By henryjn, on May 13th, 2010%
I’ve added a badge on the left for The Shop. Yes, I’m opening up shop again. Selling bags, aprons and small accessories. I’ve gotten started sewing and am going to work steadily for the next few weeks to get things all set up. Stay tuned for the grand opening date!!
This year’s garden is coming along nicely and I think it’s the best yet because we were really selective with the type of plants. Planting ones that we will actually eat. We planted all four garden boxes back in April with the following:
Box 1:: 6 tomato plants and 3 each of yellow squash and zucchini
Box 2:: 3 Basil, 2 Thyme, 1 Orange Mint, 1 Parsley transplant, 1 Cilantro, 2 Tomato, 4 Bell Pepper, 1 Jalepeno, 1Datil Pepper and a couple dozen Red Onions
Box 3:: 1 Thorn-less Blackberry bush and 5 strawberry plants
Box 4:: 4 Blueberry bushes and a few watermelons
Since we were planting late and had not started any seedlings, we started with plants for everything. So far, we’ve gotten a few strawberries and two yellow squash. We had two actual blueberries and were patiently waiting for them to ripen, but just discovered that they were eaten by the birds. I’m planning on making lots of Pioneer Woman’s Pico de gallo, hence the tomatoes, cilantro, red onions and jalepenos. My mouth is watering as I write. The kids all love fruit, way more than the veggies, well 100% more than the veggies. So we planted strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. If I can just keep the birds and the kids from eating them as they grow, I might just be able to make a pie someday.
Up-close Look at the Garden:
This morning we were checking out the garden, when we discovered that one of the bell pepper plants had almost been totally eaten. We were looking around it when Jay noticed a bright green caterpillar that was looking very plump, thanks to that lovely bell pepper plant that we had so generously put there for him to munch. We pinched off the branch it was holding on to and placed him in one of our many caterpillar jars. After his photo shoot, I decided to go through the other plants to see what else was hanging around. I found 6 more of his Tomato Horn-worm buddies. I think it’s time to take some action, serious action of the pesticide variety.
Overall View of the Garden:
Here is what the garden is looking like now, a month after planting. We are learning as we go for sure and are far from knowing what we are doing. I have learned that it is fun to plant fruits and veggies because they are bringing wildlife literally to our back door. It gives us things to look up and learn about in a very practical and hands-on way. The little bit of food we yield is a bonus.
One more thing, do you see that big thing behind the garden? Well, that is a new to us playground that our very generous neighbors across the street gave us. The kids are out there everyday swinging away- Hooray for neighbors!!
By henryjn, on February 16th, 2010%
During a recent trip to Hoggetowne, we stepped back in time to the middle ages. There was jousting, falconry, archery, tools and weapons, horses and entertainment. At first, the boys were not sure about the folks dressed up in period clothing and the very tall man on stilts. By the end of our visit, they we cheering right along with everyone else during the dual between Robin Hood’s Merry Men and the forces of evil.
:: preparing for Hoggetowne
By henryjn, on September 23rd, 2009%
All is well and very different in these parts. We have new “temporary” neighbors as of August 24th or so and have been super busy creating, playing, getting to know each other, and figuring out how to live together. These new neighbors are cousins all the way from Arizona now relocated here in Florida and are searching for a permanent home in the area. In the mean time, we are all enjoying spending time together and learning together. They home school as well, so now that fall is officially here, we are in the throes of school as they say. I’ve enjoyed having the older girls around to help me with Erin and do all the crafty things I like to do. The first week they were here I think my sewing machine was working overtime.
The benefit to having cousins right next door is the convenient access of more children for group play and projects. I introduced them to a favorite book of ours called Roxaboxen. It is actually set in Yuma, AZ, which is 4 hours from their hometown. Immediately, they were taken by the familiar landscape and names of the plants in the book. This book is based on a true story of children playing and using their imaginations to create their own town with what they had on hand. This story gave the children of Emerald Lane the fuel to create their own town of Greenville. They worked together and came up with their own version. Their own Roxaboxen right in the backyard.
By henryjn, on June 19th, 2009%
On my trip to Utah, I brought back some gifts for the kids. Including a book about a coyote-based on a Wasco Indian Legend, some arrowheads, little rocks and a small drum.
There was much excitement for the gifts and a fury of creating happened first thing the next morning. It started with making necklaces out of the arrowheads I brought home. I shared my stash of beads, which by the way were everywhere at the end of the creating process. Many deep breaths were involved there. Once the necklaces were made, we were off to paint bodies with some leftover Halloween make-up.
Ian had made this small shelter earlier which gave my little Native Americans a spot to hang out and drum and make treaties.
In the end, I found the brother’s like this and had to capture this moment.
Who would have thought that a few things from out West could inspire such fun and learning.
Here are some other book ideas to go along with a western/desert theme:
Roxaboxen
Cactus Hotel
Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies
By henryjn, on May 24th, 2009%
Stepping and punching, attention stances, bowing, kicking, sit-ups and push-ups.
These boys have been learning it all.
We signed the boys up for Karate in January and they recently had a promotion ceremony. They performed in front of a very large group of parents and students and received their new belts- red with a white stripe for Ian and purple with a white stripe for Sean. Ian is getting very serious about Karate and wanting to know more about Japan and the language. Sean is having fun and was a crowd pleaser at the ceremony, getting a few laughs and “awwws” when it was his turn.
For me, it’s the uniform. There is something about a man in a uniform. Well, my little men that is.
By henryjn, on May 6th, 2009%
When one of us is sick, it forces us to stay home and explore the world right out our back door
:: The corn growing in Grammie and Grampie’s Garden..
:: The turtles in the pond.
:: Our little path in the woods.
By henryjn, on May 5th, 2009%
the little silhouette in the new header above is an eastern bluebird. because of the time of day and lighting, i was unable to get a shot that showed off his beautiful coloring. i do like the silhouette and find it interesting that it looks flat, almost 2-D.
after i captured the photo of our little bluebird friend, these guys built a bluebird house with their Opa. a special project to introduce them to Opa’s Workshop. he is a master carpenter; at least in my eyes and i’m so very excited that he wanted to share some of his knowledge and expertise with my boys.
we’ve noticed the bluebird around here for a few years now. so a box was just what we needed to make him feel at home.
according to Ian, it needed to be painted. so we headed to the local home store and he picked out a nice “bluebird blue”. at my suggestion, they added some bright colors on top of the blue with fun designs. not sure if the bluebirds will like their new home, but it just might scare off any predators.
By henryjn, on April 27th, 2009%
we discovered another catepillar the other week. it was very large and light greeen in color. i was excited because we’ve only found monarch butterfly catepillar’s in the past and this one was different. we grabbed it and gave it a nice little home in an old spaghetti sauce jar, added some leaves and sticks and some holes in the top. once we put it in it’s new home, it made a cocoon almost immediately. after two weeks, i opened the jar and noticed a noise coming from the container. it was shaking and twisting. we got excited and thought it was ready to come out. we’ve never been able to see and butterfly come out and thought this was it. we gave it a little help and cut it out of the cocoon. it was a dark brown color and it was twisting around constantly. by then we thought we ruined it. so, we put it back in the jar and let it be. after a week or so, we checked occasionally and then it stopped moving. i was going to throw it away and when i picked up the jar i noticed there was a moth in there. some how even though we tampered with it, he managed to transform into a moth. it is a luna moth. it’s very rare based on the information i found on the web. it’s very large and light green with a few markings. i love these kinds of experiences. i’m learning right along with the kids and actually i get more excited about it than they do.
By henryjn, on April 24th, 2009%
we have a great group of friends that come over during the week. it is something that the boys and erin really look forward to. they play non-stop and explore the outdoors, hunting lizards, sippin’ on honeysuckle and swinging.
last week, they met the chicks and picked wild blackberries.
this week we made cobbler with the blackberries and shared it with our friends. sorry, no picture of the cobbler, it was just too good and was gobbled up before i had a chance to take a picture.
we love our friends, thanks for spending time with us.
have a great weekend!
By henryjn, on April 23rd, 2009%
Every child is born with creative potential, but this potential may be stifled if care is not taken to nurture and stimulate creativity. Creativity shows one’s uniqueness. It is the individual saying: “I can be; I can do.” Isn’t this what we want for our children? Creativity is the ability to see things in a new and unusual light, to see problems that no one else may even realize exist, and then come up with new, unusual, and effective solutions to these problems.
::a little production by the henry players- a story of a king, a princess, a knight and a dragon.
One of the best ways children have to express themselves is through creative dramatic play. Here they feel free to express their inner feelings. It occurs daily in the lives of young children, as theyconstantly imitate the people, animals, and machines in their world. It helps them understand and deal with the world. Stimulate this spontaneous kind of drama by providing simple props and encouragement.
Marilyn Lopes Extension Specialist, Family Life Education Cape Cod Cooperative Extension University of Massachusetts
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Welcome I am Nancy Henry, mother to three really cool children, wife, designer, crafter, camera girl and a struggling writer. I share some of our life here when I get the chance. The focus is on the everyday and the beauty it beholds. Enjoy your stay and let me know you stopped by!
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