Four cool, crafting chicks, and other animals.

Here are three of the four chicks (the fourth being me) who had an impromptu gathering at Mindy's home this weekend, to have time to do art with no interruptions. Shanna is a painter. Mindy is a belly dancer and visual artist. Claudia is a scrapbooker, what Allie Edwards would call a life-artist. I was planning on writing. We did spend time doing art, some of it collaborative, and I have a better idea of what I am going to write when I start my own private nanowrimo next week. But mostly, it was about the eating, the home-made margaritas, the laughing, the uninterrupted thoughts, and the talking. It's good to get a women-only fix every so often. I felt recharged to run home and hug my boys and give thanks to Nicolas.
Laughter is good.
Of course, whenever an animal is part of the cast, it tends to steal the show. Here is Christy, the neighbor's cow who needed milking twice a day (the neighbor being on vacation). Mindy and Claudia took on this large chore. I commemorated their hard work with Christy portraits.

The volunteers doing their synchronized milk dance.
The neighbor's rooster was the angriest, meanest damn rooster that any of us had ever met. He attacked Mindy earlier that week. She still has the bruises.Mindy, shovel in hand, checking under the milking barn for A.R.'s covert war trench.
Today, back home, many beautiful winged visitors came a'callin' through out the day.



The only local farm pictures of this past week come from Gillen and Jesse's backyard farm, where they have been proudly harvesting their first radishes.


Hope you all, well, you who may still be reading here after my long blog break, had a wonderful weekend. May everyone have had a good weekend, those who read here and those who don't. May Diana have had a fabulous fortieth birthday (again I am late with a card). May I learn how to make mix-CDs that can be played on non-mp3 players. May itunes let us record songs that we have just bought from them, or may they never get my money again. May I have something to say when I sit down to write next week. May exercise (having been on on hiatus here for a few years) happily re-enter my life tomorrow, since it lost it's chance to return today. May I now go get the sleep I missed for much of May. And may this mosquito die a quick and painless death when I finally stop typing and kill it.

Monday Farm Photos

Doesn't this look like a plague of purple and white locusts? Or fairies? Or Mardi Gras bees?
Agrostemma stole the show today. Two long rows of it were fully expressing themselves, attracting all local birds,bees,insects, and Gillen and I, with their ethereal charm.
Here they are sharing the spotlight with other new Helen blooms.

There is some duck news to report - Mae Belle is sitting on thirteen eggs, get this, surrounded by roosters in the temporarily male-only-chicken coop, otherwise known as death row. Gillen says that she laid the eggs about two to three weeks ago and has been sitting on them about a week. I so hope that Mae Belle and the other two ducks will soon be followed closely by a long line of sweet, squeaky ducklings.

In turkey news, I am sad to report that one poult drowned and the other one got out of the fence and did not return. The Bronze turkey mamas are laying, but not yet sitting.

The plums are starting to ripen.
Gillen made up for an earlier sibling moment he'd had with his brother by giving him the one perfectly ripe plum he found hanging off of a tall branch; still showing Jesse who could carry whom, but with kindness.
The farmers taking a moment to smell the roses, and scratch their feet.
Jesse has been spending lots of time practicing on his new Ocarina. He has made up a tune called "Unite of Underground" (which I mistakenly thought was "You Knight of Underground" but was corrected). He is presently working on his second composition - "The Tuki Tune", named for our dog Tuki, not two keys. This time, I called it correctly the first time.

Long Way Round

We have started watching this documentary about Ewen McGregor and his friend going around the world on their motorcycles. Apparently it was shown in episodes on TV at some point. We rented it from Netflix. We are only two episodes into it and I am hooked, and I think that the crush I am developing on Ewen McGregor is only part of the reason.

It has me thinking about risky decisions, about passions, about the balance between purely personal pursuits and serving, being with family - how these intersect.

Giving myself hours to write, next month, is my motorcycle trip. What's yours?

Georgia Renaissance Festival

Despite loving the Renaissance living history class that he just took, Jesse really didn't want to go to the Renaissance Festival today. The tickets were bought, the rest of us wanted to check it out, for the first time ever, and it was one of those occasions where Jesse had to come along, despite his reticence and whinging.

When we saw this sea of cars, I wondered if he'd had the right instincts.

But once inside, we didn't feel the crowds like I thought we might and we all had a good time. whew! He ended up telling us that he was really glad that we came.

There were jousting and sword-fighting shows, giant turkey legs to eat, tons of Renaissance-geared people to watch, and fun games. Here is Gillen jousting on a Griffin.

Jesse also loved the Griffin. I like the little Renaissance-clad girl who is watching him. It would be fun to own some Renaissance costumes. Gillen liked the vests (I know there is a better word for them) and I fancied the corsets and flower hair pieces.
Jesse asked for his first instrument and we were happy to get it for him - it is called an Ocarina and is an ancient type of flute. He got a songbook with it that is filled with songs from Zelda, Ocarina of Time, one of his favorite video games, and the reason that he was aware of this instrument.
At one point, I was in ye olde coffee hut waiting for my sweetened iced coffee while the guys were off buying Gillen a sword. I thought, "this is my chance to do some serious people watching" and looking up saw a woman a foot in front of me chewing on a large piece of beef jerkey. It looked really good. She looked really familiar. She was a fellow unschooling mom whom I hadn't seen since last year's unschooling conference! Dame Mary Alice! A goodly time was had by all - our boys becoming acquainted via sword fighting. Now I can't stop thinking in Olde English, but I'd best stop writing in it.

Uniformly unique

My boys have definite opinions about their clothes. Their favorite outfits change every few years and are completely different from one another and from their parents. Though I will do all I can not to go shoe shopping with my oldest boy again (well, for at least a season - or after some therapy) I really do appreciate each boy's unique style. Gillen has wide feet but prefers style to comfort and.. I may have some shoe issues.

Below is one of the many pajama outfits that Jesse wears when he knows we are not getting in the car all day.
Here was the outfit he chose to do his Shakespearean Yorick monologue (when Hamlet speaks to the skull of his father's dead jester) today in his final Renaissance class. It worked. Here they are all acting out Shakespeare's "Seven Stages of Man".
I can't remember which stage of Man the dramatic de-hatting and de-caping was all about. His classmate seems perplexed.

See the blond, skateboard shoe-wearing camouflaged boy in the back? That would be the visiting brother who did not want to take this class and who "hates theater". He was only able to sit back and watch for ten minutes before throwing himself into the fray. There were lots of opportunities for death scenes and none were as dramatic as Gillen's. He wants to take the class next fall.

"Back to the Garden" trailer

Remember those wonderful documentary film makers who filmed Nicolas last month and then taught me to roast asparagus? I just saw the trailer for their upcoming film. I thought it was great. They have a blog where they are documenting their process.

They also made a documentary about a small Maine town fighting off a Wal-Mart intrusion. I would love to see that as well. Gillen and I had a date today to buy things for his garden and to buy a new baby pool for his ducks. Due to the crazy gas prices, we did not drive from the nursery to Target, a half hour further away, to get the pool. We went next door, to Wal-Mart and I entered it's creepy super doors, for the first time in over a year, with appropriate down-faced shame.

If only we had closer alternatives or I were more energetic like those Wally-World-fighting moms in Maine.

Beautiful Farm Pictures

The following were taken by my sister, Bhu Sullivan.

Inspired by :

-Molly's lemon-dill salad dressing, which I have been making every other day for a few weeks. It is unbelievable that a salad dressing can be so life-changing.

-Danielle's farming blog which has finally pushed me to join the summer eat local challenge. It asks you to eat one all-locally produced meal a week and then post about it on your blog. We eat mostly local meals so it's time I learned how to take pictures of a few of them (I am challenged by food pictures) and share some recipes here - not, Farmer Nicolas, that I am not hard at work on a farm website as well. I am, in my mind, conceiving all kinds of brilliance with all of this inspiration.

-Next month (gulp), inspired by a tiny germ of an idea I've had in my mind for years, I am taking on the National Novel Writing Month Challenge. The challenge happens, with lots of support from the website and from fellow participants, in November. But June is the month that my kids have chosen to attend lots of day camps so that is the month when I will have hours of uninterrupted time in which to procrastinate write. I do wish that I had fellow writers to do this with. Anyone else want to join me?

-Jen Lemen's blog where she is recounting her soulful (Stephanie's apt word for Jen)and successful attempt to raise money and cards for girls in Rwanda. She is making the trip to Rwanda this month and has created a zine that is beautiful. There is so much more to the story. Check it out.She and Stephanie (and Danielle) inspire me to think and create with a world-view, and/or to support those who already do.

Tamar's comment on this recent, somewhat self-deprecating post of mine. She talked about how an accessory or style choice can make you feel great, just as Gillen's new cowboy hat had him walking tall last week. That comment helped inspire my newest hair accessory, which I purchased yesterday while shopping with my sister. It was also inspired by my love of a Wedgewood China ashtray we had growing up, by how awesome my mother looked in head scarves and by how good I feel when I wear Julie Person's hair accessories.

Lastly, I am inspired by Jesse's peace post to live in my peaceful "yes" and fight to control the dramatic "no" demon and reactive witch who occasionally also inhabit my body.

Anyone out there inspired to write 50,000 words with me next month (while living peacefully and eating locally of course)?

Those only inspired by the farm photos - they are coming! Taken by my photographer sister, they are amazing.

Six Word Memoir Title

Deanne tagged me.

1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words. (I did see this)
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person that tagged you.
4. Tag five more blogs.

I didn't have trouble with the six words but came up with too many titles. I guess my memoir would be a series. What an interesting tag. Thanks Deanne.

Speaking of tags, a tag that I wanted to do but never got to (which is true of so many loose ends to which I later return) provoked my first title:

Still haven't done Sandra's winter tag.

Effervescently joyful though too often tired.

Touched by everything yet seriously silly.

I tag:

Angie
Rue
Mindy
Jesse I asked him what he would do and his answer was the best mother's day gift I could ever want. I'll let him post it. Of course, it could always change by then. But it was about living peacefully with his family. (Later - he did it. I swear he came up with this. He did add, as he wrote, "sometimes Gillen and I aren't so peaceful on the trampoline" but he insisted that peace was the word he wanted as his blog title.)
Gillen

A midweek southern "din-nah"

The photo below was not taken by my talented-with-a-camera (and so much more) sister, unlike all but one of the other photos, so I feel that I can complain about the bad angle that has made a shelf of my breasts. Now that I am whinging, I will just add that it would have been swell if I had decided to actually wash or maybe comb my hair that morning and maybe choose another outfit. The angle seems to have worked for my father, son and sister, so I decided to eat crow (well, fried green tomatoes) and publish it anyway. I'll have to risk the possibility that youthful-for-their years old friends and lovers may be lurking here and get on with it (and start doing "the Firm" again, soon).Here are some undeniably beautiful Foxgloves from that day, as taken by Bhu.These pictures were taken at The Blue Willow Inn yesterday. In honor of Bhu's visit home, our father took us there for lunch - also sometimes referred to as dinner in these parts. The restaurant is housed in a big old southern mansion surrounded by fountains and beautiful landscaping. Bhu had her rehearsal dinner there when she got married two years ago. Food is served buffet style and includes fried everything, turnip greens (cooked down with ham hocks),sweet potato souffle, mac and cheese and many cobblers(to name just a few of the selections). Gillen was in heaven, except for the deserts - he prefers homemade. His highlight - he got to see a cowboy. Once we got home, he recreated that cowboy's outfit and has been wearing it for two days.

The highlight for me was bumping into Ms. Whit there - our 103 year old friend, whom we have known since I was eight. She told us about having just gone to Turner Field last night to watch the Braves play. She is a huge baseball fan. We made plans to go watch a game with her at her house in the next few weeks. She is so lucid, and funny! She loves to crack jokes about having tried to iron out her wrinkles. She drinks coffee everyday, and likes donuts and strange non-foods like Ensure shakes. I think her longevity is due to the fact that she loves life and doesn't take anything too seriously. But I don't know. I want to find the time to hang out with her more and find out. I don't care about the secret, she is just wonderful to hang out with.

I like this last photo. One of my boys is actually listening with what may be interest to my gesticulating monologue, and it was not about something he lives for, like hunting, birds, or farming. I feel loved. Not that I don't often feel it, but it's nice to have it captured here.

Monday Farm Photos

Gillen is at Bhu's mom and stepdad's home with Bhu tonight. Apparently, last Thursday while Jesse and I were in Atlanta, he charmed them with a farm tour and the gift of freshly picked, washed and dried lettuce.

Bhu's stepfather, Tom, is a hunter and her mother, Elizabeth, frequently sees Painted Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks (among other rare birds) in her backyard. So Gillen was thrilled to go. He had sprained (we think) his big toe yesterday, so he couldn't do much Monday farming anyway.

So, it was up to Jesse and I to help out the farmer.

We arrived at about 4:30 p.m. The first order of business - Jesse decided to move some rocks.
I needed to take pictures of Helen's newly blooming flowers:And of the beautiful greens:Realizing how tired I was at this point, I mosied into Helen's house for some water. Jesse showed up five minutes later, also in great need of a break.

But then we got (a bit)busy - transplanting, egg collecting and watering.

Nicolas decided to try putting the turkey eggs (that are being ignored by mama Cody) under a brooding hen. Jesse doodled on them so that we would recognize them as being from the turkeys.He tried to place them under a sitting hen but we very quickly called for help from Nicolas, who had way too much fun rebuking the hen's pecks as he succeeded in placing the eggs.

The final farm chore - dancing a few stray hens back into their quarters. MardiGras beads flying, Jesse easily scared the girls back through the open gate.

"Dangerous Boys" and "Daring Girls"

Sophie loves her Daring Book for Girls and brought it with her this visit. It is one cool book. I kept borrowing it. I learned about a scary slumber party game called "Bloody Mary", had my palm read by Sophie and watched she, Ella and Gillen make friendship bracelets - all from the inner secrets of the book. Did you know that Julia Child, of French ("save the liver"!) cooking fame, was once a spy? It's true. I learned it in the book.

Seeing Sophie loving her Daring Book inspired Gillen to take a second look into his Dangerous Book For Boys. He was not disappointed. I went to say goodnight to he and Jesse and Mindy's boys in their room last night and Gillen was reading the all important Dangerous Boy's page about girls to the other boys.

This morning, Sophie shared her book's chapter about boys and Gillen read his about girls, to the females this time. I could have used this advise at their age. Girls were instructed that boys were not necessarily as gross, messy and silly as the stereotype. Friendship with boys was considered a good idea (as well as a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to maybe wait until age nineteen to take an interest in boys).The boys were warned that girls didn't necessarily like secret messages drawn in urine or to hear a boy pass gas. I liked it very much, especially as read by these two - so innocent and wise, and not in any way clueless as I was about the opposite sex. They have true friends of the opposite sex, including one another.

Annual Youth Birding Competition

Gillen has participated in this GA competition ever since he became passionate about bird watching. This year, he is seeking out the birds with friends and with a lot less emphasis on the numbers. It's been so much fun and is about to continue. We have been having a long swim and lunch break but are back to the woods now.




I think Mindy's kids have started to like birding. But it was nice to have a pool break.