I'm Sew Happy.

Mama-made hat head on a snowy afternoon (I made her shirt too!).

I've had a sewing machine for years, but couldn't sew a straight line to save myself. I recently came upon a lovely little book called Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol at our local library. And while my non-sewing status hadn't changed, some of the pictures called to me to take the brightly colored book home. You see, I've always wanted to sew. As a child I used to take apart my clothes with grand ideas for a more fashionable wardrobe. But it isn't easy to turn a broken plaid jumper into a runway piece with a string of elastic and glue. My creations usually ended up stuffed in the back of my closet, well hidden from my mother (sorry Mom). But my advanced maternal age, rejuvenated motivation, a sewing-savvy friend, and a few hours on a sunny Friday morning did the trick. I can thread a bobbin, use a seam ripper (boy have I used it), and sew a semi-straight line. And you'd be floored at all the features built right into my sewing machine! I certainly was. Anyway, we're off to Seattle for some holiday fun with the Hillman family. And I'm going to bully Annie into wearing her hat. Happy Thanksgiving!

Can I take this off yet? Woodland Elf Hat by Amy Karol

Benjamin Beowulf

Seriously.

The Milky Way and the Land of Flora

I recently read a gardening tip in Mother Earth News suggesting watered-down milk as plant food. We're big believers in milk for ourselves, so we ventured to try it for our plant friends. The consensus?

Milk is a miracle worker in the world of plants.

Our experiment lasted one week: An ailing apple tree was brought back to life, a darling (though flowerless) daisy on its last leg grew a gigantic pink daisy in technicolor, and wildflower seeds sprouted and grew inches in less than 48 hours. Plus, Almanzo (of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy) grew a gigantic, prize-winning pumpkin with the raw, wholesome white goodness. Who says milk is only for calves?

Super daisy (though I must admit it grew so tall that the stem broke)


Milk-grown sillies posing with 600-year-old Ming-dynasty
lions in Columbia, Missouri (University of MO)

Midwest Memorabilia: A Photo Post

We recently returned from a truly memorable trip to the Midwest, where we visited family and friends, watched Daddy run 100 miles (and win!), and breathed in the general sweetness of rural America. Here are a few pictures from our adventures:

Benjamin and Annie playing on "The Columns" at the
University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri

Annie pretending to be sad during a game of night-time spider
hunting at the campground (shine a headlamp on the ground
at night and watch the spider eyes glowing!)

Benjamin and Annie in what appears to be
a J.C. Penney studio picture (but isn't)

Pretty Annie Josephine


A day hike and a rare photo of the Mother creature

I Love Free-Range Chickens.

But caged children are FAR easier to handle.


Disclaimer: For the record, I do not keep my children in cages. This is a picture of Annie in a grocery cart. Cage-free children are far healthier (as are their chicken friends). And both taste better when allowed to roam free.