for the love of green onions

 

in early spring, i plant my onion sets about 1.5" apart.  this year we have a row of yellow and one of red and, yes, the spacing is much too close for dry onion bulbs.  the whole point of this thick sowing is the oh so delicious green onions we will enjoy a mere 4-6 weeks later.

i gently wiggled and pulled out every other bunch last week while anticipating the delightful dinner to be enjoyed.  the taste of ginger scallion sauce is not easily forgotten.  for the recipe and how-to, see this post over at chambanamoms.com. 

my basted egg is a bit haphazard.  i am out of practice.  but jesse still liked it, so that is all that matters, right? 

go and make this. soon. your tastebuds will thank me. 

xoxo,

annalea

after a storm

 

we woke to thunder. 

rain drumming against the windows and a gray sky full of dancing trees met my sleepy no-glasses-on blurred vision.

and i smiled.

morning storms are my favorite.

one of the few occasions i will eagerly wake early to listen and watch.

but the reality is i only enjoy these so much because i know i am safe.

these walls are strong enough to withstand the wind.

the roof and windows are watertight.

i can observe the storm from the comfort of my bed or couch.

life's storms are not so pleasant.

i am stuck in the downpour.

 it is uncomfortable and exhausting.

there is pain and sadness and disappointment. 
and i forget that i am still safe.

i have a Rock sturdier than these earthly walls and He is strong enough to command the wind.

the potager was pummeled by this morning's storm.

i would have cringed to see these tender seedlings bent to nearly breaking.

there was damage to repair and a mess to clean.
there were even some casualties and loss.

but after. . .

after a storm there is also beauty.

the brighter leaves and the stronger stems and the watered roots and the scrubbed air.

these plants survived and will now be the healthier for it.

will you join me in praying for our friends tracy and nate and their newly born babe?

little mateo has had a difficult first week of life and the storm in their lives in still raging.

pray for their eyes to be set on His glory and for this child to bring about great praise.

xoxo,

annalea

twig lettered sign

monday, monday, here you are.

let's make things a bit more darlin'.

my monthly post at beautifully rooted is up today.

you can see the how-to of this twig lettered sign over there. . .

once again, honored to be a part of that sweet creative community.

xoxo,

annalea

sunday in the potager

we spent most of our sabbath in the potager.  it is a most refreshing and relaxing spot for the hart clan.

this little guy can spend hours digging in the beds. thanks for adding all those rocks, buddy.

the blueberries were unearthed.  the leaf clean-up was intense.  i believe we filled 5 lawn bags.

hello unruly raspberry canes. we began building the trellis for you crazy guys this afternoon.

gia planted her picked flowers. :)

mr. junior park ranger discovered so many exciting things.  he also took care of all wind blown litter.
his training is going well for that future career.

she and i played charades.  every time i guessed correctly she exclaimed, "how did you know?"
adorable.

spear making complete.  or just the end posts for that raspberry trellis.  whatever.

baby seedlings soaking up the warmth and light.  luca carefully wrote out most of our labels.

oh that sun.

all of the beds and paths are now leaf and debris free.  the end posts for the raspberry trellis were prepped and placed.  a large pile of sticks now await our first bonfire.

and a family spent the afternoon with fresh air and fresh spirits.

all photos taken with jesse's iphone.  instagram is super fun. (his username is loutrel.)

my phone of average intelligence is a wee jealous.

getting reacquainted

i am so backed up with photos this spring.  i keep finding forgotten little treasures.   here is a peak at early april in the potager.

the asparagus is now taller than luca.  we'll be able to harvest it next year.  there was a definite difference in their growth this season.  they were much thicker and more asparagus-y looking.  (i know.  i am great with descriptions.)

we needed to get reacquainted with the worms.  it only took gia a few minutes before she could hold it.  such an improvement over last summer when she would screech and run everytime she saw a creepy crawly or squirmy wormy.  she kept repeating, "worms aren't bad guys.  they are good.  worms aren't bad guys.  they are good."  adorable.

mr. curly top can usually be found holding a stick.  or a handful of rocks.  or both.  they make excellent toddler companions.

and that hair just kills me.

this was the day we discovered the bunnies.  quite exciting.  sadly for my littles (but happily for my strawberries) they have now moved on.

i am also getting reacquainted with my squirrel woes.  they are digging up everything.  ugh.  here is my highly elaborate stick structure that has since been tented with netting to keep them out of those strawberries.  these critters are trying to keep us from that yumminess.  

this season is full of so much change, but i am learning the rhythm of our little plot of land.  this is our third spring learning its ways and discovering its secrets.  but oh, there is so much more to uncover.  especially with children involved.  through their young eyes, i learn that worms are not bad guys and sticks are much more than fallen branches.  

what are you being reacquainted with this spring?

i just want to say my heart is aching for the those effected by the devastating storms that hit the southern states last night.  our thoughts and prayers are with the people and communities there. 

it just melted

for as much as i love my backyard blanketed in winter white, the sight of gravel and brick, fallen leaves and brown grass was welcomed last week.  with temps in the 60s, we enjoyed a morning in the last bits of snow.  enzo wore hard soled shoes for the first time.  gia raked the remainder of our sledding hill.  luca sparred withered wildflowers.







oh potager, are you as eager for the planting season as i am?







oh rose bush, will you bring lots of luscious blooms?







this snow completely melted within hours of these photos.

and as i type, snow once again fills the sky.  four to six inches expected.  goodbye gravel and bricks, fallen leaves and brown grass.  see you again soon.

oops, i missed it

kim's kinderGARDENS party ended over the weekend.  i planned on writing a final post early this week, but i missed the deadline.  something about an eye doctor, a sick kid, and a fall retreat.  oh well.  stay tuned for our follow-up coming soon.  for now, check out what others did and learned this year over at the inadvertent farmer.

on asking for help (and gardening)

i confessed earlier that our backyard took a backseat this summer.  but did i mention that the whole place had turned into wild jungle-land?  completely out of control.  weeds waist high.  sprawling tomatoes blanketing strawberry beds.  grape vines choking out apple trees.  gravel paths covered in green.  it was bad.  we needed to be rescued.

so we asked for help.

i know, i know.  crazy talk.  but we asked for help.

why is that such a big deal?  we live like we can do it all ourselves and we do not need each other.  this is such a lie. 









i think it is great to consider how we can encourage servanthood in our children.  we want our kids to give and give and give again.  we want them to be compassionate and loving.  we want to raise servant leaders.

but do we encourage them to ask for help?  is it okay that they communicate their needs? 

do they see us modeling this?











it is hard.  we are not great at it.  but that does not mean we can not try.  we simply asked for help.

it meant letting others into the mess.  it meant being open with the waist high weeds and out of control potager.  it meant exposing the chaos. 

(other times it could mean unearthing the laundry piles and dirty bathrooms.  yes, dirty bathrooms.  am i too proud to let someone clean my bathroom?)

and how often does a five year old show an adult how to dig up potatoes?  or a three year old wash off freshly pulled carrots with a hose to share with her uncle?  just two of many memorable moments.











midday, i took in the scene.  two college sophomores from church sitting at the patio table deep in conversation with jesse while chowing on chili and cornbread.  our retired next door neighbors joining us for a meal and being entertained by the kiddos.  my youngest brother pruning apple trees with my dad kneeling in the weeds nearby.  a beautiful intersection of our life.  my heart was warmed by the sight of all before me.





i am hoping our littles will remember this day.  one year we may give away half the produce from our yard to neighbors and friends, but the next we need to ask those same friends to come to the rescue.  i want them to remember that we asked for help. that we took an honest look at our needs and weaknesses.  that we were not too proud to be blessed by others.  that we gave others the opportunity to serve.  that we were able to receive this gift.

because being part of a community means giving and receiving.



(and for all that we received, we tried to give a little sweetness in return.)

if i had the chance to be cured from fibromyalgia today i would take it.  without a thought.  but i would be wise to remember - God has been able to speak to me so clearly in my weakness.  this thorn in my flesh has refined me.  would i be so willing to ask for help otherwise?

(linked up to kinderGARDENS.)