Reflection circa Thanksgiving 2020 in Sikes, Louisiana #mbjune

A calm pond reflects a line of trees with autumn foliage under a clear blue sky.

Currently researching: rabbit fencing (to keep them out of my garden)

Coreopsis showed up next to my blackberries this year.

Bright yellow wildflowers with red centers are blooming in a lush green outdoor setting.

Finally cut back my irises this week. Here’s what they looked like last month. 😍

Hoping to add more soon. I envision one whole end of our pond covered in them.

A vibrant purple flower blooms amid green leaves near a body of water.A cluster of purple flowers with long green leaves stands against a softly blurred background.

Between playing a game of wiffle ball last night against my son’s baseball team and getting adjusted today, I’m going to bed sore tonight. A good sore, though.

Our day was supposed to include the zoo after a chiropractor appointment this morning. But the weather was unexpectedly very stormy. So, I got the kids smoothies, then we came home and started some paint-by-numbers I’ve been hoarding.

This is mine so far…

My cucumbers have arrived. 🥒

Auto-generated description: A cucumber hangs on a vine surrounded by sunlit leaves. I’m currently growing 2 or 3-year old straight-eight cucumbers on a cattle panel trellis.

April Monthly Round-Up: Plants: Baseball, Homeschool, + 90!

My husband has recently started doing weekly round-ups, so I’m taking his format and making my own monthly round-up. With more photos. Because that’s what I like.

GARDENING

My garden was a huge focus in April (it is a lot of other months too, but especially in April). Planting transplants, putting in more seeds, purchasing other plants. I love it all so much.

Auto-generated description: Several small plants are arranged in pink cell trays on a concrete surface. Pictured here: Swamp Milkweed, Spoon Tomatoes, Craspedia, Sage, Jalapeños, more Sage, Bachelor’s Buttons, Beefsteak Tomatoes, Borage, and Four O’Clocks

I’ve also been reconfiguring a few of my garden beds. I’m making two from three. And they’ll match two in front of them, so it looks a little more symmetrical. I’ll also be able to add another arched trellis (like in the photo below) for some climbing plants (and beauty).

Auto-generated description: Two kids stand facing each other near a garden archway surrounded by greenery and raised garden beds.

I let the kids take over one of these new beds, and they have been excited. They’re currently growing (everything from seed) beefsteak tomatoes, jalapeños, bush beans, sunflowers, borage, sage, and swamp milkweed. All with minimal help from me.

Auto-generated description: Two children are tending to a garden bed together in a lush, green outdoor setting.

So far, I’ve harvested about 30-something Sungold cherry tomatoes, several handfuls of strawberries (the birds have enjoyed way more than we have this year), and 2 banana peppers. And there’s a lot that’s looking good and should be ready to pick pretty soon.

OTHER PLANTS

Outside of the garden but still in the outdoor plant realm :), I’m probably most proud and excited about my Louisiana irises and Peggy Martin roses. They were beautiful this year. My next project is going to be attempting to propogate some new Peggy Martins.

Auto-generated description: Pink roses climb a fence with a tree and grass in the background.

BASEBALL

My son is enjoying playing coach pitch baseball for the third season. And I thoroughly enjoy (with some nerves mixed in) watching him learn, grow, and have fun doing it. We all do. He was invited to try out for an all-star team again, but we decided to pass on that as he’s only 8, and we’re not ready to have baseball completely take over our lives. I really don’t know when we might become more involved, but now just isn’t the right time.

Auto-generated description: A young girl with a yellow bag watches a boy in a batting cage. Auto-generated description: A baseball field is visible through protective netting, with people on the field and an American flag flying in the background.

HOMESCHOOL

We’ve found a pretty good rhythm in our homeschooling lately. Getting done earlier in the day has always helped, and we’ve actually been able to consistently accomplish that.

We’ve also had a really great semester with our co-op. Our topic this semester was animals by location (so there was geography mixed in). There was a lot of great learning opportunities. And most weeks included some sort of a craft or hands on project. Simply because I love how all of their creations look in a group, here are a few of the things they made this month.

Auto-generated description: Six paper chain cardstock snakes with various colored patterns are arranged on a green rug. Auto-generated description: Colorful Play-Doh coral reef sculptures are displayed on white paper plates arranged on a tiled floor next to a green rug.

We also had some pretty cool field trips. Just a couple of weeks ago, we met a fellow homeschool momma and her daughter at a park and learned all about showing goats. Milked goats and fed the kids too. But the highlight was definitely baby goat snuggles!

Auto-generated description: A girl with long hair holds a small black and white baby goat over their shoulder.

MY GRANDPA TURNED 90!

My Pop, my last remaining grandparent, turned 90 at the beginning of April! We took a trip to North Louisiana to see him and celebrate with a lot of other family.

Auto-generated description: A smiling woman embraces an elderly man as they pose together in a kitchen.

Garden candy!

Happy Mother’s Day!

A woman is joyfully embraced by two children, one wearing a cap and the other in a floral skirt.

Mammoth dill. Saved the seeds last year and growing lots more this year.

A cluster of vibrant yellow flowers with delicate stems is surrounded by grass and bordered by paving stones.

It has rained a lot here today.

A gravel driveway leads to a flooded area surrounded by trees and greenery.

Recently realized that our property is eligible to be a certified wildlife habitat through NWF. Thinking about moving forward with that.

Fairly certain no one wears more socks in a week’s time than my daughter. I did (her) laundry for the second time this week, and there were 15 pairs. 🤪🧦

While Matt took B to baseball practice this evening, Ro and I: Transferred painted lady chrysalises to a larger enclosure, I did a maze she drew, I read a book to her, played catch, she put on a scooter show, planted flowers, fed fish, and she tried to coax a bunny out of the fire pit with grass. ✅

She’s his (littlest) biggest fan. 🖤💜

A young girl sitting in a chair holds up a sign that reads "GO DRAGONS" at an outdoor event, surrounded by other spectators.

In case you’re ever faced with the decision, I’m gonna help you out… Opting for a cleat over another type of shoe to try and squish a spider is the wrong choice.

B found a (live) crawfish in the garden yesterday.

A person is holding a crawfish above a garden bed filled with green plants.

The power of sin is broken Jesus overcame it all He has won our freedom Jesus has won it all

Been singing this in my head since yesterday

Thankful for true freedom via grace and power!

One of the best things to do on a Spring Saturday… We went to one of our favorite local “plant places” today, and the kids picked out some flowers for their garden.

Two children are exploring plants in a greenhouse filled with greenery and flowers.