We have 2 April birthdays in our family….O. and K. K. turns 6 today! He’s been counting the days until his birthday, well, since the end of his last birthday and is soooo happy that today is his day.
He’s picked out a special cereal one of his most favorite foods, selected a white cake with white icing and chocolate ice cream in the middle – for a surprise for everyone! Oh, and a number 6 on the top in berries. Then for dinner – pizza…his other favorite food!
Along with all the cool gifts he got, he is also getting a visit from his 2 cousins and his grandma and grandpa. They drove up yesterday and are spending his birthday here with us! He’s quite excited about this part and thinks its very special. Living far away from family we don’t always get to spend birthdays and such with them. We’ve had a few opportunities to do it though and the kids always relish the birthday moments even more.
Then, next weekend is the big party! He asked for a Lego theme party and has decided to give away small lego kits as favors. We’ve got some cool decorations planned including a homemade pinata! And then, a tasty lego themed cake from our local Sweet Sensations bakery. They’re amazing and make the coolest cakes.
It’s so amazing to think he’s 6 already. The passage of time is quite a thing. It seems like only yesterday it was his birth we were preparing for in the spring in New Mexico. He was born at home with two local midwives, his dad, his bro and our friend in attendance, at 5:07 in the afternoon. A very special day indeed.
Before I know it though – Spirit willing – he’ll be 16….26…..46……
But for today, he’s just 6, and enjoying his special day immensely!
Spring in Maine is so beautiful, and anticipated that it seems it must come with a price…..Black Flies. They’re just horrible. They swarm around your head and actually bang into you. Apparently they like the CO2 your breathing out, but they’re extremely annoying.
Not only that though, the females bite you. I know the poor gals need to eat and all, but they give really really nasty bites. They often bleed at first, then, they itch, and itch, and itch. And the bites stick with you too, becoming quite itchy at random times as they attempt to heal. Especially if the buggers get you really well.
Children are the most susceptible to them, which is a bummer. Often in the spring the kids really want to be outside, so they’ll go out, and then, a few min later, come in because the flies are just so bad. In that time they’ve gotten a few bites.
Mr. T. is going to pick up some netting for us so we can actually stand to be outside in the spring. It’s just essential. The garden needs tending, the boys need fresh air and a place to stretch their legs…and it’s freakin’ beautiful out….except for the black flies!
I try to remember that although they suck, and I can’t imagine why the Good Lord would create such a bothersome creature (They feed on both humans and animals and annoy us all!). But, they are pollinators. So, as such, they do demand some respect. Without pollinators there is no fruit, some veggies rely on pollinators too. In recent years pollinator species have been in decline too. So, again, I have to give a bit of love out to the black fly…only a little bit though!
But, black flies are simply a part of life here in Maine in the spring, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything! I’ve lived in places where there are no bothersome bugs like mosquitoes and black flies…but there’s not a ton of water in these places either. The landscape in spring is beautiful, but not the vibrant green awakening it is in Maine.
And, if there is a breeze, or you head to the coast, you can avoid them. So, we ride the bikes, swing, take VERY brisk walks and enjoy the beautiful land while outsmarting those evil demon flies! You can’t really use any repellent to successfully avoid them though. The brands with DEET sometimes work, but I’d rather put up with a fly bite or 2 then put that stuff on, especially for the kids.
We also keep watch for the first days of summer. The flies are mostly gone by then as most of the flies are now dormant. Many say they’re around from about Mother’s Day to Father’s Day. Not forever! That’s what I keep reminding myself when they swarm me while I”m trying to load the car, or hang the wash and drive me bonkers…they’re not here forever!
by AKA MOM on April 24, 2010
in Recipes
A few months ago, Mr. T. had some free time and was playing around in the kitchen. He came up with the tastiest dish. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this skillet scramble has it all – just take a look and see for yourself.
Ingredients
This list of ingredients will make about 1 serving ( probably 2 if you pair it with toast or some pancakes….depending on how hungry you are!)
1T olive oil
1 med or 2 small potatoes chopped very small
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 C red onion finely chopped
1/4 C bell pepper diced
1/2 link of chicken sausage chopped into small pieces
1 egg
1T milk
1/4 C cheddar cheese
Directions
Warm olive oil on a low skillet then add potato. Saute for about 7-8 min then add garlic, onion and pepper. Saute for about 5-7 min more, until potatoes begin to get tender. Then add sausage. Once everything is starting to brown, scramble egg and milk in a separate dish. Pour over scramble and…scramble! Once the egg is all mixed in add the cheese and cook a bit longer until everything is well mixed and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve right away.
Today is Earth Day…..Actually, the 40th Anniversary of the Holiday. People everywhere are doing things in honor of the Earth. Some of the events are wonderful while others seem like just another way to make money. But that’s not really what I wanted to talk about. I figured, in honor of Earth Day 2010, I’d take a look at trash.
Trash is everywhere it seems. Even in “wild places” you can sometimes find litter. And consider for a moment the movie Wall-E. The Earth was finally so filled with trash that the humans went to live in space.
It doesn’t have to be that way though. if each family did just a few things it would reduce that trash load dramatically. How about a Earth Day Resolution to watch your trash output and work to make it smaller? You can start with these tips.
First, Think Compost.
A big step in reducing waste, is composting. Make a pile, get a compost bin, but you’ve gotta get that compostable waste our of your trash bag and back into the ground.
Then Comes Reusing
Reuse whatever possible to keep it out of the land fill. Things like shopping at the thrift store and washing out your plastic bags and containers it all keeps things out of the land fill. If you’ve gotta let something go – try Freecycycle or donate it to a place like Good Will or the Salvation Army.
Switch to Cloth
Paper towels, paper and plastic bags, paper napkins, tissues. You can easily switch to cloth for all of these things and save both money and trees, and….reduce your trash output!
Of Course You’ve Gotta Recycle
Obvious – but sometimes it just still needs to be said
Bring Your Own Containers
Water bottles and coffee cups are huge culprits of the trash pile up – and it’s so easy to bring your own reusable container instead. Some places will even give you a discount on your drink fill up if you provide your own container.
And, when you buy in bulk, reduce the packaging even further and bring your own! In many cases, the jars and containers you use can be reused each time – that means no pasta box, no bag of candy, no container of sugar, no soap dispenser…less trash!
These ideas are just the tip of the…trash pile. Get creative. Make a challenge out of it – see how little trash you can produce in a week, in a month, even all year. Not only will it reduce your trash bill, but it will help make our amazing and wonderous planet happier too!
Today, April 21st, is John Muir’s birthday.
Mr. Muir is quite an amazing man, and he led a life that was full of love for the Earth. He spent a lot of his days in the wild, walking and simply “being with” nature; a type of life Mr. T. and I often dream about.
Born in Scotland in 1838, John and his family came to the US in 1849. Even as a young boy living in Wisconsin he loved nature, and went on to study botany, among many other things, in college.
After that he worked in industry for a few years, but, after an accident which almost took his sight, Muir returned to what he felt was his true calling, nature. He writes “This affliction has driven me to the sweet fields. God has to nearly kill us sometimes to teach us lessons”. Muir learned his lessons and spent the rest of his life studying, advocating for, and living in nature.
He began his new life by taking a walking journey from Indiana to Florida. Form there, he planned to head to South America to continue his travels. But, he came down with malaria…..which seems to be another divine intervention because after he recovered he changed his plans and decided to go west to California instead.
When he landed in San Francisco, he headed straight for the area that is now (thanks to John Muir) Yosemite National Park. He was awe struck, and was now home. He began his time in the Sierra Nevada as a sheepherder. Which was an excellent profession for him since it gave him time to be in and study nature.
From there Muir realized his talents as a writer when in 1874 he published a series of articles called “Studies in the Sierra”. He would go on to write many many more articles, books and more.
In addition to writing, John Muir traveled extensively. He made it to, among other places, Alaska, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Europe, and China. Quite a list for a many of the 19th century!
In 1880, Muir married and went on to have 2 daughters. He lived in California and helped tend the family ranch. He went away often though, with his family’s support, to wander in nature and rejuvinate.
In 1890 Muir did what some see as his most influential work, which was helping to establish Yosemite National Park. Then, in 1892 he helped to found the Sierra Club – to – in his words, “do something for wilderness and make the mountains glad”.
John Muir also helped to create Sequoia, Mount Ranier, Petrified, and Grand Canyon National Parks. These parks, and the National Parks System that they helped to fuel has protected some of the most beautiful land in the country…in the world…so that future generations can enjoy, at least a few places, the way God actually intended.
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” – John Muir
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” – John Muir