Monday, March 21, 2011

Is This Winter or Spring?

Just to update - the weekend went wonderfully. SJ and I had a great time in AC and Last night in NYC at the Elton John concert was phenomenal. 

This morning I had to make the drive back into NYC to see the doctor. I was all set for the first full day of Spring!!! At 8 this morning I was driving through ....SNOW! ARGH!! Snow should be gone and birds should be singing. LOL.

Now that things are calming down  have been able to get to work on many crafting projects. Knitting baby hats, felting and beading eyeglass cases. I have been trying to get pictures developed onto to disc to load onto this site. I am starting to think that it is time to get a new camera with a hookup to the computer so I can just download pictures.  Does anyone have any suggestions?


Friday, March 18, 2011

Busy Weekend

OOOOH I have a very busy weekend coming up but I don't mind at all. Tomorrow night my baby, SJ (20) and myself are going to AC to see KC& The Sunshine Band. We saw him last year in AC and he was fantastic!  My husband refuses to even acknowledge that we are going(LOL).

Sunday SJ and I are heading into NYC for dinner and to meet my parents at MSG to see Elton John. I really can't wait to see him. 

The only bad part of this weekend is the amount of driving -- but I'll have excellent company!

It was 79 degrees today and beautiful at the Jersey Shore! I was so happy that my dad and I were able to get to Lowes and buy the lumber and screws to make two more raised beds for my new and improved garden.

I had just enough time to squeeze in a run to JoAnn Fabrics and found some really great fabric on sale to make a beach bag for this summer.

Of course the best part of the day is sitting outside and talking to my neighbors. I am very lucky to have such great neighbors. As the weather gets nicer we all head outside and grab our chairs and sit and talk and laugh and laugh!

Keeping you all posted on "Mother". I have been feeding her every day and she seems to be 'percolating'. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!


Thursday, March 17, 2011

PaperBack Swap

I have received most of my wonderful books through  the website paperbackswap.com.

 It is free to join. You open an account, post your books and wait for the requests to come in. Once you get a request you can print out a label and mail out the book to the requester. The only cost to you is the postage. Now you receive one point and can use that point to request a book - which will be sent to you.

I have received craft books, mysteries, self - help, cookbooks, classic novels, best-sellers, you name it! My daughter even was able to trade some of her textbooks from school!

I know I hate to throw out books - so trading them is the next best thing for me!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Bread Day

So today I started "Mother". Hopefully, if I feed her this week by Tuesday I can make a nice loaf of bread. I used organic King Arthur's flour and distilled water. Mixed them together, covered with a damp towel and left on my counter. I'll feed her tomorrow and keep everyone updated.

Since I am such an impatient person I also made a loaf of sweet Hawiian bread that was ready by this afternoon. It made the whole house smell so good. It was a great pm snack with a cup of hot tea.

It was rainy this morning but later in the afternoon it cleared up enough to go outside. I really didn't want to go out back because  I knew it wold be too mush to actually do any work on the garden. I think I will go buy the lumber and the screws to make my new boxes tomorrow.

I am going to finish knitting up baby hats for one of the farm girls to donate to Mongolian babies. I like to do things like hat because I feel that I am giving back and it makes me feel good.

During this season of Lent I am going to try to do one random act of kindness a day. Something that I have to go out of my way to do. An action, a help, not just a donation of money.  it makes me happy to do small things for people, I really like to do them anonymously if it's possible. I better put my thinking cap on for tomorrow...

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Too Many Thoughts in My Head!

Whew - substituted again today!

Ever have that kind of a day where you have so many thoughts in your head that your head starts spinning? That was me today. 

The weather is still warming up (mid 30s) and my thoughts are turning more and more to the garden. I can't wait for that tiller from e-bay to come in. I can till the plots.

 I also have to make a trip to Lowes to get the lumber to make the extra raised beds. I am also going to check into fence posts to paint and put around the garden and then staple chicken wire to them.

Then I wanted to get my "mother" started to make some homemade bread. of course that turned my mind to bread machines. *sigh*

Little voices call to me from my craft room. Projects that I really want to wrap up. How many hours are in a day again? I think I may use all of them tomorrow.

Then again - a hot cup of tea, a cinnamon roll, and a stack of Mary Jane's Farm magazines sound like a gift from God.

Monday, March 14, 2011

My Other Love ~ Teaching

I had to take a break from the garden planning and crafting today because I was called in to substitute teach. 

I have been an educator for over 23 years. I have taught, I have been a Vice Principal and Principal. Unfortunately, during my tenure as Principal I became ill and had to resign. I am doing much better now and often go into to substitute.

I have to say that I really look forward to my teaching days. I enjoy being with the kids. I love watching their faces when they "get" something that they have been working on.

I really enjoy embracing a teachable moment...you ever know when they are going to turn up...the classroom...the garden...life....

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Tiller Purchased

I am so excited. A I mentioned before, I am going to try the "lasagna" method to get some of the plots in my garden going. However, I also need to till the other plots. The last few years I have been doing this with a hoe, shovel, rake and every neighborhood kid that I could find. Enough already.

Last night I was able to purchase a mini tiller on e-bay. Very low cost and shipped straight to my house. I can't wait for it to come in because it has to be easier than the ways I have been trying to till.

I was also very fortunate today to find a link to Harris seeds through the chat room on MaryJane's website. I placed the order for my seeds and now  I just have to wait for them to come in.

My craft room was calling me today. There were a few projects that I needed to wrap up. I am going to try to post pictures soon.

In the meantime...live, laugh and love...