Using our resources

When we moved in a year or so ago our palm tree out front looked like this.


Actually, this is the best "before" picture we have. I guess with how overgrown everything was, we didn't consider the palm a priority. However, as we've been tring to improve our 'curb appeal' the palm was looking more and more like a huge lollypop. (The big 12 inchers that you always hope no one gives your kids. ) -but I digress. Five feet from the bottom you can see where the old fronds had been sawed off, but the bases remained against the tree. Those old bases continued up the tree for another 7-10 feet under the dead hanging fronds. Then we had about 3 feet of dead palm fronds to remove before we hit the newer growth. FYI Palms grow pretty slow and only need to be trimmed every 3-5 years. Ours was due.

We borrowed a pruning saw (funnest tool ever, highly recommend one) and set to work.
Fortunately for us it rained very heavily the night before. (Now that I think about it, it hasn't rained since.) But what we found the next day was that the rain had softened the debris and fibers such that after we knocked off the old trimmed stuff with the back of the saw, we were able to PULL off all the fronds that we could reach! Which, though MUCH easier than sawing, was still quite a workout.


We actually did have to saw off the highest ones, 'cause we couldn't reach anymore, and after a couple days working on it, it was starting to dry out and get tough again.


-And now it really looks great. We have a much better view of the mountains.


...The onnly problem is that I couldn't just let the garbage man carry off such a novel resource as the dead fronds. We have a ton of them. We carted them into the back yard and have made an attempt or two at making a fort out of them. So far unsuccessful, but determined. Any design ideas are welcome. I think we are going to have to build a 2X4 frame of some kind and nail them on.

(Also, they make pretty good kindling.)

Potato, Potata

A friend of ours is doing a bit of "research" and would like any and all input he can get.
He's posing a regional/mormon culture question about scones. Intrigued? Please visit:
http://zachandginet.blogspot.com/2007/11/participate-in-ground-breaking.html

Happy Birthday Dad!

In all of our October madness, I neglected to post that the Master had a birthday. We celebrated in true form. We celebrated all month! Going out to eat, out of town, shopping, shooting, you name it. (We had other reasons for spending extra time and focus on our wonderful Patriarch of the home, but if you don't already know, you'll have to call and find out. -No!, no more babies. Guess again.)

Here are some pictures of him and his little girls.




-And yes, that is a dutch oven on the table. I believe it had his birthday pie in it.
In an effort to keep the oven off in the house we cooked a very large percentage of our meals in dutch ovens this summer. Very Fun. We even won a contest, and the prize was... another dutch oven. Oh brother!

Halloween

Here is a picture from Halloween. We had a Rock-star, some sort of ballerina princess person, a classic ballerina, and a little devil.

We subscribed to the "Let the kids have fun playing dress-up" theory of Halloween instead of the "Mom goes crazy making Splendid dress-ups for the kids" theory this year. I wonder what next year will bring. Every summer I get the urge to make them the Ingalls girls (from Little House on the Prairie, with bloomers, aprons, bonnets, and everything. I have the patterns already, maybe next year...

Anyhow the kids always have fun, and always come home with chocolate for Mom and Dad. :)

Baptism

Here is a picture of the Master and his newest big girl after her baptism. All the pictures we should have of her with her Mom and Sisters and friends who were in attendance do not exist because even though her Mother brought 2(!) sets of spare rechargeable batteries, they were all dead! There are some pictures on a disposable point-and-shoot. We'll have to wait and see how they turned out. (The aunt who sent us the camera should smile because she knows who she is and yes, she saved the day again.)



The baptismal service was the event it is supposed to be. Big Red showed her willingness to follow The Savior and felt the assurance of the Holy Spirit in her heart. She is a shining example of commitment and faith and we are very proud of her.

We are grateful for the friends who came and supported her and our family and participated in the program. We are truly blessed.

Unfortunately none of our extended family was able to attend and we want them to know they were greatly missed. We love you all.

Assorted Wanderings

Here are some pictures from recent outings.


This is at a petroglyph site near Albuquerque. A little hike, a nice view, a lot of urban sprawl. This is about half way up.

Yippy-Skippy on a zip-line swing during a camp cookout.


Little Red struggling not to blow her emergency whistle.


A sunscreen add? White Sands is loads of fun!


Big Red and Chickadee at White Sands, before the fabled sand-in-the-eyes incident.

Big Red had a birthday and this week will be her baptism. Wow, 8! And her dress is mostly done. Just a few more roses and a light wash. Thanks to all those who have offered help, advice and support. My projects are seldom quiet affairs. :)

End of Summer Report

Let's see, the rest of the summer went roughly as follows:


Big Red and Chickadee were in a Missoula Children's Theatre production of The Wiz Of The West. They were both buzzards. (This is a FANTASTIC theater company, find one near you!)
Big Red and Chickadee are bottom center.




Yippie-Skippie lost a few more teeth. Move over pizza face, I give you...Pumpkin Face!





Little Red still putzed around and helped in the garden.




We had a bit of after-church silliness,



But Autumn found us at last. Everyone is back in school who belongs at school,
and we are falling back into the rhythm of the routine.
(Routine laced with a heavy dose of almost daily chaos and upset. We wouldn't want to be boring now would we?)