Let the Little Ones Come

Backyard Bird Excitement--Texas Style

We'll let you know when the babies arrive (sparrows I think)...:)

The kids have been the only ones to spot the mommy in flight....I have only seen her tail feathers poking out of the nest and they look sparrow-ish to me....;)

Yearning for Autumn

There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots
may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on
the feelings, as now in October.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Here deep in the heart of Texas, it is still pretty warm. But that hasn't kept us from trying to spur Mother Nature forward by dropping a few hints that we would like the trees to begin to turn and the weather to have that crisp, cool tinge...

We've put together a little Fall Table filled with acorns from our oak tree out front, a few branches and leaves. We look forward to adding to it as the leaves begin to change in our neighborhood. This doesn't usually happen until the end of October/early November. :( Paul and Rose will soon paint the unfinished wooden bird houses in fall colors--that should really make the table more festive.

This week baby Joseph has been busy, helping to plant a few mums:

Here he is just looking too adorable for words:

Finally, here is the newest addition to our family, our lady scarecrow, Sally. ;)

O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather.

An Early Spring

What does the picture above of my oldest four blessings (clockwise from left, Rose, Grace, Paul and Meg) standing around an ancient pecan trunk (that we saw when we visited Laura and Almanzo's Rocky Ridge Farm in early November)

and this simple packet of wildflower seeds which the kids picked up at the Wilder Home have to do with an early spring?

Well, let's start at the beginnning--my oldest daughter, Meg, has always been a child who immerses herself in a hobby or subject until she becomes an "expert." This started from a young age, I remember, the first time at age 4--her interest was dinosaurs and we must have gotten every book on dinosaurs from the library...we watched Land Before Time videos when I was nauseated and unable to move with my 3rd blessing...(I still get mildly sick when I see Little Foot or one of his friends...). I remember pointing out a "longneck" in a book we were reading together, well Meg snapped to attention and rather firmly told me: "Mommy, there is no such dinosaur as a "long neck"--the correct term is apatosaurus or brontosaurus, though, Mommy, brontosaurus isn't really used, anymore, apatosaurus is the really correct scientific name."

I knew then I was in for a fun time with this child and that we would learn a lot together! Over the years, we progressed from dinosaurs to horses, to dogs, to mammals in general, to birds, well you get the idea. She has always had a lively interest in nature and living things...So, it shouldn't have come as a surprise when we got back from our trip to the Ozark's and she coincidentally began coming home from the library with HUGE books on herbs--like this one or vegetables and fruits like this one.

And because my lack of knowledge about all things botannical has nagged at me for years, we already had this book geared just for the big state of Texas.

Well, Meg has been begging to plant a garden--she wants it all--herbs, flowers, vegetables (and some fruit but she isn't too keen on fruit--though she loves all vegetables--I mean what kid loves brussel sprouts?? Yep, she does...)

Anyway, it looks like our family is on a gardening adventure where we will learn more about all sorts of exciting plants--from the beginning. We even have a very nice-sized sunny plot of land that is raised up and just in need of some good soil! But, I have to confess, I have a BLACK thumb--and I'm scared...but the kids' enthusiasm (Meg can get anyone excited about anything and her brother and sisters are ready to start digging!) will guide us through this great unknown springtime adventure--and thank goodness, it's early January...I still have time to learn a little before Meg begs me to send in our order that she has been working on from her seed catalogue she ordered before Christmas...

Even little Marie is excited about the prospect as you can tell by her current read:

I know Elizabeth had a great gardening adventure last spring, so I am off to peruse her blog and gain inspiration! Wish me luck, I'll need it!

Oh, and a visit to the Ozarks' is a wonderful way to inspire one to want to create a little of that beauty in your own backyard! :)