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May reflections/ toddlers and gardens

Oh man, what a month. Remember the foot of snow we got at the beginning of this month? How bizarre. Followed by one of the rainiest springs ever. The field by our house hasn't even been touched yet. It has been a terrible and sad year for farming.

For us, this rainy weather means that every single sunny minute is reason to get the kids outside. We have been celebrating each lovely day, had a few picnics already and are soaking up all of the green that surrounds us. I said to Ivar recently, "Remember the snow? Now it's all green!" He replied sing song, "Ohhhhh."

A few reflections from the month of May 2013:

Elsie is a toddler.
This is huge. Ivar didn't walk until 18 months, so I wasn't ready for Elsie to become so able so quickly. But a lot has changed in the last week. She now can pull herself up to a standing position on the couch and in her crib. She's done with her exersaucer, johnny jump up, rumble buns, baby gym and everything else that meant we had a baby in the house. At the moment she is playing all by herself in the living room. I can hear her talking and laughing and making loud noises. She is a joy.

The attic crawl space is a bonus storage room.
I have been nervous to use this space because we can hear mice in the ceiling sometimes. But I have reconciled that this is what Rubbermaid's were made for and as long as it is in a sealed tub, we should be good to go. So all of the baby gear and baby clothes and Ivar clothes and maternity clothes have moved into this space which has made a whole lot more room for tools and garden stuff out in the garage.

Our garden is going to be awesome. 
Rory is at it again. This garden is going to amaze and I can't wait. My Aunt Louie told me that she doesn't plan a single thing the whole month of September because that is canning month at her house. I took note of that. As I watch Rory's garden grow I am well aware that the work he is putting in on the front end will be my work on the back end and I'm ready for that. I am currently checking out lots of books from the library with canning recipes. I am especially excited about a recipe for a pickled veggie mix you put on Italian sandwiches. Anyone have a favorite canning recipe?

7 comments:

Nancy Holte said...

Um, I hate to be a kill joy but I've seen mice eat through plastic containers (though it probably does slow them down a bit.) Might I suggest you also put some mouse traps up in that crawl space - and check them regularly. :) Once a friend of mine told me that mice ate the Christmas decorations in her garage (she lived in California - they were probably in cardboard boxes.) The next time she told me about it (because we all repeat ourselves) she said a rat ate her Christmas decorations. I asked her if it was a rat or a mouse and she said, "I don't know, what's the difference?" I informed her that rats were much larger than mice to which she replied, "Well, if it was a mouse when it got started, it was a rat when it finished." Still cracks me up! Anyway, your garden looks lovely and I can't wait to see Elsie toddle. :)

Becca Groves said...

Okay. This is good to know. I sort of wondered this as I was typing. Thinking I might just be wishful thinking. We do have traps in there, full of peanut butter. And I know they work, because I tried to move one and it snapped on the cord I was poking it with!

So we'll keep the traps set. And wish upon a star that the mice stay out of the tubs. There is nothing smelly in the tubs so that might help... hmmm...might have to go and google this one for some more solutions. It's just so nice to have doubled our storage space!

Thanks Nancy!

Melanie said...

Favourite canning receipies - the Bernardin (or Ball if you're in the US?) book of canning is awesome - the 2 day pickles have worked every time. And I'm not expert. Good luck!

Becca Groves said...

oohh...two day pickles. I'll look that one up. Thanks Melanie!

annika said...

You bogged nearly everyday in May! Spring is renewing and life is good. Your first Spring on the farm - lots of work to be done and it looks gorgeous already! Love you.

annika said...

You bogged nearly everyday in May! Spring is renewing and life is good. Your first Spring on the farm - lots of work to be done and it looks gorgeous already! Love you.

elsak said...

I can't wait to see what your garden looks like! The beginnings look great. We finally put in a little 8'x14' garden spot in our yard after 10 years of watching to see where the shaddows from the trees let the sunlight through the most. Who knows how things will grow but it is fun none-the-less. There's just something so good about planting and growing and harvesting. Thanks again for blogging!