Proof that immense good can come out of adverse situations!
We love Avery so...
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
A V E R Y ! ! F I V E ! ! !
Proof that immense good can come out of adverse situations!
We love Avery so...
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Free Garden
Well, i love to weed.
It is therapeutic, even when it is hot. There is a special way to pull out different types of weeds. Some require a slow tug and then a pop. Others are slow all the way. Anyone that feels the same way doesn't need any explanations.
I also love to dig. (My Iowa farm roots perhaps?) And i have been know to impulsively dig new flower beds in an afternoon. So, months ago, when things were warming up, i promised Justin that he wouldn't come home to a dirty mess in the front yard. We don't have a loan yet, and the funds are not available for gardens.
But then he told me it was good for me. And he is right.
This is all over our yard. Some of the plants have thick stems that twist and turn around objects like it owns them. Others are tiny little things you might not recognize if poison ivy wasn't on your mind. I have cut, pulled, and sprayed these monsters, yet they keep coming up. The house was vacant for some time. So, for some time, we might need to deal with this pesky plant.
St. Louis City has free annual plugs available to residents for planting in the strip between the street and sidewalk. My current garden consists of these and seeds i saved from our Dogtown house. So glad i did.
And there is free compost available in various locations. There is a big pile one block down and the kids have helped me shovel before it gets too hot. There might be quite a few unsavory items in the compost, but it is free.
It is therapeutic, even when it is hot. There is a special way to pull out different types of weeds. Some require a slow tug and then a pop. Others are slow all the way. Anyone that feels the same way doesn't need any explanations.
I also love to dig. (My Iowa farm roots perhaps?) And i have been know to impulsively dig new flower beds in an afternoon. So, months ago, when things were warming up, i promised Justin that he wouldn't come home to a dirty mess in the front yard. We don't have a loan yet, and the funds are not available for gardens.
Poison Ivy
This is all over our yard. Some of the plants have thick stems that twist and turn around objects like it owns them. Others are tiny little things you might not recognize if poison ivy wasn't on your mind. I have cut, pulled, and sprayed these monsters, yet they keep coming up. The house was vacant for some time. So, for some time, we might need to deal with this pesky plant.
St. Louis City has free annual plugs available to residents for planting in the strip between the street and sidewalk. My current garden consists of these and seeds i saved from our Dogtown house. So glad i did.
And there is free compost available in various locations. There is a big pile one block down and the kids have helped me shovel before it gets too hot. There might be quite a few unsavory items in the compost, but it is free.
Moss Rose
Moss rose is so great because it survives anything. You can break a piece off and plop it in the ground and it will look fabulous. The flowers are as if made of tissue paper. I also have a similar native succulent called Fame flower. I think they are in the same family.
Globe Amaranth
I love this plant and it loves hot summers. I took many pictures and is a wonderful model.
Celosia
There are many types of this flower, and many look like brains. This one is fuchsia and orange.
Marigold
The old garden stand-by that i grew up disliking. But it is pest resistant, colorful, heat-tolerant, and easily propagated with seeds. We pluck off the dead flowers and spread their seeds. After i grew up, i mended my relationship with the marigold.
Black Eyed Susan
Another summer favorite. And it is happy to be in our new yard. Oh how i love seeds!
Pineapple
We buy Aldi pineapples and twist the tops off. We put them on top of the fridge for a few days and pull the bottom leaves off. Then we put them in a vase of water until a few roots have grown out.
We might not ever receive a pineapple, but the plant is beautiful.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
No Oven, No Problem
We decided to try and bake a batch of sugar cookies in the car. And Jasper also suggested we try frozen pizza as well. So we put the cookies and pizzas in Justin's AC-free and properly preheated car from 1-5 And supper was ready!
They don't get brown like in an oven, but it was still tasty.
(We used pasteurized cookie dough and meat-free pizzas.)
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Video By Tullaia
We found this video while browsing through pictures. It shows what happens when i am on the phone.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
11 Year Anniversary
Today is our anniversary...11 years.
http://maravillastl.blogspot.com/2009/06/summer-solstice-anniversary.html
http://maravillastl.blogspot.com/2009/06/summer-solstice-anniversary.html
Buxton
I plan to write more about this abandoned town. We went searching for the cemetery, but i read the map wrong and we didn't find it. The next time we visit Iowa we will go back.
Fishing With Grandpa
Each child caught at least 10 fish. Avery even had a small bluegill and at some point a large bass grabbed it, so he had 2 in 1.
Killdeer Baby
This is a baby Killdeer that Jasper caught in the field. Jasper can catch anything and always has a delighted smile on his face. The kids also found a lonesome Killdeer egg in the field. They wanted to try and hatch it, so Grandpa set up a heat light.
If an egg doesn't hatch around the same time as the others, the parents abandon it. So this is probably why it was all alone.
The next day, it was cooked to perfection (without a bird inside) and Judy ate it.
Reddish Brown Stag Beetle
This is a reddish brown stag beetle found inside our home one morning. He entered through a hole in the door and was disappointed to find a little boy that wanted to play with him.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
277 Antioch - Cork All-Day Sing 2011
This is my favorite shape note song. More on shape note singing later...
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Before After
We don't have any "after" pictures of the house yet. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been progress.
We have made many improvements since we first moved in, but we didn't expect to rehab it while living here, so it feels like it is moving too slowly. I need to write it down so i can remain hopeful and be thankful for the progress we are making.
Now we have:
Plumbing (copper was stolen)
Roof on moldy sun room
Upstairs bathroom leak repaired
Glass block put in place of downstairs bath plywood window
Microwave
Paint on some walls
Fridge
Blinds on the first floor
Hot water heater
Kitchen faucet
Sun room gutted
Sidewalk taken out on west side/french drain put in
Plaster out of basement
Foundation tuck pointed
Wallpaper off third floor bedroom
Less spiders?
Functioning sewer
Washer and Dryer!
Locking back door
Less poison ivy
Floors refinished
Many of these things/jobs were taken care of by loving family and friends. Even some (fridge) by people we don't know. We are thankful for all the help we have been given.
It isn't going as planned. But nothing ever does.
We have made many improvements since we first moved in, but we didn't expect to rehab it while living here, so it feels like it is moving too slowly. I need to write it down so i can remain hopeful and be thankful for the progress we are making.
Now we have:
Plumbing (copper was stolen)
Roof on moldy sun room
Upstairs bathroom leak repaired
Glass block put in place of downstairs bath plywood window
Microwave
Paint on some walls
Fridge
Blinds on the first floor
Hot water heater
Kitchen faucet
Sun room gutted
Sidewalk taken out on west side/french drain put in
Plaster out of basement
Foundation tuck pointed
Wallpaper off third floor bedroom
Less spiders?
Functioning sewer
Washer and Dryer!
Locking back door
Less poison ivy
Floors refinished
Many of these things/jobs were taken care of by loving family and friends. Even some (fridge) by people we don't know. We are thankful for all the help we have been given.
It isn't going as planned. But nothing ever does.
Haircut
Before
After
We don't have air conditioning or a shower and with this terrible heat, i couldn't take it anymore. 7 years is a long time, so i stood holding the scissors and giggled nervously. And then i just started cutting.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Justin was bit by a dog last month. But it was on a Friday night...bummer.
The St. Louis City website says to call 911 if a dog bites. So he did, but they denied having anything to do with it. So he called our local police at the Seventh District. They also said they couldn't help him, but he should try animal control on Monday.
Packs of feral dogs roam neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis and nothing is being done about it. It wouldn't happen in St. Louis Hills, Webster Groves or Kirkwood. It wouldn't happen in Mayor Slay's neighborhood.
A few months ago, the kids and I are on a walk. Tullaia has Stella (an Akita mix) and i have Judy (St. Bernard). We cross to the other side of the street when we see a dog wandering around. We continue walking, but i am alarmed when i see the kids ahead with more dogs in the lot next to them. They are growling and barking. The hair is raised up on their backs. One is a big black Akita. Another is mangy and 3 legged. And there is a nursing/pregnant black dog. (In addition to the black one across the street and a few smallish non-threatening ones.) I wonder if they are related?
I know their descriptions well because every week i place a complaint with the CSB(Citizen Service Bureau), St Louis' place for communication. And every week, my service request is marked as "resolved". Nothing is being resolved. The dogs are still there and they are easy to find. In fact, the nursing/pregnant dog was indeed pregnant and this week there were brand new puppies lying next to her.
The dog that bit him was not part of this pack. But it is part of the same problem.
Dogs need to be posing a threat for action to be taken. And growling and baring teeth doesn't count. "Threat" means an attack, and i know this now after speaking with Jill from Animal Control.
If an animal bites, animal control will come out and deal with it(not after hours). If not, the complaint is forwarded to Stray Rescue, a non-profit staffed with volunteers.
The St. Louis City website says to call 911 if a dog bites. So he did, but they denied having anything to do with it. So he called our local police at the Seventh District. They also said they couldn't help him, but he should try animal control on Monday.
Packs of feral dogs roam neighborhoods in the city of St. Louis and nothing is being done about it. It wouldn't happen in St. Louis Hills, Webster Groves or Kirkwood. It wouldn't happen in Mayor Slay's neighborhood.
A few months ago, the kids and I are on a walk. Tullaia has Stella (an Akita mix) and i have Judy (St. Bernard). We cross to the other side of the street when we see a dog wandering around. We continue walking, but i am alarmed when i see the kids ahead with more dogs in the lot next to them. They are growling and barking. The hair is raised up on their backs. One is a big black Akita. Another is mangy and 3 legged. And there is a nursing/pregnant black dog. (In addition to the black one across the street and a few smallish non-threatening ones.) I wonder if they are related?
I know their descriptions well because every week i place a complaint with the CSB(Citizen Service Bureau), St Louis' place for communication. And every week, my service request is marked as "resolved". Nothing is being resolved. The dogs are still there and they are easy to find. In fact, the nursing/pregnant dog was indeed pregnant and this week there were brand new puppies lying next to her.
The dog that bit him was not part of this pack. But it is part of the same problem.
Dogs need to be posing a threat for action to be taken. And growling and baring teeth doesn't count. "Threat" means an attack, and i know this now after speaking with Jill from Animal Control.
If an animal bites, animal control will come out and deal with it(not after hours). If not, the complaint is forwarded to Stray Rescue, a non-profit staffed with volunteers.
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