had I a camera

had I a camera, I think I'd be here more.  writing, sharing photos, etc.  somehow the lack of photos really seems to be keeping me away.  I'm happy to say the replacement power board finally came in the mail today (or at least I'm guessing that's what's inside the tiny little box), so perhaps tomorrow a camera operation shall take place.  fingers crossed it works out and then I'm gonna pick out a new lens.  woohoo!  in any event life, of course, goes on, and there are things I'd like to make note of from the past couple of days (okay, week)

:: Claire and I painting on the deck in the early evening.  I, a hive box;  she, her chair.  we'll soon need to add yet another super to the largest hive and I've been dolling it up with some indigo blue henna art/mandala style motifs.  the bees of course need no help finding which hive is theirs, I'm convinced on that.  but I think it's fun to paint now and again and so a blue decorated super it shall be.

:: my first phone call to mom in well over two months, wherein I received the news that they removed her tracheostomy tube completely.  that was nearly a week ago and I've had several more phone (and live, in person) conversations with her since.  she is more and more herself every day.

:: the elephant, and then person, that Claire made out of a toilet paper roll, some markers and paper, and left on the toilet seat to surprise everyone

:: my first try at making poundcake, with Claire's great great grandmother's recipe, and the deliciousness that ensued in the form of strawberry shortcake, take two.  with the quart or so we are still picking every other day, it's high time to get on some jam-making.  and maybe some strawberry hand pies

:: cherry picking at a friend's place~ me up a ladder, Claire sharing the trampoline with their giant and super sweet white shepherd.  I really must finish pitting them and either freeze them or turn out a couple pies here in the next few days.  because I'm pretty sure it's against the law to let such delicious summery fruit go to waste

:: speaking of summery deliciousness, the peas are finally fruiting.  we ate some sugar snaps at market this weekend, and have munched just a couple from the back yard, but soon we should be picking peas to add to our meals regularly.

:: Claire likes to make impromptu salads for she and I to share sometimes.  for some reason, despite the lettuce in the raised beds, she prefers to make predominantly oregano salads.  they can be pretty intense.  sure, she throws in some parsley and dill, maybe some lavender and a bit of kale, but mostly- oregano.  she puts it all in a bowl and then ever so proudly presents the big metal bowl to me, two forks clutched in her dirty hands alongside the bottle of goddess dressing ("beauty dressing", if you ask her), and we go and eat it on the deck.

:: she asked me yesterday, as we were planting another fig tree in a part of the yard that just a month or so ago used to be yard and is now mostly garden beds and fruit trees, "mama, why are you making our whole yard into a garden?".  and this from a child who looooves her garden.  I assured her I was done.  for now.  that I wouldn't touch that precious and final remaining smallish green rectangle of lawn between the back door and the fire pit.  that she can still run there and kick her ball there and play there without having to dodge fruit trees or raised beds or rows of onions and tomatoes and potatoes.

:: also, the pond.  it's done!  fish are swimming in it, I'm fairly confident some of the tadpoles are still alive, there is a small solar powered pump that (when sunny) provides a little water circulation for the fishies and such.  there are native plants (um, and another fig tree snuck into the corner) and it is mulched and I quite like that little space.  I'd share pictures of it, but, well...... yeah.  maybe soon.

:: I just ordered several photo canvases and a few prints to hang at one of our local coffee shops.  maybe someone (or even multiple someones) will like what they see and purchase one.  wouldn't that be fun?

so there's a bit of what we've been up to.  another 8 days of school and then I'm out for the summer and all sorts of fun will be planned for and at least some of it will be carried out.  I'm hoping another family backpacking trip, at least one other camping trip, some canoeing, a trip north, possibly a beach trip.  lots of time on the bike and lazy days spent between the creek and the library and the ice cream shop.

for now~ off to try a new book.  I never got more than a few pages into my last one, so I picked out a couple new ones today.