Spring Rites

I planted sweet basil today and spread about this spring's first batch of ladybugs.  I set up the spring nature table with a tiny vase of onion flowers and a pink buttercup, a little Saint Patrick's Day craft that one of the children made one spring and some elemental dolls - aether, water, fire, wind, honey-earth and also the ladybug queen - that a friend of mine sewed.

I am waiting for my nice neighbors with a truck to come home so they can follow me to the Lone Star Baby's school with a large kiddie pool - former home to a now reduced guinea pig colony - that I scrubbed out today, in the truck bed.  Then I will set the pool in the grass out back of the school and fill it with potting soil.  Under the patio furniture outside the school's front doors, I'll leave tomato, lettuce, broccoli, cucumber, squash and marigold plants for planting later this week.  Tomorrow, when I drop the Lone Star Baby off at school, I'll bring a container of ladybugs to sleep in their refrigerator until their plants are ready.

Spring, spring, spring....

MYP Personal Project

The Lone Star Girl did an independent study of art for her Middle Years Program Personal Project.  She included the beaded bracelets she makes, the recycled bottle cap bracelets she makes and the poncho she is weaving, among other things.  Also, this - her piece on consumerism, papier-mached  entirely with actual receipts.  It's about waist-high.

Good Turns

Girl Scouts are supposed to do a good turn daily.  Lately, I find that focusing on a good deed or a few good deeds that I can do everyday helps me to stress slightly (slightly) less over the mazillions of things I can't do.  I remind myself that in the past week, I have:

• prevented/broken up two fights
• gotten two kids hooked up to needed assistance
• advocated for someone who needed it
•  chosen and distributed several good books to kids who would like them
• purchased and given pretty journals to two kids who needed a better outlet for their feelings
• tried to be thoughtful and supportive to people
• found something that could be a material for the little kids at my daughter's school

 I am often overwhelmed by the needs of the world and the paltriness of my attempts to meet them.  I am torn between my responsibility for the horrors that are most people's lives on this planet and my selfish desire to give a happy, safe life to my own children (and the sure knowledge that chaos comes, no matter what you do or don't do) and my selfish need to maintain my own mental and physical health.  Sometimes I just have to stop, take a breath, and say:  I did these things.  Maybe I am not strong enough to do all the things I should right now, but I am not doing nothing.  Quite.

Driven Baby

Introducing the Lone Star Baby, seven-year-old future Overlord (Overlady?) of the rest of us miserable, lazy folk in a conversation from the car this morning:

 ***

Me:  I have to get to work by eight today.

LSB:  You do?

Me:  Yes.

LSB:  I love it when you have early things.  That way I get to Early Care early and can make my work plan and get an early start on my work!

 ***

Real talk, people.  Be afraid.

Brownie Girl Scouts Hiking At Lakeview Park

Planting in The Wet Gloaming

Today I planted a little oregano in a big herb pot with lots of room, because oregano can get prolific, you know.  I planted a cilantro in the herb box with my other little cilantro and the still-tiny parsley and the dill-gone-to-seed.  I planted a big new herb pot with rue, chives and epazote.  I planted a little chocolate mint in the hanging garden (hanging pots hung on our ornamental pear tree), because chocolate mint just seems too romantic to plant with all the other herbs.

I planted beautiful marigolds in the flower boxes.

I planted two more lettuces and a cucumber in the salad garden.

I planted a zucchini in the veggie garden, even though I have yet to be successful with squashes.  I remain optimistic.

I'm quite overflowing with plants!

WAGGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lone Star Girl has been selected as one of two Girl Scouts from all of South Texas (from Victoria all the way down to the border!) to represent our Girl Scout Council at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Conference in Chicago this summer!!!   I am so proud of her!!!!!

Grf

The Girl was telling me that Hershey has certified that its Bliss chocolates are completely slavery-free.  We were hopeful and excited.  I found some last night and checked, though - cross-contaminated with tree nuts.  So disappointed.

Happy 200th Birthday to Charles Dickens

"The Boy is Ignorance and the Girl is Want.  Beware them both, but most of all, beware the Boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing be erased."

That is my favorite Dickens quote, if not a favorite in an exactly good way.  Do you have one?

First Ever Booth Sale For My Little Brownie Girl Scout

New Poem Published!

My poem Ice Babies is published on Vox Poetica today.  Please read it here!  Tomorrow it will be on the poemblog there.  What do you think?

Brigid

February will not defeat me.  I awake.


Although today was a day away from work for double doctor appointments for the Girl, I determined to make it a very productive one.  February will not defeat me like January did.

I am hesitant to put my hope in springtime this year.  February is untrustworthy anyways, with all its hot and cold, but even if it were late March, I'd be hesitant.  Last year, the winter was so cold that I rejoiced at spring and plantings but spring and summer turned out nightmarish (no comment) and I don't know when I can trust them ever again, or fall or winter, either.


Some of the begonias lived and some of them died and I don't really know how to interpret that.


I'm going to put my face to the sunshine and feel the spring breeze and scatter ladybugs and stand up, though.  I'm going to manage so many things.


I handled the doctor appointments (things which are not always easy to handle) today and got a lot else done during and in between and then this evening.  It may be lame to have not finished thank you notes until now, but they are finished now, and at least I did them.  And my ink-stained sports coats are at the dry cleaners'.  And I've made plans for school.  And planted lettuces and tomatoes and a celery in the salad garden.  I made Girl Scout calls.  I got loads of paperwork-type stuff turned in at the Girl's school.  I submitted a poem.  I signed petitions.  Paid things.  Put up spring flags and hearts.


Healing, poetry and smith craft.  What won't I forge out of the steel that is myself?