Katie's Calamities

Resolved:

2012-01-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

I am resolute. I am resilient.I am a goal setting/reaching machine. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

In the year twenty-twelve I resolve to accomplish these goals:

*be grateful, daily
*be kind, daily
*write something, daily (every little bit counts)
*take kids on a "mommy date", once monthly
*PRAY, daily
*make a dress for my shapely self
*read 4 classic novels
*exercise brain & body, daily (every little bit counts)
*write 1 letter per month
*MAIL said letter
*finish one of the myriad unfinished quilts in craft stash
*call moms, weekly
*take a picture every day (practice makes perfect or is that perfect practice makes perfect...what ever!)
*FORGIVE, every 5 seconds or as otherwise needed
*continue with resolutions from prior year
*rise early
*make bed
*stay away from the Coffee Mate and all of its many wonderful flavours (it is evil)
*drink more H2O

Begging pardon

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

“Excuse my unburdening myself. My worries travel about my head on their well-worn path…”
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Beginning and Ending

2012-01-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

The year twenty-eleven was fraught with death, dismemberment, chaos, and overeating. The year was chock-a-block with comings and goings, which brought heartaches and joy and more overeating. The price of gas rose as did my grocery bill. Our farm lost some trees and more animals. I found a few gray hairs.We waved goodbye as dear friends left us behind. We cried selfish tears for loved ones who went Home to Jesus ahead of us. Life was one hard (and expensive) day after the next.

Happily, we said good-bye to 2011.

Thoughts of years gone by flooded my brain...times when all were happy to see the end of the year and times when it felt as if things were just beginning. There are markers in time, snippets posted firmly in my memory bank, of simpler times. Times when life seemed to trip lightly along. Time where we saw no death of loved ones; animal or human. Time when fueling the Suburban did not induce cardiac arrhythmia. Time before Wii. Time before Teens and Terrible Two's . There was a time when I sat with my wee-bitty babies and thought life was most glorious and all in the world was good. Time before so many worries occupied my brain night and day. Time when I couldn't wait for the New Year to open the next chapter in my life. Time when I could not wait to add another year to my belt as it stood for wisdom gained: Another year wiser.

The start of twenty-twelve finds me hopeful. And weary. Also, ready for an exercise regime. I am happy to have a full year of resolution (woke-4:30 in summer 5:30 in winter-with my husband every work day, save for a few sick days) under my belt. I am contemplating this next year of resolution and thinking it will involve my blog....my poor, sad, neglected blog. I am still pondering my one little word for 2012. There is much to mull over. There are pictures to be taken. Memories to be stored. There is life to be lived, pounds to be shed and tears to be swept away. There are doors ready to be closed and new beginnings waiting to be discovered.

Good-bye crappy year. Hello bright shiny New Year.

Cuppa

2011-12-08T08:55:00.001-08:00

A poem for winter.

Now stir the fire and close the shutter fast,

Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,

And while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn

Throws up a steamy column, and the cups

That cheer but not inebriate wait on each,

So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

~William Cowper

::Learning::

2011-10-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

I read a post this morning by one of my favourite bloggers-Jade from Chikaustin. (FYI Jade is having some technical difficulties with her site.) Jade finished her post with a question: What have you learned this week?

This intrigued me. What have I learned this week?

The whole concept of growing and learning has been bouncing around in my head for quite some time now. While I have many thoughts and opinions on this topic, I want to keep it simple for today.

::Don't stress about school when the kids are sick. Their brains will not turn to mush.
::Don't make 'Garden Style' spaghetti. No one likes it but you.
::Pink eye-stink eye, you will not get the better of me.
::I have far too many good ideas and not enough follow-through. Must find a way to remedy this problem.
::I love taking photographs.
:: I can make a beautiful loaf of bread. And as the world is "supposed" to end on Friday, (which I might add, I just learned about this morning) I shall eat a whole loaf of it. all. by. myself. AND. I shall slather it in homemade jam.
::Being sick and not having a dishwasher, sucks eggs.

What have you learned this week?

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

2011-10-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

For today's posting I am linking up with the gals at Like Mother, Like Daughter.
Join the fun!

{pretty}

This is from one of the weddings I shot this summer. I love the clothesline. I love the strings of lights. The twilight....very pretty.

{happy}

I captured this tender moment between brothers yesterday. Both of my boys are suffering from illness. My man child has just returned from a mission trip to Mexico, where he must have been bitten by a dog or a seal because he is barking up a storm. He sounds terrible but that didn't stop him from reading a little of "The Sneetches" to his baby brother who has a mild case of Conjunctivitis.

This makes me so happy. I love that my oldest isn't too cool to snuggle on the couch and read Dr. Seuss to his brother.

{funny}

This is my youngest child; dramatic and funny are his middle names. We have been standing in the July heat for 1.75 hrs waiting for our local parade -in which he is participating-to start. Someone just told him he is allowed to "shoot" the crowd with a squirt gun. He was excited, to say the least.

{real}

My friend Miri and I have a tradition. Every October, we make a birthday (Miri's) pilgrimage to the Sylvia Beach Hotel. We lounge. We read. We take photos. We sip tea and take in the glorious ocean air. Otherwise, we enjoy the quiet lack of children, animals, cell phones and T.V.
Note: The hotel, from-which my friend is basking in the ocean sunset above, is remodeling. Alas, there will be no pilgrimage this year. There will be no sipping of tea or lounging. There will be no photographing. There will be no lack of noise. This year we must make other plans.

(Insert loud sigh here)

Dear Sylvia Beach Hotel,
Hurry up with that remodeling!
Love,
Katie and Miri

Happy 20th Anniversary of your 20th Birthday my dear sweet friend! May it be wonderful even without the quiet ocean view.

Wordless Wednesday: Life is 'dandy

2011-10-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Wordless-ish Wednesday

2011-09-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Because I have the worst head cold ever. Because our beloved friend Tom Sr. died on Monday. Because our sweet lop-eared rabbit Cleo died this morning. Because summer is over. Because laundry is no respecter of illness.

The busy-ness of me

2011-09-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have been flitting about in such a fashion as would make a Humming Bird nervous. I have forgotten where I was a few times. I lost track of time, got lost in town and forgot my own name while placing a phone order. Seriously, I have hardly keep the days straight. At one point I was processing a Canner full of jam, making supper, entertaining company, helping kids with school, watering the garden, loading the dishwasher, starting a new batch of jam, taking photos, reading a recipe and talking on the phone!

I have been overwhelmingly busy. Dreadfully busy. Much, much to busy for me....

I have canned umpteen jars of Tuna, barbecued Tuna, smoked Tuna, vacuum packed some 50 lbs of Tuna and Salmon and otherwise lived like and frankly, smelled like, a fish monger. I camped with my family. Attended two funerals, in the same day. Attended a baby shower. Canned blackberry syrup, apple & pear butters, plum jam and rhubarb. Forgot to water and weed my garden. Fetched my mother from town for a week of canning fun. I have taken an entire truck load of "stuff" to the Goodwill, (thank you Joy). Accidentally made cottage cheese. I have lovingly, labouriously, plucked raspberries from the vines in my garden and tucked them into the deep freeze. Visited friends and loved ones at the hospital in Big Town. I have taught classes at church and home. I have shredded and frozen scads of zucchini. I have eaten my body weight in zucchini. Spent a morning getting in firewood with my family. I have dried tray, after glorious tray of herbs in my food dehydrator. In general, I ran like a head with my chicken cut off.

I have never in my adult life canned/put up so much food. Or run to town so many times while in the middle of said canning. When returning from the grocery with mass quantities of large and small mouth canning lids and military sized bags of sugar, my oldest son asked if I was preparing for a nuclear holocaust. Not a holocaust son, I said, just putting up food so I can feed you during your next growth spurt. (Dear sweet baby boy, please stop growing!)

While not preparing for disaster, I have been busy filling the pantry with good, old fashioned, staples in hopes of making ends meet ( re: feeding of teenagers) All the while, juggling the things that make up this crazy, calamitous life of mine. This kind of busy makes my very happy. Crazy, but happy.

What's been keeping you busy lately?

Caught: the weekend lens

2011-09-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Captured my own reflection in this jar of Spiced Golden Plum Jam this afternoon.

Sneaky Katie, caught these two friends (Lexie from the Back Acher and the lovely Em) snapping shots.

Caught my youngest sneaking to town in her jammies.

Got my curls caught in the blackberries while getting in my car. Had the kids run grab the camera so I could take a picture. My children think their mother is nutty.

My darling beloved snapped this, the only shot, of the man child sporting his first big catch. And what a tasty catch it was.

Life

2011-09-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

This past year has been a sea of emotion. Joys and sorrows. Gratefulness and peace.

The ebb and flow, felt as thought I were being pulled out to sea one minute and the next, felt like I was drowning. Once or twice I cried a sea of tears. Tears of joy, frustration and deep sorrow flooded from me. There were days that I just bobbed along peacefully. At times I wrestled fiercely with life, yelling out to God from the quiet of my garden. Some days, I sat quietly and drank it all in; storing up every blessed moment.

There are so many things resting on my heart that warrant sharing but as I ease back to this beloved space I find that I can only share the simple, not the deep.

A frosted Barley Pop on the only (nearly) hundred degree day of the summer.

The piano, on loan to Calamity Farmstead, brings me joy (most) every morning. (Note to self: teach kids new song....'Heart and Soul' is grating on my nerves.)

Week in the Life: Playing catch up

2011-07-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

So. I had this goal. I have been planning it all out in my head, for months now. I told all my friends, for accountability purposes. I recently made some notes, printed worksheets. I gathered a few supplies. I charged my camera battery and wiped all the pictures off my SD cards.

The project; Week in the Life 2011. The goal; make it to the finish line.

On Sunday (official start day was Monday but I like to draw things out as much as possible) I started (along with scads of other dedicated folks and the projects creator, Ali Edwards) a photo journaling/scrapbooking project called 'Week in the Life'. I have done the WITL project in years past but have never seen it to completion. For one reason or another, I take off running then fall flat on my face. This year, I decided, would be different. This year, I decided to finish. I made it a goal. I am determined. Part of my determination was to post everyday during said project and thus far I have failed miserably. I am late (I was born late, seriously.) to the party. Again. Still, I shall not be dissuaded.

I am DETERMINED.

Being that this is the week of my second 'Wedding Photo' gig, I am slightly stressed out. I am shooting and researching. And researching and shooting. And stressing. (Also, having night mares about being late to the wedding. Not good.)

Again, I remain determined.

Notes-to-self for this week:

*Relieve stress by digging hands in the warm dirt of my garden, breathing in the wonders of this life I have been given-taking pictures all along the way.

*I will not beat my self up over being late.... again.

*I will take amazing wedding shots tomorrow! I can do eeeet! (Thanks so much to Joy for volunteering to be my assistant. Joy, you rock!)

*Determination Station, here I come!

Today I am posting a few shots from the last few days of WITL+ Words.

Sunday: Camp day. Oldest kids at camp all week.
Number of photos for Sunday| 64 digi + 48 shots on film

{My youngest boy and Lexie's youngest girl}

Monday: Fidget turns 9. Boater experience.
Number of photos for Monday| 145

{Baby girl partied on the Bay. First time on a boat. Said over and over again that she " didn't feel like 9 yet".}

Tuesday: Garden girl. Girl fun. Working man.
Number of photos for Tuesday| 502

{Finally, the garden provideth.}

{That is notJoy behind the funny mag ad.}

{He brings home the bacon and I fry it up.}

Wednesday: Town day. Park fun. Flower bokeh.

Number of photos for Wednesday| 285

{To make up for a whole day in the car we let the kids run in the park. The rock wall was a favourite.}

{The long ride home. Sun in the eyes. Flowers on the dashboard. A little bit of bokeh.}

Learning and Growing

2011-07-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Found this quote from Emerson and it really struck a cord with me.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Here's to serenity and not being encumbered with old nonsense.

Victory Gardener

2011-07-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

O.K. So, Katie knows it may seem silly to ~~most~~ some but... she is on a gardener's high unlike any experienced thus far in her gardening career.

Take a little stroll through time, if you will.

2000: Katie plants first garden of her adult life. Blue Jays devour the lettuce seeds Katie lovingly plants in the plot of dirt loaned to her by her beloved friend Ona. Katie replants seeds. Birds devour seeds. Katie gives up and goes to the local Farmer's Market for produce.

2001: Not having a plot to plant in, Katie gains permission to garden in her mother-in-law's famous raised beds. Katie plants lettuce seeds. Seeds sprout and flourish. Rotten neighborhood dog, wallows in Katie's allotted garden bed. Katie cries, then goes the local Farmer's Market for produce.

2002: Katie, being in possession of her own garden plot but heavy with child, gives up gardening all together, choosing instead to frequent the local Farmer's Market.

2003: Having blown out her knee three days after giving birth the year prior, Katie, still in a knee brace, hobbles around in an ungraceful manner and is thus, unable to garden. Katie sends her loving husband to the local Farmer's Market for produce.

2004: Katie decides that one more baby is in order ~~before she gets any older~~ and is too busy nursing and changing diapers to tend a garden. Katie and clan venture out to the local Farmer's Market for produce and brief moments of ~~sanity~~ quiet while the baby naps in stroller.

2005: Katie and loving husband decide its high time to move to the country. After purchasing a small acreage barely off the beaten path and being totally overwhelmed while all that entails, Katie and family seek out a new, not so local Farmer's Market.

2006: Katie plants first garden in her new rurban plot of ground. Local area experiences drought. Katie weeps over her crispy lettuce leaves and goes to Safeway for lettuce imported from China.

2007: Katie and family move to a beloved neighbouring community. In a plot that once housed pigs, Katie plants the biggest garden of her life!! Beloved neighbouring community experiences first heat wave in years and Katie's lettuces bolt with only 4 leaves to a plant. Katie decides its time to try the Atkin's Diet and gives up on vegetables.

2008: Unable to purchase home in beloved neighbouring community, Katie and family move back to their small acreage barely off the beaten path, consoling themselves with produce from the local Farmer's Market.

2009-2010: Katie dubs these the years of the Filthy Slug/Stupid Snail/Rotten Dog/Freaking Blue Jay/Bloody Crows/Cussed Late Blight/Stupid-Freaking-Bloodyrotten-Cussed Chickens. Katie weeps in her coffee over lost lettuces, squash, melons, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers. Katie threatens chickens, dogs, birds and baits the snails and slugs with beer. Loving husband wonders at the cost of seeds/seedlings and beer for slugs and threatens to shut down the garden altogether. Katie rushes to the not-so-local Farmer's Market for ~~home brewed beer~~ veggies. Katie tells hubby she grew them herself.

2011: After eight straight months of rain, Katie plants her beloved garden. Katie tends and frets. Katie amends and lovingly applies fish fertilizer by the gallons. Katie is rewarded, for the first time ever, with a harvest. Katie weeps tears of joy in her morning coffee. Katie does a little jig. ~~Or six~~ And squeals with glee.

Katie will not be seeking out produce from her local Farmer's Market this summer. She will be enjoying the ~~fruits~~ greens of her labour fresh from the garden.

The BIG day and parenthetical mayhem

2011-07-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

With wedding number one (two more left to go) now under my belt, I am more than ready for a little break.

Note to self: Taking wedding pictures is UBER stressful. Who knew? Take a bunch of pictures of pretty people, in pretty clothes, at a pretty venue... and you have stress (hello stress!) with a capitol S. My constant thought was: What if something malfunctions on the camera? What if I miss the glory shot? What if every single picture is blurry? What if....it rains? What if..the cake melts? What if ...I fall flat on my face and break something and have to be rushed to the Emergency Room? (Seriously, these thoughts kept me up at night.)

Alas, thanks to a handy modern invention called the Image Stabilization Lens and all my peeps (thank you!thank you!!thank you!!!) who loaned me their precious photo taking devices (six in all) and Photoshop, to correct lighting issues, my first gig as a Wedding Photographer (sounds so professional doesn't it?) went over without a hitch. I have successfully captured lovely wedding memories for my little brother (Congrats ya little twerp!) and his new bride (I love you Kayla!).

( I didn't fall flat on my face and have to be rushed to the E.R but I did almost break my leg stumbling in a gopher hole. Thank you uncoordinated-self.)

*insert sigh of relief*

While the cute couple is off enjoying sun, surf and sand, I am editing and packaging up the wedding photo montage. Number of photo's taken: 1,322. That folks, is a lot of pictures to sort through. I will be a busy girl for a while.

For now, here is a (teeny-tiny) sneak peek.

Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

2011-06-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

I know. My posting is totally sporadic and random. I am spazzy. But friends, my plate is full. The worst part is, I have so many posts in draft that most of them are no longer relevant so I can't even rely on scheduling a post. I have no plan for my blog space. I have no plan for life in general but that is a blog for another day.

Anywhat.

So much going on! The calamities are still abundant but something is missing. I think its pictures. There haven't been near enough picture posts here in Calamity-ville.

I have been working on honing my photo skillz for my little brothers upcoming wedding. I am currently shooting with four different cameras. (Talk about spazzy!) I am nervous about taking the pictures for this big event. I am excited for this new opportunity. I am filling C.F. and S.D. cards (as well as my hard drive) with more images than I have ever shot before. I am working with a snazzy film camera as well. It feels like ages since I loaded a roll of film into the back of a camera. I am even loving the anticipation of waiting for the pictures to be developed.

Needless to say I am inundated with photos. Some of them are worthy of sharing and some of them are...well, junk is a nice word for it. I am working on some editing in order to get some pic's posted but like I said earlier, the plate is full. It may take me a while but I will persevere.

I will post. I will post...PICTURES. Minimal calamities. No cheesy song lyrics. And ... skads and skads of pictures.

For now, I will leave you with one random photo.

Drops of water on my peony.

(On Monday night we had nice rain storm. I went out in the morning and shot all things blooming.)

Mrs. McDonald??

2011-06-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Old McDonald had the farm and on the farm, he had some chickens....but Mrs. McDonald was surely the chicken guru. I can just see her in her kerchief and apron, flinging scratch out across the chicken yard. I can hear the chickens clucking and cackling to each-other as if sharing the latest gossip. I can feel her excitement build as hens grow broody and thoughts of new babies invade her peaceful mind.

I can relate.

To me, chicks are dang near the cutest barn yard critter. Don't get me wrong, all newborns are adorable. There's just something so cute about that teeny-tiny, fluffy little fluff balls that make me wanna love'em and hug'em and squeeze'em and call 'em George or Fluffy.

My name is Katie and I have an addiction....I am a chick-a-holic.

I am not alone in my addiction. Four of my closest farm-girlfriends are just as consumed as I. I have it so bad I started a fan page (well, I made my friend Alexis do it for me cuz she's much better at that techno stuff than I....thanks Lex!) ...for chick-a-holics. Its a safe place for all us crazy chicken folk to share, commiserate, drool over newly found breeds or ask questions.

The latest craze is by far the most consuming. We call it "The Bator" or cheap-Styrofoam-beer-cooler-turned-incubator. The Bator is the creation of my farm-chickie heroine, Cara. Cara fell madly in love with my Silkie chickens of which, 3 out of 5 happened to be of the crowing variety. So, she hatched a plan to acquire for herself some fluffy bottomed chicks. After a quick trip to The WalMarts and a jaunt out to the Calamity Hen House, Cara had all she needed to start her own in home incubation center. And start she did. Best of all, the plan worked. The beer cooler turned incubator actually hatched out live chicks.

Well, I was hooked.

I borrowed The Bator, loaded it with 7 tiny Silkie eggs and waited. And turned eggs. And fretted. And candled. And fretted. And turned eggs. And waited some more.

Then...yesterday, the most amazing thing happened!

They started to CRACK!

They started to HATCH!

Soon we had a chick, followed shortly thereafter by another chick. So far, just two of the seven are out. They are a Black/Cinnamon Splash. The other five eggs are pipped and we are anxiously awaiting the new arrivals. I almost can't contain the squeals of delight. My kids are ecstatic! We're gonna love'em and hug'em and squeeze'em and we're gonna call this one... George.

Welcome to Calamity Farm George. *squeeeal*

P.S.
While I was busy playing Mrs. McDonald I totally forgot my plan to celebrate my Blogiversay. As of June 6 Katie's Calamities is four years old.

Happy Blogiversary to me! Here's to four more year of Calamity fun!

Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the longest day of the year, I am sharing a picture of sunshine, as sunshine has been fleeting here in the Pac.N.W. This is a shot of my favourite backyard tree, bathed in evening sunlight. This is a Fringe Tree; it's scent is amazing and its ethereal beauty is a standout in the garden. (Also, Fringe Trees are in vogue right now. Who knew?)

I would highly recommend this beauty to all my gardening friends. I also highly recommend sunshine, it is good for the soul.

Have a lovely first day of Summer!

Rednecks live here

2011-06-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

You might be a redneck if....

...you wear your seat belt as an accessory (Why yes, officer. I always wear my seat belt) . And you decorate your yard with old tires.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Dailey and his way cool, totally non-Redneck, iPhone.

Sketchy

2011-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

My youngest daughter loves to draw. She is a self professed "artist" with a capital A. Yesterday she asked me show her how to sketch a face....a real face. So I broke out the Walter Foster "Faces" book and started to draw. My daughter however, didn't like the fact that there were no fairies in this book so, she went off on her own to sketch out Manga Fairies. Fairies-schmaires!

What. Ever.

I took a few minutes to finish out the sketch I had started and got frustrated and said "it's just not right". My lovely daughter replied, "Stop that negative self-talk, right NOW!"

Ahem.

Just for fun, I decided to scan the sketch and BLOG it. I am brilliant like that. So....here is my 5 minute sketch. (Mr.Calamity says it looks like our Librarian.Which I find odd seeing as how this girls eyes are too big for her head and her face is too short and her eyes are too far apart and...I cut the top of her head off in the scanning process.) Anywhat.

Maybe I should draw some fairies....

Katie needs her groove back:: Part 2

2011-06-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

As I searched through my archives this morning, I was hopeful of finding something to post; something that didn't require conscious thought or photo editing.

I had no such luck.

Bleh!

Most of the posts I have in draft are so dated they would require much more tweaking and consequently, editing, than I have the will power to attack. Yet, I still wanted to post...something.

I stared at the blank post editor. Then I clicked over to Facebook. FYI: Facebook is a deep swirling vortex. It will suck your will to live. At the very least, it will tap into your inner voyeur and will prevent you from doing anything other than checking the pages and comments and pictures of every. single. friend. And....it goes on and on. Facebook is a vortex I tell you! (Facebook is evil.) The thing I love most about FB is that I can chat with all of my best farm chickie friends (whose job it is to tell me to blog ALREADY!), my cousin in France (who loves reading about all of my calamities), my dear friend in Idaho (who adores my blog) and my Mom (who checks up on me via my blog) all at the same time. Which is what I was doing instead of blogging. So, I clicked back here and stared some more. And so it went. Till I grew weary of the clicking. And the manic chatting. And my poor lonely blog cried out....

BLOG ALREADY!

So....I started and stopped. And stopped and started. Then decided to just jot down the truth. The truth being, I have lost my blogging grooviness.

I want to have time and drive for blogging. Frankly, I want to have time and drive for just about everything but I also have a desire to make my blog more....well, just more. I want my blog to be what it once was. I want my blog to be my online storybook. I want to see something funny and think "That is totally blog-worthy. I should blog it". I want to take pictures of the beauty around me and post them for all the world to see. I want to find my groove again.

Blogging groove, where are you?

Loving life:: Birthday Edition

2011-05-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

In honour of my ~~29th~~ ~~32nd~~ 35th Birthday I am posting two lovely photos. To me they say "Stop and smell the Roses (or Camellias as the case may be)" TIMES 10! These photos scream, 'Love life; breathe it in deeply'. And they make me smile.

Smiles are good, as frowning makes for wrinkles. Getting older has made me more aware of so many things. Things like wrinkles. Wrinkles are bad.

Also, as a slightly unrelated aside; the growth rate of children makes me frown. Why do they have to grow up so stinking fast? Really, and seriously.

Anywhat....for my Birthday, I am resolving to love life and all the ~~wrinkles~~ calamities therein. I am 35 ~~again~~ and life is good.

Flower Power

2011-05-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you feel like a nut....

I think we have Spring Fever around these parts. The girls have been playing with the flowers and my camera. I will share more of the weirdness as soon as I get them edited.

Circular Logic

2011-05-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

I think my friends are trying to tell me something.

Click on over to College Plus! for the full article.

Katie needs her groove back

2011-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Instead of a lucid narrative, (have I have ever written a lucid narrative?) you will now be subject to my incoherent ramblings. It's that bad around here folks.

This very morning, I stubbed my toes four separate times. Same toes, on the same chair. Did I mention...

four. separate. times.

In looking up the meaning of "Groove" this is what I found.
The transitive verb tense of groove is:

*To perfect by repeated practice

I think I am grooving in the toe stubbing department.

The intransitive verb tense of groove is:
*To enjoy oneself intensely
*To interact harmoniously

I think NOT grooving in the intransitive tense.

All sorts of words come to mind when I think of describing my state of being, non of which include: "interact harmoniously or enjoy oneself intensely ". Maudlin may be a good word. Perhaps, stoic. I am afraid of seeming a kvetch. I am teetering on the edge of malevolent. I am hard-bitten.

I feel... blah. Bleck. Yuck. I am groove-less.

I have lost my groove. And don't know where to find it.

Maybe I lost it on one of the 42 trips I made to town in the last two weeks. I think I lost it at the Gas Station where I had to pay for fuel with: my right arm, my first born child and my will to live. I might have possibly left it in the E.R. where I took Fidget to get 10 stitches in her eyebrow. Perhaps I left it at The WalMart. Maybe I left it at the Doctor's office when I took Fidget in for a Tetanus shot. Or, I could have forgotten it at the Doctor's office when I took Fidget to get 10 stitches removed from her eyebrow. It could be some where in the Dollar Store. One of the kids might have swept it up while cleaning house for Mother's Day. I could have dropped it into one of the four giant vats of potato salad I whipped up for our Mother's Day/Birthday party. It could have fallen into the compost pile where I was dumping arm-loads of weeds I pulled from the garden beds. Conceivably, it might be on the floor of the OB/GYN's office along with my dignity. I could have dropped it at the dentist's office when I took the Mr. in to get a tooth pulled. It's probably lost in the laundry room. Reader, don't think me quixotic; maybe, possibly, the dog ate it.

Hogwash, horse-feathers, POPPYCOCK! My groove has got to be around here somewhere!

Blah.

Katie needs her groove back. You haven't seen it laying around anywhere, have ya?

Maybe Hope

2011-05-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

There is so much boogling around my brain right now. It is a quarter past eleven P.M. and I have nothing to offer my "maybe" readers other than hope.

(photo courtesy Craft Hope)

My girls have broken into my secret stash of embroidery floss and are making these little beauties by the dozens. The organization, Craft Hope, is offering hope to the orphans of Russia by sending them "friendship bracelets" of every shape, size and color.

This will be the 12th project from this amazing charity. You can learn how to get involved by reading this page.

Maybe together we can offer a little hope to children in need.

Edited to add:
Craft Hope has just added Project 13 to the rolls. This project will benefit the tornado survivors in the Southeastern States. Please, if you can participate do so. All the info you need to get started is on the Craft Hope website.

Just Maybe

2011-05-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Maybe. Just maybe, I should blog something of consequence.

Maybe. Just maybe, I will stop beating myself up over the things I have no control.

Maybe. Just maybe, this one time, I can make a skirt that will fit...me.

Maybe. Just maybe, I will stop to smell the roses.

Maybe. Just maybe, I should fold some laundry.

Maybe. Just maybe, there will be enough hours in my day.

Maybe. Just maybe, I will hatch some eggs in the redneck incubator.

Maybe. Just maybe, Summer will come and I will plant my sad, leggy tomato sprouts.

Maybe, I will make it through a month of posting about the maybe's in my life. Maybe, I will post every day. Maybe I will post pictures, maybe I won't. Maybe there will be content worth reading, maybe there won't.

Maybe, just maybe, someone will gift me a new camera for my birthday. *hint-hint*

Maybe?

OK. OK. So...maybe not.

Easter

2011-04-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I am a little late to the Easter Party but, but... I had grand plans to put this adorable picture up in time for Easter but... I am lazy. I have no other excuse. I will blame it on my lazy Easter Sunday.

On Easter Sunday my family rose at O'dark 30 to attend Sunrise Service. I was dreading going because of the rain but just as our group stepped out on the grassy knoll the sun broke through the fog and the rain ceased. The crowd lifted their voices in worship and all was well with the world. It was loverly.

After worship, we all retired to our hosts cozy garage for an amazing breakfast spread. Some one had brought single serving boxes of "sugar cereal" - you would have thought my kids had died and gone to heaven. I think they each ate 6 boxes a piece.

My husband and I chatted with some of the elder church members about Easter memories and you would have thought those elderly folks had died and gone to heaven. WE made their day. That in turn made our day.

We had no lunch plans for the day so we all went home and crashed in front of the boob-tube. Alternating between sugar coma naps and Netflix overload, we lazed the day away. It was wonderful. I made a simple dinner of roasted pork, Au Gratin potatoes and stir fried green beans. We thanked the Lord for our many blessings and His sacrifice.

After dinner, my family gathered with our neighbors for an evening of board games. We played the game Settlers of Catan. ( I think I might be a little addicted to this game. It is so much fun!) We snacked, played and laughed the night away. It was the perfect ending to our day.

All told, we had a wonderfully lazy Resurrection Sunday.

April showers bring....April flowers

2011-04-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

Just a little sampling of blossoms from my garden. I am surprised that the garden is flourishing as it is. From where I sit all I see is rain...rain...rain. With more rain to follow.

I hope that where ever you are, there is sunshine. Have a blessed day!

It's a Party

2011-04-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

You're Invited to:

{PITY PARTY}

Everyone is welcome!

Celebration in honor of:

Broken Finger

Bruised Ankle

Burned Thumb

Where?

Katie's Place

When?

Right now!

RSVP Requested

To ensure plenty of

Whine and Cheese for All

Farmishness

2011-04-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I jot down what goes on at Calamity Farm. Sometimes I remember to write in my handy-dandy farm journal spot. Most often I don't remember to write at all. Click on the picture (you'll be like Alice stepping through the looking glass) to see whats going on. Or not, I will try not to cry.

Calamity Farm

Calamities anyone?

2011-04-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since we had a good calamity post around these parts so, I thought; Why not? Who can't use a little calamity fun every now and again? Of course I would have enjoyed, as I am sure you dear reader would have too, adding pictures to this post but alas (or alack?) my card reader has gone missing. So, for today we shall have to make do. We shall have to use our imaginations. I think I had one of those imagination things once....how about you? But wait, let's not hop down that rabbit just yet, I have calamities to discuss.

As to the whereabouts of afore mentioned card reader, I am bewildered. I am positive I stuffed it into the camera bag so that I would be assured of finding it the next time I needed it. It was not here ...it was not there. I could not find it anywhere. I could not find it Sam I am. IT can't be found of this I'm sure. (Sorry, too much Dr. Seuss) Even the children tout, "It was Notme!" Seriously, if I get my hands on Notme there will be words. Lot's of words. I am pretty sure the culprit is the youngest child and that the card reader is living out a second life as a weapon of some kind. In the dirt no less.

The most recent of tragedies is the strange and as yet, undetermined loss of the use of one of my fingers. (Could that have been a more confounded sentence?) The middle finger of my left hand to be exact. Yesterday, upon waking I found it lying limply on the pillow next to my head. It stared up at me, all swollen and slightly cocked to one side. I tried to move the finger and it refused. It continued to refuse to work for the rest of the day. When my darling husband came home and I cried over the loss of my finger he told me "It looks like its out of the socket. Pull on it." (Yes, he actually told me to pull my own finger.) I looked down at that pathetic little-ish finger and decided against pulling. What if it was broken? What if I ruined my own finger? I decided to baby it instead. Today, my finger is still swollen and slightly cocked to one side. Today, my finger still hurts like the dickens and is a funny purpley color. I don't think its dislocated. Stupid finger.

My finger can take comfort commiserating with some of my other recently maimed body parts. Why, just the other night as I was putting the house to bed, I was assaulted by not one but three calamities. See if you can keep up......In the kitchen, the light switch is on the far wall as in; you have to walk clear through the kitchen to turn on the lights. This kitchen was designed by a man. In my kitchen darkness+Katie=injury. And so it went. I walked through the kitchen and turned off the lights, turned to walk out, tripped over a cooler, fell over a huge box of food, scrapped my shin, sprained my ankle and cussed a little in the process.

I limped my way to the wood stove to shut the dampers. I grabbed hold of the cast iron damper with my bare hand, at which time I heard my flesh sizzle. The thumb of my right had was actually stuck to the cast iron and I had to yank it free. I jumped back on my freshly injured ankle and cussed some more. I considered rushing to the kitchen for ice but decided the bathroom was a safer alternative.

After dousing my crispified thumb with cold water I proceeded with my bedtime routine; tooth brushing. This activity may not be as harmless as it may seem. I have just had a crown place over a broken tooth. I have had many, many, far too many visits to the dentist over this new tooth. At present the crown is too short, meaning part of my raw, ravaged, sawed off tooth is still hanging out. Standing at the sink, with tears in my eyes I gingerly began to brush. My leg is throbbing. My thumb is throbbing. I brush past the short crown and actually get the bristles of my tooth brush caught in the gap between crown and gum. At this point I let out a cacophony of cuss words that would make a sailor blush. I turn, get tangled in a towel, loose my balance and grabbing a hold of the shower curtain for support, I rip said curtain from its moorings. I cuss some more. And stumble off to bed.

It was like a Charlie Chaplin movie with a Three Stooges flair.

So, today I am trying to take it easy. I have my poor finger to consider. And darn near the whole rest of my body for that matter.

Just because

2011-04-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Because... there is sun in the sky today.

Because... my kids are growing.

Because...I am incredibly skatter-brained and can't seem to form two coherent thoughts.

Because...I miss the trampoline.

Because...this picture was taken on April 11 2008 and it was 85 degrees that day.

Just, because...

Attitude of Gratitude

2011-04-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

(Image courtesy tumblr)

I am trying my hand at a new habit. Some days it is very difficult, others it is easy-peasy. I am working on keeping a grateful heart. I am looking, deliberately, for things to be grateful for. Every day. Grateful everyday...whodathunkit? I think its a brilliant plan.

I have accountability too. My three farm chickie friends are joining in. Cara, Miriam and Lexie are seeking out their grateful heart as well. Together we will cultivate an attitude of gratitude. For, a cord of many strands is not easily broken. Sounds cheesy, I know, but I like cheese.

Trying to be grateful without being contrived is hard, hard with a capital H. Purposefully documenting a grateful thought is hard. Some days just being grateful is hard.

Today I struggled with my gratefulness. Today, nothing seemed to be right. I was a huge grump yesterday and I think that grump bled over into my Tuesday. Who needs Mondays anyway? Mondays make my brain hurt. And fall off and roll around in the dirt.

While I wrestle with my grump, my brain and my want of gratefulness I will leave you with a question.

What are you grateful for today?

Listing

2011-03-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the nautical theme of late, I am listing. I have caught myself a few times leaning off to one side. I think the listing is due to the goop living between my ears. Sadly, it's not my brain that is turned to goop, (although this was my first thought) it's mucus or a mucus-like substance, I'm not sure which. I do know, that my ears have been plugged (think, flying in a airplane plugged, head under water etc.) for more than 2 weeks now. I feel like I am living in a can. I am always yelling but can hear little. I have been tossing back Sudafed and any other cold/sinus meds I had on hand that aren't expired (who's idea was it to put expiration dates on stuff anyway?). Nothing is bringing relief, not even the listing....

Speaking of the listing, I made a random list of funny stuff that has popped out at me over the last several days. It might not be that funny in reality. I am sure its just the cold/sinus meds talking, but you can judge for yourself. I have been sick for so long I have to take the joy where I can find it.

   :: Silkie chickens' fuzzy little bottoms are the funniest thing to watch. If you don't have Silkie's, get thee some. 'Nuff said.

   :: Strange things you don't want to hear out of your 8yr old girl-child "Hey Mom! LOOK! I built a b*mb."

     :: The Pioneer Woman's Sour Cream Noodle Bake is fabulous, amazingly simple, infinitely adaptable and a sure crowd pleaser.

   :: One of my Best Girlfriends told me that I reminded her of the Pioneer Woman. (P-dub, call me. I think we were separated at birth.)

   :: Chickens are like crack to me. SERIOUSLY, people! I need a 12 Step Program for Chicken Lovers. I luff, love, lurve my multi colored flock of chicks and chickens. The puffy cheeks...The fluffy bottoms...All the different color/pattern combinations send me right into a tail spin. I can't resist. I must buy more chickies. The soft fluffy cuteness of chicks is too much for my farm-girl self to bear. Don't even get me started on the eggs. The multi-colored eggs make me so happy I could sing. Everyday is like Easter around here. Easter everyday, how great is that?!

   :: Chicken Crack. Buwhahaha! Seriously I need help.

   :: Wondering what to make of my soon to be 7yr old son sliding across the kitchen floor ala Tom Cruise in Risky Business (underwear, and air guitar included) singing "I'm on'a hiiiiiiwaaaaay ta helllllll!" followed with a fairy dance and the vocals "La-la-la-la-laaaah". Boggles the mind doesn't it?

   :: When you have guests over the last thing you want to find in the Loo is poo in the pot with no paper. Sorry about that one. Blame the cold meds. But wasn't that some great alliteration?

   :: Have you ever been "schooled" in what is "lame vs.cool" from your 15 yr old man-child? If not you are missing out! I learned things I never wanted to know about Mario Bros., Star Wars, and about being a Dweeb/Geek/Nerd in general. It made my brain hurt.

   ::We are studying Countries of the child's choosing for a Co-op project due this week. When I told the kids to get on it one morning, my youngest child informed me that he "doesn't wanna be a Japanese boy" any more, he wants to be a farmer boy. I told him that Japan was a country and farmers were people and that we are studying Countries. He replied with his hands on his hips, " Farmers are from the country". Alrighty then.

   ::I was singing in church this last Sunday and everyone around me kept turning to look. I didn't comprehend at the time why they might be looking at me. This perplexed me most of the afternoon. I checked my crazy hair when I got home. Checked my teeth. Did the sniff.... but couldn't sniff. Then I remembered that my ears are plugged. Yep, I was singing my heart out and couldn't hear a thing. I can only imagine the joyful noises I was making. I think though, I experienced true worship for the first time in my life. Thanks be to my mucus filled head.

Katie goes Indie

2011-03-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am falling more and more in love with Indie music. Daily. Some songs are just the pick-me-up this Nor' Westerner needs to chase away the gray. They make me feel "like I could walk a hundred miles" through all this rain and mud.

Also, I am thinking I might want to be a Lobster Man's wife. Just sayin'.

Embrace life

2011-03-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Life is a gift. If we choose to see it so, everything we have is a gift. Take in your surroundings; what you see might surprise you.

(Image courtesy of Pinterest)

Inspiration gone awry

2011-03-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

Lest ye forget...

Note to Self

2011-03-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain

I found this quote today and I'm inspired. It's a fresh new week. For my kids and I, its Spring Break and I plan to soak it up like a piece of bread in a bowl of soup. I am going to explore with my kids this week. I am challenged to sail from my safe harbor of guilt and disappointments. I am going to discover new and exciting things. I am going to throw off the bowlines and have some fun! I am going to make a mess and try not stress out about it. I am also going to listen to this song. Every day. I am going to dream big. And not fear failure.

Share your inspiration.

(Image courtesy tumblr)

Sit and spin

2011-03-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Still trying to iron out the wrinkles in the very outdated and dusty computer/interweb business. Whodathunk that every program we own would have to be updated, upgraded and dug out from under piles of junk. Not me I guess. I assumed (ahem, we all know what that means) that my darling spouse would simply plug the computer in to the modem and interweb as we knew it would be up and running, lickety-split. As will all things technical, well all things in general, nothing is ever easy here in Calamity-ville.

Whodathunkit?

Obviously not I. I am like a spoiled child. I want my candy. NOW. I want to sit at my desk and open my picture files, effortlessly of course, and upload photo after lovely photo to my wonderful little blog. But no! I sit down and immediately my computer sticks out her tongue and says "neener-neener you can't play here". Then Ms. Compy proceeds to blow a big fat raspberry right in my face. How could she? I mean seriously! She simply doesn't understand that I have dreamed of the day I would have the interweb again. What does she expect me to do while she does her house keeping? I have blog posts galore waiting to be published. I have recipes, stories and photos to share. All this will have to wait till all the cobwebs are swept away and Ms. Compy has her house in order again.

Meanwhile, I am trying not sit and spin my wheels: aka trying not to stomp my feet and throw a fit like the big fat baby I am. So, I am planning the garden for this year. I am trying very hard not to be tempted by the adorable baby chicks at the feed store. {I barely made it out sans chicks yesterday.} I am catching up on the laundry pile up. I am spending far too much time dreaming of moving to the "real" country; thanks in no small part to The Pioneer Woman. After the big wind/rain storm we had on Sunday, I am reevaluating my emergency supply stash and finding it seriously lacking. Wishing I could be stitching up a batch of these little beauties.

Well, 'the days a wasting' as Grandma would have said. Have a productive week.

Friends

2011-03-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

I met my friend Lexie at Bible College some 18 years ago. As I remember it, we got along smashingly. We have not looked back since.

Lexie is one of those amazing friends that no matter how much time has passed since our last visit (in some cases it has been years) we fall right back in step with each other, as though we spoke only yesterday. We marvel at this fact often.

We have been there and done that. We have held each others colicky babies. Brought the other Big Mac's and French Fries when needed. We have supported each others Pampered Chef habit. We have traveled across the country together. We have laughed uncontrollably. We have shed tears together. We have loved each other like sisters.

It should then come as no surprise that yesterday Lexie blogged about me. Actually she wrote about her own self but I know she was really blogging about me. It's true. She pulled a page right out of my book with this one. And I want to share it with y'all because I'm a good share-bear like that. Some of you will see me right away, others will learn something new about me. Others will shake their heads and wonder. Don't judge too harshly.

Have I piqued your curiosity? Good. Go. Run. Skip. Whatever, just get thee over to Lexie's place.

Sharing

2011-03-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

It seems that since I last had the interweb many of my favourite bloggers have decided to call it quits. Call me silly but this breaks my blog loving heart. All the time I was blog-less, I longed for the day when I would be able to indulge all of my voyeuristic pleasures. I dreamt of blogs. Lots and lots of blogs.

My reader is sadly on the empty side. Too many of my old faves are taking it easy, living the good life.... without me. They are off having fun and not sharing it with lil' ole me. Really how could they? Didn't they have faith that Katie would return?

Sniff.

In an effort to stave off some of my sadness I would like those of you still blogging to share some of your favourite places with me. Sharing is good. Although not in the case of germs. Keep those to yourself, please.

Anywho.

You can share (please share!) via comments or shoot me a note, my email's around here somewhere...

A Bug

2011-03-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you're the windshield. Sometimes you're the bug. Sometimes the bug comes to live at your house and inflicts pain and suffering. And copious quantities of mucus.

Don't get me started with the mucus.

For the past 4 weeks (holy cow its been 4 weeks) my family has suffered through the worst, and I do mean worst, flu/cold virus thingie we have ever had. It has been graciously shared around too. It seems that everyone we know has also suffered.

Long suffering doesn't bode well. It makes it hard to get anything done. Like say, laundry. Or dishes. Thankfully we homeschool because can you imagine if we had to catch up on all that missed school? Lawsy mercy!

Makes my mucus hurt just thinking about it.

As it sits now, I have empty glasses, tea cups and plastic cups scattered, well, everywhere; under the couch, beside the bed and even on the washing machine. I will, in all likelihood, still be discovering the now undisclosed location of many more drinking glasses over the course of the next year.

Don't even get me started on the used tissues!

That also makes my mucus hurt. Also, it makes that pesky mucus afraid. Very afraid.

If you have been lucky enough to have thus far escaped the clutches of that very bad bug, Saints preserve ya. Take your vitamins people.

If you have are among the long suffering crowd. I will say a little prayer that a healthy friend will come do your dishes.

And laundry.

And bring you tissues.

Attention: Blog post in progress

2011-03-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

Yep, you heard right. I Katie, of sound mind and interweb *squeal*, am working on a blog post. With pictures. O' yeah baby! Pictures, glorious pictures.

It makes me slightly giddy.

Stay tuned.

Today...

2011-01-25T17:31:00.000-08:00

Today we played in the sunshine. The same sunshine that has hid itself from our little farm for what feels like a year.

Today we went to Sonic for lunch. I love, love, love the ice at Sonic. The ice makes me and my Dr. Pepper extra happy. I know it's silly but that's just the way it is.

Today we went to "big" town to pick up my broken sewing machine. Again. As in, we were there yesterday to pick up said machine and pay big bucks to have said machine in working order. The sewing repair man must have thought I was dumb. The stitch sample was skipping stitches left and right. The man told me that was the way it was supposed to look. Really dude? Grr...

Today I am going to let out my frustrations at Tae Kwon Do.

Today I am happy for library interweb.

The green eyed monster is female.

2011-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week my children and I made a pit stop in town at the local magazine swapping spot. I had great hopes of finding some colorful magazines ripe for the cutting. There were collages to make.

We searched the stacks of discarded magazines. We rifled through pile after glossy pile, searching for just the right pictures.

Then I spied it! There between the Dog and Cat Fancy and Sports something-er-other was the cutest Woman's Day I have ever seen. The cover was swimming in cupcakes so cute they could melt butter. With eyes as big as saucers, my youngest boy pulled the book from its resting place. I promptly snatched the glossy pages from his chubby fingers. He protested only briefly. I told him it was for girls only. Chock full of cooties, that one. He looked up at me with his best puppy dog impersonation and said "green eyed monster".

Now, normally I would have scolded the young mister for such sass but something in knew that it was a true statement. So, I let it slide.

Fast forward a few days.

Taking a much needed break from the school brain melt, I pulled out the coveted, cupcake smothered magazine from its hiding place. I poured myself a fresh cup of coffee and set down in my favourite comfy chair.

And there it was. In large bold letters.

The green eyed monster is female!

Well now.

According to the magazine women are more prone to jealousy.

Or...

Some women are prone to rip magazines from the clutches of babes.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

This is the year for me. I can feel it, right down in my muddy little farm boots. This is the year I will get the interweb!

I have done much research. I have harbored much hope. I have saved my pennies and nickles, quarters, Christmas cash...you name it. I have called the big-fat interweb company....

Look out bloggy friends. Katie will be back. Soon.

Happy, happy day.

Just a minute for a garden tidbit

2010-06-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

In between the torrential down-pours of the last few weeks I have been sneaking out of doors to snip this, plant that and just plain flit hither and yon. In between the down-pours I have almost gone mad from lack of gardening in its more serious form; ie: hard core garden planting. All of the soggy soil has about made me resort to container gardening over traditional in-ground gardening...but alas for the last three days the sun has shone!

After months and months of what my sister farm chicks and I have lovingly dubbed "bi-polar" weather, the seeds are going into the soil! While Miriam and Cara are starting their Three Sisters Garden plots, I have been pulling spindly plants from the greenhouse.

Today however, I had to take a minute for myself. Today I escorted my kids plus three extras to the library for a moment of blogging. I do have a smidge of guilt at not being out in the garden but..

So while I am here I want to know...How does your garden grow??

Once upon a time...

2010-05-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

There was a time when the blog posts bubbled out of me. Daily. I would call my farm chickie friend and blab endlessly about how "blogworthy" this thing was or how "blogworthy" that thing was. Conversations like that seem to have taken place ages ago. I can tell you that life does go on. Sadly, the number of times I think of my blog is very small compared to what it used to be. This is probably a good thing, but most days it still depresses me. I miss my little piece of blogdom and all the bloggy connections that I have here.

I wish I was writing to say that the interweb fairy has smiled upon me and now I am back in the land of the blogging...but alas, this fair maiden is still stranded in the land of Internetless, doomed never to return. Well maybe not that dramatic but this is my story and I can tell it like however I like.

I will write when I can secure a computer at the library. I promise. Cross my heart. And with any luck I will write something blogworthy.

Hello?

2010-04-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

Just stopped at the library to sneak a peek at my languishing blog and my over-full e-mail inbox. I can't even begin to express how much I miss this little space I used to daily visit. Let's just say I am begining to get desperate.

I miss all my bloggy friends so badly and can't wait to reconnect...

Livin' la vida gluten free

2009-11-17T18:09:00.000-08:00

So, I think that I might be gluten intolerant. How does one determine such nonsense? Well, you stop eating bread for a few months, feel absolutly maaaavalooos daahling for said few months, then eat your self a sandwich. And feel like crap. No, much worse than crap: Crappy Crap.

In an effort to eliminate wheat and wheat like substances from my kitchen I have been shocked out of my wits. What does one eat, when one has no freakin' bread? Well, this very question is why I find myself sitting at the library at 6pm on a rainy Tuesday night. Research people, research. So far I have done more blogging/reading than actual "research" but hey, I am working toward that end, just slooowly. Slowly because I really don't want to know what to eat instead of the nice fluffy bread I have been pulling from my oven lately. No, that oatmeal cinnamon swirl bread is neither gluten free nor on my actual diet, but....

Life is stressful and eating a slice of bread slathered with homemade butter just makes life better somehow. Right?

So, I guess that I don't really feel that bad after all.

Finding time and loosing it again

2009-11-12T00:36:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that I am always loosing time. Time slips between my fingers like the dirt I sift in my garden. Today I had to find the time to sneak off to the library and blog. After waiting in line (time slipping from my grasp) for a computer to open up (more lost time) I am now blogging with a freinzy not known to me.

I feel like my time is so very precious, yet I squander it at every opportunity. I love to loose myself in the land of blog. I greatly enjoy reading the stories of others; their joys, sorrows and trials put my own into perspective.

Over the Labour Day Holiday weekend my family, along with most of my husbands sisters and brothers, traveled to the Oregon Coast. We all shared in a precious gift while there; time spent together. We made many new memories while reliving many old ones. We attended a wedding and most of us wept at the beauty of the new lives joined together.

Our time spent on the beach itself ranked at the top of the list with all of the children

...as well as our dog Jane.

My boys started up a game of Sandball and made some great memories of their own.

All in all, our time spent at the coast was time I didn't mind loosing. And I daresay everyone else felt the same way.

I hope you all are able to find the time to make some time. And find it precious indeed.

Falling in love

2009-11-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

I am so in love with Autumn! It is my all-time favourite time of year. The light, the brilliant colors and yes even the fog, all act as a balm for my summer frazzled soul.

My computer/interweb woes still abound but at least I can gaze out my window and clamp eyes on the gorgeous colors of fall; dreaming all the while of all the great blogs I will write... one day.

Hello friend

2009-11-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

I have to say, the desire to blog has been great but the motviation to get off my tushie and venture to my local library has been well, small and unproductive.

I am still without interweb at my home and it makes me sick. Daily. Friends, for such a tech-not, I do lurve me some computer time.

My dear friend Miriam, reminded me that November is National Novel Writers Month or Nanowrimo as we lovingly call it. I am determined to write up my daily quota even with out the interweb access. I have grand plans to involve the spouse and children as well. We shall see how this transgresses. It is November the third and I have as yet started said writing and have a severe lack of ideas for anysuch writings but am no less determined. My children have tackled the project with a vengence and my husband has only raised his eyebrows in distrust of the whole affair.

While I am working up the courage to write I have been daydreaming 'Anne of Green Gables' style of what adventures my characters will find themselves stumbling upon. I have high hopes, but life always seems to get in the way of my hoping.

And alternately, my blogging.

Friday Freak Out

2009-10-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

One Friday a few weeks back.

As is the norm for us, Friday is freak worthy. Most every Friday we have an in home tutor come to help out with spelling drills, math and science. On most Fridays my little family spend the morning trying to get ready for the tutor; clearing off the dining room table, sweeping, you know the "company's coming" kind of cleaning. There are books to be found, lunch to be scarfed all with just a moment to spare before the tutor descends upon us.

This particular Friday is no exception. The morning brought one disaster after another. Broken glass shattered across the kitchen floor as the children fought over the "good" cereal, you know the stuff you never buy. Milk splashes clear across the house. Tears burst forth as the middle child is sure that she will get none of the sugary stuff. Clean up of this mess takes way too long and half of the moring is already over.

After the children are fed, they are sent off to do the morning animal chores. Frantically trying to find clean clothes, I am met with a mountain of dirty things and not one decent clean outfit. So, proceeding through the morning frenzy in my jammie's, I start to pick up the living room, only to be met with the most disgusting odor. Seeking out the source, I move from room to room, shuffling piles to and fro'. Not finding where the vomitrosious smell is coming from.

Upon entering the hallway, the source becomes painfully obvious; both physically and via nasal airways. I plant my foot in the largest pile of nasty, fowl & odiferus dog poop ever known to man. Now mind you, I am NOT dressed to shoes, as the Flylady encourages us to do before starting our morning chores. I choke back my cereal. Swallowing very hard, again and again, I hop to the bathroom at the end of the hall to cleanse the pooh off of my offending appendage. I am gaging and crying the whole way down the length of the hall. Cursing under my breath that the dog will be shot! Again! (this is a story for another day)

As I near the bathroom I can see water glistening on the tile floor. This causes my blood pressure to rise even more. Hobbling into the bathroom proper, I scan the room for the source of the water. It's the toilet. We have a smallish bathroom so I prop my disgusting foot on the side of the tub, leaning over to see what has obscured the flow to the throne. I find that the pot is full to the brim with Pull-Ups. YES, packed completely full of the most enormously swollen Pull-Ups. Now you can only begin to imagine my state of mind. To say that I was fuming would be an understatement. I am lucky that I didn't have a heart attack. So, turning to wash my foot of its festering mass. I find all of the soap has been dumped out in the bath tub. Let me tell you how beautiful it looked. The entire bottom third of the tub was full of liquid gold. And blue. And pink.

I am considering hanging the kids out by their toenails, to say the least. When.....

The doorbell rings. It is the tutor, his is on time for the first time all year. Can you imagine his nerve? Couldn't the guy see the fumes floating out the windows? Couldn't he smell the poop from miles away? Couldn't he just go home and let me continue clean myself up? And get dressed for crying out loud??

"Hello," he hollers as one of the offending children escort him into the house.

Hell.........O! Indeed.

Katie Reads

2009-10-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

I am a reader. Not to be confused with The Reader by Bernhard Schlink-which I have yet to read-as I am not taking a fifteen year old lover, just a lover of books.

Currently reading Dracula by Braum Stocker and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer for my book club. Dracula has been really hard to read and well, Twilight is... Twilight.

What are you reading? Any suggestions?

My Nemesis

2009-10-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

The Evil Mr. No is a pudgy little man. A small yet powerful midget of a thing.

I have been fighting for all of my adult life to get my hands on this little man. I have devoted more hours than I can count, to the perilous hunt for the Evil Mr. No.

He is sneaky. He is slippery.

I am Wimp Girl. I wear my smart, super hero-esque garb with style. I always put on a good face. I smile meekly and keep all my thoughts to myself.

I have issues with saying no. No. Of all the tiny, simple little words in the English language, no is my nemesis.

What say you? Yes man or No siree?

Just Nuts...

2009-10-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

I said to myself the last time I was blogging from the library... 'just nuts'. Some of you may remember the sweet gal I met the last time I posted via the library computers.

For some reason I am blessed with meeting new and strange people when I go to town. 'Why go to town?' you ask. Well, during my last blogging escapade I was experiencing some mega PMS (yeah, I admit it) and somehow managed to knock the satellite dish out of alignment.

Don't ask how.

The nice lady, from another country, told me that a nice gentleman would be by on Friday to realign the dish. She then told me not to kill the poor fella when he got there. I was not hostile, I swear! (You might say a quick prayer for the dude sitting at the computer next to me though...he will not leave me ALONE!)

Needless to say I am experiencing blogging withdrawls but will return to blogland by Friday night. Till then, I am scheduling a few old posts to keep you busy.

Rested

2009-09-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

After a nice, semi relaxing day, I am back to the grind-stone.

I am working on a corn husk doll tutorial for the long neglected Sanity Savers site, a new triptych for this site and currently trying out the 'blogger in draft' -which I like so far.

I am finally settling into a good groove with our homeschool. Four years later. Seems odd to me that it would take so long.. Whatever, things are really going well as far as schooling goes.

It is rainy and cold here this morning and I have secret hopes of pulling out the sewing machine and sneaking in a few hours of stitching. I have been inspired by Erin's scrappy log cabin blocks. Check out the absolute adorableness of them here and here.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, its off to work I go...

Easy does it

2009-09-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have run so harry-carry as of late, I am feeling the need to take a day off. The busy, bustling of "putting food by" has taken a toll on my house and my attitude. For months I have poured out my energies, with abandon, on my garden and now...

I find I have lost the heart for tending and toiling. And canning.

Ad infinitum.

I think I will play the grasshopper for a day and simply watch the ants scurry past.

Just because

2009-09-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little lackadaisical this morning. This picture says it all.

Mornings

2009-09-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sauntered over to The Colony's Sanctuary and found a challenge. Not being one to pass on a challenge, I agreed to offer up a peek into my morning routine.

I diligently shot photo after photo of my morning. I painstakingly edited said photos. I agonized over what I would write (hello! linkage from The Women's Colony) the pressure was almost unbearable!

In the end it took me a whole day to prepare the blog post concerning my morning routine.

This morning however, as I was laboriously loading the much nurtured post into the draft window blogger decided to throw a fit. A full on tantrum would be a better description.

I am heart broken! I am so tired of issues with blogger.

So Jodi, I almost can't bear to post a photo free blog but here it is.

****

Sunny mornings in the PAC NW are a rarity. Most often, the day breaks and I find myself ensconced in a dark blanket of fog. Unwilling to greet the day I loose myself in the land of blogs, Facebook and email. But when the day dawns and the sun bursts over the mountains, streaming through my bedroom window, I wake with a purpose.

It is on these brilliant, sunny mornings that I am at my best. I rise ready to greet the day.

I fetch myself a fat, steaming mug of coffee. I don my garden clogs, feeling the call of my waiting garden. Once there, I am transported through the looking glass. Coffee in hand, I stroll the rows of veggies first; searching for hungry marauders who threaten to steal my bounty. Next, I seek out the sanctity of the flower beds. Unlike Alice, I am on good terms with the roses.

By now I have drained my cup and make my way back down to the house. It is here I find the sleepy bodies of my children creeping from the warmth of their beds. Grumbling, they dress and do chores while I make them breakfast. Soon it will be time to start school.

For the rest of my morning I find myself surrounded by books, paper, pencils and the eager minds of my four children.

Maybe I will be able to sneak back through the looking glass before the day is done. For now I am content to play the Cheshire Cat. Sipping my coffee I contentedly watch the world open up before my children.

Summer in pictures::A Royal Blast

2009-09-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

During the balmy days of summer the Rural Firefighters treat the local communities to an Ice Cream Social disguised as a fundraiser. Leave it to those wily firefighters to lure in the locals with the promise of homemade pie and ice cream. Top that off with a down-home fire-hose dousing and you have what the Calamity Folk dub: A Royal Blast.

The Calamity boys took on the task of defending the family's honour in the Water Jousting event.

Bold Knight Head-Strong takes one for the team.

The Young Sire, Head-Long, gives it his all while looking especially smart in his stripes and fishes ensemble.

The Young Mistress shows her support by offering up her best(toothless) chocolate ice cream grin.

No ice cream shall go unvanquished!! (Or uneaten!)

No Royal outing is complete without a send off from Princess Grace herself.

Good times were had by all. Peace was restored in the kingdom.

And they all lived happily ever after....

Summer in pictures...maybe.

2009-09-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I have been busy.

Summer in pictures

2009-09-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone? It seems just like yesterday I was pining for those dog-days of summer and here I am pining for them all over again.

In an effort to relive those all too fleeting days of summer I decided to post a few snippets from our summer here at Calamity Farm. So, you can expect to do a little bit of catching up in these next few blog posts.

I hope you all have had a fabulous summer!

Fresh greens and one cute baby

2009-08-05T10:47:00.001-07:00

Just a little gratuitous garden photography.

I am blessed to be hosting my favourite baby, (Miriam's daughter Laura, who loving calls me Kaka. Sweet eh!)

her sisters and a few other adorable children today. All told, there will be eleven children running amok at Calamity Farm this afternoon. As you can see I will have no opportunity to do any proper blogging. Thus the photo blogging.

Hope your day is full of as many blessing as mine! :)

Editor's note: Sorry for posting this again and again and...sorry, still having a few problems posting.

Too cute!

2009-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

So...I was surfing about, checking out some new bloggy good places and stumbled across this little gem of personalized pillow. Is it not the most adorable thing?! I am particular to this one because it reminds me of a special little girl I know. *grin* Hellooo...Christmas gifts!

Interested in an adorable personalized pillow of your own? Just saunter on over to Bella Marie Designs or check out the feature article by Heather Bailey.

Happy surfing!

Lazy daze

2009-07-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

This past week has flown by in a blur of heat waves and hours spent in the backyard pool. This morning dawned cooler promising a break in the hundred degree weather.

As I did my morning rounds about the garden I had to snap a shot of my favourite butter yellow Nasturtium. My sweet friend Miriam is green with envy over this little gem. I will be sure to gift her a packet of seeds next spring.

I have all sorts of gardening/life news to share but right now I just need to sit in the shade and sip some Sun Tea. And enjoy the buttery goodness of that cute little Nasturtium.

Not a techy:: Part 568

2009-07-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

Still working out some bugs. I hope this picture will suffice till I can get things running smoothly.

I hope you are all able to stay relatively cool during this crazy heat wave.

~K

Hello Blogdom!

2009-07-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Eek! OMG!! O. M. G! Like totally. O' my goodness, people! The blog is up and running. I might just have a coronary. I am still swooning from the awesomeness of me. Can you believe I actually fixed my wonky blog? I can't!

Stay tuned. I am off to do some much needed blogging but I will return shortly. And you better believe there will be lots of pictures!

P.S.
OMG!

P.S.S.
Yes, I will try to get a grip!

...maybe.

Digging out

2009-07-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

I am digging through my tool bag of useless information and non-technical skills, trying to make sense of my computer issues.

Bear with me as I tweak a few things. Hopefully something will work!!

Dieting and digging

2009-07-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

For the last few months life has been a rush of fresh, dirt scented, air. To say that Katie has buried herself in the garden would be a true statement indeed. The garden has become all consuming. Thank-goodness for SPF 60 Sunscreen and Nitrile garden gloves, because Katie has worn through her fair share of both. The other day, as Katie was lamenting her sad-state-of-bloglessness with her closest farm-girl friend she had to thank her lucky stars that 'at least there is the garden', for Katie would be an utter wreck with out the diversion of the garden.

"Katie, Katie quite contrary...How does your garden grow?" you might ask.

With tomato's galore and so much more! Katie cannot name the mass of greens growing and sprouting from every crack and cranny. Potatoes, cabbages and onions...

...O' my!

In between bouts of garden madness Katie has decided that enough is enough. It is time to take the battle of the bulge into her own grubby ~~not so~~ little hands, she is starting a D I E T! Oh yes she is! This business of flopping around the garden in her chubby clothes has got to stop! STOP! she says. So as of today, Katie is officially doing the no/low carb thing.

Katie is, however, not doing so well for her first day out of the gate. Already Katie has partaken of her daily coffee. With CREAMER. And has made the mistake of making herself a piece of toast (albeit, very nutty bread) to dip her morning eggs into. So...day one, and Katie is already a failure. Poo!

Well, at least there is the garden! Katie is off to drown her carbohydrate drenched self in garden chores.

And a little 60 proof. Sunscreen that is...

Just a word or two...

2009-07-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

So... it would appear that I have fallen from the face of the interweb. I still must venture out to partake of others generosity IE: interweb/functioning computer usage. Most days it seems I shall never blog again.

As of right now, all of the time I would have spent blogging is now consumed by tending my burgeoning garden.

At least I have something to keep myself sane in the blogging interim.

Friends, what have you been up to?

Feeling French

2009-06-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

I stayed over at Maman's last night. We went out for late dinner and picked up a Redbox movie; Mamma Mia. Watching the movie, being lulled by the songs we used to sing together and my teary eyed mother telling me that the young star "Sophie" reminded her of me as a girl, I was struck with a need to just be with my mamma.

This morning as we were strolling down memory lane together, looking through old pictures and nibbling on toasted French Bread slathered in mamma's Mirabelle Jam (sent to her special-delivery from our cousin in France) and the thought occured to me: I CAN BLOG!!

So, dispite my strolling and nibbling I logged in and stared blankly at the screen. It has been so long since I wrote. There have been weeks and weeks filled with tears over the sad state of my blogging ability. What on earth would I blather on about?

In honor of French Mother's Day (belatedly, as it was May 31st) I will blog about Maman.

****

I could tell you how much I love my maman's fabulous collection of silly socks:

I could tell you what an amazing artist my mother is:

I could brag about who I got my green thumbs from:

Or, I could just leave it at this:

Gros Bisous, Maman

The tryst continues...

2009-05-07T12:42:00.001-07:00

From deep within the grey tunnel of sideways-driving-rain that is life in the Maritime Northwest...Katie sends you a tiny bit of pink tinted (albeit, slightly drippy) sunshine.

(Insert imaginary photo of lovely water droplet covered pink Camellia here)

Or she would... if there were not a continuing tryst...

Katie is about ready to do something drastic. Like, commit blogicide.

Or buy a new computer.

Blog on....or not!

2009-05-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Seem to be having issues again-yeah I know, when do I not have issues. Well, my computer and Blogger are having some sort of lovers spat; they refuse to speak to each-other. Hopefully I can get some technical genius to help me resolve said spat because people....I NEED TO BLOG!

Bear with me...

Where o' where has Katie been?

2009-04-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Due to the high level of calamity herein, don't listen to a word Katie says.

Katie is sorry to tell you this but (excuses, excuses) Katie didn't do any blogging because her satellite was broken. Yeah, yeah, Katie hears you sighing and all she can offer is 'Katie is so very sorry'. Some of you have been so diligent by checking in daily to see if Katie had blogged, and Katie thanks you. Some of you have surely given up hope that Katie would ever blog again. Well, Katie is here to tell ya....Katie will blog again, Lord willin' and the interweb holds up.

Notice again Katie's opening line...

(No seriously, check back later, Katie has lots to tell you about all her calamitous goings-on.)

Cooperation

2009-04-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

Trying to get back into the swing of blogging again. It's been tough in that respect. You see, I wish to frolic about bloggy land, reading/catching up, but life has a funny way of stepping on little bloggers toes.... I have had blog-nical difficulties.

I struggled for a week straight with a blog that wouldn't cooperate. No matter how hard I tried I could not post, edit, comment or otherwise use my blog. I could look at my blog longingly, and curse it under my breath , but I could do nothing else. Blogger help center was no help at all and you all know what a technical genius I am-Not! Then magically...all is well. Today I logged in and viola' blogger has it's bugs all worked out. Yippee! I guess I can't complain too loudly, at least blogger is free!

Anywho, I am hoping to get this blog back up and running again, soon. For now, I just wanted to let you all know I was still alive, albeit, slightly stir crazy and that no major calamity (other than an uncooperative blog) had befallen me.

P.S.
What do you think of the new look?

Well, well...

2009-03-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

Just a little photo love from the land of non-stop calamity fun.

Spring means: Outdoor Theatre a la' HeadLong. Notice the enraptured crowd of Suite girls? That boy has Jedi skillz in the story tellin' department.

Spring means: Leafing out.

Spring means: Gloriously golden sunsets, when the clouds part long enough for us to catch a peek.

Spring means: Keeping those white uniforms white is the biggest challenge I face on Tae Kwon Do class days. Can someone tell me who thought dressing kids in head-to-toe white was a good idea?

Spring means: Puppy love. Who could resist a mug like that?

Typing left handedly

2009-03-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

In the immortal words of Shaggy

"Like yowza, Scoob!"

Yowza was the most mild of terms, used by me, as I broke boards (and quite possibly my hand) at Tae Kwon Do class last week. Hence the one handed typing. UGH! The agony. The bruising, ego included. The big ugly wrist brace is quite a hindrance to well, say any task requiring the use my right hand and arm really. I look pretty funny twisting my whole body around all wonky-like just so I can use a fork. Yeah, I know what was I thinking? I was thinking I could totally break that board and I did break it, on the first try too. However, I was not thinking about my Fibromyalgia or that fact that I am in my thirties and out of shape...nuff said.

So, while I sit around waiting for my hand to heal, know that I am dreaming of the good ole blogging days when I actually could (even though I didn't) blog and the day when I can whip out a great blog and not have it take me an hour to type it out one handed.

Pardon me...

2009-03-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Being under the influence of Spring, is a detriment to one's blogging. I know what you are saying: Priorities! Girlfriend, get with the bloggin'!

I do have to defend my honor (or some such nonsense) I have been blogging, just not here. I have been cheating on this blog. It is terrible. Unthinkable! It's that blasted Spring thing again. It's got me all jumbled up inside. I can't think straight. So, I have been sneaking off and jotting my thoughts (on Spring) down, journal style on my Little Farm blog.

Go ahead, check it out. You know you want to. :)

Back to being under the influence: I have to blame shift here a little bit more-K?! It really isn't my fault. The fault rests solely in the pages of the dadrabbit seed catalogs. No, really. Those companies just prey on unsuspecting gardeners like myself. They purposely fill the pages of those lovely little books with such glorious ~~overpriced~~ goodies. They suck you in with tales of how "you too can have tomatoes, year round, with the super-duper, upside down tomato growing thingie". And, for just a minute I think, well yea, I totally NEED the "super-duper, upside down tomato growing thingie". Heck yea! I need TWO! And while I'm at I better get just the right seed and some fertilizer and carrot seed and hey....what's that? roses, ooooh roses, and then there's the herbs and squash, broccoli, kale, garlic and potato's! We wouldn't want to forget those now would we. We might as well spend every last dime we have on this stuff because, HELLO, it's Spring!

And what does one twitterpated farm girl do in the Spring? What is the all important, Spring specific, planting thing to do? Why, plant pea's, of course. Lots and lots of peas. Snap Peas, Sugar Pod Peas, Shellin' Peas....

...seed catalogs be damned!

What ~~is a blog~~ are priorities when you have seed catalogs to ~~get sucked into~~ peruse?

Birthday Girl

2009-03-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is ten! TEN! When did that happen? I swear she's only...seven, yeah seven. Good grief, my little Fern is a young lady. ((sigh))

Fern was so concerned about her friend Sarah's health, she postponed her big soiree till Sarah has the OK from her doc to attend.

In true farm girl spirit, the Suite gals hosted us for a semi-suprise party complete with all the trimmings, sans roudy-ness of course.

Maddy and Sarah presented Fern with a lovely homemade cake (DELISH) and cards (LOVELY). Fern was ever the gracious recipient and blushed a rosy pink at being showered with such love and goodies.

The Suite girls, always the thoughtful hostesses, wrapped their guests in love, showered them with smiles and offered up the best chocolate covered strawberries....ever!

The Calamity Crew had a wonderful afternoon. Thank you again girls, for helping us celebrate such a special day.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Fern!

Sprouts

2009-03-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

True story folks; I lurve me some sprouts, yet sprouts are spendy little buggers. For one third the cost of store bought sprouts, I grew some myself. Aren't you impressed? I am. Having never considered growing my own fresh, organic sprouts, it occurred to that I could totally do this. (Yeah, that's how I roll. You should have heard me talking to myself in the seed store; Well this looks easy enough...I could do this?)

I am very pleased with the ease of such an endeavor.

Purchase sprouting seed
Purchase sprouting screen
Sterilize wide mouth Mason jar
Sterilize seed
Soak seed for 8 hours
Drain
Rinse
Swish, drain
Rinse, swish, drain; twice daily.

Easy schmeasy!

For my first attempt I am sprouting Red Clover. I can't hardly contain my anticipation. I have been dreaming of fabulous sammies overflowing with fresh sprouts, salads teeming with crunchy little sprouts....ah the possibilities. And the health benefits!

I feel so cleaver.

Animania

2009-03-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

When I sat down to blog, all I could think of were the animals that roam here at Little Farm. So, I dug through my pictures and found some favourites to share with you. Enjoy!

Editor's note: I am working on a face lift for Katie's Calamities; be patient with me as work through some kinks. Also, don't be alarmed if things are a little wonky for a bit. I am hoping to have a shiny new blog template, fully functioning, by the beginning of next week.

Thanks for your patience,
~K

Egg-stra, egg-stra

2009-03-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ah, the joys of chicken raising. Eggs. Eggs and more eggs. As of Friday I had 40 dozen eggs in my fridge. Hello! FORTY dozen. Last fall, I was whining that my chickens hated me, as they refused to lay. Well, call it chicken guilt. Those chickies are going full tilt.

We have one little mama who is setting rather than laying. We call her Fluffy; she is a Splash Silkie. Silkie hens are very small but make great brood hens despite their small stature. Fluffy is determined to set no matter how many eggs litter her nest. She fusses over her eggs shuffling them to and fro. Try as she might though, she just doesn't have the size needed to set the lot of eggs she thinks she should hatch. Poor old girl. She gets mad as a hornet if you take one of HER eggs. A couple years ago, I caught her with 18 eggs. I thought she was going to drive her fluffy little self insane trying to keep those eggs warm.

This year, I am trying to get Fluffy to hatch out one of each variety of chicken that I currently house. We shall see how this plays out. For now I have my sights set on ordering a few of my favourite breeds; Americauna, Welsomer, Langshan and Buff Orpingtons.

On might wager, that with forty dozen eggs taking up precious space in the fridge Katie might be crazy for wanting to take on more chickens....One might be right but what is springtime without new babies? And did I mention, 40 dozen eggs?

Scary Stuff

2009-02-27T08:21:00.000-08:00

OK friends, go here and read this article, then check your cupboards! The article ran in our local paper. Very sad and frankly very scary and frustrating!

Never, in a hundred years, would I have imagined that MY child (0r other loved ones) could possibly die from eating crackers. Now, more than before, I am committed to making my foods from scratch. Crackers included.

Be safe, friends!

News

2009-02-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well, well.

I am on my way to being a Black Belt.

Today I sit here a proud Camo Belted Martial Artist. I am still figuring out what that means in real life. For now, it means my muscles are so sore I can hardly type without pain. Mentally though, I am totally charged. My son's tutor says that becoming a Black Belt is all about attitude; an attitude you wear without the belt. Frankly my attitude lately has sucked. I didn't want to practice Tae Kwon Do. I didn't want to go to class. I didn't want to dress all four children and myself in our head to toe WHITE (hello people, I live in monsoon country) uniforms. I didn't want to scrub multiple mud stains out of said uniforms. Ugh, and the ironing! Nuff said.

I was so nervous about taking the Camo test yesterday. I am not a competitor. I had to really dig deep. I was sure I was going to fail. Mentally I was all over the place. I couldn't find my focus.

Then I made myself some Chamomile tea and thought of my friend Miriam giving it her all in Yoga class yesterday. Then I got a little bit of a spark....well, if she can do yoga with a broken hip, then I can do my freaking Tae Kwon Do. My hip isn't broken, but my attitude was surely busted.

Maybe I am a little competitive. That was all I needed to force me to action. The nervousness fell away and I performed better than I have in months. It felt amazing. Still feels amazing.

Everyone else did a fabulous job as well. Hubby passed his belt. He is sporting a shiny new Yellow Belt. My two youngest moved up to Yellow as well. Quote from Fidget: Wow, this new yellow headband looks really good on me. (That's my girl) Fern, jump-front-kicked some major booty and is a Camo Belted wonder. And the oldest man child faced the hardest test; being the only student in our class asked to repeat his form. I almost jumped out of my skin. I had to repress thoughts of throttling the judges. They were asking a lot of my, MY, baby. I was still holding my final position-standing like a statue not allowed to move-I couldn't turn my head to see how my son took this challenge. I was dying inside. I started to shake. I could hear the snap of Headstrong's uniform and the sound of his footfalls on the hardwood. As it turned out, Headstrong was overtaken with nerves. He did not pass fully to the next level. He would be a recommended Camo Belt. He gave it good effort but he did not demonstrate the sparkle the judges were looking for, however, he did show amazing Black Belt attitude. He stood with honor while he shook the judge's hands. He made his mama proud.

It really was only last week that Headstrong was a babe in my arms. Today he is a young man, taking the world in stride.

Let me just pause here to sob uncontrollably and wallow in self pity.

And feel old for a minute.

I am going to wager it will only be another month before this guy is off breaking little girl's hearts, as well as his mothers.

Over the weekend we hosted our farmy neighbors for a faux Oscar Party. Who needs celebrity foo-fa-rah when you can make your own? Neither of our families have local television so, we rented The Godfather (High School Musical 3 for the kids), dressed in our Oscar best, feasted on Les Schwab (Les Schwab's is a tire store that gives out "Free Beef" when you buy new tires, thank you "Free Beef" days) steaks and made foofy drinks for all; Shirley Temple's for the kids, Martini's and Lemon Drops for the adults. All told, it was a Fab'o evening. Defiantly a new tradition.

*****

The road to Black Belt status surely must be paved with aching muscles, laundry, broken hearts, changing attitudes, party dresses and friendship. And children that grow up far too quickly.

What goes on, eh?

2009-02-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

Just a random ramble, shedding light on my lack of blogging.

What can I say?I have been busy!

Busy schooling kids. Keeping the home fires burning, literally. Daydreaming of this years garden and sustainability. Making new friends, nurturing old ones. Tending the farm critters. Working on my ninja skillz-actually testing for Camo Belt tomorrow, very nervous. Waiting, not so patiently, for Mrs. G to open the Women's Colony. House training the new puppy; its not going so well. Green with envy over Sue getting an agent. And to top it all off I am still sewing away on pillow case dresses for Craft Hope.

All while trying to maintain some semblance of sanity. And eek out a blog post when I can.

What goes on with you, eh?

Yellow week: day 5

2009-02-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Yellow: Craft

Some of you might have gotten a sneak peek at this quilt a few weeks back, while it was still an infant. Well looky now, its grown into a full blown adolescent quilt! It still needs backing, binding and actual quilting but that will come. It might take me 10 years but....

This is a vintage Watkins Tea can. Anyone remember those? Way back when I was a wee girl my mom and I Tole painted a bunch of these for gifts. This one is a bit scratched and rough around the edges but I think that adds to the patina.

I dd not stitch this little number yet when I saw it at Goodwill (only a dollar!) I had to snatch it up. As I sighed at the utter cuteness of the embroidered flower adorning this seersucker sundress, I thought 'I could totally do that'! I am going to try my hand at adding a little stitching to the pillow case dresses I am making for Craft Hope. I'll let you know how that pans out.

I had a lovely time participating in Yellow Week (even if I was late to the party) a big thanks to Erin, Tracy and all the other participants.

If you would like to see more Yellow Week check out the Flickr pool here.

Yellow week: day 4

2009-02-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

Yellow: Around the house.

This is our new baby Sweet Janie; she's a Golden Retriever. Isn't she sweet!

Always late to the party:

2009-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Last week as I was roaming around the blogosphere I found that Erin was hosting a Yellow Week. This inspired Tracy to join who in turn inspired me. I thought this would provide me some much needed blog fodder.

Well...

Umm, today would be Wednesday and I haven't even been on the computer since Valentine's Day. Sacrilege, I know!

Funny thing is that I don't even like yellow. In fact I have a long standing hatred for the color yellow. My first car was yellow; it blew up when I was driving it. The birthing room where I delivered my firstborn was decorated in the most garish yellow's; it made me ill to be in the room. When I was a girl we had a yellow lab who, every time she went into heat, bled all over my bedroom floor. Then there was the recent trauma of the Yellow Belt.

Yellow and I just don't get along.

So I thought maybe I should take the time to explore yellow. Wallow in the sunny goodness of yellow. Surround myself with yellow for a week.

As my husband says: How's that workin' for ya?

And as I say: Umm, not so much.

Walking around the farm this morning it became apparent to me that my sour relationship with yellow provides me no photographic opportunities other than the bunch of banana's sitting on my kitchen counter.

Yellow inspiration is elusive. This is going to be harder than I thought.

So I took off my glasses and let the colors blur and sought out just the golden tones of yellow. A-HAH! and Wa-la!

Here are my 'late to the party' yellow week pix.

O' Happy Day!

2009-02-13T12:35:00.000-08:00

Arrgh, Matey! Be mine 'er else!

Such a cute, yet morbid, vintage Valentine. Here's hoping that everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day.

Where do we blog from here?

2009-02-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

Following up such an eloquent post as the one my verbose hubby authored makes me feel like a blathering idiot. And really, how does a non politically driven blogger girl move on from here?

Well she does what she knows best. She gets a little crafty.

Last weekend while my darling was blogging away in my stead, I took up residence in my craft studio, also loving dubbed "Mom's Craft Hole". Between showing Dick Daring the inner workings of Google and Blogger's photo uploader, (because ya know, I am a technical GENIUS!! muwhahaha) I managed to whittle a path to my sewing machine, where, to my great surprise, I pieced a twin size quilt and stitched up a sundress for a worthy cause.

My bloggy friend Jade has stared a group called Craft Hope. Being always a willing joiner where crafting is concerned, I happily pledged my crafty prowess. The Craft Hope group is stitching up handmade clothing for the Pan de Vida shelter in Mexico. If you are the crafty sort and would like to help out please hop on over to the Craft Hope site.

Here is dress #1.

(read:Go here to see my sweet Fern ironing this very pillowcase for me this past summer when I attempted my very first pillowcase dress, it very scintillating reading.)

The armpits looks weird and lumpy. I think that maybe I didn't cut the arm holes deep enough or maybe I cut them too deep.....whatever. I am hopeful that the next one will have lump free pits.

How's that for eloquence? It may be all blather but who doesn't love a good cause and some crafty goodness?

Ya know, I think my hubby will be proud of me for being so Socratic. And such a stellar seamstress.

In the news.....

2009-02-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

So what's a few billion dollars, anyway?

Stimulating read....really.

You are what you eat...

2009-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Good day Citizens, today's guest blog is brought to you by Progressive policies, First Amendment Protection Insurances, and the letter Y.

Y is Dick Daring daring to trespass on Katie's divine blogosphere? Because she told me to. And I always do what she wants. That makes me a genius.

Now that my status as a Genius has been irrevocably established, I can now feel free to engage in Socratic Philosophy with My Fellow Citizens.

Y use the philosophy of Socrates?

Because (I know I must never begin a sentence with because, Mrs O'Fallon, but, (Mrs. O'Fallon being the Spirit of my 8th, 10th and 11th Grade English Lit teacher, who severely disapproves of parenthetical writing, and I'm sure putting parenthesis in parenthesis has really got her bunched) anyhow I am not writing in True Paragraph Form, and that makes it OK)
because, Socrates always answered a question with a question; and in so doing avoided answering the question. Genius!

Y has my own Blog languished of late?

Y would Dick Daring dare be relegated to wacko fringe status by asking questions and or criticizing our newly, duly elected; by an overwhelming 52% majority of my fellow citizens, Obama Administration?

Who could oppose His message? Not I. Who can fault His rhetoric? Not I. I want to believe. I choose to submit to his leadership.

He opposes the demands by Corporate systems for little government intervention, opposes Wall Street's unequivocal support of free trade , opposes the super rich Elite's support for free international movement of capital, and opposes capitalism's support of individual wind fall profits.

However, I REFUSE to submit my intellect and my Liberties. Subvert them if you will, take them if you can, but Iwillnotsubmit.

Y would anyone advocate for less freedom? Y have free people throughout history chosen to live with fewer liberties? The answer is always the same, you know it and I know it.

Safety. Security. Painful realities deferred. In my ever so daring opinion, fear.

We cede our liberties on a daily basis. Little bits, nothing worth going to war over. I don't fight my managers when they say my freedom of speech does not exist at work, since anything I say at work can be construed as official policy. Stuff like that happens to us all the time. And we allow it.

Enough about me though, Katie asked me to Blog today because at breakfast I was attempting to put some perspective on $1,000,000,000,000.(I think I got that right, lets see six o's for a million, three more for billion, and then...).
As in the Bush Administration initiated, Obama Administration advocating, Trillion dollar stimulus plan.

Came up with some interesting things while researching this.

A one dollar bill measures about six by three inches.

A one thousand dollar bill is ironically the same size.

A one thousand dollar bill, laying on the side walk in Tokyo would not be enough to buy the space it occupied. It was once said that Bill Gates generates so much wealth every moment that he would lose money taking the time to stoop and pick that $1,000 bill up. One Trillion dollars is equal to $1,000 bills, stacked one atop another to a height of 72 miles.

Or altitude, since Space is only 6 miles away!

Ladies, consider this- (if I haven't already lost you as an audience). Think about spending $1,000,000 a day.

Every day. Since Christmas. Could you finance your own island paradise, complete with complacent manlings to do your every bidding?

Oh, and by the way, I don't mean last Christmas, I meant to say the first Christmas, in Bethlehem, 2,008 years ago. One million dollars a day, and coincidentally, 70 years left in the old check book.

I love America! All that money is generated by good old honest folks, going to work, doing their business, every day. And paying their taxes. Which, apparently, the architect of our $300,000,000 Bailout (buyout?) of America's 'to big to fail' banks, chose not to do. Still, our new Treasury Secretary is the only person in America capable of distributing $1,000,000,000,000.(I think I got that right, lets see six o's for a million, six more for billion, and then...) Because his plan worked so well on the first plan called TARP: you know Troubled Asset Relief Plan.

I think they called it tarp 'cause that's what you need to cover up such a stinking pile of manure!

Time to face reality folks.

Government control of the financial markets, setting up a Bank of the United States, (in addition to the Federal Exchange Commission) Government purchasing controlling interest in corporations and then setting controls is FASCISM.

I know that's not what our brilliant people in our government and media call it but that is what it is. If fascism, or socialism or an Island Paradise, is what you want in America, lets debate that, choose a new path and get on with it.

Don't package it as something else,tell me to swallow it whole, and hurry up about it so we can all save ourselves from ourselves.

Uber genius G.W. Bush says we need to abandon the principles of capitalism to save it. Riiight. Obama say's it's time for a change. All of this crap has been said and done before. Awe inspiring government spending didn't end or even shorten the Great Depression, but WWII sure did. Anyone up for another one of those?

Our economic slide is not Obama's fault. Nor is it W's. It's ours. We borrowed the money, got the interest only loans and refinanced our homes to buy vacations and Ski Doo's. WE ate too much and and now WE have a bellyache. Pepto and time will cure it. Instead we want to mortgage our childrens future to pay for the doctor to give us a stomach pumping, or tracheotomy, or a new lawn on the Capital mall. Anything to end the suffering.

My parents survived the Great Depression. So can we, if we must.
.

The question is, what kind of bitter pill are we willing to swallow so we can avoid it?

Truly and Sincerely yours,

Dick Daring

All photos courtesy of Google

A friend in need is....

2009-02-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

Once when the land whispered it's secrets to men in the high places, and men would listen to the Earth an, in doing so became more than simply two legged animals; there lived a young Boy.

The Boy was a friend to all he met, and it was good to be so, as all who met him knew he was special and became enriched by his presence. The Boy did not know about his special talent, but the wise holy man of his village did, and he encouraged the boy to befriend all he met so all could benefit from his gift.

The time came for the Boy to follow his own path into the wilderness, and climb the high place in search of his vision. This vision would guide the young man who returned for the rest of his life.

Few doubted the young man would return with a vision of happiness for the people, and the wise holy man awaited his return with hopes of a new pupil to teach. Surely the young man would become a great medicine man!

No one knew what awaited the Boy on the mountain. No one thought he would meet Snake as he walked.

Snake was always looking for one who could benefit him. Life was so hard, down on the ground. No one respected Snake. No one looked up to him. In fact no one could! Because of this Snake was very bitter, and thought to himself, "No one deserves more help than me!"

Snake was very cold on the mountain, and could not be bothered to make his own heat like other animals. He relied on the Sun, or at the very least another to warm him.

Snake observed the Boy climbing the mountain. He perceived right away the Boy's gift. " Here is one such as I have waited for!" As the Boy came by on his trail, Snake spoke.

"Here comes a great man!"

"I see no great man," replied the Boy, " I am alone on my quest for a vision."

"I speak of you!" said Snake, "I knew a great man such as you would come to save me!"

The Boy, accustomed to helping others offered to save Snake; if only he could, (for the Boy had been told that Snake was strong, and dangerous, and able to take care of himself.)

"I am so cold, I can hardly move, surely you could carry me down the mountain?"
"But I am climbing the mountain, on my quest!"
"Ah- you could carry me up, and then when we return to the valley you can go your way and me mine!"

The Boy considered this, and having always helped, saw no reason not to do so now. He carried Snake in his shirt up the mountain, a long and arduous journey. As the Boy warmed from his labor, so did snake. As the Boy helped Snake, his gift benefited his new companion.

Soon, however Snake tired of riding in the Boys shirt, and he was vexed, for he had no gift like the boy's. The longer Snake rode the more resentful he became, until without warning he struck!

The Boy lay gasping on the side of the mountain, his goal in sight but unreached. His life and his gift flowed from him onto the rock.

"How could you?" he asked Snake, barely hearing Snakes reply as his life slipped away.

"You knew what I was when you picked me up."

Hey!

2009-02-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

So, I am not a techy head, at all. Just the fact that I can maintain a small square of interweb journalism is a small miracle.

Whilst out perusing the net this morning I stumbled onto the coolest thing. I found myself. Yes, me, myself and I. Right smack dab in the middle of some thing called Technorati. I have no clue what Technorati is, so finding my humble leetle bloggy over there was quite cool. Don't even ask how I got there to begin with, 'cuz I have no idea.

The labels and screen shot are really old but I am not bothered. In fact I am honored that some techy crawler thingies took the time to crawl around and pick up my blog. Yeah me!

If you want to sneak a peek at what my humble leetle bloggy looked like ages ago head on over here. Just for giggles check out that little rank number under the thumbnail. 675,709 seems like a nice big number to me, even though I have NO IDEA what that means, technically speaking that is.

Just call me technically challenged and thank the stars that I can blog at all.

Now, I wonder if Technorati could send someone to crawl around under my desk and pick up all the thingies crawling around under there. Hmm....

Days go by::

2009-02-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

December 2008

The days go by so fast. It seems only yesterday...

October 1999

Crikey! Feeling older by the minute!

Cousins: My oldest on the left, sis-in-laws oldest on the right.

Bowl of sunshine

2009-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying the sun streaming in through the windows.

Have a great weekend!

Frontier House

2009-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of the PBS "House" series'. Frontier House being the hands down favourite. I have watched the "Frontier" families struggle and swear, triumph and toil, over and over again for the last several years.

I turn this viewing into a big homeschool event during the summers. We "camp out" and watch TV. Ironic I know but my kids love it. We wrap ourselves in the cloak of history, teeming with adventures unknown. We snuggled up with good books and one great reality TV show. We have "camped out" and experienced the hardships of living in the dirt. But. None of my past experiences or readings have prepared me for the frontier life quite like Frontier House.

A little over a year ago my family had to move back home. We had to admit defeat; that our little wagon trek to the place of our dreams, the Napa of the North, was a failure. Moving back into my old home was very difficult. Settling back into the old way of life became drudgery. It was as though I was a reality TV participant, I was lost in my current reality...I longed for the frontier from whence I had come. I dreamt of those good old days living 3 doors down from my sister in crime. I longed for Dutch Bros runs, Sunday suppers and Church Socials. And for light switches....that work.

One of the interesting things about Frontier House is that it takes modernized people back in time to stake a land claim in Montana during the 1800's. They build their houses and privies from trees they themselves cut and hue. They grow their own food. For all intents and purposes they are living in 1860. Except that, they reach for that blasted light switch every time they enter their cabin.

Travel forward in time with me to October 2008.

Katie heads to the privy and hits the light switch. The light bulb makes a terrible hissing, then a pop and the light goes out. This little event is annoying but Katie is sure that a new light bulb will remedy the dark situation. Upon replacement of old hissing bulb with a shiny new one, shiny new one performs the same action. Katie is befuddled. Katie employs the talent of live in handy man. Handy man is also befuddled. Handy man says: screw it, use the light on the other side of the room.

Travel forward January 2009.

After flipping that blasted light switch for three months with no result, handy man has had enough. One afternoon of struggle, and some cursing....viola! The magic of modern living is restored.

Katie and family are still in shock when the switch responds with illumination. (It's only been a week folks.)

In Yahoo news this morning, thousands of families are predicted to be facing "frigid, light-less nights" till mid-February. MID-February!

I think it's time to "camp out" and watch a round of Frontier House. With the lights on....