Making Progress

Here are some updated pictures around the place, showing what we've been up to. I am so thankful to my husband for putting up the fence, which was his first solo fence-building experience. Having a fence makes me feel more secure.

Midsummer Fun

Here are a few photos I thought I'd share of some highlights of our activities last weekend. We went to a local (very small) Swedish Midsummer's Festival put on by an old friend of the family on their family farm.

A view of the entrance of the farm.
David Sealander, our host and a friend of my father's. They served in the Idaho Conservation League together back in the 1970s.

Wagon rides were the main attraction.

We went twice!
Swinging at Sealander Park.

Making daisy chains to decorate the Maypole.

Evangeline and the daughter of my friend Jenni.
A four-foot long gopher snake, whom I caught, but quickly let go, as he was a little skittish.

We had to leave before dancing around the Maypole, as the little Master was tired and wanted to go home, but we enjoyed ourselves very much.

Springtime in the Garden

As you can see, it's been a busy spring for us here on the "homestead". Here are some "before" pictures of the yard and garden.
The greenhouse my mom bought for and put up for us was a real blessing. The tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants I planted inside it may be our best harvest, since it's been so cold for the ones planted outside.
Our hen Noodle is here helping cultivate the leek bed.

A view of the big garden, which looks like we'll get a good quack grass harvest (anybody know where we can get about five tons of mulch?). You can see the greenhouse and the beloved old Chevy that's been in the family longer than I have. Here are a few projects we've been working on in our front-yard "potager". Note the post-hole in the front corner.

Can you see the raised beds past the quack grass and weeds?
Putting in another bed for peppers. Thank goodness for aprons! Time for a washing for this one. Mama's Little Helper at work. Someday we'll use Wall-o'-Waters. Till then, plastic cups will have to do!
May we all have a blessed spring and summer.

Tasha Tudor, a Tribute

The 18th of June was a very sad day for us at our home, as it marked the passing of a beloved heroine and inspirational figure, Ms. Tasha Tudor. Though famous as a children's book illustrator and author, I loved the books that Tovah Martin wrote about her lifestyle, and the beautiful pictures by Richard Brown.

What a lovely, inspiring, gentle life, and what wit and wisdom she displayed! Although we never met her personally, we sense a great loss, knowing that her candle has gone out. Certainly Heaven has a new star, and will be made brighter for it.

Goodbye, dear friend!

Laura Ingalls Wilder on Career Women

"It makes our hearts thrill and our heads rise proudly to think that women were found capable and eager to do such important work in the crisis of war-time days (World War I). I think that never again will anyone have the courage to say that women could not run world affairs if necessary. Also, it is true that when men or women have advance, they do not go back. History does not retrace its steps.
But this too is certain. We must advance logically, in order, and all together if the ground gained is to be held. If what has hitherto been women's work in the world is simply left undone by them, there is no one else to take it up. If in their haste to do other, perhaps more showy things, their old and special work is neglected and only half done, there will be something seriously wrong with the world, for the commonplace home work of women is the very foundation upon which everything else rests.
So if we wish to go more into world affairs, to have the time to work at public work, we must arrange our old duties in some way so that it will be possible. We cannot leave things at loose ends, no good housemother can do that; and we have been good housekeepers so long that we have the habit of finishing our work up neatly.