Musings From The Farm Comfortable living in your own skin

Some days my life feels a little like a Dr. Seuss story…maybe the Cat in the Hat? Today when I went to pick up our oldest granddaughter for preschool, her younger sister who is 2 going on 16 collapsed into a crying mess pleading to me to just hold her. That kind of stuff really pulls at a grandmother’s heartstring. Since her mommy is already pretty busy with twin babies, I asked if she would like to help me bring her sister to school. She immediately stopped sobbing and said “yes thank you”, she would. She cannot only turn her tears on and off in seconds, she is usually very polite too.

So I got two toddlers to the car in the pouring rain and we were off to school. When we got there, number one went about her usual routine. Number two (from Dr. Seuss’s Thing One and Thing Two, I call them that sometimes since, one night in their footie jammies they were chasing each other and laughing hilariously) took off her coat and let it drop to the ground and wandered around like a little bee deciding where to light. The school is very nice about letting siblings stay for a few minutes to play. After exchanging pleasantries with other children I told number two it was time to go and she was, if not happy at least compliant.

I thought we’d stop in at our house to have a little visit with Papa. That would be sure to brighten number two’s day, as those two seem to have a mutual admiration going on. She was happy to see her Papa and was quick to tell him just what she wanted to do. Sit on his lap and color. Well she just scribbles with a pen on sticky notes and they discuss if she should write on the backside after she has used up the front, while Papa is working on the computer. She always disagrees with him about this but he is firm and she reluctantly complies. When she grows tired of this she wants him to put her up on my shipping counter so she can help Grammy pack orders. Oh boy. I was almost done so she watched while I finished up and then she wanted to get down and started to rummage through every box she could reach. We had about all the help we could take in the soap shop so we went upstairs, where she announced she wanted to make coffee. She was only talking about making pretend coffee. But by now it was time to go back to school to pick up her sister. I asked her to pick up her toys. She asked “why” (one of her new favorite words) and when I told her she said “no thank you” she wanted to stay here and “help Papa”.

He wasn’t really interested, he had his fill of the little helper for the day. Hopefully when she is older though.

I love these unconventional days where our home is a little Dr. Seuss – like!

This evening I did get the rest of my garden planted and mulched. I like to wait to plant until the soil is warm. I have heard the plants aren’t really going to grow much until the soil is warm anyway. Another reason to wait is the chance of frost is gone. Typically I plant around June 1^st, but I didn’t quite make it this year. I’m not too worried; I think they will catch up.  I know some of you live in very warm places and grow year-round, not up here!

I also like to plant in the evening, especially if it is very hot or very sunny. That gives the plants a chance to settle in to their new home before they have to deal with the stresses of the heat and sun. The down side is the mosquitoes are always worse at night. And here in the northeast the mosquitos have had a very successful breeding season with all the rain we have had.  The mosquitoes are plentiful, big and hungry and they like me.  However, they like Dean better.  They always have.  It is interesting that mosquitoes like some people better than others.

Oh what I will do for my plants!  (Us organic gardeners have great plans don’t we?)

The other thing I like to do is water and mulch as soon as I plant. The plants need the water to get their roots anchored into the soil and help them hydrate to deal with the stress of moving. Mulching not only helps to reduce weeds, it also conserves moisture that would otherwise evaporate from the soil. I like to use grass for mulch, we don’t use chemicals on our grass so it makes perfect mulch. Dean likes to mow; I often tell him he should have been a sod farmer(really, it’s his rest and relaxation). A thick grass mulch will last the whole season and I like that it adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. So now it’s done, and I am feeling very fulfilled even if I am tired, buggy and dirty.

Oh you know that I know how to take care of dirt!  And it feels so good to get clean with our goat milk soap.