The Last Days of 'Spring' Break

Well, Wednesday was icky, Thursday was sunny and cold and windy, Friday was back to the start of winter again. (hmmmm. That almost sounds like a Billy Joel song!)

Thursday we were tearing up the ceiling in the old house (we still haven't moved the awkward plant yet so we can fill in the 'cellar') and S realised that the panels were like the cards T used to make houses from. So, that is what J did.

Then, he decided to try and burn it.

But it collapsed and it was caught on film.

So, he tried another plan...and finally decided to make the ironclad. One of T's sturdiest designs.

This one was very well built and did NOT blow over and was satisfying to watch burn.

Then, it proceeded to snow on Friday and then it hailed. The stones were the size of peas!

This is a long post, but I imagine after the weekend, not much will be going on. At least, not much that is photograph worthy!!!

Book of the day: Dear Enemy by Jean Webster--Sequel to Daddy-Long-Legs. EXCELLENT Read!!!!!

Spring Break?

This has been a pretty unusual spring break for Oregon. We have had snow and sun and wind and rain and snow. In spite of the absurd weather, this is what we have managed to do:
Hang out in trees.


Dig holes, one may eventually turn into a tunnel!

Plant strawberries in a raised bed (hope raised beds work here!) and dig up bushes that grow in the wrong place. This one decided to grow inside an entry that leads to the unsafe underground place under the old house. We took some of the larger roots and heeled them in near the strawberries.

Book of the week. Another one by Mercedes Lackey, The gates of sleep. I can't find my Secret Garden book, so may have to check it out from the library!
We are still in the name game, we'll keep you posted!

Name the Bear!

Ok, here is our newest addition. He needs a Tillamooky name. He was created on the Wilson River and he doesn't need to hold a flag all the time. He just has one because I wanted him to hold one. Anyway, help us name him. S and I would like to call him Wilson, but J doesn't like the name. He says it is a brand name for volleyballs.


On another note, Happy almost Easter! My sis, on her blog about the Diverse Work in Progress, has a great recipe using hollow chocolate bunnies, miniture cadbury eggs, and peeps. It is called an Easter turducken (check it out, if you haven't already. You have to look for it in one of her later March blogs.) S and I are co teaching Sunday school tomorrow and I made 'Easter cookies' or 'resurrection cookies'. It took me until I started to mix them until I realised what they were! My sis made them for 4-H years ago, but they were called 'Forgotten cookies'. Someone adapted the recipe and added scripture to it. We are also making nail crosses from some old square nails that S found in an attic of somewhere around here. (Note, the old stuff blog? It is EVERYWHERE.) We'll hang them on red ribbon. After all that work, I just hope we have more kids than 2!
One very exciting note, I got to see Enchanted finally. I Loved It!
Book of the day (one I got for me for Easter!) by Mercedes Lackey, the Fairy Godmother (again!).

Random Whatevers

I so much wish I could write this from driving in my car. I have the best ideas there and don't remember them when I get home. How typical.

I wanted to metion to everyone a happy holy Easter week. This is my most favorite week of the year as Palm Sunday kicks off the whole reason for the existence and ultimately the death of Jesus. I was working with some kids the Sunday before last and we were talking about His arrival in Jerusalem. Jesus said the rocks would cry out if the people couldn't. Can you imagine that? If you were standing in the street and the rocks at your feet suddenly cried out 'Hosanna!' I have seen muppet rocks sing and tell bad jokes, but this is reality. How amazing is that?

Then, on Monday, we had another fun holiday. Did you know that St. Patrick's Day is a bio friendly day??? It's green!

J and I have been working on a project he is doing for US History. Pretty fun, but it would have been better if he had done it more spread out rather than most at once. It is almost done and is due on Thursday.

More scrappin' photos and one of our many really cool finds! We found most of two of those stoves. And for those who wondered. J is the fuzzy dark spot over the light looking spot near the scrap stuff out in the middle of the field. He is riding his motor bike.

Pictoral Notes

J's puzzle project. Grandpa's first fish of the year!


What S does when he is unemployed!!


J on Jo's old bike J riding in the field--look close!

It appears we have the internet again. It is pretty great..but we can't get the camera and the computer to 'talk' now and so are unable to download the photos from one to the other. One of new connections seems to be in the same place and creating difficulties.

It has been very springy here. I will have to go and get some of my favorite spring quotes! We have had wind, thunderstorms, lightening, hail, sun, rain, and assorted temps. Pretty interesting!

Book of the day: The Dark Hills Divide first in a series about the Land of the Elyon by Patrick Carman. Not sure how it is going to go, I am only in the first chapters. They are kid lit. J is reading the Andromeda Strain to S. Sort of carrying on in his brother's footsteps!

G Notes

G notes are for Great Gilly-whopper Wonderful Things. OK, S still hasn't found a job. There are several out there and he has to choose. (I keep having flashbacks to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!!! 'Choose Wisely.') But, we may just be getting the internet in the next week or so. For me, that is totally wonderiffic! To be able to add photos to this blog..to be able to go online whenever I want...To be able to go internet shopping!!! (Well, not so sure about that!). Anyway, we have been internet hopeful before, so I am just waiting to see what happens.
T leaves next week for the sand and we are thinking of sending him another electronic toy. The DS Nintendo is my favorite at this time. The screen is small, but it is very user friendly.
J got cold feet as to his solo. He said it sounded better on an alto sax anyway. I was sad, but not too surprised. The trimester has ended and most of his grades are not too bad. Some are and some are not.
Am reading a new book by Robin McKinly (Beauty) and it is not too bad. A little confusing, but I would like to add it to my collection. It is called Dragonhaven and is about a refuge for dragons and all the hoopla there is in creating a refuge for creatures people don't believe exist..although, they really do. The dragons are either dangerous and need exterminated or they are rare and need protected, but you can't rescue and raise any orphans you find...

In like a Lion!

My kids made lion faces today to celebrate March. I can't wait until tomorrow until they can march around the house all day on March 4th (in honor of Mrs. H!!!!). I won't be watching them, but I hope they won't forget to march forth and up and down the stairs! Anyway, it is very cold and a bit windy outside. Not a lamb like day at all. BRRRRRR.
We have made up a resume for S. I printed out a few, however, he found a typo. So, I will need to redo a page. I am convinced that typos appear magically after you proof read. He has some leads and is busy doing little house jobs and moonlighting automotive jobs. Except they are during the day!
Talked to T this weekend. Actually, S talked to him longer. I was sick and J was on a ski trip where he learned to snowboard. T is doing ok, but is ready to move on to somewhere else. Which happens this month.
No new books, I was sick all weekend and didn't even want to read!