...and she will make music...

Music Farm is Moving...

2009-07-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry it has been so long! We're moving the blog to another server. Please click on the link below to visit. Thanks and love and smiles for all.

www.roamcounty.wordpress.com

Malinda and Adam

Crow Never Crowed

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

and so we're roosterless again. Well, technically we have three, but they are still growing and not crowing. :) I can't remember if I've shown you the "chicken barn", but this is what it looks like right now. Except Adam put an actual door on the rooster pen there on the side. We have to finish the roof, but as I am laid up with a screwed up back right now it will continue to look like this for a while. This is a happy and tired us from one evening last week.

I hope you have been remembering to smile. It is very important for the world to see that grin of yours!!!

love

Malinda

Smithville Part 2

2009-07-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

There are David and Adam... There is Billy Jean in the overalls playin' the fiddle. See the three guys all the way to the right behind the bass player? They are the people we met and ended up jammin' with for such a long time. They were really fun guys and girl. Their bass player friend, not pictured, was an awesome lady. Very friendly and she kindly hollered out chord changes now and then for me since it was fairly (well, REALLY) obvious that I knew not what they were playing most of the time. We'll see them again on Saturday at Uncle Dave Days.

This kid cracked me up. He had to be 7 or 8 if he's a day and he jammed on the guitar. Actually, he was his dad's accompanist...

I know NOT these people, but I love how the dude with the hat playing the guitar is gettin' down! The man in the blue shirt had a beautiful fiddle. It was carved on the back and dark and sooooo pretty...

There is Billy Jean again. We'll also see him and his friends at Uncle Dave Days...

The boy on the right was seven and rocked out on his mandolin...

Don't know her, but she was cute and played her fiddle very well.

This guy's guitar was a limited edition Martin. It says WSM Grand Ole Opry. I thought it was neat lookin'.

The boy in his element.

And me in mine... see Adam taking my picture?

have a great day!!!

Love,

Malinda

Smithville

2009-07-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

We had fun. To say the least. Our friend, David - there on the left, went along and had so much fun with us!! I ended up with a blister on my thumb from playing. We met some really cool new musician friends and are looking forward to seeing them at Uncle Dave Macon Days on Saturday. I knew maybe 10 of the songs that we played along with all day. I played a fiddle song on the fiddle that I only know on the guitar and played in the key of F when everyone thought I'd quit playing along because I was a "fiddle player". Adam and David really got to have some good jammin' fun and enjoyed all of the new songs, as well. The weather was so nice... hot, but mild for July 3rd in Tennessee!!

g'night (or morning, depending on when you read this)

Traditions

2009-07-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

As a semi-newly married person (almost 7 years), I appreciate the tradition Adam and I have upheld for quite a few years now. We never go all out or anything, but on the 4th we do get sparklers... and oddly packaged noise makers... (this one was supposed to crow like a rooster - of course we had to buy two!)

and I am partial to the "showers of sparks"...

we both love these...

and these....

We also sang some patriotic songs on the deck. We only know one verse of My Country Tis of Thee and vow to do better next year on the songs.... and the fireworks!!

I love how he loves our animals...

2009-07-03T03:37:00.000-07:00

It is hard when you don't know exactly what is wrong with your animals. We have a chicken health handbook and my Adam has narrowed the possibilities down to 2 or 3 things. Crow seems to be doing a little better, but still no crow...

Time for Fun...

2009-07-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is our friend Billy Jean. We'll jam with him and his friends tomorrow at the Smithville Jamboree. I snapped this picture last year on the 4th.

Please be safe this weekend, my American friends and family!!

Love,

Malinda

His Name is Crow

2009-07-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

Because he hasn't yet. Crowed, that is. I think he is depressed. I'm serious, here. Chickens go into shock for lots of reasons. This guy was transported to one place, then was in transit for a while, then came to our house. It was hot that day and we think he is having a rough time adjusting to life here at our crazy little almost farm. (Adam says it isn't really a farm unless you have 4 legged livestock... that are not dogs and cats :)

ANYWAY... ol' Crow here is just sitting in his delux rooster house and sometimes standing and drinking water. He has eaten a little so that is good. Adam says he doesn't want to get attatched to him in case he doesn't make it. Ha! He already is - and I think Crow is gonna be fine. He just needs a few days to get used to the place. He can here the chickens next door, so the plan for today (yesterday's plan was ears of corn and that didn't work) is for him to meet some ladies. He is going on a double date today!!

Happy day to you!!!

Love,

Progress + A New Addition

2009-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

What is this, you ask? Our chicken barn is nearing some stage of completion and now we have a "wing". Haha! I kill me. Anyway... Here are the ladies. The run isn't finished, but as something was eating them in their old home we decided we'd rather have chickens in cramped spaces than no chickens at all. (And no, this time is isn't the Bad Dog.) Here they are eating the corn that the dear didn't eat...

Ok. I would like to brag on Adam. The coop was one thing, but this is a whole other. He built the addition in two hours. For us, that is good. Eli, from the post below, called yesterday and asked Adam if he still wanted a dominicker rooster. Adam, of course, says yes. I then say, "Well dude, where are we gonna put him cause he's NOT goin in with my hens". He says, "Of course not, we're gonna put him in the rooster pen." This being news to me say, "What rooster pen?" and he says, "The one I'm gonna build. We talked about this baby." Oh me of little faith...

Here is the big guy. He's pretty, isn't he?

We finished up as the sun went down. And I do mean we. As soon as I finished teaching I hauled backside down there to help.

Slightly confused, but fairly happy rooster, I think.

Very tired, but happy and satisfied husband.

He didn't stay on the perch long. Our predator(s) made an appearance. Big boy here slept in the back corner of his uncompromised pen, though, and made it through the night. Anymore this is a huge accomplishment for a chicken around here!!!!

Happy day to all of you!!! Don't forget to smile... Smiling is a very important thing.

LOVE!

Malinda

Huck Finn

2009-06-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

So we went to visit Eli, Adam's guitar student. He keeps busy, this one. He raises chickens, goats, rabbits and I'm sure other animals that I am forgetting and breeds them. Ha! This little rabbit will be around 30 to 40 pounds when it is full grown...

And if you know me at all, you'll know that I was REEEAAAALLLLLLY happy to visit the goats.

Here are the banty chickens. They are tiny. and full grown...

I think this is Ruby the mule. She was very pretty and TALLLLL.
The white horse is Wayne and I think the brown one is Roany (I didn't ask him how he spelled his name...).

That is Paul. I rode him and he was very nice to me. Didn't try to knock me off by riding under trees (like Roany did to Adam... just had to throw that in there) and was very understanding of my lack in riding ability. I like Paul. (Really, Cheryl, his name was Paul. I giggled a lot to myself about that during the ride.)

That is my husband swinging from a rope thirty feet above solid ground. Nough said.

Spring fed trough for horses...

and boys... (he's making it clean to drink out of...) :)

Hence the smiles. That is Kelly there with Adam. This woman deserves some sort of medal. She is an awesome mom.

drinking...

Thank you, Paul, for letting me ride you. You were a very nice horse...

And thanks to our new friend. We had fun, Eli!! Thanks for showing us your world. We really liked it.

I'll Be a Good Blogger Tomorrow...

2009-06-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

I PROMISE

:)

to be continued...

2009-06-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

I went horseback riding

with Huck Finn today...

Stiff, Sore, and Happy

2009-06-25T04:58:00.000-07:00

The new coop. I told him we should just call it a chicken BARN. That is what it looks like to me. My Lovin' Husband does nothing in half measures. He just doesn't always measure... :) I don't encourage him to, either. Then we'd NEVER get done... Things like this amuse me. A bee in the beebalm. That makes me happy. Do you think that when beebalm was first called beebalm it was for this reason? I mean, bees like other flowers, too, right? So why was this plant INPARTICULAR called beebalm? Maybe they liked these flowers more than any other. I don't know. I'll have to look it up.

Peas for next year.

I am going to put a weathervane on the roof and hang a metal windchime from the "predator perch" as Adam calls it. I don't know why. I mean it's not like there is a cat climbing on the new coop as I type or anything... ;)

Squash, corn, sunflowers... and BoJangles. Let us not forget him... The garden is coming along nicely. We have been weeding like fools and have clean beds to show for it. Not pictures, though, because my backside was right next to Adam's and we weeded and weeded. We weeded so much that when I close my eyes I can see them!

We're off to a town far away to teach a boy who is learning to tear up the guitar. It takes both of us and that kid can flat play.. He is going to be a very versatile musician (already is) when he finishes growing up. I've never been so happy to have to leave and go teach. The weeds can just sit there and wait on us til tomorrow while we have fun with the kid and his guitar.

H.O.T.

2009-06-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

It has been hot. HOT. Warm. 105 heat index and humidity through the roof kind of hot. We are getting used to the heat and working like crazy, but still. It is notably hot. These turnips were hot - we decided to have mercy on them and pull them up yesterday. Adam ate two of them for lunch today. Pretty, aren't they? The beans are hot... and hungry...and thirsty

Same for the watermelons here...

He so loves his garden.

Mondo says see you tomorrow...

dulce swuenos....sweet dreams

Dog Days in June...

2009-06-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

The dahlia's have been blooming for a couple of weeks, but the red ones are always later. I found them yesterday... Are these persimmons?? And if so, do raccoons eat them? If you know the answer to my question, please email me!! www.music.farm@hotmail.com

Evening on the front porch.

Adam is calculating for his chicken coop roof building. He said to me yesterday, "Baby, this is gonna be the most complicated roof I've ever built." Watch out. When this comes together well, he'll be wanting to make buildings just to try different roofs! I love him... and am quite proud. Neither of us are any kind of carpenter and despite ourselves it seems as though we're building something that a)won't fall down b)will keep the rain and sun off of the chickens and c)has a cool roof :) and d)will, when we are finished, deter predators such as owls and raccoons. (Notice this is not the first time I have mentioned raccoons in this post...more on that later...)

We measure twice and then hopefully only cut once. That has been the case thus far. See the new coop in the back kind of? The walls are done and we framed out a door. Now for the roof. Today is gonna be a busy day, folks.

We could buy stock in kiddie pools. This is the new "pond" for the chickens. We put the block in the middle so that it didn't blow over and it has turned into a little island. ("No chicken is an island", ya know... ) I don't know why it makes me happy that they stand on that concrete block. It just does.

The chickens have been so SO HOT in this hundred degree weather we've been having. They just pant. Did you know that chickens can't sweat? Really. I'm not joshin'. When they get really hot the hold their wings out from their little bodies and let them droop. It looks funny, but they might catch a breeze like that. They drink lots of water (we add fresh water a couple times a day) and they open their beaks and pant and just sit or stand real still in the shade until it cools off.

Bee Balm Blooming By the Barn

Have a wonderful day!

Mornings

2009-06-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

This is my new morning spot. Complete with flowers, coffee, and a book. You can go out in the morning and hear all of the birds talking to each other, watch the deer and turkeys in the neighbor's pasture, and pretty much forget that anything else exists for a while. My little garden boquet. Chamomille, lavender, yarrow (white and yello), and bee balm. Sometimes the most unlikely flowers look beautiful when put together. The same could be said about people, I suppose.

I hope you have a beautiful, flowery day. :)

Love,

Malinda

what i have to say today...

2009-06-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes lemons are just lemons.

What makes you who you are is what you do with them....

Lemonade is not always the answer

A Name and A Boat

2009-06-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Adam calls me Lindy a lot. It reminds me of when I was little. My granny would call me Lindy Lou. I like it ok. He has a lot of names for me. (MOST of which are good.) Sometimes he calls me things just to see if I like it or not. For instance, the conversation will go as thus. "Hey, Sweet Potata, what's for dinner?" And I say, "I don't like that one, dear." And then he goes on and on about all of the valid reasons he had for calling me a sweet potato ... excuse me potata. Then I say, "Just putting an "a" on the end doesn't make it ok. You have tons of names for me that I like - just call me one of those." Then he says "Ok, my little chicken." And then I tell him that he can fix his own dinner and I'll be in the garden. By this time, we are both laughing so hard that it is impossible to pretend that what we are talking about is serious anymore.

So I am driving to a city far, far away to teach and I end up at a red light and I look at what is in front of me and see this:

I wondered if that man had any other names for his wife...

Call somebody something silly (not mean!!) today. See if they smile...

love,

Malinda

Busy is Good

2009-06-19T04:58:00.000-07:00

The peas are but a fond memory... They were good while they lasted, but I tell you I am GLAD to have the room in the garden. Adam took down one trellis and I (yes ME) took down the other. He tilled the beds while I was teaching yesterday. The chickens got the vines...

The little chickies did, too. They are growing like crazy and we are mostly done with the coop. Have to get some shade cloth and chicken wire and that project will be OVER. Thank the good Lord.

Here is the garden from the back. I'm excited about the corn... mmmm....

Adam planted a new kind of cucumber this year called White Wonders. They are groing well and we are excited to try them.

The bee balm by the barn is blooming. It is so pretty.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Love,

Malinda

Umbrellas, Cats, and Jack

2009-06-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Meet Jackson Riley. Otherwise known as Jack. He is the son of our two good friends, David and Brandi. Their cute little family came over for dinner this past Friday and I was worried that Jack would get bored. But I think he had an ok time :) He was really excited about the four legged critters... The umbrella twirling was a big ordeal... I think they'd both still be there twirling if it had been up to them...

He got to see the "tats" and the chickens and a really, REALLY big dog (guess who?).

I do believe that a good time was had by all - even the two year old!!

Ramblings

2009-06-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

We started another "swimming pool garden". When we put peppers in the ground they die. We've tried and tried and then get no peppers. And we REALLY LIKE peppers at our house. Sweet ones, spicy ones, red ones, yellow ones, heck - we even planted brown ones this year! So... the swimming pool garden was born. The one out back is doing great and I found some really tiny pools in town the other day and brought one home for the jalepenos. (Thanks for the wheel barrow, again, Mom and Dad...you made this post possible...) These are out front so Adam can dote on them. He goes out before he teaches for the day and takes care of his babies out front...

Here is part of the big garden out back. and Bojangles... isn't he pretty? I think he sees something.

That is his "I'm gonna get that cat" look.

Problem is, they can climb trees and he can't...

For Every Action there is an equal and opposite reaction...

2009-06-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Let us study this picture. At first glance, it's a pretty good picture of ol' Mondo (a.k.a Bad Dog). Then you see the drool...then the pile of fur that I combed off of him in less than five minutes. Then I see that his ears are perked up. That is never a good thing, people. That means he is contemplating. Mondo contemplating ANYTHING is NEVER a good thing. Ever. He just looks like he's getting ready to a) run just for the fun of it, b) run because he wants to sniff a kitten, c) run because he wants to jump in my neighbors pond, or d) run becuase he wants to kill chickens. Today it was c) run because he wanted to jump in my neighbor's pond and then come put a wet, St. Bernard shaped muddy spot on my kitchen floor. This made me feel not so good... Let us now discuss this picture. It makes me feel REALLY good...

g'night

Ladybugs and Coneflowers

2009-06-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

So Adam and I are sitting on the front porch one evening last week. We are talking. The bad dog is hangin in the yard and the other three are sprawled all around us. The kittens are playing (does anybody need a kitten?!) and I look to my left and see the echinacea (a.k.a. purple coneflower). I am thinking about how pretty the flowers and how they change as they grow. Then I decide to take a picture and Adam realizes that I haven't heard anything he has said to me in the past five minutes.

The "cone" part of the flower starts off like this. As the petals get bigger, they droop down and the red part actually does form a cone. I love this stage, though, because the petals are pale and the middle is bright red and I can stand like a silly person and follow the geometric patterns in the middle of the flower. Then I take another picture and another until I realize that I need to actually respond verbally to what Adam has to say to me.

Then this morning I am trying to decide what to blog about and go ahead and resize my flower pictures. Then I saw..... Mr. Ladybug!! Do you see him?? The only thing I love better than taking pictures of ladybugs is finding ladybugs in pictures I have already taken...

I hope you all have a wonderful day today and are enjoying the beginning of your summer. Keep a smile on your face - you never know who might need to see it....

Family Reunion Fun...

2009-06-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

A friend from church asked if we would come and play at his family reunion this past Saturday. Of course I said of course and we ended up having a great time. Danny and Marlene's son, Mark, played with us and we jammed for quite a while. Of course I am not actually IN any of these pictures, but I was there. See? My chair is there by Adam's. There is Mark with his guitar slung over his shoulder. He usually does not play traditional music and followed along like a champ. Even sang along once he got the choruses down.

See? There is my empty seat again!

And a good time was had by all!

Festival Time.... almost...

2009-06-14T05:16:00.000-07:00

We played at our friends family reunion yesterday. It reminded me of how close we are getting to festival time. I love everything about it. How hot it is (I actually do wear sunscreen - I buy a can on the way!!), how there is music everywhere, the people who go to hear and see and do, the kids running around in their cute little square dancing outfits.... I have the most fun with the Lovin' Husband. We visit with our musician friends, look at the art booths, sit in the shade and pick, eat greasy food, and then start all over again!!

I try never to live for certain days, but I find myself so excited to attend these festivals that I'm thinking about them awfully hard!!
Have a good day!!!!

M

Something to Say...

2009-06-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation via facebook and am still thinking hard about it. Not in a bad way. My feelings weren't hurt or anything, but sometimes things come out of left field and catch you unaware. I responded, but then got to thinking some more and have this to say, too.

Part of being a Christian is the choice. If you take the best from each religion, what do you have FAITH in? God? I think that makes it harder for God to have faith in you. The faith is the key here. Not knowledge. Knowledge is good, but faith first. It will lead you to desire to know more.

Furthermore, does one have greater faith if they don't subscribe to any one particular religion? I am thinking that this is kind of an educated copout. (Said lovingly here, folks.) Really, though, I don't claim to be much. I just try to live my life in a way that makes sense to me and gives me peace and makes me feel right inside.

If you are going to be an architect, you read books about architecture. If you are going to be an accountant or a web designer, you read books about those. If you are a Christian, you NEED to read books about being the best Christian you can be. To always learn, to always challenge what you believe. Sometimes we get stagnant and need someone we don't know to tell us to get up off of our collective butts and DO something. Said lovingly, it is always better in print!

I do not think that Jesus was a fundamentalist. I do not think that I am either. I would be insulted if someone called me a "fundamentalist Christian". I desire to be a radical Christian without ever having to say a word unless someone asks me what I believe and why I do.

ok. I'm done now. If you feel so led, I would love to know what you think on this subject. What does your faith say about you??

Froggy Friday

2009-06-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

On this day last year (June 12 2008), I took this picture. And for today that is all I have to say. I'm a poet and didn't know it... g'night!

If Pictures are Worth 1,000 Words, Then Why Do I Still Have Words??

2009-06-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

We ordered seeds for this plant three or four years ago. The flowers are so pretty and dainty. The plant is called Marshmallow. If you are interested in learning more about it, here ya go:
http://www.woodlandfairyacres.com/historyofmarshmallows.php It was too much for me to summarize this morning. Just click the link if you want to read about it.
I love the simpleness of the flowers...

And the bees love it. See the one flying off? I think he's shy...

Purple Cone Flower...

This cat followed me everywhere this morning. We had a love fest on the front porch. Funny thing is, this cat has never let me touch it very much at all and actually ended up in my lap trying to groom me. Thing is, I had told Adam to take this very cat (among others) to the pound because we just have too many and due to circumstances beyond our control have had a few more show up.

Scary grooming session, but he wasn't hurting me - just trying to get me to hold still... I don't know what lesson I'm supposed to be learning, but the cat still has to go. Now I just feel worse about it. Sorry cat...

We took a trip together to the yarrow. The pink variety bloomed yesterday. It is so pretty. By now, you probably think I have issues because I have three different kinds of yarrow. Well, I'd have more if I could find it. I have no idea why I think it is so pretty - I just do. It makes me happy to look at...

See? I bet you feel all happy now, too! How can you look at that and not smile, I ask you??

Then we went to the chicken coop. I forgot to get the eggs yesterday and my grumpy hens will start eating the eggs if I leave them for very long. So I go to get the eggs and the white chicken that always escapes escaped. The cat there watched me chase it around the yard for five minutes. She is very tricky, that hen. You have to heard her just right or you go in circles for days. Five minutes is about close to my best time with that chicken. I'd have taken a picture, but then it would've taken longer and it has become a personal issue with me. She doesn't do it to Adam... maybe it is because he closes the door to the coop when he gets the eggs... :)

We have eaten and gifted a full bed of potatoes so far. Don't worry. There are more. LOTS more...

We have a whole trellis of peas that we are going to let ripen for seeds for next year. We love sugar snaps and I have decided that next year I am going to plant peas like we planted potatoes this year. I will then be happy with the amount of sugar snap peas in my garden.

We like to plant turnips and kohl rabi in the pea beds. They fit perfectly and feed at different levels in the soil. We take up less room in other beds and also do not waste space in the beds we plant in. See the turnips at the bottom of the picture??

If I had to title this picture it would be, "Really Big Honkin' Turnip". Because that is what that is. Now I have nothing against turnips, but I don't eat them like I do potatoes or chocolate, ok? I'm not afraid to tell you this. Adam does love his turnips better than chocolate because he doesn't really like sweets at all. I could say, "Honey, we are having creamed turnips for dessert." and he would be giddy with excitement. I don't know what is wrong with him, but what is wrong with me is that we don't grow chocolate and I have know idea what I'm going to do with all of the turnips in my keeping. Adam just says, "Well, Baby, they store well..." Thanks, dear. Thanks a lot. :) Now I'll just invent a place to store them... They are pretty, though, aren't they?

The bees were going crazy this morning. They were covered in pollen and buzzing around everywhere. Please ignore my weeds. We are not ignoring them - it is just that there are a LOT of them and two of us!! We're workin' on it - promise!

Mr. Ladybug was covered in pollen. Do you see it on him? You know I can't resist a ladybug picture... Thanks for tolerating my eccentricities!

My first stargazer lily bloomed this morning. All is now well with my soul.

And I hope it is well with yours. If not, go look at some bugs and flowers. You're bound to feel better!

All my love,

Malinda

I Spent All Day Trying to Upload This...

2009-06-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXwdFit9HV0

Please click on the link above if you want to hear some music...

Happy day.

Squash and Flowers...

2009-06-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

More yarrow. This is called Parker's Variety Yarrow. It gets taller and thicker than wild yarrow. And DOES NOT DIE. You can't kill this stuff. I'm ok with that as I have moved it to the back corner of my garden and it is happy there... I just can't get over the ditch lillies. They are so pretty and so different. I am glad that some of them are now yard lillies!!

The first summer stuff from the garden. The straightneck squash was ok. I prefer the crookneck. The zuccini was out of this world good. We had a free meal last night. A student gave us some steaks, we had potatoes and squash from the garden. The only storebought thing that went in our bellies was butter and a little milk. I was proud of myself.

Have a good day!!!!

Much Love,

Malinda

A Day in the Life

2009-06-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

We have a cat named Fuzz Jr. He is fuzzy and his dad is NOT Fuzz Sr., but they were both fuzzy and my student, Jacey (like Lacey or Tracy), named them both. Anyway, Fuzz Jr. has become quite the tough kitty and likes to prove his overall "badness". Especially when unwanted cats come around. There are two feral males who show up from time to time. So long story short Fuzz Jr. chases his daddy up a tree acting all tough and ended up hanging from some limbs. I would just like to say kudos to Fuzzy J for hangin' on. He hung there for at least three minutes or so. The lighting wasn't good and I didn't have time to adjust, but he's the shadowy looking thing in about the middle... Enter my Lovin' Husband. What you don't see is that Fuzzy J is hanging directly above our fire pit full of dead limbs and what not. Not a good place to land...

Poor cat didn't know what to do and was just swinging in the breeze and Adam had an "aha" moment and went to get our long ladder.

It took a minute for Fuzz Jr. to realize that we (I DID help there at the end :) ) were trying to help him. In fact, I don't know if he ever did, but Adam kept nudging him with the ladder and he finally realized he had an escape route. In the blink of an eye he let go of the limb and flipped around and grabbed the ladder. Adam lowered it about five feet and that cat was gone before I could even think about snapping a picture.

That is just one of the many hero-like things my Adam has done lately. I'm glad we're hangin' on this earth together, me and him.

Have a good day. Don't forget to smile!!

Malinda

Before...

2009-06-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

There are things that happen in all of our lives for better or worse that make us stop and KNOW we need to pray. There are times when we feel like the only thing we CAN do is pray. I took maybe twenty or so steps this morning before I literally dropped to my knees on my front porch and told God this: Help me help them, help me help me, be with us all, and I REALLY need to get rid of some kittens. Thing is, though, that God was already doing what I asked Him to do before I said a word. He was there waaaaaaaay before I stopped and talked to Him. He was already helping me and them, but I just felt like saying those words aloud to God - I figure even if He can't make the kittens miraculously disappear that He got a chuckle out of my plea...

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that yes, we do need to pray because our relationship with God is strengthened that way and He needs to hear from us what is on our hearts so that we learn to always trust Him, but I feel like His answer to me this morning was, "Quit worrying, Malinda. Life isn't easy and you're just learning that. I'll help you. Just lean on Me."

I forget to let go of my burdens and worries and let Jesus have them. Not all of the time, but the big ones are hard to let go of. I just have to keep remembering that even though I do ok, God does better. He is already there - before I pray and before I even know I'm gonna need to talk to Him - He is there...

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Malinda

Friday

2009-06-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

Big honkin' cabbage plant... We (and I do mean WE :) ) weeded like fools yesterday. The garden is so big that it doesn't really matter how much you weed because there is always weeding to do. The cabbage and brussel sprout beds were pretty scary. I had started to refer to the crab grass as "living mulch". Really it is choking, take-over plant so we attacked those beds yesterday (among others) with fervor.

All of the "chicken food" in the wheel barrow did not come from one bed, by the way. ;)

Speaking of chickens... they know what he is getting ready to do and they are EXCITED...

I leave the clods of dirt at the rootball on a lot of the plants I pull up so that they can get the worms and bugs down in there... shhhh don't tell Adam I gave the chickens his precious dirt!!!

We put Bad Dog's tie out front. He was very happy...

We moved the little replacement chickens down to the pen. We have to get more netting and shade cloth, so we had to make a makeshift pen for them until we get more, but they still have waaaaay more room than they did.

Watch out!! Flying chicken...

We had let the run in this pen grow up so that when we put chickens in it they could eat it down. These are doing that one section at a time! They are so much happier in the sunshine...

Happy chicken....

Happy, sunny day, my friends!! I'm gonna go weed my garlic now...

Love,

Malinda

Ditch Lillies...

2009-06-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

I showed you some lillies in a ditch a few days ago, remember?? Well, last year I dug some of those very lillies up and put them in my backyard. This morning they bloomed... so pretty...

Happy day!!!

the other side...

2009-06-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

I would just like to say one thing...

Birds of a feather... how do they KNOW that?? :) We will be eating this very squash today. Mmmmm...

and this lovely zuccini, as well...

We will not be eating Mr. Ladybug.

This is my first bit of echinacea ( I have no clue if I spelled that right) this year. They're fun to watch bloom and I think the middle looks neat. If you stare at the red part long enough, you can see all sorts of designs.

Adam's Dad is a yard-sale-aholic and found this lovely potato (all of the sudden I can't remember the name of it) fork? spade? All I know is that it is supposed to be used to dig up potatoes and it does a dandy job!! (Adam was proud of his pose, here...)

This is where our new deluxe scrapwood chicken coop is going to be. We sunk the posts and are now moving on to the framing out of it. We'll be able to do away with the coop you see, keep the old one that you can't see as a shady place for the chickens in the summer, and integrate our three separate flocks into one once we are finished with the new coop. I'll be able to help feed and water them more then. It has become a really fun project for Adam and I and we're looking forward to it being finished. I can't decide what to paint on it. I will agonize over this for weeks and weeks before we come up with just the right thing!!

The grass...

is always greener....

on the other side....

Happy day, my friends. Hug somebody today and tell them you are happy that they are your friend...

Much love,

Malinda

Sunset...

2009-06-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have discovered that I love to take pictures in the evening at sundown. I like the way you end up viewing what is in the shot. Here the Lovin' Husband seems so far away, but he isn't really. You can barely see the tomato plants and the brussel sprouts because of the angle and how bright the sun is, but you CAN see them if you know where to look. :) The corn and squash look neat. I'm glad that they turned out looking so cool because I did mean for them to be the subject. I think it all looks like it does because of when I took the picture. It wouldn't be as neat if I had snapped that at noon.... g'night and love
Malinda

Maddie P and Some Flowers

2009-06-02T05:09:00.000-07:00

Church is definitely for this... Meet Madelyn Paige.... Maddie P for short.

We had a photo op before Worship Team practice and took advantage!! Look at those toes... I'm telling you Maddie is an awesome kid. She just turned three and is growing so fast! I enjoy hanging with her.

Maddie is the daughter of my good friends, Cheryl and Paul. She and I are pretty good friends, as well and now that I know that the little girl likes to play with the camera, we'll be spending a little more time together, methinks. I love how the crayons are all scattered around her in this picture. I think it gives some depth. Not that I really know what I'm talking about, but it seems that way to me!!

On the way to worship team practice I found these. They are on my road and I think they are beautiful. I like flowers in ditches. There is a beauty in that that cannot compare to the most meticulous of flower beds. Mixed in are wild roses...

I got back in my car, drove 15 feet, stopped again, and took a picture of this...

I see this every day and I'm telling you, it takes my breath away. It makes me think about people. Take a bunch of rosy Christians and put them all together and we are all shiny and vibrant together. There is nothing wrong with that, but when we become the hands and feet of Christ, we join God in the black and white places in the world and bloom where we are planted. By all rights, that climbing bush should be choked out by all of those weeds, but it is close enough to the tree to get the support to flourish. Sometimes we have to go away from where we think God is to find Him.

All my Love,

Malinda

Happy First Birthday, Little Dude!!

2009-06-01T05:33:00.000-07:00

Adam's nephew Liam had his first birthday party on Saturday. I did not get to go due to back injury and am sorry I missed it judging from Adam's pictures. Yes. Adam took the camera so that I would be ok about it all, I think and then actually used it! I am so proud of him! I digress. Looks like Liam chowed down on his cake!! and this one.... my goodness...

I like this picture. Don't know why, but I do. That is Keith (Adam's brother) and Line' - proud mama and papa to the cutie pie himself.

The best thing about Stenberg parties is that you get to see family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and for us country mice (hee hee) immediated family... This is Adam's dad, Jeff, and brother Keith. You can really tell that they're related, huh?

Now this one I like because obviously someone else was taking a picture and got Keith and Line' full on, but ol Liam was taken with Uncle Adam... those eyes!!

Here is the fam minus Line', Liam, and myself. Those girls are just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside and their boys are sweet as they come.

So today we are thankful for families!!!!

Love,

Malinda

Chickens Eat Cherries!! :)

2009-05-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

I love these tomato stakes and cages. The cages belonged to one grandfather and the stakes to the other. The tomatos that are growing in them are mine and the Lovin' Husbands. It makes me happy to see this when I'm in the garden. I think of both beloved grandfathers and smile just knowing that if they can see me from where they are that I really think they'd be proud of me. I love potatoes!! Yukon Gold potatoes to be exact. This is one of my favorite times of the year!! I also love good dirt. See the worm? Let's zoom in a little closer...

I love worms!!! They make the dirt happy... and nutritious...

I love to see the shell of the seed still gripping the baby leaves of plants. And I love to see the first true leaves appear on the plants that we grow. It's kind of like a promise, I think.

I love rosebushes that climb and make the tiniest of the most perfect flowers. I don't pick them. I just leave them there and everytime we walk by them or I'm sitting on the porch I get to look at them and my soul is content.

I love BoJangles, the dog there. He's had a rough time to adjusting to having no friends his size to play with. We had to take Roscoe and Peanut to the no kill shelter and Maggie disappeared again. He has been so good, though. He sticks close now and rarley wanders off for long.

I also love how the Lovin' Husband loves his tomatoes. Sometimes things just mean a lot to you and you don't know why, ya know? These are Brandywine OTVs. They're supposed to hold up to the southern heat. We'll see!! I love that they are planted in the front yard. We always have something to talk about when folks stop by for a quick visit...

Oh! I almost forgot! I LOVE Adam. He is my best friend... we work well together and are so lucky that we are interested in the same things for the most part. I feel like we are growing together through our life and we remember to just talk to each other. I hope we always do that.

And I LOVE to see this!

It makes me happy to know that the chickens get all sorts of goodies from us. Cherries and turnip tops here.

A good batch of wormy dirt really gets me going. I'm such a dork... We (you know the drill here, *ahem... Adam) moved the old dog house and I said, "Oh, look Adam. That is some good dirt!!" He grunted as he was still moving said dog house.

And I love to find little creatures under doghouses that husbands move.

Happy Sunday!!!! Find some things today that you love and that make you happy. Share them with somebody!!!

the most of my love,

Malinda

A Little Bit of this... and that...

2009-05-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I weede the mess beside the barn. Found 2 more calla lily plants that I thought had been strangled out, but hadn't. :) I also (with Adam's help, of course) planted some gourds next to it and got some stuff for them to climb on. Fencing, the old bench that is too rickety to sit on, and that lovely tree has been a trellis for three years, now. It'll be fun to watch them grow! We started a kiddie pool garden. This was our pond last year, but it finally started leaking. When we put green peppers in the ground out here, they never do well, so we thought we'd try this instead. We LOVE jalepenos and this year Adam is excited to grow some chocolate bell peppers. Also we put two bush tomato plants in there. Silvery firs. They don't get very big at all and man are they tangy! There are a couple of basil plants in there too.

We (ahem... Adam) hauled dirt from the compost pile and ammended areas of the garden and added it to the pool.

That is my hand waving hello to you... and some lovely jalepenos...

Planting... forgive me I did not take a picture of the finished product. I will show you once the plants start to get a little bigger...

And here is my man doing what he does best. Planting tomatoes.

We're off to Adam's nephews first birthday party today. I dislike the city, folks. I love the family, though, so I'm gonna quit complaining now and look forward to seeing the Stenberg clan.

I hope that whatever you do today brings a smile to your beautiful face!!!!

So Much to Say...

2009-05-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Broccoli. Since I've had a camera, I've really enjoyed taking pictures of droplets on the veggies. Don't know why...just looks neat to me, I guess. This one is for my good friend Cheryl. That is what it looks like, good buddy!!

BAD DOG

This is Mary. She's looking at a cat...

Rhubarb. I made my very first ever strawberry rhubarb pie this year and it was GOOD!!

The big chickens. They love this time of year. So many weeds and vegetable scraps. I think these two are in charge and the red one is no joke. I know I'm a lot bigger than that chicken, but she still intimidates the pants off of me!!

Some garlic that my dad gave me a couple of years ago from a very nice lady in Tullahoma. It is scaping. That is why it looks funny. It is making it's flower full of little bitty baby garlic bulbs. If you want the plant for the garlic, you are supposed to snip the stem and not let it flower, but I want it to establish itself so I'm letting it flower away.

Sweet Violet. She follows me everywhere I go and finds a nice shady spot to watch me toil in the sun. When I'm not around she defaults to Adam...

We need a home! Look how cute we are... we defy all laws of nature and stay this cute all of our lives... :)

Turnips...

Adam ate this very turnip yesterday for lunch. Creamed turnips. I can take a few bites and that is enough for me, but he'll eat a whole bowl of them.

Scary chicken. She really has the evil eye down.

BAD DOG

Here's my sweet husband hard at work again while I take pictures of vegetables. He's diggin' us up some lunch. MMmmmmm tatoes.... Aren't the clouds so pretty?

My spring is now complete. I have lillies....

Enjoy this beautiful day, folks.

Much Love,

Malinda

Good Morning

2009-05-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

We've had broccoli, swiss chard, and peas from the garden (and baby tatoes). One of our neighbors has brought us some lettuce (yea!) I'd show you some of the garden pictures, but I can't find my camera as of yesterday morning. I know it is somewhere, but I forget where I put it. I figured the morning pictures would do for one more day... ;)

One of my students brought me yesterday two loaves of homemade wheat bread (Mondo promptly ate 1 and 1/2 because I forgot to hide it from him - I tell you that dog is getting down right ridiculous - and quite demanding - in his old age) fresh milk from a cow that lives in the same county that I do, butter made from that milk, and all sorts of other yummy treats.

What I'm getting at here is that we have been enjoying our local resources. Quiche made with eggs from you backyard is just better, folks...

Have a great day and give someone a little encouragement. Compliment someone if you notice a new hair do or a pretty skirt or brightly colored tie. Then smile and tell that person that seeing them made your day and MEAN it!!

don't forget to SMILE!! :)

Beans (LOTS of Beans)

2009-05-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have finally learned that if I am going to can mass quantities of beans that I need to plant them all at the same time. I do like the succession planting, but the problem is I'm not so good at it and Adam is busy enought without me saying, "Honey, will you plant another row of beans today?" He'd probably throw them at me! In love, of course... :)

SO - we planted a LOT of beans. Adam went to the hardware store and got a scoop of Blue Lake bush beans. I planted most of them one day while Adam was teaching a guitar student. I put them in the very first garden we ever did together. We like bush beans because you don't have to trellis them. I do NOT like wandering around the yard/property looking for suitable support for my vegetables!!

ANYWAY - I'll have plenty to can, keep my neighbors in beans, and sell at the farmers market. We are going to be swimming in beans, folks. I have no excuse not to learn how to can this summer. Little does my sweet Mama know... I have plans for her... and Dad... and Monna and J.C. (the littlest sis and hubby). :) Shhhh, don't tell!!

funny thing is: We were sitting and looking at them a couple of nights ago and Adam says to me, in a calm, almost amused voice, "Ya know,baby, I think those might be pole beans..."

to be continued...

Pickin' Jesus

2009-05-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

About a year ago my mom asked me if I would lead a music group that would do music one Sunday a month. I said yes and Pickin' Jesus was formed. There is Noah on the left. Adam and I share him as a guitar student and he is really doing well. You can tell that he LIKES the guitar. Samantha is next. She is telling me to be quiet because right before I took this picture, I dropped my camera on the floor. I was shushed by an almost ninth grader. I can handle that. She is an awesome young lady and so fun to have in the group. She keeps us guessing. And laughing. She also helps lead the singing and does a wonderful job. Adam is next. He helps so much I cannot even begin to explain. So I won't. I will just be thankful that he comes and plays with us. Thanks, honey!! And there are my feet. Let us not look at those...

There is my sweet Mama. See? Told you you'd see her today! She rocks the guitar and sings. It makes me really happy when she sings harmony parts. :) Ray is next, there, with the mandolin and Julie, whom you can barely see, is our violin player extraodinaire. They both sing as well. Add me on the guitar and singing and you have an overall idea

There is my seat. And my flip flops. I wish I could claim the awesome guitar, but that is Noah's. :) His parents made sure that he would keep up with playing and then got him a guitar that he could really learn on and wouldn't need to replace unless he wanted to. It really made me happy when he walked into his lesson with that guitar. Happy for him, I mean. He is a really cool kid. Ahem... young man.

And here is the mugshot minus me. I sit next to Noah on the end in front of Ma. Fun times. :)

Busy Weekend (part 2)

2009-05-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

I have become a fairly early riser. A fairly happy early riser. My dad would probably think that was funny because in the mornings when I was growing up, he called me The Bear. I think maybe I was a tad bit grumpy in the mornings back then. I digress.

My wonderful husband is NOT an early riser so I have mornings much to myself. The ritual is dogs out, don't let the cat's through the door while doing dogs out, check the baby chicks, wash hands, brush teeth, make coffee, get dogs, turn on computer, check coffee (I make it on the stove because it just tastes better that way), check email, get coffee, blog, then start my day. Sometimes I do things like this... And this.... I like to take pictures of my morning shadow. This particular sunrise was delightful by the way. This was Friday morning. I was waiting on Adam to get out of bed and also on my parents and Granny to come for a visit.

Granny wanted to see the chicks. I'll just say right now that somehow I didn't take a picture of my sweet Mama. You will see her tomorrow, so don't fret!

She had barred rocks when she was growing up... it was so good to have her visit!

BoJangles decided Dad was ok and preceded to sleep on his foot. I think Dad thought that was pretty cool.

Saturday was the baby sister's recital.

I got to be part of it as did another sis...

Sunday was my day to do music at Dad's church. I'll talk more about that later....

Have a lovely day. Keep smilin' even if the sun ain't shinin'!!!!!

Busy Weekend...

2009-05-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

I'm off to do about four days worth of stuff in two days. Lots and lots of music. Lots and lots of family and fun. I get to see one of my church families tomorrow and am excited about that as well. Then more music and a meeting and then more music. I'll be back Monday...

Remember to be patient with folks this weekend. Especially if you're driving.

Bunches of love!!

Malinda

Photo Friday...

2009-05-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Which one do YOU like the best?? Have a wonderful day...

A New Summer

2009-05-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

The lady bug is kind of out of focus, but I still really like the picture. I think I was trying more to get all the tangly tentacles of the pea vines anyway. Can you imagine being that small while the world all around you is huge? Sometimes I feel like that! My Lovin' Husband's beloved lemon cucumbers are comin' up...

and the beans... (finally - we were getting a little worried!)

Potatoes make flowers...

When you are driving with the windows down in the country this time of year, you can smell the honeysuckle. I have always loved it. I used to walk down the road from our house when I was a kid and pick the flowers to get the nectar out of them. I was delighted to find some vines on my neighbor's fence. It is so pretty and I love to look at the blooms. It makes my heart happy.

Let us talk about the barn for a minute. (It is too little to be a barn, really, but it is just so much MORE than a shed...) Usually when I take pictures of it I try to leave out the fencing and extra things that make the picture not so pretty, but yesterday I decided that the extra stuff looks just fine. It is pretty with the stuff leaned against it - in an honest way, I think. People are like that, I believe. A lot of times we sell ourselves and others short when we pretend that everything is ok when it isn't. We all have burdens leaning on us that we try to take out of the picture, but the truth is, we're better in the long run if we let others help us through our pain rather than hide it and pretend like it is not there. The burdens don't ugly us up, they just make us real. ANYWAY. I like the barn. It makes me happy to look at. Especially when the sun is setting.

The clouds were so beautiful all day yesterday.

Go looking for beauty today. You'll find God there. No matter how ugly you feel, you'll find God there, too. Look inside yourself and accept who you are. God is waiting for you there.

Pardon my brain today. We have had a crazy week and I've been thinking about all the places that I have encountered Jesus. Everywhere doesn't even begin to cover it...

Happiness: Two by Two

2009-05-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

These two have WAY too much fun when they get together... He's waiting on his other half. Nothing says adorable like a long haired boy with flowers that is waiting on a girl who just got her diploma. Be still my beating heart...

THESE two never stop laughing when they get together. I have tons of pictures just like this one. Nothing compares to the bond between a mother and her son... It is so fun to listen to their conversations!!

THESE two just make me smile. How happy they look and I just smile when I see them together. They are so sweet to each other and such enjoyable people to be around and talk to. Words cannot express how happy I am that that girl has found some happiness. Love you, Audy.

And these two belong together. Forever. Pardon my mushiness, but I'm feeling mushy today. He is the most considerate, kind, and caring person I've ever met. I heart him.

Tell someone that you love them today. Someone that makes you feel happy inside just because of who they are.

All Done With H.S. Graduations for a While

2009-05-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well, she did it! We are all so proud of you, Chloe!! Her brother graduated from the same high school 13 years ago. Isn't she beautiful??

With the sweet Daddy who got her a bunch of BEAUTIFUL white roses.

And the boy... He got her those georgeous flowers. I think she likes him just a little bit...

Her mama and big sister love her just a little bit, I think. Look how happy!!

I think I love her just a little bit, too...

Ok, Chlo. Next up is culinary school, right?? MMmmmm. I can't wait til THAT graduation!!!

The Slammer...

2009-05-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

I am sure that the apparatus below has a formal name such as stake driver or well, something like that anyway. I'm sure that most every farmer has one and knows the name for it. We, however, are fake farmers. Or at least that is what Adam says because the only farm animals that we have are chickens. Long story short, we don't know the proper name for it, but we felt like we should call it SOMETHING. It has really come in more handy than just about anything around the place. We call it The Slammer. Not real creative, I know, but that is what it does so that is what we named it. (Please disregard burn pile in the thorn trees from hell. It has been too rainy to burn and looks not so great. Let us just focus on The Slammer.) I used it *for the first time* myself the other day while Adam was teaching. Not knowing that it MAKES YOU GO DEAF FOR TEN MINUTES after you use it. Only then does the Lovin' Husband tell me that he usually plugs his ears before he uses it. I guess he figured I wasn't ever going to use it as long as I had him around to do my dirty work. So here is my Baby with his ears all plugged up with paper towels. (whispering - he doesn't know that cotton balls really work much better. Isn't that cute??) And there is my most awesome wheel barrow that my parents got me for my birthday. Thanks, padres!!!!

We finally planted bunches of tomatoes and they need caging and staking. (weeds are not there anymore...)

Now our lovely Cherokee Purples are all snug as a bug in their new home.

And we will both be able to hear for years yet to come.

Friday Was a Busy Day

2009-05-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

I will start this post with a shamelesss surely-someone-needs-a-kitten picture... Then I will move on!! Broccoli. Mmmmm. It'll be done soon and I will be in heaven...

Potato flowers. Well, they're almost flowers. and Yes. Potatoes DO make flowers.

My irises are still blooming. This makes me all kinds of happy.

This also makes me all kinds of happy. The Lovin' Husband made our garden(s) about two times bigger. He works so hard! I preciate you, Baby!!! Maggie, of course, is making sure everything all around her beloved Adam is a-ok.

Peas soon!!

These three things fill my heart up. Sage flowers, the red barn, and a beautiful sunset. My favorite time of everyday that I get to be home.

Amen and amen...

Have a great day!!!

The Chicken Channel

2009-05-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you a little of what we try to do most every evening when the weather is nice and I'm home with Adam. It isn't always what I see that calms me. It is what I hear. The wind and the birds. My lands, the birds. It is a symphony to me...

Bell Buckle Concert

2009-05-16T04:53:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to go to Bell Buckle, Tennessee to visit some wonderful and newly-made friends. I was a little early so I did what I always do in situations like that and drove around town. I had been through once with Adam and we both really thought the town seemed neat. Upon second inspection, it IS neat. First off, there is an embroidery shop. I MUST visit again and actually go in. There are junk stores, craft stores, and the "world famous Bell Buckle Cafe". I also found some music. Let me take a minute here, people. I truly believe that when you believe in the music that you are making, you give it life. You say MORE than what is being said. This guy BELIEVED what he was singing and playing. He had a tambourine down by his feet and played that, too! I listend from my car with the windows down and heard the best, most beautiful version of Will the Circle Be Unbroken. This guy sang and played with every ounce of himself and I think he deserves a gig at the Ryman, myself.

I snapped a couple more pics while I listened to the concert.

Then some other folks stopped to listen while waiting for their table at the cafe.

Happy me at my concert...

You never know when you're going to find beauty. Or who is going to show it to you. Always listen for the unexpected music. It is always the best.

Guitar Heroes

2009-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

This one has been strumming on my guitar for years now. I sit in front of her and play chords and she strums and sings. She isn't content to just sing Jesus Loves Me over and over anymore. She writes her own songs. Unicorns, flowers, butterflies, zoo animals, you name it and she sings about it. And is becoming quite a good little strummer. She matches every syllable with a strum. It is terribly adorable... This one started strumming just a few months ago. That is her, "Not too hard?" face. She is learning to *try* (cringe) not to scratch the guitar when she plays. Totally worth the scratches, but still trying to teach her that the pick stops at the last string!! She IS content to sing "Jesus" and "Rosies" over and over.

What I like about the time we get to spend together is that as they grow up, they'll remember this. Playing the guitar with Boo (that's my family's nickname for me) and singing and laughing and making up songs or just singing "Jesus" over and over. I like that it is free and not TV or a video game. It's just us chickens havin' a big ole time. And they smile. And they think so hard. I love watching their minds work as they try to figure out the "ga-tar" as Anndee Kate calls it.

They even hand the pick back and forth. One plays and we all sing - then the other plays and we all sing (if we know the words to her newest "song"). My one concern is this...

When they're old enough to hold their own "ga-tar", will they be able to strum from the other direction? :)

The Dragonfly Chase

2009-05-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Lately...

2009-05-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

We have declared war on the fire ants. What was that? You didn't know there were fire ants in Tennessee? Well, let me assure you there are because THEY ARE ALL IN MY GARDEN. It started out innocent enough. A little hill full of ants. "Let them be, Adam," I say. "They aren't hurting anything." Then the hill gets bigger and BIGGER and BIGGER and someone down at the market asks Adam if we have any fire ants and he says "Ummm, I don't think so. How can you tell if you do?" The guy says, "Well, it is a huge hill of ants." Then Adam says in a calm low voice, "Yep we got em." He comes home and we decide we'll just set a really big fire on top of the fire ants. Makes sense. Kill the fire ants with FIRE! Not REALLY. They then conlonized our GARDEN and the dear, Lovin' Husband went up to the co-op and talked to the really nice lady who thinks we are very weird people. She told him what to get and did one bottle work? Did two? We are on, like, bottle eleventy million and they are still finding new places to hide and it HURTS when they bite you in between your fingers. Betcha didn't know that! The red below is one of their recent attempt to recolonize. They carry their young. How responsible of them. Enough of that...

Hangin' with BoJangles.

Watchin' Maggie declare her utmost love, loyalty, devotion, and life to Adam. She really wishes she were me.

Now if that isn't precious I don't know what is...

Feeding weeds to the chickens. My goodness they start singing when they see us coming near them. It usually means a juicy treat of some sort. Worm here + weeds there = happy chickens.

See how they're waiting? They Know he's gonna come through for them.

Mmmmm. They cluck the whole time they're chowing down.

Watched Matoike the cat try to catch a dragonfly. I'll see if the video will upload.

Have been admiring the pretty flowers. This is my sage blooming...

Mowed the backyard (me! I did it!! - not even vicariously through Adam..., but completely by myself. He was proud...)

Nothing makes me happier than to sit down in the yard with Adam after a long day of work and watch the sun set through the trees and watch the shadows move across the freshly mown grass. Mondo likes it, too. See him?

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Malinda

Happy Birthday to the Big Sis!!!!

2009-05-13T05:23:00.001-07:00

I think the phrase "Been there - done that." is a good summation of our sisterhood. We can tell each other anything and the other one just listens. For us, that is enough. We may not see each other very often, but between lunches, texting, and family get togethers we are involved in each other's lives and her kids love on me when I am lucky enough to get to see them. Happy birthday sweet, sister dear. I do love you so and am so thankful for every hour-that-seems-like-a-minute we get to spend together!!! Have a great day, sis. Much love!!!

Randomness

2009-05-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

Peanut needs a home. The county I live in does not have a no kill shelter and I can't bear to send her to the "pound". If anyone needs a friendly, bouncy, spayed, house-trained-but-will-live-outside dog, I'll pay them $25 to give her a good home!! I have passed the time in my life that lots of dogs are fun... moving on... Yarrow. I love yarrow. Especially the stuff that is native to the yard and surrounding property. It has the prettiest foliage and the flowers are so dainty and perfect. I have taken no less than TONS of pictures of yarrow. Every spring it seems new to me. I dug up a big clump out of my yard and put it in with the herbs that I like to grow in my garden. I also go out of my way to mow around it when I see that it will flower soon. Adam is so sweet. He just smiles and shakes his head when I ask him not to mow the places I "missed" and says, "I'll try not to, baby." He knows that it makes me happy to see blooming all over. I have some out front that blooms pink and ohmygoodness it is pretty.

That is it for today, folks. I am going into Nashville this morning to wish my big sister a happiest birthday yet and then coming home to weed my garden. The massive rains have let the garden get ahead of me in that area I'm afraid. That is ok, though. Today is a COMPLETE day off. I haven't had one of those in a WHILE. I will be able to get lots done this afternoon while Adam is teaching and am looking forward to sweating and getting a good garden workout... Yay!!

Have such a good day and remember that people are people and everyone deserves a smile!!

Love,

Malinda

They Love it When We Mow

2009-05-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

When the mower starts up, the chickens come running. They cluck and sing and get all manner of excited. The first thing I usually do is walk the mower down to them and cut the grass around their pen INTO their pen. It's an all out riot. They flap their wings and stretch their legs and necks and then get to gobbling all that yummy grass up. We've had that very mower for almost seven years. I could write pages on how wonderful it has been. Thanks Dad...

I have been busier than I prefer to be lately. I have to just get through this month and then my mind will be less muddled with "stuff". It isn't gonna be easy, but I will do every single thing I have to do away from home so that come June and July I can be my hermit self again.

I'm making some crazy decisions these days and really excited about some changes to come. I'll let ya know soon...

Have a good day, people!

Malinda

Did I Say Massive Garden Post?

2009-05-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

What I meant to say was... when I get back from out of town on Sunday, I will tell you all about my garden. Until then, let us look at the pretty peony that my wonderful Granny gave to me... So, So pretty...

Remember these?

Here they are a coupla days ago... I was a little creative here. I wanted to be sure that everyone knew there actually were potatoes growing, so I circled them. Then I drew a heart on my baby. I love him...

Have a good couple of days everyone! I am going to visit my sister Betsy. She and her lil family are moving into their new house this weekend and I'm going to check it all out. And maybe help a little. *wink*

A "Play Date" With the Lovin' Husband

2009-05-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

Just imagine me in the chair next to Adam. You never know who is going to call you and ask if you'll play, but I'm glad my friend Vicki thought of us when organizing this event. Check out the awesome door prizes!!

Here was our contribution to that little extravaganza.

I've always enjoyed doing stuff like this, but it has even become more fun in the past couple of years as my sweet husband has been gigging with me!

He's so fun...

Have a good day!!!! Tomorrow you will see the massive garden post. Also, kittens that REALLY want a new home..... :)

Navy Grace

2009-05-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

I think I want a corn dog....

Goings On

2009-05-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

This is what Middle Tennessee has looked like for many days now. (The picture is from last May, but you get the point.) I'd tell you how my garden was, but I have to admit it is so soggy I just went down yesterday sans camera for the first time in quite a while. We did have breaks in the rain here and there so Adam added more straw to the potatoes (a story in and of itself - I'll tell you sometime) and we battled the FIRE ANTS. (another story in and of itself) So what I know is this. Everything is growing and needs fertilizer and the weeds are growing and need killing! In order to plant my beans today, I'm going to have to poke them into the ground and then cover them up. Don't tell me I shouldn't do this, please. I'm gonna do it anyway!!

Today is a music day. Adam and I are playing at a conference for elderly awareness at the park in town and then he is teaching.

Adam has been telling me for months to put a video of us on here making some music, so maybe I'll do that soon...

Have a good day and if it is sunny where you are, enjoy it for those who haven't had any for FOREVER!!!

And She's Finished!!!!

2009-05-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

My baby sister graduated from college this past Saturday. I tried to find her in the sea of hats, but she actually found me instead... How happy she looks!! (Awesome shoes, by the way, kid.) I had the great priviledge of being the "niece wrangler". Adam sat in the bleachers with his cousin-in-law, Rachel, and let me be free to wander around with Anndee and Navy. My nerves were very thankful for this. This is in between wanderings... Anndee

and sweet Navy...

Here is the girl in line to get her diploma.

And here she is after just getting it. *I cried.*

Then I went back to wrangling the girls. We went on several walks.

Took lots of pictures.

And waited at the door for Monna. Look at that happy smile!!! (and the cool shoes again...)

I love the look on her face! That is her Lovin' Husband - J.C. - and our sweet Mama.

I'm all teary again.

These are Monna's newest family members (J.C.'s parents Davida and John). Look between her and J.C. Anndee was a little ornery at this point, but that's ok. :)

Our wonderful Granny came down from Ohio to see all the festivities. We so miss our Gramps and are happy that Granny has been visiting often. It is nice just to be able to hug her whenever I want!! *Granny gives just the BEST hugs.*

If my dad had buttons on his shirt, they'd be popping off!! And a happy, proud, pretty Mama. Sorry Monna, but I only had this picture of you with Daddy and Ma. Your closed eyes are just beautiful!

And some seriously proud sisters!! Those girls there are two of the very best friends I'll ever have in my life. That is Betsy on the right. She has the distinction of being the best self-picture taker in the family... When I try to get 3 people in a picture, I usually just get one and a half! I've never noticed before, but we all have the same eyes... *happy*

Words can't express how much I love this girl and how proud of her I am.

Here's to the rest of your life, Monna Shelly! You can do anything through Christ who strengthens you!!!!!!

A Good Day

2009-05-03T05:10:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the sunshine make a day "good". Sometimes the rain maks a day "good". Sometimes a dreary day makes a day "good". Just not always good for everyone!! I'm so thankful that even though it is dreary and raining here in Tennessee I know my garden is growing, the water table is high, my animals have water, and when I look out my front window I see the irises from my great grandmother and my grandma blooming away. Also today I get to see one my church families. My "home" church. The smiles and hugs and love that abound there make me smile, too. Enjoy your day today even if you think it isn't a "good" one...

Love,
Malinda

A Trip to See the Fiddle Maker

2009-05-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of accompanying one of my students to Rockwood, Tn to purchase a violin from Mr. Charles Horner. He made the violin that I own in 1984 and I am here to tell ya that they just keep getting better and better. He is an easy going, wonderful man to meet and personable as the day is long. I think it is neat that he has "scrap" Gibson mandolin necks and headstocks just hanging around...

We got him talking and had a grand time discussing fiddles, different woods, fiddlers, and how different each fiddle sounds. He told us about Mountain Mahogany (that isn't really mahogany at all), blood wood, box wood (he is allergic to that so doesn't use it much), maple, spruce, you get the point, I'm sure!

I guess these didn't cut the mustard...

This one's varnish is drying. Isn't it pretty? It had a highly flamed, BEAUTIFUL one piece back. "If I had a million dollars.... " (Name that song...)

Here are some of the ones we had to pick from. The reddish/dark one on the far right sounded BEAUTIFUL and so lush and mellow.

Here is one in the process of coming to greatness...

I can't say enough good about this man. I am so glad to have met him and also glad that my students have the opportunity to experience going to his "shop" when they decide it is time for The Fiddle of their life...

Crazy Day

2009-05-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

I love to visit this place. I'll tell you more about it later.

Adam and I are going to see my baby sister graduate college.

Smiles!!!

Malinda

Mondo the Ruthless Chicken Killer

2009-05-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

I am BLUE today.

My St. Bernard

ate my twenty one of my thirty one chickens.

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-04-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

My wonderful parents got me a wheel barrow for my birthday. They are truly wonderful. I will think of them when I (or... ahem... Adam) is hauling chicken poop across the yard!! Ha! But really, I NEEDED a wheel barrow and my lovin' Daddy and Ma got me one. One of the *many* reasons they are truly awesome parents. Fuzz really appreciates it too... or appreciated it. There has been chicken poop since then, so he has now reverted to the far reaches of the property again unless he knows we're outside.

I turned thirty today. I'm okay with thirty. I figure my life is better than it's ever been so I'm happy and life is good. On the other hand, I'm having trouble letting go of my twenties. They were good to me. I learned how to be ME. I won't ever think of BEING in my twenties again and that is life changing to me for some reason and I don't even really know why.

I do know that God has a plan for me, though, and that I'm looking forward to my *gulp* FORTH decade.

Adam has truly spoiled me today. He even agreed to go see the symphony with me Friday (thanks to Mark and Jenny for the tickets!!) and also bought me pizza tonight just because that is what I really wanted. He built me a fire and we sat and talked for a long time. I'm so thankful to have such a truly loving husband and best friend all in the same human being. Thanks, baby, for making my pretty "blah" day extra - extra special just by loving and caring for me!!

So today, remember. Think about a time in your life when it was hard for you to let go of one way and embrace another. Then smile and thank God that it is OVER!!!!

I truly love you all!!

Malinda

So Much to Say!

2009-04-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we finally took the baby chicks (not so much babies anymore) down to the pen that they will live in for the rest of their lives. They have GROWN!! We had to make sure that neither their feet nor their little heads got stuck in the kennel while transporting them. As you can see, they are a little freaked out.

Getting them to realize that they needed to come out of the kennel and into the pen was hard work! My Lovin' Husband talked sweet to them, though, and they eventually ended up in the pen. Talk about confused chickens. They had all sorts of room to run around, but didn't know what to do about it...

See? Very confused chickens.

They eventually got the point and figured that the coop (which we have not replaced yet) was nice and shady and full of brand new straw to scratch around in. I of course had the very busy job of taking pictures and making sure Adam knew exactly what to do. :)

Potato bins. They are growing like crazy...

Especially out of the sides that we should have wrapped last week... *bashful*

Those are the potatoes in the garden. Also coming along nicely.

These are Adam's babies. See the fence around them? This is what the chicks were in. Now that they are where they need to be Adam uses it to protect his precious plants from the animals.

I can't wait to eat some homegrown tomatoes. My mouth waters at the thought!

Peas!!

Squash...

Corn!!

My sweet baby takin' care of the broccoli...

And when it is all said and done.... I come in to play the piano.... But I have to share the rug with Maggie. No joke. She doesn't move - EVER. I play - she sleeps and keep my feet warm!!

P.S. While writing this post this morning, I fried our modum with a cup of coffee... I'll try to have things back up and running in a short time!!! Have a good day. Smile and laugh!!!

Love,

Malinda

A Blinding Light

2009-04-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

When I wrote the post below, I had no idea that my weekend would involve such a troubled person. As I was going through the weekend, I forgot that I had written the post. Go figure. But I would like to say a few things. Not to glorify myself, but to glorify God and His ability to be a light for us in every situation.

I did not write this person off. I prayed for her. SO MUCH. I got over my anger and hurt because it was NOT about ME. I laid my confusion and indignation down and picked up understanding and patience and LOVE. Her thorns were sharp and poisonous and I could have responded with thorns of my own. It would have been easy. I almost did. I thought about it and it made me feel so dark and awful inside that I felt hopeless. I feel that God put her feelings inside me so that I could understand that if I responded with my own thorns, some of that darkness and hopelessness would stay inside of me forever.

So I prayed that God would hold her and love her and give her the light that she needed to blossom. I prayed that God would give me the strength and light that I needed to overcome my anger and GOD DID. I prayed for God to help me love her and to truly forgive her and GOD DID. Never have I felt such peace. God troubled my heart for this person and I hurt for her. I want her so badly to blossom in God's light. Everyone deserves NO LESS than that.

Please pray for this person. Please love her in your heart with the light of God. Know that in God, ALL things are POSSIBLE and that if you ask God to help you, you will be more than helped. You will be washed in light. Such light that you will be blinded to anger and hurt. Blinded to indignation and pride. All you will be able to see is the hurt of the person and the compassion that God bestows upon you so that you can TRULY love.

And the neatest thing is... that THEN you can shine your own light and JUST BELIEVE. And before you know it, the person you thought the most unlikely to prune your branches was the person God sent to do just that.

I believe!!
So much love,
Malinda

Potential

2009-04-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

When I think about people a lot of times, I think about their potential. You meet them and see only who they are at that moment. Then you start to get to know a person. They share things about themselves and you share back and before you know it a person has blossomed before your very eyes.

Once you commit to fertilizing a friendship things often get sticky. Sometimes the people you thought would prune your branches only ever want you to prune theirs. Sometimes their are thorns (like the Thorn Tree from You Know Where). But a person always has the ability to blossom if you foster that within them.

Sometimes it is easy to write people off because they are mean or rude or just so angry and upset inside that they can't be happy. I forget that it is easier to pray for someone than to just leave them to the elements. And when you start praying beautiful things start happening. Seeds are planted and new seeds sown. Cycles are broken and different cyles are started and sometimes all it takes is YOU.

I'll be gone for a few days and unable to blog, but I'll be back!

Pray for someone over the next few days. Pray that they will find the sun and blossom.

Love and more love,

Malinda

Hangin' in There...

2009-04-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

Today is my busy teaching day. Kiddies with violins, guitars, and mandolins all wiggly and giggly after school. A good day, but a hectic one. So I'm makin' like Mr. Catapiller up there and hangin' with the best of them. It is a daunting perspective when sitting in my quiet music room.

Music will be made and kiddos will sing and laugh and the teacher, well the teacher will smile and sing and play along. And laugh, too. They make me laugh - the little ones. So often I find it so much easier to talk to a five year old than their parent. What does that say about me??

Have a good day, folks, and remember to find some quiet time. No TV - no radio - no music even. Just sit and let the quiet help you think. Note: if you go outside in the country, the quiet is deafening!!

Laughs,
Malinda

Update... Gardeny Things.

2009-04-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned before that we live in a cedar barren in middle Tennessee. One aspect of living in a cedar barren (other than cedar trees like WEEDS) is all of the rock. Everywhere there are rocks. Little ones, big ones, tiny ones. God didn't discriminate! We have rocks of all kinds and sizes. Lots of limestone, but also these really freaky ones that actually break down and become... claylike. (As in "claylike soil". I'm sure some of you have read those very words on the back of a seed packet and casually waved off the thought of claylike soil. How awful, you think. I'm so glad I don't have claylike soil. Well I DO! So the next time you read that and you don't have claylike soil. THANK YOUR MAKER, PEOPLE!.)..............................I digress.

I couldn't find any of my stakes that I usually use to mark beds so I found yet another use for all of the rocks laying as far as the eye cans see. Check it out... Until the relentless summer sun bakes that permanent Sharpie off of there we're good to go on labels from here on out. I may even challenge myself to never spend money on markers again. God gave me all of these FREE ROCKS. Might as well use 'em! Below we see that Adam and I don't discriminate either. Rocks of all shapes and sized can be used to line permanent beds. (I'll show you pictures of the rock piles sometime. We have those, too. Made 'em all by ourselves WITHOUT a wheelbarrow. Just so ya know.) Below is my reseeding/asparagus bed. I've had cilantro growing there for three years now. This makes me happy. :) Mmmm cilantro!

The tater bins doth work. Yay!! We were worried because we hadn't seen any sings of life in there, but I went out yesterday and saw leafage. We are gonna have SO MANY potatoes for our lovely little farmer's market.

The grassy lookin' stuff is from the bale of straw. Look closer. See the round leafy stuff? In the center toward the bottom? THAT, my friends, is a potato leaf. Potato leaves mean that down in all that straw and dirt baby taters are being made as I type.

Peas.... we will have lots of peas! Planted beside these very peas are turnips and kohl rabi. And if you don't know what kohl rabi is, you are missin' out people. I don't have any big enought to show you, but when I do you can be assured that you will then know! I also know that a lot of you probably think that turnips are gross. We beg to differ. They're pretty darn good when you GROW YOUR OWN!!!

Hello little baby pea shoot. I am going to eat you when you get a couple of inches taller. Yes, I know you didn't know you were edible, but you are. And quite tasty I've heard. We'll see...

This is the corner of the garden that I thought would NEVER AND I MEAN NEVER get done. It is done - and planted. *Thanks, Dad, for letting us use the tiller.* There is quite a bit of corn and squash planted there now. Before you get on to me for planting my corn early lemme say one thing. EARWORMS. I don't like them and they are gross, so this is my (our) plan. Plant the corn early (Early Sunglow - 63 days - can be planted a little early because it can take a little cold) and plant the squash in with the corn (Our squash lasts longer into the summer if we do this. The corn keeps it shady and cool.). Hopefully we will trick the worst of the bugs.

Below is Fuzz one of our wonderful kitties. He hangs with us in the garden a lot.

Here is what has been done for a while. Tatoes, then peas back where you can see the trellis. And Violet, of course. I can't take 2 steps without her on my heals. She is so NOT a country dog. We adopted her when she was dropped off here at the homestead. She does pretty good for a city girl, though.

And it is finished. Planted. Full up. We (well, Adam) are madly tilling and creating new raised bed systems for our summery warm weather stuff. We only had a tiller for the last few beds. Everything else we did by hand. It was sweaty, dirty, rocky, cloddy, hard, hard work, but it is done and I weigh about 5 pounds less than I did when we started. Adam has some serious muscles goin' on and we are looking forward to the fruits of our labors.

Have a great Tuesday!! Do something nice for someone today. It is good for your soul, ya know!!

Much, much love,

Malinda

Onions Do Weird Things

2009-04-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

I was "helping" Adam til up new ground the other day and got distracted. Not by the weeds in my onion beds, of course, but by the onions themselves. They are called walking onions. Let me show you why. Take a really close look at these onions. Do you see the what they're doing? Let us take a closer look. This onion appears as though it will be givning birth to some sort of alien life form in the very near future. When in all actuality it is getting ready to "walk".

So what happens is.... the new "green" growth has a seed pod at the end of it. You can see it in the picture below. They end up falling over and starting new bunches of multiplier onions. Multiplier because they grow in .... you guessed it! Multiples! This is all very exciting, I know.

Here we go again.

For some reason I always think they look "snaky" when they start to protrude all curled up like that. See the red blob at the top of the picture below? There is my baby - tilling away while I ponder on the meaning of onions with weird growth habits. What would he do without me?

Hello little baby onion.

And just so ya know, we (I actually did help WEED) did weed the onions. They are happier now - as are all of the baby chamomille plants that I found growing. Yay!!! Reseeding plants are wonderful things.

Have a good day, people. Warm weather is almost here to stay! Dwell on that if this latest cool spell gets ya down....

Some Sunshine and Some Rain

2009-04-19T05:28:00.000-07:00

It is raining this morning. I'm happy for a break and I know Adam is. We're both so sore from all of the garden preparing. Our plants are happy, I'm sure. I didn't water them or the seeds I planted yesterday in hopes that the rain would come along and do a much better job than myself. I'm all about conserving some water. I found some pretty "weeds" blooming in the side yard and took probably a hundred pictures. There is such beauty in the unexpected!

Potatoes are doing GREAT. We're growing them differently this year and are just amazed at the difference in the plants. All of the beds have begun to sprout. *happy*

More sunshine.

I love the native plants of Tennessee and have decided that I will have irises til the day I die. I keep finding them in the side yard that we have been clearing.

Look for beauty somewhere today that you normally wouldn't. When you find it, show somebody else and enjoy it together

Lots of love,

Malinda

Another Cat Post...

2009-04-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

We have these two black cats. I call them One and Two because you can't tell them apart. One of them will let you pet him and the other won't - that is about the only difference. I've noticed lately that when I go down to the chicken coop, they follow and hop up on the roof to check out a) the goings on in the run (which is the fenced in area the chickens hang in) and b)the goings on in the coop. When I took these pictures a couple of days ago, only one of the duo was there, but usually they hop up there together and stare at you. It is kind of freaky because they are so similar.

As usual I am taking pictures while my Lovin' Husband works. Here we ( and I use the term "we" loosely here people) are getting the composted (old) chicken poop OUT of the coop to put IN our garden. It is full of goodness for our growing and hungry plants. See the composted poop? There is straw in there, too. We put straw in there for the chickies to be comfy in and they reward us by pooping in it and breaking it down. We then (not often enough) remove straw and poop. Free fertilizer. Well, I guess not free, but REALLY cheap.

I post of the cats often enough to explain why I like them so much, I suppose. We had one cat show up and now have quite a few. They keep the voles (mousey rodent types) pretty much gone from the chicken coop, the moles and rabbits out of the garden, and even help with keeping the birds out, too. They do earn their keep. I find them interesting and Adam finds them a pain in his butt until he remembers why he will get to eat broccoli in June. Then he cusses and feeds them. I in turn love on them as much as they will let me. Very self sufficient, the kitties.

They watch the chickens, I watch them, and Adam tolerates us all...

See ya on the flip side...

Some Cuteness

2009-04-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

I am always amazed at the mama kitties. Especially when they've never been mamas before. It took Matoike a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but she's got the hang of it now. If you need a kitty, let me know because those aren't the only kittens here at the homestead!!

Have a good day and hopefully if I can still move at the end of the day I will show you what's goin' on in the garden!!

SMILE!!

lots of love

Malinda

What I Did Today

2009-04-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ah.... sunburn...

Nighty nite... and super sweet dreams! See you in the morning.

M

A Very Random Update!

2009-04-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Why a grasshopper, you ask? I'm out of current pictures to share because I haven't taken any. The lovely Tennessee weather has NOT been so lovely. We've been having lower than normal temps and a LOT of rain and wind. Not weather really condusive to taking pictures - outside anyway. And if I take a picture inside it'll either be a)my sweet Lovin' Husband b)a dog c) a guitar or d)myself. Outside is must more fun!

The potatoes are sprouting. The peas, turnips, and koh rabi are also coming up and I planted beans a few days ago when the weather was actually WARM. My dad gave me the seeds last year. They are called Derby Beans. They are a bush bean that are supposed to fruit all season. Stringlessly. I'm excited about this.

Adam and I have been weeding beds. Our tiller is broken, but we try not to use it anyway. I love my worms!!! This means lots of hand work that just takes time people. We're finally over half done and the garden is looking so good. I think I'll go out and take some pictures in a minute. That way tomorrow when I wake up and blog I'll have something to blog about that you can SEE!! Won't that be nice? I digress. I have a bed of reseeding cilantro that also has garlic and bee balm in it and I added asparagus this year. It will be some craziness and I'm looking forward to seeing what it will look like.

The little chickies ain't so little anymore and we have GOT to get a coop up before they take over the back porch! This is the project of the week along with tilling up old garden beds. (My wonderful dad is letting us borrow his tiller for a few days.)

I'm going to visit my parents and sister today. I have a guitar student in that town and my sweet baby sister is starting her first garden! We've been discussing the best way to make her dirt better and chicken poop is way at the top of the list - along with some slow release organic fertilizer goodness. I'm excited to help her make a beautiful and bountiful garden!

Have a great day, everyone, and please be extra kind and understanding today. Smile at someone and just sit at some point today and feel the warm sun on your face. Think on all of the people who have helped make you who you are and about who you can influence just by smiling!!!

So much love,

Malinda

I am going to really learn about WHY even though I separate my sentence grouping they end up back together again. Until then, enjoy the colorful posts, I guess... :)

Things Upon Which I Ponder...

2009-04-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

My sweet Lovin' Husband has not of yet come around to my way of thinking where goats are concerned. As of right now when we need to clear land, we do it ourselves. We have these groups of the wickedest thorn trees. I don't know what they are properly called, but we call them The Thorn Trees From Hell. The bottom picture was supposed to be first, so go ahead. Scroll down to the bottom and take a good look at our nemisis.

Are you back from your visit to the bottom of the page? Ok, now I find a bird's nest IN The Thorn Tree From Hell. (See photo below.) Does the little birdie KNOW that the wicked thorns are there? Does it know that the Tree From Hell will protect it's little eggie-pies or did it just get lucky? Take a look at that thorn below. That is an old one. The new growth puts out about 2 to 3 inch long maroon thorns that look like they belong in a Sci Fi movie.

So, these are some of the things upon which I ponder. Does the bird know that the tree keeps predators away? Or did it unknowingly find a comfy little home with one heck of a security system?

And just for giggles, can you find the nest in The Thorn Tree From Hell? Please disregard the old, yucky chicken coop in the back. We are replacing it with a better coop for our 31 babies as soon as the Good Lord sends us a couple of days of sunshine in a row.

Find something strange to ponder upon today. It is kind of a stress releaver - at least until I remember that we still have to get rid of those very Thorn Trees From Hell....

They kind of scare me. I've decided that I'll let Adam take care of those...

Easter Morning

2009-04-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

I had never been to a sunrise service until this year. I'll never miss one again if I can help it. The first thing I saw when I looked out my window was this. (below)

The next thing I saw were my Irises blooming beautifully.

We don't have a big dinner. I don't even usually get a new dress. This year I wore a skirt that I found at the goodwill and hadn't worn yet! My husband isn't much a church goer and I mostly just celebrate Easter in my heart. Which is ok with me - but this year was a little different.

Our church and two others switch out community services for sunrise at Easter and also others like Thanksgiving and what not. The minister at the church we were going to this year asked me to play a couple of songs. I have always wanted to arrange hymns for solo violin in an appalachian style, but never had and decided that it was way past time. The newness of Easter was just what I needed to inspire me to actually get a marker and transcribe what was going through my head when I played.

I have learned this easter season that it is ok to be spiritual. That it is ok to be moved emotinoally by the enormity and mystery of it all and that it is even ok that I celebrate it alone (not alone at church, of course). Because my faith is just that - mine - and that God wants me not to shout at folks what I believe, but to live it quietly. To be the hands and feet of Jesus does not take many words at all - if any.

I have a different feeling this year. A feeling of hope and goodness and being loved and saved. Deep, still waters in my soul....

I hope that you feel hope. That God blesses you with peaceful waters and a stillness in your soul.

All my love,

Malinda

Tatoes...

2009-04-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

About four years ago we decided to grow some potatoes. Little did we know the love affair that would develop from one little bitty bed of potatoes. The next year we did two beds and the next year we did four. This brings us to this year. We have 10 beds of potatoes and 6 bins of potatoes and are growing Yukon Golds (our personal fave), Kennebecs (my dear gramps suggested we grow those before he went on to heaven), and pontiac reds (practical in our rocky region and a new variety). Here are some Yukon Golds from last year. Have you ever dug up potatoes? If not, you should at least once in your life. Or just live vicariously through us...

The next two pictures are out of order. ANYWAY...

My next question is.... have you ever EATEN home grown potatoes?? They make you this happy.... (see below)

I hope you find a way to enjoy any part of today!!

Much love,

Malinda

Peas, Please??

2009-04-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

There is talk in my town of starting up a farmer's market! This of course excites me to no end...

We are revamping the garden plan to accomodate. Hopefully we will be turning up new ground and planting lots AND LOTS of veggies so that we can do our part to support a local market.

More soon....

It's a Big World, Baby

2009-04-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like that snail. I tiny little girl in a big, big world. Then again, sometimes I don't. Furthermore, when I do, it isn't a bad thing. It is just nice to have some perspective.

I have to teach a make up lesson this morning and then we have a consultation with a new family for lessons and then... and then I get to put on my blue jeans and my tank top and head out to the garden to work out there.

It is my quiet time. All of the music that is constantly running through my head gets quieter and quieter until all I hear is the wind in the tall dead grass and the creek when it has rained enough. The birds yell at each other across the fields and the chickens coo and sing when they're happy. (This time of year they are because they get the weeds we pull.)

I hope today that you can find some good quiet time like that. It is good for the soul...

happy day...

Don't Look so Sad!

2009-04-06T05:48:00.000-07:00

www.jimfields.wordpress.com

I'm posting on my Dad's blog through Wednesday, so if you need new bloggy material, check me out over there. Different format, but still fun... otherwise, check out my archives and I'll see you back here Thursday!

Please tilt your head to the left...

2009-04-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I thought this was funny, but I did. So there.

Yes I'm goofing off while Adam is working hard, but that's ok. He says so.

I love him...

Some Hope

2009-04-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

This is the hope I found. I hope it gives you some, too...

What Do You See? Part 1

2009-04-04T04:48:00.000-07:00

We were clearing land yesterday and I found a lot of hope! I'll share it with you once I get home for the day.

Hug somebody and SMILE today!!

Love

Malinda

A Sister Who Really Isn't a Sister at all, but a Very Best Friend (Part 1 of 3)

2009-04-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

She and I grew up together. We were very close and, I am thankful to say, still are. We live too far apart and she is often busy being SUPERMOM, wife, doggy selling extraordinaire, and a very hard worker. I get bogged down in work and can't get away often enough to see her, but we always pick right up where we left off. This day was a supermom day. As you see sweet Anna is turning 3 and Abby threw the girl a bash. I was lucky enough to be part of the after party and hang out with my sister's family for quite a while that day. There is our wonderful Mama (with the camera) and our equally wonderful granny there below.

We slept together growing up. She told me stories about unicorns so I would go to sleep. I was there for her when she needed me most (I hope, anyway...) and now we talk almost every day. What I love most about Abby is that she is just Abby. And I know she loves me back!

www.abbykey.blogspot.com

Garden Update...

2009-04-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here is Maggie inspecting Adam's potato planting a few weeks ago. She is so funny. Very concerned with why WE are digging up the garden when SHE knows that she is not allowed.

Garlic!

Onions! Mmmmm...

Asparagus from my Gramps's garden in Ohio. I brought some home with me a couple of years ago and am so thankful to have it. Now that he's gone on to Heaven, I have something here on earth that reminds me of my beloved Gramps.

And here is some sunshine for you on a somewhat murky day! Be happy, people, and smile at a stanger today...

Love,

Malinda

A Couple of Trips to the River With a Cool Kid...

2009-04-01T05:45:00.000-07:00

The middle school kids from church are going through their confirmation class right now and I get the honor of being a mentor to sweet Jacey (pronounced JAY cee, like Lacey or Casey). She is aslo a student of mine, so we've been close for over a year, now. But we've decided to be friends, I think, and there is NO WAY that we're NOT gonna go hiking after this class is over. One of the jobs of being Jacey's mentor is for us to hang out together once a month. I missed February so we did two weeks in a row at the local park (Henry Horton) and walked by the river talking, snapping pictures, and just enjoying each other and the day.

She's learning not to take a picture of the river with a big tree right in front of her and I'm learning that getting an eleven year old to talk about God is a lot harder than I started out thinking it would be. But we finally did because I learned that...

... sometimes Jacey just likes to sit and talk. The important talks were always sitting. Staring at the river while resting on the big rocks that line the riverbank.

We were great buddies before, but now our relationship is different and I got an "I love you, Ms. Malinda" somewhere between .7 and .9 miles on the river loop trail. It just doesn't get better than that, folks.

I love this kid...

An Experiment

2009-03-31T06:43:00.000-07:00

Remember when I told you that Adam bought me 125 pounds of potatoes?? We decided that planting them all in the garden would kind of limit us on space for ANYTHING else, so we started a couple of experiments. We have heard of growing potatoes in hay bales, spare tires, and so on and figured that with 125 pounds of potatoes, we had room for error. So here is the first round of creative potato growing. *don't think we're done yet, either** Mary is trying to see if the bins are dog proof. (Which they are. Cat proof, too! We made lids...)
So first Adam got some good compost/dirt out of what we call The Pile from out behind the shed and them made a 3 inch or so layer on the ground (which we did NOT turn under).

Then put the taters EYES UP in said composty dirt stuff. Speaking of... that is Adam getting the goodness from The Pile. *Note to self - get wheelbarrow*

Then cover with more dirt goodness (I think about another 2-3 inches or so) and finally cover with straw.

After the potatoes start growing up through the straw, you keep adding dirt/straw/dirt/straw until you fill up your bin. *In theory, mind you, we haven't ever done this before.*
We've heard that this is a great way to grow potatoes and that usually the yield is very high.

Guess we'll find out. I'll keep ya posted...