Growing Birds

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With our cold,wet spring, nothing seems to be growing very well around these parts.  The garden is about three weeks behind season, which is death for pumpkins and such, and the tomatoes will be late, making for a smaller harvest.  It is good to know that somethings are still able to live a grow, our little nest box is full of the first round of baby birds.  I love walking around the corner of the house to hear their tiny chirps.  When they are grown and have left the nest we will clean out the box and another round of babies will be hatched, we can usually get three hatchings in a season.

Boys Being Boys

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Saturday my youngest brother came to over to our house to help Dadzoo build a trebuchet. 

I love watching boys do boy things, they sure had a good time, and now if there are any enemy invaders we can successfully launch basketballs, watermelon and small animals (joking) to defend ourselves.

Kefir

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For everyone who guessed and wondered what this is:

Kefir Grains

I will keep you from your suspense….
it is Kefir grains!
(good job Tiff)

A neighbor generously gave me some of her extras and I am so excited to start making Kefir using my own grains.  I have been making Kefir for years now using freeze dried starter, but it doesn’t grow grains, and only lasts for about 7 batches.  However with Kefir grains I can use them forever as long as they are taken care of.

You may wonder what Kefir is.  Kefir is a yogurt like cultured dairy (or other liquid) product.  I say yogurt like, because it isn’t yogurt, it is thinner and a little tangier, it will even produce bubbles if cultured a certain way.  It is like yogurt, in that it is full of wonderful pro-biotics, like yogurt, in fact the “grains” are the colonies of pro-biotic producing bacteria.

For more information you can go here, and read all about Kefir.

Unintended Blog Break

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It has been over two weeks since I posted anything, I really didn’t intend on taking any kind of break from blogging, it just happened. 🙂  Being the end of May we are busy with a thousand little tasks and a few big ones.  School will be out for the summer in 4 days, and I look forward to that, I love lazy unstructured days of summer, but, getting to that point creates a lot of work it seems.  Testing has to be done, projects finished, school programs and play and parties are all to be had, it is a lot of fun busyness.  We have also had soccer games and practices, a piano recital to prepare for and a garden to try to get planted (more on that later, it has been a struggle this year).    All the while I have been quietly moving into the final weeks of my pregnancy.  I have seven(ish) weeks to go, moving into the “big” phase where every movement seems to be a bit of a struggle.  I also tend to worry a lot around this time, will I have everything ready, what needs to be done, will I be able to do this, what if something goes wrong, can I do an unmediated birth, can I push her out, and will my legs (varicose veins, which are starting to be painful) hold out.  Dadzoo is kind and patient, he reminds me that I always get a little frantic around this time and that I have delivered five babies already, I will be able to do this one as well. 🙂  Speaking of preparing for the baby, we have purchased all the essential baby gear, replacing everything we got rid of after number 5 was born and we thought we were done, it has been fun to have all new stuff.  We are working (or hiring it out) on remodeling the nursery, the new crown molding, bead-board and trim is all up and waiting to be painted.  Now I am working on collecting the little things, a baby quilt, sheets, a nursing cover, a car seat cover and various other items. (A trip to the fabric store is in the works).  So that is what is going on in my little world, nothing new, no new projects or crafts, just quietly going about my business and anticipating the arrival of Little Sister.