Thursday, June 26, 2008

SUMMER

For once, I have been busy having fun, and ignoring most of the things I "should" be doing. Summer arrived here well before the solstice did, and we have been eating it up. Me and the boys drove to Manhattan Kansas to visit our friends the Belangers and had a grand old time there, doing all the proper summer things... catching fireflies, swimming at the pool, going to see live music outside, checking out the garden (we even saw a train go by--literally next to the gardens) and of course, eating eating eating. preparing to eat, cleaning up from eating, planning to eat some more.

My child is hungry almost all of the time right now. It's always been pretty bad, but we go through these periods where he says he's hungry oh... three hundred times a day or so. And the only reason that Milo isn't saying it is because he can't talk yet.

Today we were eating peas from our garden !!!! :) and Rowan said. " I really love peas. They're delicious!" YES! I said, you're right, they are. He sits and opens up the pods, exclaiming with flourish how cute they are... and then eat them like candy. They are absolutely delicious, that's for sure. We also got a small bag from our first (FINALLY) pickup from our CSA. Now, he knows where our farmers live, and that this food was growing out there... and our coveted eggs from there too. yum, they are worth it all by themselves.

He also just figured out his nose. These are the kinds of things you don't normally notice, but on Tuesday, he blew out of his nose for the first time (on purpose) and was so excited about it. Now however, it's been days and he won't leave his nose alone! Including with the PEAS!!! if you know what I mean.

Milo has decided he is no longer a baby, and will eat sandwiches just like his big bro. Today he took the spoon from me, and fed himself. This was rare anyway, because mostly he just gets mad if I try to feed him with a spoon. He also is free standing now and then, trying it out, and i suppose my days are numbered before he is sprinting away from me.

I think Milo is going to be so funny, he may be the sense of humor in our family. He laughs easily and lets most things roll off of his back, including his brothers foot in his face, or any of the other things Rowan subjects him to. It's just that pesky hunger thing that will turn all of the males in our family into evil monsters.

I will try and get a pic or two up before my next class, wish me luck.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

And since we're on the topic

Did I mention that I have a problem about food? Today, because I wasn't thinking clearly, I went on an outing without a single snack. Now, this was normal in my pre-child life but no longer. Usually I have a few things almost literally stuck up my sleeves or something because in addition to my darling husband who can lose it slightly upon being seized suddenly by hunger, now I have a three year old who does the three year old version of losing it when (frequently) being seized suddenly by hunger.
Soooo I went to Atlanta Bread Company. Not fast food, right? Makes bread, right? Well, I order him the peanut butter and jelly, (Can't be too bad can it?) with whole wheat instead of "french bread" (read White) and the lady who was so helpful, offered to give him oranges instead of chips... Aw, how nice of her to get my drift.
So I go pick up the plate, and there is a sizeable bowl of (canned in corn syrup mandarin) oranges!!! THATs the ALTERNATIVE "healthy" food there.

Should I say anything more about our meal there, or should I just move right along?

I think I'll go to the other end of the spectrum, so that you don't think I'm a raving lunatic. (Who am I fooling? No one, right?) After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I was convinced by the importance of Asparagus. This, being the first food to pop up in the spring, and ONLY in the spring, I signed up for a day at Monroe farms where they have exactly two pick yer own crops. I know this is different from other CSAs out there, but it is what it is, which is a full hour drive away.

I load up the boys, Milo had a fever, (yes I'm a bad mother too) and Rowan was a little under the weather. But dammit, three years at this CSA and I was going to make it out there to get my little penis shaped spears. I didn't even know what they looked like growing, but I remembered a carrying container, and the Ergo, so Milo would ride on my back.

Rowan brought his rain boots, wisely, and I unwisely brought my crocs, which fill immediately with dirt as soon as you step in it. And FYI, food is grown in dirt, even though the world of grocery stores would like you to forget that, and quick.

We got our assigned row after walking past the chickens that would be giving us eggs or becoming our dinner/stock soon, and Billy (yes, the Goat. har har). It stretched very far, and I looked down it, as Jacquie said, if you don't think you're going to pick the whole row, please go to the far end and pick this way. (Which is very wise with children anyway.) So we did, we sang and sang and I talked about my big strong boy who could walk ALLLL the way down there, and how it was a good thing he was three now, and was big enough to do this important work with me. (He wanted to see the piglets, they were the reward for finishing.)

So we did it, I bent and picked and Milo was a champ and Rowan was a champ and I was too, I picked that whole row and crowed to George (whose LEAST favorite food in the world... yup you guessed it-ASPARAGUS) Was going to come home in a big ol' laundry basket.

And then we went and saw the piggies. Who are so damn cute, I have to say. They run around and circle like puppies do, and their noses are adorable. very cute.

And then we came home, and I was so glad that Rowan met his farmer and saw this land and saw those animals, and if we can't do the growing ourselves then thank goodness that we can know the people who do.

But our peas are doing great, and there are flowers on the plants, so we're doing a bitty bit here in the backyard. And we have Radishes popping up, the easiest thing to do with kids, according to my friend kim and she is right, they came right up, very satisfying.

What do you have in your garden?