Eli likes his fingers
Maetia calls this blowing bubbles
Michael putting up my clothesline
My clothesline is accessible from inside the porch. There is a little window that opens and the line comes up on a pulley system. The only drawback is the little roof to the basement that the clothes have to swing/drag over before getting into the sun.
A tire swing we are borrowing from friends brings enjoyment for all of us.
Mostly I am posting because we check our friends blogs all the time and are so happy when there is a new post so I figured if you are like us, you would appreciate it. I believe I celebrated last year at about this time when we got a clothesline at the cottage. Well, Michael just put up one at our new house,Horray!! I can't get over the good feeling I get when I take my clean, sun bleached diapers off the line. Truly satisfying.
Eli is growing well and now weighs 15lbs. He is so happy and ticklish. I have been to the lactation consultant who gave me some tips for nursing that seem to be improving his reflux and breathing difficulties. Michael and I are able to eat supper together with Maetia which we could never do when she was a baby.(Because of the screaming) It is really nice. When we pray to bless the food Maetia always pipes in with some things she is thankful for; mostly her swing, slide and Oma's house. Eli has figured out how to roll over which is causing startled wakeups during nap and night time; which is not so nice. But mostly we are finding joy in a routine and able to understand each different cry and noise.
I remember when Eli was one month old and we all went to the grocery store for the first time. Up until then, I just took one of the our kids, not both and not alone. So we went shopping and there was no screaming or poopy diapers. On the way out Michael was looking at the receipt and said, "Well that wasn't so bad". I said, "No, it really wasn't", smiling as I pushed the cart, thinking to myself, I could do this alone. Yes I can, horray for me. Then Michael looks at me and says "oh, I meant the price of all our groceries". Hmmm. I guess that is how a stay at home mom's brain is different from her working husband's. Now Eli is 3 months old and getting groceries is just fine and actually quite fun.
I have only 4 more weeks until my CSA deliveries start. Most things are coming along well except on the really heavy, clay land. That crop may not be ready in time. If not, I have an organic farmer friend who I can buy a bit of stuff from. The problem with my CSA customers is that they haven't really got the whole idea of supporting a farmer in good times and bad. They would like exactly (or more) $20 worth of veggies even if the weather hasn't co-operated or if there was an infestation of bugs. It is all about education I guess but it is frustrating when people sign up for something because it is 'trendy'.
Michael is working really hard on finishing our yard and soon we will have before and after shots of our 'leaky basement/septic overflow yard' and the 'hopefully not leaky or stinky yard'.
5 comments:
I think that you should not be too quick to give away produce that you have to purchase from someone else. I would assume that you gave no guarantees to those who signed up for your CSA. I know that the one we signed up for made it pretty clear that we get what the land/weather/farmer can produce and that farming is no guarantee. It would be a good education for people to realize how risky farming actually is and that just because there is always produce in the grocery store that does not mean that every farmer always has a good crop. I hope you don't get too frustrated up there:) It sounds like your family is doing well and having some fun!
Thanks for your comment Robb. I do agree with you and I want to be more firm. I am just not sure that I will keep my customers if I tell them this. One farmer I know who runs a CSA told me that then they are not the 'right' customers in the first place. I just have a hard time being firm. I am being more firm than last year and I think each year I will learn what I should and should not do but also I think if I was more experienced and confident, I could do what your farm does. I agree that this might be the education they need to learn where their food comes from but it seems like while they want to support a CSA, they also want certain veggies and at unseasonal times of the year. It is a learning process for sure. I am so happy that you two (three) signed up for a CSA!
Yeah, we are excited too. However, I just learned today that the farm got quite a bit of flooding over the weekend. It is located in a river/creek valley on the floodplain and they got 9 inches of rain over the weekend. Apparently most of the fields are under water. We shall see if there are any veggies left for us:(
I can't agree with you more about the great feeling of the fresh, sun-bleached diapers from the clothesline! I love it. Thanks for posting - i like reading what you guys are up to!
that last comment, and this on, is me, heidi, by the way. Reuben enjoys that there's clean diapers when he needs them but doesn't enjoy hanging laundry up like i do!
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