Happy May Day!!!

Happy May Day to everyone...these are beautiful flowers from my May Day Swap partner Michelle in sunny California. Thanks Michelle....These MADE my day!!!

Our very little "Orchard"

We were all escaping into the sunshine Friday...including the plants from the studio. Those plants spent a lot of time creeping back out every time I would turn them to stay inside out of the elements. The plan of the day? My very own orchard! Okay it's only three trees...which may not seem like a lot. Once each tree is mature they will give 4-5 bushels of apples per tree, if I can manage to take care of them right!

So, I was busy, busy, busy! Thursday I predug a hole for use on Friday. Friday before we went to Zero Landfill John pruned a lilac bush that was half dead...the trick? He used his saws all(everyone take note that this only works if you have a dead tree or want a dead tree!) Everyone knows powertools are much more fun than regular old pruning. I dug up the remaining portion of the bush which suddenly decided to split, (oops!) and become two bushes. We manhandled them to the front yard and tucked them in.

Later in the afternoon I decided where I wanted the trees exactly...John checked my spacing...dwarf trees need to be eight feet apart...and then his tape measure literally fell apart. But I was amazed that placement by eye was absolutely perfect. John tilled two widths with the rototiller. Then it was my turn to dig the holes, mix horse manure in with the soil for fertilizer, plant the trees and then water. The trees, three in total came together in a five foot tall box with bare roots. This necessitated rehydrating the trees in a large bucket of water for a few hours which I did remember to start in the morning. My hilarious moment...the horse manure was by my back garden...I took the wheelbarrow and shoveled it all in.(Thanks again to Sissy the horse and Miss Charlene for her horse manure delivery service!) I felt the handle starting to give...it is a very very old wheelbarrow but made it to the "orchard" with no disasters! As I made the manure delivery to the third and final hole it snapped. One handle completely G-O-N-E gone. Honestly I break things all the time! Syd wanted to know why I was holding the wheel barrow funny when I put it away. I picked up the handle waved it in the air...her eyes lit up and she smiled her little minxlette smile...OHHHHHHHHH! Yep sweetie, mom's done it again. Really my ability to drop, break, rip, bruise etc. have become legendary. That's one seriously good skill....right????

The definition of an orchard is, "An intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production." Of course I looked up the definition! A girl has to know that she's using the correct terminology in her garden. We planted three trees, found here...one has been claimed by each girl. I love that they have "their own" tree. You'll love how very TALL(that's a joke just take a gander) the trees are compared to each girl. (Kate, sweetie, your photo didn't turn out we'll take one after school tomorrow!) You think I'm nuts? My dad had 18??? (right dad?) yes EIGHTEEN fruit trees, two grape arbors and a vegetable garden in his little backyard.

Paige with "her tree" the 2 in 1 Pie Apple Tree which is cool because there are two varieties of apples grafted on this tree. Grannysmith and Arkansas Black...ripen in late September/early October and they will pollinate the other, also keep in cold storage for 10 months.

Sydney with her Golden Delicious...YUMMMMY. I remember eating these fresh of the tree growing up. I absolutely HAD to have these in our "orchard." Ripens late September.

"Kate's tree" is a Honeycrisp apple. It is a newer variety but crisp, sweet and yummy. Ripens early September. Kate's photo will be posted ASAP.

There is something amazing about growing your own fruit! It's a little bit of a Miracle watching a flower turn into a delicious fall treat. So try some berry plants and if you're feeling brave maybe a tree or two.

Zerolandfill

My friend Joey sent us an e-mail yesterday to let me know about this great project she is working on. John, Paige and I went downtown and picked up a binder, some kitschy wallpaper, Corian samples and other fun stuff. All for free. If you love to collect new treasures to create with and you love free please come on down....the event is only for the next three Fridays. It was pretty cleaned out when we arrived at 1pm so try to arrive on time. If you want more information or have goodies to donate please go to their website.

Thanks Miss Joey you're the best!

IIDA Zerolandfill Toledo

Stop by on any of the available Fridays, to pick up quality artistic supply items.
RSVP is not required, please bring your own bags or boxes.

Zerolandfill is an all volunteer pilot program.
When:
Four Consecutive Fridays
April 24, May 1, May 8, and May 15
Time:
12noon-6pm each Friday
Location:
1301 Adams Street
Toledo Ohio, 43604
COST: FREE!

ZeroLandfill Toledo is also accepting electronics! We will take: Computers, Monitors, Laptops, Printers, Copi­ers, Typewriters, Faxes, Scanners, VCRs, DVDs, Main Frames, Servers, Keyboards/Mice, Batteries, UPSs, APCs, Phones, Phone Systems and Ballasts. We WILL NOT take: Televisions or Appliances.
Questions?
mailto:iidazerolandfilltoledo@gmail.com?subject=Questions%20about%20Zerolandfill

Pioneer Garden...

Today Sydney, Paige and I went to voluteer at "the Botanicals." The girls ran, climbed rock walls, ran, played in the Arch sculpture, ran, had a picnic, talked to the geese, and did I mention that they ran? They were loving the warm day, sunshine and the magic of playing in a beautiful place. I raked, trimmed grasses, raked, and dug up some parsnips all in the Pioneer Garden. The homestead belongs to a famous Toledoan Peter Navarre...and had been moved three times since it was built. First from downtown Toledo, to Navarre Park, then across the street to the Toledo Zoo, and finally found it's current home in The Crosby Gardens which later became TBG. The garden represents what a pioneer family in 1837 would have grown...the year 1837 was chosen for the garden since that was the year Toledo became a city. I also harvested buckwheat seed for the horticulturalists to store, very cool looking seed pods.

Photo by Missouri Extension Office
The funniest thing I heard all day was little Miss Sydney yelling with her sing songy vioce across the wide open grass field at the geese."Hey all of you geeses guess what?...I've got your feather, I've got your feather...You can't have it back...try to come and get it... You can't have it back...Nanenanenana."

Raking is fun when I make a pile and someone else comes and takes it away me. I was definitely enjoying tidying up and then leaving it for the staff to come and clean up! You think I can talk John or Kate into being my ground crew?

This photo was the highlight of the day. My littlest girls were running everywhere and holding hands. This miraculous behavior of went on for the entire three hours we were there. I brought nothing for them to do and didn't tell them about lunch until it was time to eat. They were so happy, capital H-A-P-P-Y. I might have had a tear in my eye. Yep, definitely a tear, but only one and I promise I didn't use my dirty hands to wipe it off my face. I have to keep up the appearances that I'm a neat person for at least a month before I forget my company manners and revert to my true self.

P.S. - The parsnips were a big hit at dinner.

Create...

I love to create. I have been struggling with my sweet almost three year old I have lovingly started calling her "hurricane Paige" who can't or won't fall asleep before 10:30, smacks me when she wants attention, completely ignores me whenever she doesn't want to hear what I'm saying, stays attached to my the back pocket of my jeans when I'm in a hurry and generally keeps me from my favorite artistic pastimes, never mind cleaning the house. It is VERY, VERY hard to get anything done! This is due to my lack of sleep, distraction by a certian small curly head girl and/or general Susanish tendencies. All of which combine to make me incapable of keeping track of one thought and actually completing it. So I try to remember that I am here not only fulfill my need to create beautiful memories, art, gardens, and a home. I am hear to help create three beautiful young women. I love my girls. I really truly do. They drive me nuts but I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's.I am beyond blessed to have three amazingly fun and funny, quirky, smart, kind and lovely daughters. I want to make sure that all of my sister friends remember that no matter how long a day is hopefully you all to the time to CREATE, something amazing. This little clip sums it up for me.

Dig it???

Today I learned a lot about digging a hole. I've dug holes before and you just don't want to know why I had to dig one today. It was just another crazy day in the life of Susan thing.
You would think that years of gardening, little brothers, and the tutorial the book and movie by the same name... and so loved by the Rapplings over and over again last summer.. would have been enough. But nooooo....
Classic hole digging error number one not moving the dirt far enough back so you won't have to redig it when making the hole bigger....
Error number two...really trust me flats, even if they are made for walking definitely aren't made for digging.
Error number three...in my yard when you dig three feet deep....you will create a pond and not a hole. Who knew?
After I had been digging for twenty minutes and silently cursing my own stupidity in choice of hole location and footwear, Miss Kathryn danced up...
"So mom, you feeling like you're in the movie yet?"



So this is for you Miss Kate....and don't think I didn't notice that you had three mud related incidents today! That's my girl.

Yeah!!!!

"You can't listen and hop on one foot."
Sydney while hopping on one foot and pointing at her ears- "Yeah. EARS!!!"
While pointing at himself. "Noooooo you can't...DAD!!!"

I know it's coming....

The warm summer evenings, marshmellow roasting fires, finally getting something delicious from my garden instead of the grocery store. Actually what I get from the grocery store isn't delicious but it will do. If you want help with your garden call me. If you want to help other people garden contact Toledo Grows or the Toledo Botanical Gardens
they can always use another pair of helping hands and gardeners are generally great people. I went Tuesday morning for three hours and planted around 1800 little seeds in very small individual containers 282 seeds per flat. Had fun while meeting at least ten other enthusiastic gardneners. Next week I get to work in the Shade Garden and spend time on the County Extension Hotline....can't wait.
Yes these yummy delicious vegetables are all from my garden...with one exception the purple onions. Didn't grow them last year...will grow them this year.

Living Room...

I've been trying to finish our living room since August. I still need to repaint the trim and someday I would love to recover our couch and chair but generally in all ways that matter to everyone else but me, I'm done. I did it. My living room is ready to have visitors.
This scripture is one of my favorite's. I've wanted it on the wall cut out half of it in white when I realized that it didn't show up on the wall AT ALL. I started over going on a hunt for affordable vinyl and found a ten foot roll of brown vinyl at ScrapHappy in Tiffin $7.50. Thanks for still having a store Miss Susie!!!! SOOO with a lot of trial and error. Viola! If you try to attempt this don't forget your level....and maybe a level to check that level. Insert laughter here....don't worry my kids will get my crazy humor. Side note.... Before anyone gets any ideas of having me come over and slap a phrase up on their wall. I took a couple of hours painstakingly spacing out my letters just the way I wanted them. I'll help you cut it out but after that you're on YOUR OWN!

While I was at it I printed, framed and hung a few of my favorite photos(that match my color scheme of course!) on my walls. Yes this also required a level, a ruler and a ladder. I really needed a T-Square guess I'll add that to my list of things to get someday. My trusty T-square....(doesn't everyone have at least one well loved tool?)the one I've had since my junior year in high school disappeared. Forgot to turn off the TV! For posterity's sake I have to note that this is ICarly my daughter's current favorite show on television. This one I actually like.

Here's a side angle view of the room. The shelve's I purchase for on sale $35 a piece a Meijers months ago. Kate enjoying her favorite show. The girls easter bunny cups are on top of the shelves and aren't a permanent part of the room.

These three, well they are a permanent fixture. They love the window and the chair that I sat by it is apparently just for them.