Vegetable Rows and Cottage Whimseys

I was thinking today about the vegetable garden at our former home, off on the southeast edge of our third-acre lot, and also of the cottage-style flower beds, above, which we had in front of the house.

My husband, having come from a background as a farmhand, was a wonderful gardener, and we always had a great vegetable garden, with sweet corn, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes--oh, can FarmBoy grow tomatoes!--which we enjoyed in countless delicious summer feasts.

My contribution to the yard was the front cottage garden which I started one week when FarmBoy was away. I bought a little thyme and some lavender, but primarily I began with old-fashioned plants I admired in the gardens of friends, which they happily divided and shared. Then, once the garden got going, it was mostly populated by volunteers, little plants that just showed up and which I gratefully nurtured along.

At first, seeing my volunteers, FarmBoy, with his background in vegetable gardening, would declare, "That's a weed. Pull it out." I'd stand guard over the plant before him, facing down his menacing hoe, and reply, "A weed is merely a plant that is growing where someone doesn't want it to grow. I want that there, therefore, it is not a weed." In time, he understood; we compromised. Soon we each had our gardens. He had his rows of neatly manicured vegetables, and I had my artfully arranged collection of native and transplanted pretty things.

I was thinking today that those two distinct gardens stand for me as a metaphor for our current educational system. The best schools are like the vegetable garden. Each plant in my husband's garden was respected and treated for its individual qualities, and because he carefully watered and weeded his plot the result was an admirable harvest. The vegetable garden was a great place to grow sweet corn, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. It was a beautiful thing.

But, then, there were the others, those I gave a home to in my cottage garden. Some sorts of plants don't thrive in rows, or even respond well to watering. Some, although glorious in a mountain meadow or with their feet in the shallows of a pond, appear to be weeds when growing among the vegetables. Some don't produce anything consumable, but are merely beautiful. Some just don't belong in a vegetable garden.

I'm glad I had a place for those others. Where is the place for such others in the school-gardens of our modern world?

Saturday Walk

FarmBoy and I took our usual Saturday morning walk today, under a remarkably clear blue sky. It's a four mile walk, and we take it only on Saturdays, because stretches of it are along roads too busy to walk along on the week days. I was thinking today how our walk is like life: it is not all pleasant (today, for instance, we were confronted with someone's milk-jug porta-potty), but there is so much beauty if we take the time to notice it.

I wish I could post for you my favorite part, which is the birdsong. The birds sing gloriously as we walk.

A Daily Dose of Nature

This is a path not far from our house, near the cliffs that overlook the water. There is something so healing to me about all that green. (And isn't that God shining through in the upper left corner?)

The House is Ominously Quiet Today

Ilshammar's Olmen Fishing Village, Sweden

This photo has nothing to do with me except that I love it. I was looking under "calm" in the Creative Commons pictures at flickr.com, and I found this. I love the colors. I love the feel. I am so thankful for people who share on the Internet. If you click on the picture, you can see more of Ilshammar's beautiful photos.

New Music Discovery

I had some precious one-on-one time today with my favorite little boy. Found some great music to listen to by the Laurie Berkner Band. If you like, you can sample it here. (Note that it's extra nice if you have a little person to dance with you while you listen.)

The Vine

As part of my morning reading, I came across this scripture, John 15:1-5, one of my very favorites. It is so succinct and so very true for me.


"For without me, ye can do nothing."

Pirate Cuties

I found these three friendly pirates at a yard sale last Saturday. I was thinking I'd like to apprehend some more of their crew. All week we've been searching the Internet to find more like them, to no avail. If you know who makes such toys, please leave a comment. There is a logo of two little round-headed angels stamped on the bottom of the boat. Does anyone out there know of a toy manufacturer with such a logo? These mateys are feeling quite marooned.

Loft Converted

This is what the loft looks like this week, with company here. No sewing for me; can't get to the closet. Doing lots of other fun stuff instead, and having a great time.

Two Favorite Guys

Beachy Feet

Here's my favorite little boy experiencing some authentic Washington State sand.

Having Fun

Well, we figuratively took out our harmonicas and played "Polly Wolly Doodle", like in the movie, and, sure enough, good things happened.
Some of the highlights of the past several days are:

• eating chocolate truffles,
• tossing rocks into a pail,
• watching Billy Elliot,
• reading to my boy,
• trying a new salsa,
• placing first at dominoes,
• placing last at dominoes,
• bowling on the Wii,
• walks every morning,
• sofa conversations,
• many welcome visitors,
• hugs all around,
• good night kisses,
• a hearty dose of laughter,
• lots of family love,
• sunshine in the morning.

Films with Heroes

Sometimes a girl just needs a hero. I like film heroes, among others. Here are some of my favorite films for heroic characters. (The picture at the left is from Seven Samurai.)



Captain Blood (1935)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
Seven Samurai (1954)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
The Twilight Samurai (2002)

Nutty for Order

Does anyone else watch Monk and wish he would come put their home into order, as his is? With seven in the house this week, he's been on my mind.

Coming Home

There are a lot of good things about taking someone to a private trombone lesson. The drive home can be one of them.

No Ordinary People

I keep thinking that I need to be fabulous. When rubbing shoulders with those who are fabulous reminds me that I am quite ordinary, I like to remember how C.S. Lewis honored those such as I. As he said, "There are no ordinary people." See his quote here. Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Thank you for so much.

Toothbrushes at the Ready

I'm doing a toothbrush-clean of the bathrooms today. No, not because I am a fastidious housekeeper. I am still weak and tired from illness, but I decided that if I can manage to brush my teeth, I can manage to brush the bathrooms, too. Company is coming for two weeks, and the least they deserve is sparkling bathtubs and sinks and toilets.

Old toothbrushes work great.

On the Mend

I am finally beginning to feel like myself again. But, I'm still not feeling up to taking our daily walk. Here is the marsh road behind our house, missing us.

Porch Flowers

FarmBoy moved the flowers from our porch window boxes and lifted down the hanging baskets and put them all on the front steps this morning to enjoy the misty rain. Aren't they gorgeous?

Sickness to Go

I got all checked out on the CT scan today, and things look good. Apparently I have a bug, and it will soon go away. (I am sorry if I have breathed in your direction lately.)

Getting Well

I visited the medical clinic today and got a shot of antibiotics, as well as a prescription for more. Tomorrow I get to have an abdominal CT scan. I'm thankful for a caring nurse practitioner and other medical people, and to live in an age when such helps are available. Hopefully I will be back on my feet soon.

Meanwhile, I started another quilt last night. BLUE! I'm loving it.
Here are some of the strips.

Apple Orchard Quilt

I'm still sick, but quilting is a great pastime for someone who doesn't move around a lot. Last night I finished the latest quilt. I'm calling it the Apple Orchard Quilt. It looks very Washington-State-like to me. The colors are red and green and yellow delicious.

I managed to make a bias binding, and I'm very pleased with it. The whole quilt feels much sturdier with the edges done well. I hand sewed the binding on the back side, which took about a million stitches, but looks ever-so-much better than what I get when I machine sew.

I used the random strips again, as you can see. Just love that technique. Thank you again to those who share their skills online. Here are links to the strip quilt tutorial, which was the springboard for my own modified version, and the bias edging directions.

Atenolol Quilt

I've decided the Atenolol quilt is well-made enough to be shared. I will be giving it to our church quilt drive. I'm folding it up and putting it away with the Humanitarian Dolls. It's a good feeling to know I made a quilt to pass along. I hope it is just the first of many.

A Favorite Painting

Here is a favorite painting of mine, which seems to me to be about a lot of things. It speaks to my spirit and I find it very comforting. It is "The Shortening Winter's Day is Near a Close" by Joseph Farqhuarson.

Still Sick

The BRAT diet is saving me, once again. (I use the BRATY version, with plain yogurt added.) What a great discovery!

Sick Day