A Trip to the Zoo

Yesterday, on a whim, we took a trip to the zoo in the Big City. It was a quick, low maintenance outing--grab the kids, throw some bottles of water in the bag, and out the door. It turned out to be one of the best outings we've had in a long time. The zoo was beautiful, the weather was very cooperative, and the kids were on their best behavior. How often does that happen?

Here's Monet taking a break from his self-appointed stroller-pushing duties. That rope bridge isn't very stroller-wheel friendly. ;-)
The girls were very impressed with the hugangous monarch caterpillar. I was very impressed with the amazing gardens!

An inside look at a cone-shaped hydrangea.

The jellyfish exhibit was absolutely incredible. God was very imaginative on the day he dreamed up these creatures.

The butterfly bench was quite creative, too. God must have been feeling very imaginative on the day he created creative human beings. :-)

Then tonight we had a family night, choosing for our movie disc 3 of Planet Earth, the Shallow Seas segment, which featured many of the animals we saw at the zoo. The series is awe-inspiring, giving us a glimpse of what goes on in places we'd likely never get to see otherwise. If you haven't seen it, you simply have to.

And now it's thunderstorming (good thing it wasn't doing this yesterday!), so it's time to shut down for the night. Blessings!

It's a hard life, but it's a good, good life...

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Well, I kind of go back and forth between thinking my garden is going to kill me this year and loving it to death. Today, I'm kind of in-between and, if not one with nature, then at least we're oozing into each other a bit more.

Our beautiful hilltop home is surrounded by acres and acres of fertile fields. I can see them all from just about every window of my house. Notice, my friends, that I said, "surrounded by." What that means is that this fabulous peak that gives me such incredible views just doesn't have any good soil.

Pulling weeds and pickin' stones
Man is made from dreams and bones
Feel the need to grow my own
'Cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain
To the music from the land

So, for the past seven years, from the very moment that I stepped foot on this piece of paradise, I've been working to tame the land. Clay, sand, rock, and the neighbor's newly-planted trees that border--ah, yes, even hover--over my garden area have all been issues to contend with. I've had years when my tomatoes have been attacked by hornworms, and blossom end-rot, and calcium deficiency, and an attack of goats, and the neighbor's cows, and the other neighbor's children. I've had years when I tilled and turned and double-dug only to be thwarted by weeds that popped up and choked out everything practically overnight. I've had raised beds rot away, birds devour cherries just moments before they were ripe, curculio worms eat my peaches from the inside out, and chickens dig up every last newly sprouted nasturtium seedling. My dogs love rolling in freshly spread mulch and freshly planted perennials, and my cats, like all cats, can't resist a brand new litter box shaped like a flower bed.

But I persist. I'm not sure why. I think it's a combination of naivety, stubbornness and a strong desire to hold on to a dream.

Because I've always had this image of a house surrounded by beautiful flowers, productive fruit trees, plentiful vegetable gardens, and chickens gently scratching away the grubs and cabbage worms. Of big, lazy dogs lounging on the porch (not in the flower bed, you see), and cats stretched out among the catnip.

Plant your rows straight and long
Thicker than with pray'r and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care
Old crow watchin' hungrily
From his perch in yonder tree
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there

So, sure, I've had to do some adjusting. I've learned a bit about fences, and about multiple plantings, about sticking sharp things where you don't want animals to lay or dig or scratch. I know now that I have to pick the cabbage worms off the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage every day, not just when I see the pretty white moths appear fluttering above my garden. I've finally figured out that when the dogs find a patch in the garden that they like, I don't chase them away and replant what they dig up. I just leave that spot empty for them, let them feel like they won the battle. Chasing them away just sends them to a new spot, anyway.

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless the seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Anyone who tells you that gardening isn't hard work is probably growing something illegal. It's a heck of a lot of work, and there are days when I don't think it's worth it at all.

But today I do. And that's what will keep me going tomorrow.

That's the country life.

Happy Birthday, Houdin!

Houdin is away at camp as a counselor for the week, and today, on his birthday, I'm thinking of him. When he gets home, we'll have a birthday celebration for him and a Father's Day celebration for Bo and my dad.

It's pretty strange not having Houdin here. Dare I say it's quite a bit quieter? But at the same time, when I need someone to lift this or carry that or run here or hurry there, I remember how helpful he is. I'm sure he's enjoying his week of training at camp and will be a big hit with the camp kids; that environment is right up his alley.

So send birthday wishes his way, and we'll be sure he gets them when he gets home.

::: happy birthday, son! :::