Archive for April, 2009
We decided to brighten up the indoors with the coming of spring and put together a terrarium. We couldn’t take plants from the ground as we don’t have plants here yet, so we headed over to the nursery. It’s always quite an outing as Fuss wants to investigate every plant - he finds the most child-friendly horticulturist in the spot and monopolizes that person for much of the day. There are also two ponds where he can feed the fish, plus there are many, many turtles. I just have to be on my toes and Bug tends to get a bit close to the edge….
So, Fuss chose his two plants. I had set aside a super huge mason jar (no clue where it came from) for the terrarium, but the plants were too big, so I had to use a large salad box. Unfortunate since it is plastic, but I didn’t really have an option.
The nursery provided us all the soil and charcoal, so we didn’t need to do anything except assemble when we arrived home.
First Fuss, put in the soil and added the charcoal.
Then he added the plants and that was that!
Fuss checks on it every day (it’s large so he can’t help but check it) and it’s doing really well!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
April 21st, 2009
A few posts ago I wrote about Fuss losing his fish, George. You can see it here. While George awaits spring and the ground thaw for his proper burial (he’s in the freezer), Fuss decided he was ready for another fish. He’s named his new guy Harry.
Harry is completely different from George. He’s much larger, much more skittish and not at all personable. Fuss doesn’t mind though!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
April 13th, 2009
The other day I made the blueberry muffins from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. I used frozen blueberries, just because we are up north and we don’t have fresh blueberries at the moment. And, actually, the frozen organic blueberries we get at the grocery store are actually quite nice. They come in a large tub and last some time.
I had the tub out to measure the blueberries, and Bug was sitting on the counter while I made the batter. The muffins were wonderful, and turned out like this:
Bug decided that the blueberries were just fine to be had frozen and ate most of the remaining blueberries. She turned out like this:
Blueberries, blueberries everywhere! I can’t wait to make them again.
Enjoying the fruitfilled journey, Amanda
April 9th, 2009
I can’t believe The Bug turned 3. How does this happen?
Last year on her birthday we had a party at an indoor playground and she was one miserable bundle of baby. She was so sick. It was horrible! This year she didn’t want a party and we didn’t wonder why…
She did want to have close friends of ours over, but they were sick, so couldn’t make it. She also wanted pizza and cake. We provided that. For some reason, the cake turned out horribly, but we’ll try again next year.
Here’s bug with her birthday ring:
This is the one part of birthday festivities that we do just as a family. We light a candle and say something about each year - and the figure represents something about the year as well. I think it’s the kids favourite part of birthday celebrations, and it’s also a really peaceful time for our family. We find it a lovely way to truly celebrate and honour the birthday girl or boy.
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
April 5th, 2009
So, where we live we have no small community of tree squirrels. However, the kids love to feed the birds. They call out very loudly what’s at the feeder and we get some interesting birds. My favourite for some reason (beside the Cardinals of course) are the red wing blackbirds.
However, I mentioned the squirrels. We purchased a birdfeeder that is supposed to discourage squirrels. Just to be safe I bought squirrel-free bird feed.
I think the squirrels must build up a resistance to the spiciness in the feed (which they are supposed to stay away from). This morning I woke up to find two squirrels hanging from the birdfeeder, eating from it, and knocking feed out to two more squirrels on the ground. I’m not ashamed to say I let the dogs out with some glee.
Fuss and Bug made pinecone birdfeeders, which I suspect were also ’squirreled’ away from where they hung on the branches. We never did see birds on them, and the next day there were completely gone.
At least the process was enjoyable!
Fuss spread the peanut butter onto a pinecone he collected in the fall.
He rolled them in birdseed. Then we hung them from the branches outside. A fun, messy craft! Fuss and Bug made two each. They were both covered in peanut butter and there was enough birdseed on the floor to fill the birdfeeder!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
April 1st, 2009
