thoughts.....

I finished priming the bathroom. Now the real hard work begins, choosing a color. I am very challenged when it comes to finding paint colors that work on walls. I may just ask DH to go to the store without me and come home with anything, as long as its not yellow or brown, two colors I KNOW should never be used in a bathroom!

DS11 has no desire to see the new Diary Of A Wimpy Kid movie. He's read all the books and is a fan, but just from seeing the previews, he knows the movie will ruin the books. I can respect that. Kirsten Stewart ruined Bella for me, and I couldn't bring myself to read the rest of the series.

I made chocolate chip bar cookies after painting yesterday. It did improve the aroma in the Sleepyhouse, but now I need someone to hide them from me! Why is it I have no diminishing returns when it comes to chocolate chip bars?

We received our census yesterday. It probably took me 5 minutes to complete it and get it back in the return envelope. I don't understand why people are refusing to complete it? It only asked for names, ages and race of people living at your address. The government gets more personal information on us every year come tax time. People refusing to participate are only hurting their state's chance to have proper representation in congress.

Last night it was battle of the remote. I wanted to watch International House Hunters, but my children wanted to watch some Repo show. We kept flipping back and forth between commercials. 

The Repo show was obviously staged. Its suppose to be real repossession professionals going out to collect cars, but everyone seemed to acting Jerry Springer style. It didn't matter, for some reason, my boys enjoyed it, even though they admitted they too thought it was acting and not reality.

House Hunters International is so much better! :) I find it so interesting to see how much real estate is in foreign countries, and what you get for your money. I also enjoy wondering what these people do in order to be so wealthy to afford a house in a foreign country!

Wow! How is it 9:30am already? Darn time change! My DH is up. I think I'll see if he wants to walk the hood with me. Have a great Tuesday!

Moanday...

I am not a morning person and when you throw this wicked daylight savings at me, it only gets worse. I forgot to change the clock in my car so when I left for work, the demonic red digital glow read 3:55am. I'm grateful I work mostly nights. If I had to leave for work more than once a week at 5:00am, I'd be a grumpy girl.

I need to get my haircut. DH usually prefers I keep it long enough to pull back but even he has noticed it has gotten really long. I can't remember the last time I had it cut. Its probably been over a year, maybe two. I don't like getting my haircut. I don't like strangers touching me. I can justify that we don't have the money for it now, but the simple truth is, I hate having my hair cut, and I'm too cheap to pay for it! Dare I cut it myself? I knew someone who did this and it looked terrible, so I don't think I will.

I have to make a mess today. A big mess, but not a fun mess. I need to sand down the drywall mud and prime it. We've been sharing a bathroom with the boys while we fix the drywall tape in our bathroom. I'm ready to have my bathroom back, so I'm motivated to get messy today.

Well, I better get busy. The sooner I finish the dirty work, the sooner I may just have a chance to enjoy some of this sunny weather.

Feeling a little guilty DH is still very sick while I'm feeling better. Of course he doesn't want to try my raw garlic, Emergen-c tricks. He's sticking with nasty Nyquil. Yuck!

Happy Pi Day!

I am not baking any pies or circular foods today. This weekend isn't going as planned, but sometimes you just have to roll with it.

We have finished the dry wall taping, but before we could sand and prime, the cold virus took over. DH & I have spent most of the weekend resting and blowing our noses. Perhaps today we'll have more energy.

The boys are over their colds. DS11's been into Yu-Gi-Oh once again. Last summer he wanted to sell all of his cards, but had no takers at the yard sale. Now for some reason, he's really into playing again.

The snow's just about all melted away, and I'm amazed at how my flattened bushes have sprung back up. We have lots of rabbit raisins in the yard, and I asked DS14 if he'd like to help me sweep them up and into the garden for fertilizer. Can you believe he said no?

We saw our first cardinal at our feeder. I hope he comes back and brings his friends. We're going to try and built our own platform feeder soon. The Canadian geese are back, but thankfully, they don't stop in our yard. We've even seen a few Sandhill cranes flying overhead. I'm bummed the field they used to hang out in next to us is now developed with new homes. I wonder where the cranes will hang out now. I can hear them in the area, but I don't know where they are.

We're happy to report our basketball hoop is still standing. Every spring the ground gets so mushy, we're afraid one of these years it will fall over. March Madness has us all inspired to be out shooting hoops.

If DH is still unemployed, I'm sure March Madness will distract him. He used to want to take days off from work to watch the games. This year, he won't have to. -Now that I've said that, please let a job offer come in!!

It seems unbelievable that its been 5 months we've been in unemployment survival mode. I really didn't think it would be this long, but I hear about so many people being unemployed for a year or more. I'm grateful we'll made it this far, but it's still very stressful.

My Sleepyhouse crew is starting to get up. According to the clock, I should be making lunch not breakfast. Daylight savings always screws us up. Have a great Pi day!


 

13 For Thursday- Better Late Than Never With Minutes To Spare Before its Friday!

13 Last Minute Thursday Thoughts

1. I think the cold virus I shared first with my boys and now my husband, is trying to work its way back to me.

2. Great visit with friends this afternoon! I'm praying they don't have to move.

3. Disturbing night at work! The details of which are too horrific to share. I'm grateful my boss will deal with it so I don't have to!

4. After a short work assignment tomorrow morning, I'm taking the rest of the day to do something for myself.

5. Wait, I just remembered. I have to apply the second coat of mud to the sheet rock tape I put up today. After that I'll choose something fun to do.

6. I saw a Robin today, although it didn't land in my yard. Spring has to be coming!

7. I could spend all day surfing the Better Homes and Garden's website for inspiration. I can't wait for gardening weather.

8. Does anyone still use that internet term, surfing?

9. I wish it wasn't late. I'd love a Dandy blend coffee substitute right now.

10. Why do I always think to drink beverages right before bedtime? My timing is way off.

11. I suppose an Emergen-C would not be a good idea either. Those B vitamins will keep me awake.

12. DS11 made me laugh. He told DH to do his yoga stretches in front of me.

13. I'm positive now we embarrass our children!

DH now has the cold virus that's been making the rounds in our Sleepyhouse, and I feel like its trying to jump back to me. I hope I can fend it off again. Bring on the garlic!

Tuesdays Ramble...

The boys are still sick, but they are on the mend. I hope they feel back to normal soon. They aren't sleeping too well, but when you have a head cold, you're stuck in that catch 22. You need the sleep to get better, but you can't sleep because you can't breathe laying down.

I need to catch amnesia. I need to forget how much I love chocolate covered dried cranberries. I need to forget Tenuta's exists. They make the best chocolate covered candy. There seems to be an extra thick layer of chocolate on every piece!

We stopped at Tenuta's last Sunday when we drove to K-Town to check on G-Ma's cat. We never saw the cat, but did see evidence it was still alive. We also treated ourselves to Kenosha, Wisconsin, thin crust pizza. K-town thin crust is different than New York style thin crust. The crust is cracker crispy. No folding allowed!

I need to kick into gear and get some serious spring cleaning done. I know I'll feel better for getting it done, but at the time it seems so overwhelming. I just need to take one thing at a time.

How do you tell someone you love immensely that his version of Oscar the Grouch has to go?  For now, I'm going to practice grace and try to see past it. I can only change me.

I'm thinking of going back to being a vegetarian. I was for a few years, but I didn't really do it nutritiously. I was substituting meat with too many prepared soy based foods. I think I'll slowly go back, one healthy meal at a time until I have an arsenal of healthy choices.

I'm motivated to work this change after seeing the Academy awards. I haven't seen the film, The Cove, but just the trailer upset me so. I cannot believe anyone in the world would eat dolphin. As I sat there judging this Japanese town, I realized what a hypocrite I was. I don't eat dolphin, but how is eating other animals any different? If I raised chickens or cows, I don't think I could slaughter and eat them. I could on the other hand, grown a garden full of veggies and not feel any guilt.

Speaking of gardening, its time to start collecting more supplies. The boys have promised to help me make more square foot gardens this year. If we add a few more raised beds each  year, eventually we'll get there, to my dream of having less grass and more plants.

I was trying to read our village ordinances regarding registering your yard as a "natural" restoration project, but it was very confusing. You can't just stop mowing your grass and let it go wild. You can only keep certain plants. It has to look "good" and since we're on a corner lot, we have to maintain a certain vision angle I can't quite figure out yet. (Cars have to be able to see to turn.) For now, I think it will be easier to replace our grass with veggie gardens. I just can't grow anything over 2 feet tall on the corners.

Well, I better get moving. I may not have a dog to walk, but I think I may have convinced a certain grouch to walk with me.

Enough snow has now melted, I may finally be able to remove the Christmas lights from the bushes today.

Snow drifts on the sides of the roads are melting, exposing the decomposing deer carcasses. Spring is coming back to Wisconsin.

Now its DS11's turn to have the Suds. He doesn't want to try my raw garlic trick either. All he wants is Popsicles and somehow, I can't see how I could get him to eat a Popsicle with raw garlic in it.

He's Got The Suds....

We'll have to miss our home school posse today. That cold virus I kicked rather quickly last week has unfortunately set up production in DS14. Although he did drink an Emergen-C yesterday, I can't convince the kid to try my other homeopathic remedies. Maybe I should make garlic bread only this time, I'll add the garlic raw, after the bread's been toasted. Think he'll notice?

Yumi has spring fever. She's been attacking our legs when we try to walk, like she did when she was a kitten. Even though she's not an outside cat, she thinks she is. She'll sit by the door and meow to be let out. Its not going to happen cat, so give it up.

She's been tricking us into over feeding her. We usually feed her twice a day, 1/4 cup of kibble in the morning and 1/4 cup at night. She's been waking up DS14 at 6:00am and he'll give her the 1/4 cup. I would get up after 7:30am, her dish would be empty and I'd think I needed to feed her. Now we are writing down when we've fed her so she can't trick us humans into giving her more. I knew she was trying to pull something similar at night. DH would feed her at supper time. 15 minutes before I get home from work around 9:30pm, she'd chow down the rest on the plate so I would walk in the door and think she hadn't been fed. Its strange as if she can almost tell time.

I started reading Everything Bad Is Good For You by Steven Johnson. I'm early into it, but I think I'm going to enjoy this book. The chapter I'm at examines the "books are better than games" debate. Mention your child reads books all day and most people will think highly of your child. Mention your child plays games all day and most people will think your child is less intelligent.

When you examine this stereotype closer, children playing games are often using critical thinking, and social interaction. They have to use their brains to make decisions which will reflect the outcome of their game. Many games are played in groups, (online gaming), so it can be said gamers also must use socialization skills.

When a child reads a book they follow the story's lead, not their own. The reader has to go where they are taken. Most reading is done solitary, without group interaction.

This is not to say reading books is not as good as playing games, or vice verse. It simply points out how we need to question these stereotypes and open our minds to alternatives.   

My workout partner is up and running. I better get moving myself and join him. Have a great day!   

I'm excited we'll be in the 40's (Fahrenheit) by the end of the week. You know its been a long winter when you get excited about 40 degree weather.

Donos - Vanilla flavor

Description:
I can't call these donuts because they don't have holes. I didn't have a donut pan. I used a bundt cake shaped muffin pan, which is even stranger. The holes baked shut. They still came out tasting really good and since they were baked, not fried, much less fat. I tweaked a recipe I saw in Family Circle magazine.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 C milk - I didn't have buttermilk so I used skim.
1/3 C dark brown sugar
1 egg
4 t unsalted butter, melted
2 t vanilla extract

Icing
1/2 C powdered sugar
2 t milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
sprinkles


Directions:
Heat oven to 325F, spray your pan with non stick spray.

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix the wet. Mix the two together to form a very sticky, wet dough.

Spoon the dough into a zip lock bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe the dough into the pan. With moist fingers, smooth out the dough if needed.

Bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack while you mix up the icing.

Stir together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Spoon the icing over the Donos and add sprinkles if you wish.