Finished Product

Cookie Cooking Christmas

Homemade Advent

We (meaning I) forgot to get purple candles on time. So, Pearce whipped up some purple paint on his paint mixer and he and I painted some TP and a paper towel roll cut into 1/3s. Then we got some electric tea lights and voila we have advent candles.

It’s Christmas Time Again

Found a Filé Tree

Found an ear of corn I had missed. Now I've got more seeds for next year. That always makes me smile.

Farm Studies

I needed to get the grass in for composting but Pearce didn't want to get a shower before we went to eat. He's also got a test tomorrow. So, he drove the truck and I loaded the grass. During the down times while I was tossing grass into the bed he was rereading his notes.

Plucked and Shucked

P and his Hairstylist

Guess What’s Going on the Table Tonight

Science Is So Cool

...About a mile below camp I was startled to come upon a pony trail, so deeply cut into the soft chalk that I knew each horse must be carrying a burden. It had been made within the hour, and as I was anxious to find out what it meant, I took the back trail to the river. There I found that a large band of warriors had sought shelter from the rain in a willow thicket, tying bunches of the. twigs together and throwing deer or antelope skins over them to shed the water. They had squatted within these shelters until the storm had passed, and then cooked their breakfasts, as the live coals in many of the ash heaps testified. 

There were no squaws or children along; it makes no difference whether women are white or red, they always lose some of their belongings wherever they go, and there was none of such property at this camp. 

The ponies had been tied to the bushes and not allowed to graze, showing that the party had not expected to camp here, but had simply taken shelter from the rain to avoid the discomfort of traveling with wet buckskin moccasins and leggings. I learned later that it was a large band of Kiowas, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes, under their famous chief, Crazy Horse, going north to join commands with Sitting Bull, in Montana...

Charles H. Sternberg, The Life of a Fossil Hunter

This guy on his first fossil hunt crosses the path of Crazy Horse on his way to Little Big Horn less than an hour after they went through. It's almost like something out Indiana Jones.

Rat Patootie

We got a huge eggplant, some red onions, and yellow bell peppers in the veggie box at school yesterday. So, I decided ratatouille was going on the menu, for Kristi and myself at least, at our house. Well, there's no better way to get the minions into food they're not used to than letting them help when they ask.
I cut up the onions, Claire added the tomato paste and sautéed them. Pearce cut up the tomatoes and I got on the zucchini and peppers. I also did for the Aubergine (look at me being polley view francey).
Claire also cut some lavender and rosemary off the pots on the porch. I got the oregano because it's the newest and smallest of the herbs.
Well, it's all in the crockpot now and we'll see what we see in a few hours. The kids and I are going to finish watching Ratatouille.

Grilling in the Rain

Grilling burgers and dogs in the rain with Claire Bear and listening to Big Band music. Thinking of Papa.

Big City Greens

If this goes well guess what I might be growing this fall

Dinner on Deck

Go for Launch

New Day, New Mower

Hail Hydra

Bird Girl

Egg Drop S’up

Claire's science project. Doing the drop the egg experiment. Successful 3 out of 4 times from a 9'4" height. The drop case was a 6.3"x4.5" cardboard coffee can insulated with paper towels, shopping bags, and a change purse.

Beach ‘Brella Bibliophiles

My Own Personal Giro

Maundy Thursday Potato Barrel Prep

Pearce and Claire helping to get ready to plant potatoes tomorrow. I couldn't figure out how to show the annual listening to the Good Friday Potato message, but that's how we got started.
Years ago Dad used to call to remind me to plant my potatoes on Good Friday. He also reminded me how to plant them every year. I saved the last one. We listen to it on Holy Week every year.
Claire's contribution is that y'all get to see Pearce and I working on the barrel.

Road into Jerusalem

Pearce and Claire broke out the chalk after we attended Palm Sunday service remotely. We've got people waving palm branches and coats and cloaks spread before the King.

The Orange Fortress of Solitude

Retro Day

Hooked up the Atari FlashBack2 that K gave me a few years ago. Watching Raiders of the Lost Ark while Pman plays BattleZone. Oh yeah we had home made pizza to.

Our Own Chicken Run

Game Play

This is how the kids prefer to play their video games.

I Need the Hydrospanner

Harrison has a hitch in the giddy up of the fourth cylinder. So I had to pull the coil pack and spark plug. The red circle indicates where the work would be going on. Fun right? Well, my 3/8's ratchet is busted, as in fall apart busted. On top of that Dad's 3/8's ratchet has lost its ratchet unless you cross your eyes your left big toe in your right ear.

With all that against me I've gotten to the point of putting everything back in. Let's all hope it's the plug and not the coil pack. Plug $4 versus Coil Pack $18.

Taking a break to get up the energy to battle the ratchet and the reach one more time. I'm also calling to see if Lowe's or Ace replace Craftsman tool for free like Sears used to.

It’s My Birthday

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood