High Five!

Who's five years old today? This guy.

I've taken to calling him Chuckles (which is cool because he conveniently has his own candy that I was able to procure as a birthday present), and it's true that he's always good for a laugh even when he makes you want to cry sometimes. Our man, Charles is hard core. Last night as Ellis and I were attempting to stealthily wrap his presents, he stood outside the door telling us exactly what we should write on the wrapping paper. I think the phrase I hear most from him is, "That's not what I want." Sometimes makes me think we should have named him Will.

But that's not the whole story, because the other phrase that I hear from him most is, "Mom, you're so beautiful," as he slathers me with kisses and tells me he loves me so. Kid's smart enough to know that he needs to have good credit if he's going to make so many darn withdrawals.

 

Happy birthday to the dude who never fails to notice the way everything is and always believes that he can change it into what he wants it to be. I admire your spunk, kid, just try to take it easier on your old mom this year.

Growing Things

Everything has been a bit later this spring than usual. First it was cold and now it's been rainy so the usual flurry of activity that comes with spring planting (and gathering - hello, morels!) has been drawn out over two months. Is it really mid-June?

Last year's drought killed off a good portion of our front lawn, which because we fancy ourselves urban farmers, was actually a gift from mother nature. Why not replace the grass with a couple of raised beds in the front yard where we have that glorious southern exposure (when the sun actually shines that is)?

So, in between storms, one got built and filled with a bunch of free compost from the Ramsey County Yard Waste Collection Sites (tax dollars put to excellent use). Will we build the second? I think so, although we may actually have to buy the dirt this time (gasp!) if the county's all out of the premium rich black stuff. Maybe I'll even plant some pepper plants in it on the summer solstice and cross my fingers that they'll grow like crazy if it ever warms up this year. Even with this wonky weather (on the bright side, at least the almost daily rain will save us money on watering the crops) we'll surely have some delicious eats by harvest time. If our first frost doesn't come by Labor Day, that is.

Ellis Jokes

"Some say revenge is a dish best served cold. Some say revenge is sweet. So basically, revenge is ice cream"

"There are three kinds of people in this world. Those who can count and those who can't. "

Some Dirt on Me

In the seven or so years that I have been gardening, I have learned that the most valuable quality a gardener can have is patience. Therefore, gardening is the perfect hobby for me, not because I have patience, but because I need to cultivate it as a quality in myself. In this way, the plants provide much more care for me than I do for them.

The Queen of the Work-Around

I baked Isaac's birthday cake on Friday morning and left it to cool in the pans while I went to run errands. When I got home, the cake was completely stuck and as I tried to jimmy it out, it fell apart. It broke so badly that I couldn't do my normal fix of a healthy dose of frosting spackle. Luckily, I enjoy making something good out of a bad situation - the trickier the better. I made some vanilla pudding and layered the cake with it and the berries and fruit I had on hand. Instant trifle! The best part is that it was more decadently delicious than plain old birthday cake would have been. Score one for the Queen of the Work-Around.

Of course, things may have gone even better in the first place if I had followed Charlie's cake recipe and used "blour" and baked it for 18 hours.

 

This Week (365 Photos)

I resolved to take pictures every day this year. My plan is to share them weekly on this blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He's Number One

Happy first birthday, Isaac! The nickname I've settled on for him these days is "little love." And it's true that he is the repository of all of our deepest affections.

In the last month, he decided that crawling is a pretty efficient mode of transportation after all, especially because it helps him cover the gaps between furniture that he can hold onto for his creeping around the house. He's also discovered a love for books. His favorite is Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss. He thinks it's funny when I make the animal noises (especially the owl - Hoo Hoo).

 

First birthdays are a celebration of the immense amount of work each baby does to get from the point of no neck control and round-the-clock feedings to mobility, exploration, and engagement with the world. For parents, there's a bit of a sigh of relief that you kept them alive through the year of their greatest dependence on you. We did great on this first leg of our journey, little love. I look forward to what comes next.