Aslan at our House

My son recently did a watercolor of Aslan that I thought I'd share:

The Garden's In!

After a week of of digging, weeding, crawling in the dirt, crouching down to plant seeds, putting in rabbit fencing and transplanting seedlings .... the garden for 2008 is now in! I'll have pictures soon, but let me tell you what we'll be picking fresh from our garden this year:

Greens: spinach, mesculin, black seed lettuce, romain, endive, arugula; Rutabaga; Beets; Broccoli; Cauliflower; Red Cabbage; Green Cabbage; Cherry Tomatoes; Tomatoes; Leeks; Green Beans; Snap Peas; Kohlrabi; Zucchini; Celery; Radishes; White Onions, Red Onions; Morning Glories; Marigolds; Basil; Oregano; Lavender; Chives; Parlsey; Cilantro

My joints are stiff and I can't get the dirt out of my nails ... both toes and fingers. I love every minute in my garden. Something about crawling in the dirt, being in the sun, and getting sweaty makes me feel alive. Every spring I go over my list of vegetables and plan which ones will be companions and how I will rotate the beds. I want my garden to be beautiful as well as functional. That's why I plant some rows diagonally, intermingle sweet peas with snap peas, and border some areas with marigolds.

The birds in the neighborhood come and keep me company while I weed and water. I've put up a humingbird feeder (they like the morning glories) and a tray of bird seed for the cardinals and chickadees. My only nemesis is a big fat rabbit. I've started fencing in the various beds because of these critters. I tried organic and non-organic smelly stuff and they seem to be impervious to it. I'm sure they're gazing lustfully at my lettuces and freshly sprouted beans and peas. Too bad for them.

Mother's Day

I enjoyed my Mother's Day. I saw someone at the grocery store on Monday and she said, "With all those children you must have had a grand and lively day." No, not really. I didn't aim at grand and lovely for the day. I aimed at sweet and peaceful and hit the mark.

I've decided that Mother's Day is best enjoyed by ignoring the media blitz and lowering expectations. When I was a young mom, I somehow thought that Mother's Day should be payback time for all of the late nights, messy rooms, dirty dishes, sibling rivalry, mountains of laundry, headaches, stretch marks and gray hairs. I didn't want any gifts that could be used "on the job." I wanted pretty things that reminded me that I was more than a nursing, diaper changing brood mare.

Well, that's just plain foolishness. How could one day take care of all that? Especially when the children are all young and can hardly talk ... let alone "rise up and call me blessed."

So, what did I get for Mother's Day? Just what I asked for:

-- I didn't have to fix a meal for anyone. We went out for lunch after church and my daughter fixed supper. (a fresh salad, pasta with a creamy basil sauce, an inventive ice cream dessert that included crushed candy bars)

-- I took a nap after lunch.

-- I got to work in the dirt of my garden.

-- My kids in college and working in FL called me.

I enjoyed my Mother's Day

Hmmm.... sounds like my life ....

From The Incredibles:



Mr. Incredible: No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes!

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/)

Moving Woes

Regular life has been put on hold while I help my friend pack and clean for their move to California. I know, it's a long way from Minnesota to California. I'm really excited for my friends because this is a dream job that they've been waiting for a long time to happen.

On the other hand, I DON'T WANT THEM TO LEAVE! We've known them for almost 10 years and love them to pieces. Our kids played with their kids and went to the same school. We've prayed and played together. And now they're gone and I'm so sad.

I hate saying good bye. I feel as if I didn't say "hello" enough. We didn't do enough fun stuff. We could have shared so much more of our lives. These friends are so gifted and talented and blessed us in so many ways. They are creative and hard-working. You just get the feeling that they loved loving you.

We've talked on the phone about 10 times since they left at noon yesterday. We both have the same cell phone company and have been answering the phone, "Can you hear me know?" At some point, they will be in the mountains of California, and we won't hear one another. Oh, I'm so sad.

When my oldest daughter was 5 we had a college student live with us for a year after her graduation. On the day that she left for a teaching job in Japan, the two of us sat on the couch and cried and cried. When we had calmed and quieted down, I told her that this was a good hurt. "It means you really love someone when it hurts this much when they leave." Over the years I've really loved a number of people who have left for other locations. (especially a friend who left for heaven!) It's a sadness that points to how rich our lives really are. What a paradox!