Easter at Eric's

I can't resist taking pictures of Ady. She is so darling.

I don't know why Owen isn't in the picture, but we're lucky we got everybody to stay. Grandpa was taking stuff out to the car. So he came back saying when do we take the picture?

Dad and his two sons were hanging out and I got in the picture too!


The whole clan, hanging out together on Easter. It took a couple of pictures to get the best out of all six people.



By the time we arrived at Eric's house his kids had eaten all their Easter Candy. This is Camron and Grandpa strikin' a pose.
We had ham, funeral potatoes, broccoli, and indian fry bread for desert with maple frosting.

The Cat's vs. the Pea Patch

After planting new peas the other day in the pea patch I discovered the nasty cat poop again. So I guess I didn't have enough pointy sticks so I "searched the world over," and found more. We'll see if I let those cats win this war! Heh, heh (wicked laugh).

I did have some success with other plantings. The hubbard squash and cucumber grew under the grow lite in my kitchen.

Outside in my pots the first seedlings are up for the turnips, radishes and spinach! I'm soo excited.

Cat's Pea Patch (not)

Beverley wanted to know what the sticks looked like so I took some pictures of the sticks and the tiny little peas shoots beginning to grow in the cold weather. So now you know how to scare cats away from your raised beds.
Today it has rained torrents and buckets. It was surely a going to the library day and curling up with a good book.

The Cat Mystery

I planted peas February 2nd, the earliest that I have planted peas. Then I will plant more this week to have peas all summer long. However, the neighbor's cat had been using my raised bed for a bathroom all winter. So I got the brilliant idea from a gardener of 29 years to stick the potty soil with sticks sticking straight up in the air. The cat has not since stepped foot in my pea patch!
I think I won the cat war!
The raised bed above is before I prepared it for planting.
For those who think that the NW never has sun, notice the peach tree backed by intense blue sky. That picture was taken in February 2009.

Growing Groceries Community Mentor

This February I started a 10 month long seminar, the fourth Saturday of each month. It is 4 hours long from 10 to 2 pm. I feel like I am in school again and gaining so much knowedge. We pay a fee for the first seminar and if we go out in the community and teach it the rest of the seminars are free. We just have to document that we actually taught each month. I talked to my Relief Society president and she wanted a gardening group to meet once a month. I volunteered to share the handouts and what I learned each month.
The program is through WSU Extension and the teacher is a retired Master Gardener. She knows so much about vegetable gardens. Saturday a participant came bringing free flower and vegetable seeds. I took those and put them in a bin at church with a tag that said "free seeds." They all got taken so the purpose of handing out free seeds is getting out to the community!
We learned a really neat way to germinate seeds on a moistened paper towel in a ziploc baggie. It acts like a small greenhouse. The seeds sprout in 3-5 days. The picture above is geraniums, so flower seeds can be grown from seed instead of buying in the store. It' s fun to watch the seed sprout and the kids love it too.
I jury-rigged my transplants to within 2 inches of the grow light under my kitchen cabinets. Base is 9 by 13 cake pan, square china platter, 2 one gallon pots and add the plant container equals success! The picture "Indoor planting with grow light" is what I just described.
The flowers are from last summer but they are so beautiful I wanted to share the colors.

More Pictures of David's New Baby

Saving Money Site

I just saw on the news a local Mom who decided she wanted to do a blog about saving money on eating out, grocery shopping and all other types of shopping. She does all the research and has it on her blog. It's not just local here in Seattle.
The blog is mommyswishlist.blogspot.com
If you are interested in the Entertainment Book it is referenced on this site and is now half-off.
The following is an excerpt from her site:

Some Bath & Body Works goodies

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Ellen wanted me to bring your attention to this deal: Go here and print your $10 off coupon good on any Patricia Wexler MD Dermatology purchase at Bath & Body Works. This coupon is valid thru April 5. There are several cleansers on sale this week for $10 (making them FREE with this coupon) including: Acnescription Exfoliating Acne Cleanser, Universal Anti-Aging Cleanser and Dual Action Foaming Cleanser.

Then go here and sign-up for Bath & Body Works emails and get a coupon for a free Signature Collection Shower Gel (up to $10.50 value) when you make any $10 purchase. The coupon is valid through March 25. (but you cannot combine this coupon with the above one. Make separate transactions.)

When you buy any Signature Collection item you also get a free Zip & Go Tote (a $10 value, no coupon required, while supplies last) in your choice of pink, blue, or black.

Find your nearest Bath & Body Works here. They have 1600 stores nationwide, as well as stores in Alberta and Ontario, Canada.