Every year I think someone is going to get this guy, and yet he keeps coming back. He did have a bigger brother or cousin that used to sit by our back door that I haven't seen for a year (or two?) but this one was definitely eating out of the bird feeder last year. This morning he was browsing the millet that the birds disdain.
Pardon the blur, but this was taken through the window. He was about 10 feet away.
Lucky for him the only thing I was shooting with was my camera.
As much as I miss the house we had in Montana, there is at least one thing that is better here. From our old house we couldn't even see the western horizon. There were too many other houses. But here, here we have an unobstructed view, and sometimes it just takes my breath away. There is nothing like a sunset over the open range of Wyoming.
...where the horny toads roam. No rude comments, please. I'm talking about the real thing, horned toads:
I think he's kinda cute. Perhaps it's his small size? Found by eldest on our property - the majority of which we don't mow and is covered in sandstone and sagebrush.
It isn't that I haven't been making and doing around here, it's just that I haven't sat down to post about it.
In case you haven't heard our news, we are expecting a new baby! So most of my energy has been sapped rather quickly each day - I sure can tell I am an older and out-of-shape mother. I pretty much spent the first three months of 2009 sleeping (in between swimming lessons, soccer games and practices). Now that I am into the second trimester, and I have managed to keep some of my vitamins down, I have much more energy. The warmer weather helps a lot, too. We had a cool and rainy week last week and it was obvious that I do better on sunny days. I feel bad for not getting any pictures of our spring yard to share; the rain ended the splendor of the crab apple blossoms and the lilac blooms, but they were lovely while they lasted.
This past weekend we finally finished (almost) planting our garden. We were starting nearly from scratch at this new house so we're starting small this year with three beds. Little by little things are coming together. It has been some real work to take out the odd chain-link fencing (old dog run), dig up some sod, supplement the soil, build deer/rabbit fence panels, etc. almost all labor done by my husband and eldest son. I was the one with the Square Foot Gardening book and my boxes of garden seeds, and the computer for research.
This Sunday it was finally warm and dry enough to plant the final two beds. Late, I know, but hopefully not too late. We have peas and beans coming up, and beets and radishes and spinach. And I did manage to start lots of my own tomato plants which are finally looking happy.
I do have some craft and kitchen doings to share, but at the moment this computer is promised to a little girl anxiously waiting for a turn with her Webkinz. Please check back tomorrow!
Not the lightness part, but the blown-this-way-and-that part.
And the little-bit-of-poo-in-the-background part.
Where are the headband photos, you say? I'll just reply that I'm sorry, I got distracted. Can you imagine being distracted when you have five kids? And snow outside? (See the sledding track behind the deer? This is right behind our backyard.)
I also made a skirt for my two-year-old. Pictures of that to come, too. It is a pattern from Girly Style Wardrobe, a Japanese sewing book. The skirt had to get worn right away, which naturally follows that it had to get dirty, and had to get washed. It's in the dryer at the moment.
For now, go and try this snowflake. I learned how to make these years ago from an issue of Family Fun magazine. The best part about these is that you can make them any size you want, and any color. I'm going to get the kids busy and see if we can do some really big ones using some of my 12" scrapbook paper.
After they finish playing "boat tent" that is. Boat tent is one of those games they never tire of. They made it up themselves - part don't-touch-the-floor, part fort-out-of-couch-cushions, part blanket-tent-camping, part Noah's ark. The main structures are held up by the coffee table and the card table, with lots of clothespins and sheets, etc. It takes over the entire room, but is easy to clean up, and occupies them for hours. Without television. Amazing.
*Edited to add photos of the results.
The children had a grand time Friday playing in the fallen leaves. On the one hand, having so many trees in the yard makes successful gardening difficult, but on the other hand, who can complain when you are given so much material for Autumn frolicking?
One of my early childhood memories is the smell of dry leaves... love it. I hope you have a chance to enjoy the season, wherever you are in the world.
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