sumac tea

xtracycle

by th

sisters

i'm not going to try to explain.

building rain barrels

koda

the slide

at the party, keaton rules the sandbox

berry baby

stripping old bikes for parts

mt. pleasant victory garden

This is a guest post by a good friend in Mt. Pleasant SC, just over the Cooper River Bridge from Charleston. I love the gate detail.

Here's a few pics of my garden from a week or so ago. We've been getting killer sun then swamping rains, then sun again...


The lettuce box has been producing way more than we can eat for over a month now. The idea was to make a living salad bar, so you don't have to bend over while picking for dinner.

An unexpected benefit was the extreme lack of pests. No slugs, dirt...nothing has chewed on a single leaf. The little anole lizard is in charge of that crop. He hangs out in there all day.

The rain barrel, was full after two rain storms, and has stayed that way ever since.

Hard to believe that every household does not have such amenities. I spent $9 on half a year's salads.

when hawks attack

While I was home helping to get Salem settled into our lives and us into hers, a hawk killed one of the chickens. I looked out of my front window to see the raptor eating one of my girls at the edge of my neighbor's yard. I shot a few pictures and then ran the bird off. The other hens were already huddled inside their hawk proof pen. They stayed safely under cover for a few days and will not be outside without me keeping watch until a little later in the spring. Hopefully by then there will be plenty of other critters for hawks to eat.

salem reynolds beatrix newton

Born March 6 2008

Keaton turned two a few days later.

rough cut

Here's the rough cut of the video that shows our home being insulated. Many thanks to the talented Charles Heilig for editing this puppy.

just some pics

keaton phoenix

eggs for breakfast?

they're coming in different colours

store bought on the left - backyard on the right

before the slide

keaton's first cycle

ouch!