Feast Day Fun: Pentecost

We had a big-ol' bonfire for Pentecost this year.  There was months worth of debris in the yard that needed cleaned up, and it made a pretty impressive wall of flame.  Come Holy Spirit!

This stick started putting out a pink flame, and it took us awhile to realize what it was!  It was the "torch" from the torch light ski parade during this past Winter Carnival! 

Reagan ended up using it as a "T" for a little t-ball in the yard afterwards.

Can't let a good fire go to waste.  There were s'mores after the flames went down a bit.

The Garden

It's been a few years since we've done a garden.  Life has just been too plain busy the past few summers.  This summer, though... not so much.  We have the time.

I HATE weeding.  Despise it.  I love growing things, and harvesting, and all that, but to keep weeds at bay has always been more than I can handle.  Enter my engineer husband, who had found an old culvert.  He made me a raised flower bed by slicing the culvert in two, and placing it on top of a steel structure he had used to construct the wings of his airplane.  Well, this just might work!

The whole process inspired Reagan to try and make a flower bed of her own.  She found an old gutter behind the garage, and zip-tied two deli-meat containers to the end of it.  Then she drilled some holes in the bottom of the gutter, filled it with potting soil, and planted an herb garden.  Viola!  Pretty smart, little girl!  Good idea!

Cotton On the Breeze

During our evening walks, Rob and I were noticing a lot of "cotton" floating around on the breeze.  He commented that it must be dandelion puffs.  "NO!" says I.  It's cottonwood!  From cottonwood trees!  But Rob swore that there were no cottonwoods on our road.  Where was all this stuff coming from?  We decided to do a little impromptu experiment while walking, wherein Rob blew a dandelion puff to see if the result was the same as what we were seeing floating around anywhere.  It decidedly wasn't.  Then we started searching for what plant might be causing all the fluff, and came upon these little bits of plant on the ground, that almost seemed to be coming from pine trees.  We're still not exactly sure where it all is coming from.  Do any of you know?

ADDENDUM:  Googled my question in a way that came up with the right answer... finally!  Black Poplar.  The seed pods cause cotton.  OK then!  We definitely have a poplar tree or two around here!

Feast Day Fun: St. Joan of Arc

I have a special affinity for Joan of Arc.  She became my muse and inspiration during my battle with cancer and illness back in 2017, and I feel a close bond with her.  I have adopted her as my "Patron Saint".  To celebrate her feast day, we had shishkabobs, because she was burned at the stake.  This is morbid and probably inappropriate, but it DOES help her story to stick in the minds of young supper-eaters.  We talked about her amazing feats of leadership and bravery as a CHILD - the first and only female general of a nation's entire army... at 16 years old.  And illiterate.  Even the boys' friends who were over thanked me afterwards for telling them about Joan of Arc, because she was truly an amazing human being who reflected God so perfectly in her life - we all should know about her.  

And for desert afterwards, Fleur-De-Lis French vanilla cake, with white frosting representing purity.

St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!!

Boys In The House

After 2.5 solitary months, we realized it had been long enough.  The boys have not seen another pubescent male besides each other since March 13th.  When Spencer decided to come visit from Colorado, even during a pandemic, we were like... yes.  OK.  Come to our house.  Stay with us.  This, of course, attracted other pubescent males to the house, and after nearly 3 months, it was fine with us.  Enough of this.  We are human beings, and human beings are herd animals.  They need socialization.  I get to go to work twice a week and see other human beings, but they don't.  We have officially broken quarantine, and it's about time.  

There were feats of strength at dinner.  

And Rob learned the fine art of virtual reality game playing.  It's exercise!  It really is, Mom!  Maybe life IS better in the matrix.

The Man and His Plane at the Beach

Last Day in Spokane.

Not the most ideal circumstances for a visit, but I'm so glad I got to come, and spend time with my family.  Mom and Dad are gonna make it... I have no doubt :).  It was good to be able to see that with my own eyes!!  Even during a pandemic!