Being neighborly

I was so excited (and a little nervous) when we were invited to eat with our neighbors last night. I was out cutting some spinach out of our garden for part of our dinner, when Greta called over the fence that they have plenty of food and would we like to come get ourselves a plate. They had family over and were grilling out.

We had to get the girls changed, but we got over there. We even stayed and ate with them. Becca was polite to everyone. The food was yummy and we even got cake for dessert. It was nice to actually sit down with our neighbors. We felt so welcome. It was also interesting to hear a little about what it's been like for them to live in this neighborhood for 35 years.

A little later we were taking a walk down the block and we met some other neighbors in the next block who knew our friends, the previous owners.

Garden photos

This is what our garden looked like when we got back from Texas at the beginning of May. There are no plants in the two squares on each side. The top left has 16 radish plants. Below them are 9 spinach plants. Top right is two black seeded simpson lettuce (the green) and two red salad bowl lettuce (one actually never made it and I replanted it). Below that are two winter density/bibb lettuce plants and one swiss chard (the other died and I recently replanted):


Before we left for NC I planted two tomato plants: an heirloom Brandywine and a Roma. I also planted two squares of basil (one in each square) and those are finally up, but haven't gotten past their seedling leaves.

We harvested our first radishes and lettuce on 5/20. I left them out in the sun while I let the girls play (and because Nate accidentally locked us out while he was showering after mowing the lawn) and the lettuce got a little wilted, but we ate it with tacos anyway. Becca even ate a leaf of lettuce with her tortilla and cheese. I have since harvested all the radishes and am planting that square with more lettuce (two simpson and two bibb) since we get our money's worth that way and I'm more likely to eat it.


I finally got a real fence up. I hammered in four metal posts and we used plastic ties to hold the chicken wire to them. I then attached the chicken wire to the wood with nails (no staple gun or would have used that) and keep it tied shut with some rope. We have yet to cut off the excess chicken wire. I wish the ends weren't so sharp. Anyway, the rabbit can't get my lettuce and I'm happy.

Art area take 2

After almost a month of on and off traveling I come home and what do I do? Not laundry (Nate did that...thanks, honey). Not cleaning (our bathrooms are a bit scary). But rearranging the girls toys and art area.

I have no pictures of the toy area. I mostly rearranged that to put their play kitchen in an area that would accommodate the doll high chair Becca is getting from Mima and Popo. And to free up one of the bookshelves for the art area.

Here is a sort of before picture. You can see the art area in the top left corner behind that white blanket. I had nothing better. Basically, the art supplies were stored on two plastic crates on the floor with a blanket over them to hide it.



After:


I think this looks so much better. Top shelf is misc. art supplies in the basket (glue, feathers, pipe cleaners, stickers, etc). Yarn and fabric scraps in the two plastic bins on the left. Second shelf is all painting supplies (paint, paint holders, brushes). Bottom shelf is drawing supplies: paper in the drawers; coloring books next to the drawers; markers, crayons, and colored pencils and scissors.

It works for now and I used things I had, so it was free. Eventually I want a nice looking cabinet that has three or four shelves and is a little wider. I want to get it used, though, so I'm just keeping my eyes open.

Random update

I've been MIA, I know. While in Texas I didn't have much computer access, so I didn't post, plus I didn't want to tell we were away from home.

We had a nice trip to Texas. We survived the drive, though we wish Nate's parents lived closer. I got a migraine on the way down and Nate watched the girls when we go to the hotel...good husband that he is. :) Our second day was a little rough since Ally didn't sleep as much and wasn't happy.

We spent our time there going to the park, playing on the front porch, and getting out shopping a little bit. Nate and I had a date one of the last days there. We went to Half Price Books and got lots of good books (Peter Pan, Just So Stories, Boxcar Children #1-3, 5, Jungle Books, Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, A Pocketful of Crickets, etc). Then we went to a yummy local restaurant for lunch and sat under their outdoor leaf-covered trellis. We topped that off with Ben and Jerry's. It was a nice time. Our last day there we went to our old church in Houston and had a delicious, homemade lunch with some dear, kind friends.

Our trip back was pretty good. We arrived home around 7-8pm, unpacked, and got to bed late.

Our garden is doing well. A rabbit or something got to the spinach, some of the radishes, and some of the lettuce when I left our cage off. I hope the spinach survives. Otherwise I might try to plant it again. One of my chard and one of my red lettuce died. I bought a roma seedling and a brandywine tomato seedling and those are in. I can't wait for the tomatoes! I'll plant basil seeds in a day or two.

Does anyone want a cat? We're looking for a home for Cassie. Praying for a loving, attentive (she needs lots of attention) home for her. Not really doing much looking, but hoping to find someone. It's sad, I know, but we think it would be best for all involved. We just don't give her enough attention since I rarely sit down, even in the evenings (though I do rest during the girls' rest time), to pet or play with her. I think she'd be responsive to clicker training, but I don't have the time or consistency to teach her. If we can't find anyone, we'll keep her and give her what we can.