Yard work

I have been pretty busy the past week. Mike brought over dirt from our mountain in the back to fill up the space beside the house so I'd have someplace to plant things. I went to the greenhouse and bought lots of things and hardened them off and got them in the ground and into pots. Started seeds, that are now growing rapidly. Mike stained the front porch. It's really starting to look like we live here. I love driving by the house on the way home and looking at it, it's so... me, I think. 

The excavating company should be here in the next couple weeks to spread out our dirt, then we will have the task of raking, moving rocks, and planting grass. Maybe by the end of the summer we will have a decent yard.

The weather here is beautiful. Looks as though it's going to be another cloudless sunny day, high around 70. Perfect temp if you ask me. I think I'm going to be very happy here over the next few years!

For those of you interested in what I have planted, here ya go. I'm hoping to maybe plant some peppers and lettuce-y type things too, in pots. Though, maybe I'll hold off on that for next year.

Happy Looking!

Lilly got to ride in the wheel barrow until she tried to climb out the front. 

Hamilton in the midst of all my stuff.

All the dirt is in, notice the unstained deck. 

Stained deck and planted flowers and pots.

Along side the house here I have mammoth sunflowers that are just starting to show their little heads. I also have a purple colombine, and a hosta. As well as, morning glories, strawberries, white and pink petunias, and zinnias, and mint.

In smaller pots, I have chives and stock, dahlias, marigolds, snap peas and tomatoes, more sunflowers, alyssum, and some vinca vine too. 

Enough to keep me busy, I'll take pictures when things start getting bigger

These are my peas and this photo is for Audrey. She sent them to me back in the cold dreary months of winter and I planted them about a week ago. (I let Caswell plant one in his own pot, and he was VERY excited when he came on Tuesday and it was growing.)

More sunflowers to go...

Along this side of the house, so you see them when you drive by. 

Another view of the front of the house, I can't decide what I'm going to do with my windows, for now the keep getting moved around the house. Notice AbbyCat in the garage window? She was eating flies. 

Caswell

Last week I started babysitting all day Tuesdays and Wednesdays. My charge is Caswell, he's four, and is pretty good for a four year old. It's nice to have the company for Lilly and for two days a week the money is nice. He really isn't a problem, behaves pretty well and keeps me very busy for a couple days a week. Cas is pretty much all boy, lots of dirt and scraped knees, he tends to be very curious and I hear, "what are you doing," "what's that for" and "my mom lets me at my house," and my all time favorite after telling him he's not allowed to do something "but I've never did that before."  Needless to say, I know thoroughly enjoy my quiet evenings.

Popcorn

Lilly woke up the other night just as I finished making popcorn per Mikes request. I wanted my popcorn hot so I figured it wouldn't hurt if Lilly stayed up for a few minutes. Turns out she just wanted to be part of the party.

Curious

Daddy shares his piece

Once she decided she liked it, she couldn't get enough

Notice how big she opens her mouth...

Attempting to plant...

Didn't go so well, gave up and did it when she was napping.

She likes to dump things, and she's really good at pulling out the newly potted seedlings. 

The other thing she is good at is eating dirt. She shovels it in by the handfuls. Only problem is that I can't seem to get her to do this with food. Give her dirt, rocks, or dog food, and it's a totally different story!

A day with the Back Creek Potter

While we were in Indiana, Lilly and I were able to spend a day with a dear dear friend of mine and potter, Audrey Felger.

 A little of my past

~I have known Audrey, I guess you  could say my entire life. We grew up a couple blocks from each other and my siblings took art classes from her mother, Martha Beeson. We weren't friends until I think maybe high school when I started attending her youth group and giving her rides to school. (she never asked, I offered so my "attitude" was definitely unjustified) I will admit now, that I did not appreciate what I like to call her "artists" personality back then, over the years I have learned to love this and yes, even some of it has rubbed off on me.  I was rather uptight (yes me ) and would get frustrated as she was almost never ready those early mornings and I'd have to wait on her. We always had plenty of time, I'm sure something crazy like 45 minutes to drive the 7 minutes to Warsaw High. There were probably times that I was half way down Chestnut Ave and Audrey hadn't even closed to door yet. I can still see her, running out of her house, coffee in one hand back in the other and usually something for breakfast. If I could go back to those days, knowing what I know now, I would have parked and gone inside for coffee and breakfast. :-)
During high school, the Beeson women helped to develop a side of me that probably wouldn't have ever been discovered. They taught me first and foremost to LOVE coffee, yes that's right. I think of them often in the morning while I enjoy my first, second and sometimes, third cup. Evenings with a hot mug of decaf with cinnamon and whipped cream, real I think, not the fake stuff, are such pleasant memories for me. They also helped draw out my love of music, and taught me to see beauty and color in everything.
Thanks Audrey, for helping me to realize that life is not always about getting where you're going but enjoying the music, the color, the friendships, and of course, the coffee. Maybe some day we will be able to share those coffee nights and hours in bead stores again on a regular basis! ~

Back to the Back Creek Potter
 You can find Audrey's things here www.backcreekpottery.com


We had such a wonderful time with Audrey, the day in Jonesboro was beautiful. We got there late morning and got a tour of her gardens and studio. Spring arrived early in Indiana this year and the gardens were already full of lots of little green things, some not so little like the flowering rhubarb plant taller than Audrey I think. Lilly and I watched as Audrey moved Etta the Rabbit's cage and fence out into the sun for the day. Then we saw the tiny little place, complete with two parakeets, new windows, plants, 1000 pounds of porcelain, and of course the wheel where Audrey throws her creations. After that we went down to the pole barn where her inventory is stored and the glaze mixing, testing and the firing is all done. I had no idea how much of a process this all is. I also ordered some pottery from her while I was there. I can't wait until it comes, but am waiting on some new glazes I think. After that was lunch and a lovely Mexican place, McDonald's ice cream cones. Of course, a day with a potter isn't complete until a pot has been thrown, so, here are some photos of that part of our day.

Spraying down the dust, from what she says, you don't want to breathe too much of that in. See the boxes under the table in the back, that's what 1000 pounds of porcelain looks like.

Lilly was more interested in the rabbit pellets and the dustpan.

Centering, she says this is the hardest part. Spinning the wheel and molding the clay up and down to make sure that it is perfectly centered on the wheel.

So it begins,

I think this process is beautiful. I think it was about here where she said "it's too wet." But she kept going, pushing and pulling, a little touch here and there. Then...

It collapsed and a couple more not so gentle pokes turned it into a monster. See what I mean about seeing beauty in everything? I think I would have cried had it been me spending that much time on something to have it collapse. She said she's getting better at dealing with that part. 

Happy Girls

Thanks Audie for sharing your day with us.