Monday, June 4, 2012

don't fence me in

Dinner: salmon on the grill, fat fresh asparagus from our neighbor's neighbor, my awesome rhubarb pie (rhubarb from friend's garden), ice cream, dining on the front porch picnic table.  Tonight: kids in bed, me jumping on the trampoline by moonlight.  Sigh.  I am lapping up this early summer.   
:: We have been busy little beavers.  I keep tucking more plants into the garden when I get a chance: brassicas, beans, sage, oregano, chives, thyme, rhubarb, tarragon, squash....  Mostly, though, the garden has been on hold while we erected what feels like a fortified mote around our "backyard."  We've never had a privacy fence before.  
A few weeks ago, we had a house, a garage and a horse pasture.  Slowly, after daydreaming about it all winter, we are turning a section behind our house into a "backyard."  I've had it all laid out in my mind, but a critical step--a step that came with a wee hint of sadness--was the fence.  We needed a fence to keep kids, chickens and dogs in, while keeping other neighborhood hooligans out.
To be fair, the cow and calf moose only stopped and looked at our carrots.  The free-range neighborhood dogs, on the other hand, ate the dirt where my squash seeds were planted.  Still, moose and two year olds aren't the greatest combination.  Also, we wanted a fence that would help cut the wind and create a protective nook for vegetables, berry bushes and fruit trees.  Right now, our fence feels like a new haircut.  It's awesome.  It's exactly what we wanted.  But it's going to take some getting used to.  It's 6 feet tall; we are considering cutting it down to 5 so we can at least see over the top and wave to the neighbors.

:: In other news, Juniper is the most helpful little garden gnome. 
My man and I were talking about where to plant our basil starts, when Juniper stood quietly at our side, holding a basil plant.  She had identified the basil from a selection of others.  She's been doing this a lot lately: understanding more than we knew, appearing at our side.  Or, performing neat, tidy tasks while we're not looking.  Like giving each basil a birthday cake of dirt. 
:: J bug has been drawing people.  This one is me.  I am a head with eyeballs and glasses, a mouth and feet.  You can call me Mrs. Potato Head.  
Rainy days last week got us re-aquainted with art projects.  Hazel naps, we do playdough.  
:: I should have done a before-and-after, but I re-covered the seat on this oak rocking chair (the old cover matched my room in the 1980's--a pastel pink and blue wispy seashell print). My mom says the chair was my grandpa's when he was a kid.  My dad says my grandpa probably picked it up at a garage sale and refinished it.  Technically, it belongs to my brother, but we appreciate the loan.  

:: In the car, out of the blue, Juniper says, "Mamma has milk-juicy under her shirt."  I sure do and look how chubby it's making this little monkey:   
:: Favorite bed-bouncing rhyme: Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, JACK FELL DOWN....
:: POP QUIZ!!!  Who's who?

:: The other night, my man was snuggled up with Juniper reading bedtime books.  She smiles, reaches over and rubs his teeth then smiles and laughs and says, "Daddy eat a BOODGER!"  She leans over, looks in his face, smiles and giggles.  My man checks his lips and teeth and mouth, does a mouth swipe, doesn't feel anything, finishes reading the book.  Juniper is leaning forward more, looking into his face saying, "What's that? What's that on your face?"  The Mr. starts feeling all around and finds a huge booger sitting on his chin dimple.  Then she says, "Daddy wanna eat that?"

Hope you all are having a good week.    



5 comments:

  1. I was going to comment before even getting to the who's who bit about how much the girls look alike. So sweet! Love the moose. ;)

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  2. Sometimes Juniper's shenanigans make me laugh really hard ~ and look forward to Maggie in about 6 months. Love that girl of yours.

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  3. miss you guys...the girls are beauts. keep up your hard work, you make us all happy to be alive! whos who? thank goodness for handme downs... amazing how much they are similar (in looks, I am sure that personalities impress even you!) have a good summer and lets not be 1.5 hr strangers. thea

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  4. I just love when the littles draw people. Your trampoline views are impressive, but seeing that moose walk by makes me miss Montana and the west.

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  5. What a fun, sweet, lucky family. I definitely can not tell those 2 baby girls apart.
    And holy shit, do you ever get used to moose traipsing around your world?

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