Growing Naturally

Growing Naturally (in my sidebar) is just what I needed! Basically, we aren't homesteading yet so we don't quality for the homesteading homeschooler webrings or forums BUT we are steadily moving towards that life and we value many of the same things. We are not alone!

What drew me to this project were these lines:

That being a child who is familiar and fascinated with rocks, birds, mosses,
squirrels, tracks, lizards, bugs, rivers, seashells, frogs, ducks, or mud puddles is a
Grand Thing To Be.

AND

In catching frogs -or trying to- and chasing lizards.

AND

In leaving a couple of weeds in our gardens alone because the beneficial spiders
call them home.

AND

We believe in painting outdoors.
In collecting acorns and pine cones.
In compost.
And earthworms.

Why? This is my Lil'Bug to a T. She is a child of the outdoors, of mud, of barefoot delight in the sunshine. She is my muddy hippo. When the boat was mentioned at breakfast, she lit up and insisted on going tonight. It is raining and she doesn't care. She wants to plant seeds even though the frost date is 40 days away. She splashes in every puddle she can.

I want to honor all of those things, for her to learn from life, and to nurture every joy she has. This project seems perfect for us. :) There will be a new label. There will be new adventures. There will be a gingham "spinning" dress!

The Boat on the Water

Let me just say this: I hate boats. I really do. Maybe I was on the Titanic in a past life or some such, but I have an intense fear of drowning. Not in a pool. I can swim ok, but murky, mucky water and a questionable floating/sinking contraption...... yeah, no. I used to actually carry a window punch just in case I drove off the road into a flood or river and became submerged in a vehicle. I used to insist on owning a vehicle with manual windows so I wouldn't have to use the window punch in same said scenario.

The joy my family gets from it usually outweighs my nervousness. This was not the case last week. I felt queasy and tired and had never been on this boat, the new boat.

Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors, the sunshine, the woods....just not being on a boat of any kind. It may stem from childhood boat experiences, it may be a physiological balance/motion sickness issue.

Lil'Bug, on the other hand, loves it. She could float and swim in any water all day long. No problem.

Dearest Husband is the same way. He loves it. He'd live on a boat if he could.

This is my view, clutching my camera, hoping I don't vomit or start sobbing. I did both eventually, but not in the boat. Sure, 8 months pregnant, but still. I hate boats. Actually the sobbing happened when he had to back our truck into the water to hitch the boat back on the trailer. Right, truck in water, me and kid strapped/buckled up in truck= lots of tears (and laughter from Lil'Bug, the little stinker.....).

Geeze, they are so cute. I can't wait until they can go without party pooper me. I can't wait until they can go float all day long while I curl up on the shore in the shade with a good book and some chocolate.

Solo Lo Lo

Today I am on my own.

Kiddo is at Grandma and Papaw's house. Dearest is at a Hunter's Safety class. I have the whole day to myself to catch up on bills and my class stuff. Almost done. Crazy. I am grading papers while watching Ocean's 13. Goodness. When that's over, I will be done and I'm heading outside to do something, anything. It's 65 degrees and sunny!

Yesterday when we were out at the state park, the drive out there was foggy. Thick, literary fog, the kind that belongs in 1800's Victorian novels surrounding dark manor houses. Morning fog, swirling off the snow dusting from Thursday. Lil'Bug said it was families of ghosts dancing in the trees.

Then, suddenly, we passed a grove a trees and sunlight burst out over everything, no fog. I stopped the car and looked back.....a wall of fog behind us, clear view in front. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't get pictures of the destination park in the fog, but also happy that our class wouldn't be canceled.

Then today I visited a new blog (soon to be on my blogroll, btw, good reading!) and the quote at the top was this:

If you stand with your left foot in yesterday and your right foot in tomorrow, you’ll pee all over today. (Sandra D.)

Yeah. That's just about what I've been doing as of late with my grumping around, digging up bones of old hurts and hugging them tight. Yes, looking to the future, planning like mad, but ruining our todays. The fog has lifted and I feel so much better. Thank you to all who listened this week.

Comment Spammers

I recently attempted to eliminate the word verification feature on my blog. Why? I moderate comments anyway, what should it matter.....besides, it is really annoying when I get it wrong over and over, why do that to people trying to comment?

Why? Ugh. It matters. I am sorry. Twice now for my post on Nesting have spammers tried to hit me with a virus. A VIRUS! AN EXE! I didn't even go to their stupid link. I went to their blogger profile and attempted to view their blog (that's what I do for all unrecognized commentors, btw, it is how I first found the lovely Christine at Welcome to My Brain and now so many others). Simply clicking on their blog, started a download of something evil.

Lucky for me, my Dearest, IT guru, was nearby. He quickly grabbed my mactop, emergency powered down, then did some stuff so that here I am typing away today.