Monterey Park

Monterey Park

March 7,2011

Monterey Park was one of the earliest memories of camping I have. It has changed so much in thirty years. Now it is pretty much just a boat ramp but back when I was little it had camping loops.

We decided to go for a walk to see what I could remember about it.

 

This road was closed long ago so people would not camp down this loop anymore. I remember riding my bicycle down it with my sisters.

 

 

We walked down the road until a dog barking made us decide we didn’t want to deal with a dog chasing us so we turned back.

 

We spotted a buoy of some sort at the south end of the park, maybe it was to keep the boats out since the lake is so low.

 

 

Austin spotted this tiny turtle shell as we was walking back to the boat ramp, it was a little larger than a quarter. Poor little thing was so young.

 

 

It makes me sad to think of all the places I knew as a kid is no longer available for my children to enjoy.

 

 

The water level on the lake is pretty low because there was no rain to speak of this winter. I fear a drought is coming.

 

 

A single loon swims a little ways out from the boat ramp.

 

 

We walk down one last loop that I remembered to have camped on long ago.

 

Memories of being a little girl camping with my daddy all came back. I remember that I was never afraid because I knew my daddy would protect me from danger. I knew no one would mess with us at night and no animals would come in camp without him knowing it. He always had a gun and I knew he would use it if he had to.

I miss being a child under the safety of my daddy’s protection but now as a woman I have the understanding of the protection of another Father in my life, my heavenly Father. HE needs no gun or weapon, HE watches over me day and night. HE knows what I need before I ask and HE knows what danger lies before me better than I know. It has been hard for me to trust in HIM but trusting in HIM is all I can do because there are so many things in this world I have no control over that scare me terribly, but I have learned to cling to GOD and HE will see me through.

 

Isa 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Anna’s Garden

Anna’s Garden

March 7, 2011

I suppose it is true that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and with women it is with flowers. With the guys planting all the veggies, Anna wanted to plant flowers.

She was shocked at how small some of the seeds were.

Once they grew big enough to transplant, Anna and Stewart got busy planting in the rock flower bed he had made for her.

It was a special time for just her and daddy to do something together.

She used the little shovel trying not to get her hands to dirty.

 

Carefully putting the flower in the soil.

 

Daddy helping to do it just right. Apparently the best angle for her to plant is in the flower bed.

 

Still a long ways to go.

A happy little daddy’s girl.

 

I am glad they spent time together, just them. It is very important that a daddy spends time with his daughter, it creates a bond of love and trust between a girl and her daddy. I want her to look at her daddy as a measuring stick for a future husband. I pray she too gets a hard working man that has good solid morals and values with a deep desire to please GOD.

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her."

Adam’s Garden

Adam’s Garden

March 7, 2011

After watching his daddy “make a garden” Adam had to have one of his very own.

 

Stewart tilled it for him and Adam got to work hoeing it into rows.

 

Knowing the garden plot was much to big for just his plants Adam kindly allowed Austin to plant with him.

 

 

Austin working on getting his plants started. Radishes, carrots, cantaloupe egg plants, and the giant pumpkin seeds are waiting to be planted in the tray.

 

 

 

Adam planting some bird house gourds so that he can make bird houses when they grow.

 

After the seeds grew to the size they needed to be transplanted the boys got to work.

 

 

Adam grabbed the rest of our herbs that didn’t fit in the pots and headed to his garden.

 

 

Adam grabbed his walking stick and punched holes in the ground just the right size for the starter pellets to fit.

 

 

The boys worked well together. Austin is a good big brother.

 

 

Adam was careful to place the plants gently in the ground.

 

 

I believe the giant pumpkin was ready to be planted.

 

 

Adam even allowed his daddy to plant on one row of his garden.

Stewart used old egg cartons to start some seeds in. He was surprised to hear my mom had done the very same thing to start some of her seeds, great minds think alike.

“There now, that is done!”

 

I am curious to see if Adam is the one who weeds and hoes the garden now that “his garden” has become the home for all our guys’ plants.

A pot in a Pot

A Pot in a Pot

March 7, 2011

 

Stewart bought me some flower pot for Adam and I to plant our “herb garden” in.

 

 

The idea is a pot within a pot.

 

 

Adam and I got the herbs out and got to work.

 

 

First he put the potting soil into the big pot.

 

 

Then he set the little pot in the big pot and filled the little pot.

 

 

We planted some in the top pot.

 

 

And some in the bottom pot.

 

 

Then Adam gave them a good drink of water.

 

Now we just have to try and keep them alive so that they grow big enough to dry our own herbs with the dehydrator. Adam is super excited to see if that works.

Gardening

 

Gardening

March 2011

We almost decided to not garden this year. I expect a dry year. Lord, I hope I am wrong. At the last minute we decided to go ahead and give it a try.

 

 

Stewart tilled up the garden plot with his redneck fixed tiller.

 

 

He made wire rings to make compost out of leaves and grass from our yard. It helps the soil be richer for planting.

 

He then made rows and hoed out the grass.

 

 

Stewart had Austin build these raised beds and run a piece of cattle panel down them to tie his tomatoes to.

 

 

The men then hoed the rows with a trench so the short people could plant the Pinkeye Purple Hull Peas, which is the main thing we plant. I figure we could live off peas if we ever had to, besides fresh purple hulls are so much more tastier than canned.

 

 

The short people, which included myself, got busy planting the peas while the guys covered them back over.

 

 

I love that my family does everything together, whether it be work or play. Of course they enjoy the play much more than the work but I feel making them learn “work before play” is a major value that will carry on into their adult lives.

Get the work done, then you have your reward. Knowing that they had a major part in the planting of the seeds gives them a since of accomplishment when it comes to the harvest.

 

Wow, that could almost preach.