Catching Up

Spring is here!!! It arrived early this morning... with a temperature that was still in the 30's. lol Today warmed up but tonight goes even lower. Yes, so far spring is cold but it *is* here!

I have been mostly offline the last ten days. I intend to stay off as much as I can, really. This winter has been exceedingly hard on my little family. We need to take time to decompress as much as possible. I miss out on some parts of the social media world but, for the most part, I stay safe tucked in here with my husband and children.

What have we been up to? Glad you asked. ;) 

First of all, there is always schoolwork. Giraffe is doing a magnificent job getting through her year. She has her favorite and least favorite subjects, like any kid. Still, she blows me away with her ability to enjoy learning. It was one trait I had really hoped to pass on to her. 

My little Koala pushes to be allowed to start school a little harder every single day. I'm not sure how exactly I am supposed to keep her out of school early, with her being *so* eager to learn. There are a lot of days when 'baby school' looks like a new craft with Mommy or simply a million tiny scraps of paper on the floor around her because she has practiced cutting. The child *loves* scissors!

Straw Bale Delivery Day 2017

Secondly, spring brings straw to the Ladybug household!! :) This is our fourth year working up a bale garden. We began in 2014 with a meager four bales of straw, after seeing Karsten's book plugged on the local news at lunchtime. I did not initially realize that I essentially wasted the four bales that year on a mere eight plants. Only six even survived the entire season. What was I thinking?!?!?! Aaaaccck!!!

In 2015, we again stuck with four bales. This time, I had learned more. I added more seedlings to those bales. The result was a beautiful little garden in which I took great pride! Last year, 2016, I doubled the number of bales I had. This time, there were eight lovely bales of straw gracing my back yard. Oh, but I was beside myself with joy! The results were plentiful. We had plenty of food to spare and to share. It was a far cry from the single tomato planter I had growing every summer from 2008-2014! 

Hopefully the start of something good!

That brings us to spring 2017. I found a local farmer who would deliver straw right to my home and had him drop by 12 bales! =) Excuse the old swingset and the otherwise messy look. At the moment, the bales are set up in a U-shape in my back yard. It is like walking out into a smile made of straw. Well, that is how my heart feels about it! 

I intend to remove the swings from the set and fasten hardware cloth across the front of it, all the way to the top. My intention is to grow vining produce (either cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, or watermelon) from the bales positioned in front of the swing. The wiring would allow them to vine up and over the swing, and down the back, as well. Giraffe and I are both ecstatic about this idea!

I see dishcloths, potholders, bath stuff!

Lastly, we've been back at our crocheting again. Thanks to the sale at Michael's, we've just set in a new batch of springtime color cotton skeins. I have at least two of each color pictured. Giraffe is going to try to continue to make and sell small items. :) She's been working on Easter-themed things. I've been working on bath loofas. Chances are she'll keep earning and I'll keep losing money but I don't really even care. It has been a wonderful bonding experience for us. 

The truth is, we slid into 2017 in an emotional heap. The year has continued to pile hurt into our hearts and lives. I'm frankly pretty fed up with that. It may be the heart that keeps you alive but it is the little things which keep you living. Even in the face of my dad's incredible illness (ALS) and the loss of our beautiful Pappaw, we are going to keep living one seed, one stitch, and one smile at a time.