Garden Update

I got a late start to my seeds this year. Usually they are busting out of their little pots by the time April comes along, this year at the time I usually plant out they were still fairly tiny. But then we had frosts late and by the time I could actually plant them out they were outgrowing their pots once again. The lettuce, spinach and radishes are feeding us daily. The peas are almost 2 ft tall and full of blossoms. The tomatoes- all 38 plants so far planted- are growing nicely. I have about 15 small, late planted tomatoes left to put out. But I need it to stop raining. We've been having a lot of rain. Which is good. But lots at one time and severe thunderstorms, not to mention the tornado last month that ripped apart homes about 2 miles from mine....I would like the atmosphere to calm down just a bit.

Last week we got the cucumbers, zucchinis, okra and edamame in the ground. They boys helped plant the flower bed- which is more of a wild sprinkling of seeds: cosmos, flax, morning glory, marigold, sunflower and a few more I am sure. Most of these are saved from the year before.


This was [part] of our dinner Tuesday night. I wish I had more pictures to show, I had planned to go out last night and take a couple, but we sat in our hall way from about 4 pm on last night with one tornado warning after another until close to midnight. If I ever hear my town take cover on the news that many times again it will be too soon. So later once it's clear I will go out and make sure my garden/yard held up in the hail and wind.

Happy 4th Birthday, Lakin

To my youngest son

with the big heart and big temper

Happy 4th Birthday!

The Science Fair

Our co-op held a little science fair this morning. The boys have been working on their experiments for the past month and finished up their project boards yesterday.

Cohen tested different substances on ice to see which one melted ice the quickest and which prevented ice from forming.


He found that melting salts melted the crystals. Sand and kitty litter didn't melt any ice and that all salts- rock, table and melting- prevented ice from forming.

Here he is with his board, ready to talk about what he did.

Cale tested growing seeds in different types of light: sun, incandescent and a grow light.


He found out that, like he expected, sun produced the healthiest plants. The incandescent bulb produced long stringy stems that eventually snapped and died within 4 weeks.


Here he is with his final project.


Rylan tested different growth mediums and pineapples. He tested sand, soil and water.


His guess was that soil would grow the best but found out that water was the best way to start the roots.


And here's his board. He was nervous about presenting but it only took a few prompts to get him talking.

And Lakin chose to try watering plants with different things. Water, Coffee, Vinegar and Milk. He started with zucchini seeds of which only one sprouted. But surprisingly, this healthy sprout came from the coffee.


We restarted his experiment with grass seed, which just started to sprout...water had the most sprouts followed by coffee and none in the vinegar and mold in the milk.


The kids all took turns talking about their projects.


We had a baby bird, bird nest types and seed preference, Kool-Aid Chromatography, and a solar oven.


They all did such a good job. And mine are even open to the idea of entering the real science fair next year.

Annika- 4 months

I really don't have much to say

I just wanted to share pictures

of my beautiful baby girl


who is 4 months old

and loves her feet


even in her sleep :)

A Day at the Park

Today we went out to Louisville Point Park to play volleyball. The kids learned how to serve, pass and play back in the fall, but we thought that more practice would be fun.



So again they practiced serving,

and passing,

and playing a game together.

I think these boys still need to learn the art of yelling "I've got it!!" and only one person going for the ball though.

Once we were done we walked around the shore of the lake and picked up trash.

Lots of interesting things to be found. Half eaten cake, a shoe, a pot pipe, numerous dead fish and a severed bird wing.

more pictures of our day on Eclectic Momma.

Outside

Swinging


She's still a little too small, but if I pack her in just right it makes a great napping spot.


Jumping

I know he's skinny- but this picture makes him look ridiculously so.

Gardening


Lettuce, spinach and radishes

Cilantro

I got 19 of my tomato plants in tonight. 19 left that need to be planted soon and about 12 more seedlings just starting out. That's what happens when I get 25 seed packets from Seeds of Change for really cheap and get 4 new tomato varieties.

Peas

First pea flowers


First strawberries- almost ready

Radishes for snacking

Climbing

The poplar tree in our front yard is a favorite climbing tree.

Bonding

Cohen was telling her a weird, funny story about someone who really wanted cheese. She seemed to enjoy it :)