More fun in the Creek

The boys had a fantastic afternoon in the creek. Asa found a good use for the silty mud on the creek bottom. Body Paint. Jake would have none of that, but he liked dumping buckets of water on Asa to wash it off. The largest crawdaddy I've ever seen was found under a rock. It was freshly dead, and the kids decided they needed to bring it home. This will likely be one of the last days warm enough to play in the creek this summer.

Mud-faced boy showing dad the giant crawdaddy.

John doing another farm job. Doesn't our Dogwood tree look beautiful in late summer?

The gigantic crawdad. Huge!

Room to Paint

Through this door is my brand-new, drenched-in-sun, art studio. John and the boys surprised me today with this wonderful gift. The three of them worked on it this morning while I was mucking out the goat barn. My husband knows that all I need is a little push to get me back to my artwork. I haven't touched the stuff since before Jake was born. Once I became a mother my focus shifted to caring for my child. I completely forgot about all of those things that made me happy, and fulfilled me as a human being. If I could do it all over again, I would not forsake all of my interests to be a mother. I'd try my hardest to make the time to do those things that made me happy; even if only for minutes a day. Keep those things playing some role in my day-to-day life. Anyway, here I am, getting back into my pre-mom interests.

Back in Atlanta, my friend Kimberly, gave me a few oil painting lessons in '95/'96. She is a very talented artist, especially with oils. She was very patient and supportive as a teacher. We had memorable times together painting, listening to great music, and drinking good beer some nights - red wine other nights. Painting, talking, and lots of laughing. Now she's in Ohio and we are in PA. Oh, those were good days!

I've got the basics here to start to draw - to paint. I'm sure this will be a great "before" picture. So neat. So tidy. Just a few things on the table. I can't wait to get in there and make it my place.

Here's my old artbox from college. I studied graphic design - even got my Bachelors Degree (back in 1988)! I can't believe that I still have this old thing. Still has the local band and fanzine stickers that I made on it. Just seeing the charcoal pencils made my eyes widen and my imagination go into high gear. Oh the things I could draw!

August 28 - First Day of the School Year

Asa and Jake at their bus stop on their first day of school. Jake boards the bus alone in the morning.

Asa is in Mrs. McCoy's afternoon Kindergarden class. Our neighbor, Greta, is also in the same class. Jake rides the bus in the early morning; Asa and Greta catch the bus around lunchtime, and then all three ride the same bus home at the end of the day. Jake is in Miss Hoover's 3rd grade class. Miss Hoover is new to Friendship Elementary school this year. She taught at another local elementary school last year. Friendship is closer to her home, so she changed schools. She is getting married at the end of September, so she will then be Mrs. Felix. Jake really likes her so far. He finds her to be very much like his first grade teacher from Catonsville, Miss McGowan.

Neighbor Greta and Asa waiting for the bus together on the first day.

The now-experienced Asa getting off of the bus at the end of his first day of school. He can't wait to return tomorrow!

Ugly Stick

Asa got an early birthday present from the Blums while they visited us early August. A new "Ugly Stick" fishing pole. Asa has become quite the outdoorsman, and especially since our summer vacation to Minnesota, has really taken to fishing. His Aunt Janice and Uncle Steve were big inspirations for him and eagerly awaited their return after each fishing trip on Woman Lake to see what they came home with. Then the best part... watching the fish being cleaned!

With his new pole, Asa asked his dad for bait, then immediately took off for the creek to catch those bluegill he kept seeing. All we had for bait at the time was frozen corn kernels, which apparently, bluegills like to eat. Asa "baited" his own hook and learned on his own that the best way to get a fish off the hook is to set the fish (while on the hook) down in the grass, and it gets itself off of the hook for you. That's how he did it! Then he walked back home and asked for a string to put his fish on. It was really amazing how he just really did it all by himself. He had no desire for help or assistance from either of his folks. He genuinely enjoyed doing it all for himself. Both of his parents are so proud of him.

Bluegill in the Creek

Asa caught a bluegill in the creek today with an earthworm. I think it was big enough to eat, but they threw it back. Asa wants it to grow larger for the next time he catches it.

High heat and humidy makes this a great place to be today.


Even the girls enjoy being at the creek.

Wild Kingdom of Tomatoes

The fierce predator quietly approaches his prey.


And with the swiftest move - he goes in for the kill and easily overpowers his victim.


He is unrelenting using his firm grip and sharp teeth as skillful tools.


In a short time it is over for the prey, and the beast can now survive yet another day in the wild.

A Slimy Find

Did you know that there are leeches, also known as "bloodsuckers", in Pennsylvania? I didn't either. But apparently there are! Asa came to me saying, "Mom, there's a leech or a snail on my boot." I responded by saying, "It's a snail, honey". We recently returned from our vacation in Minnesota, where in our lake, live leeches. Both boys had an encounter with them, and that's the only place I've ever in my life seen them, or heard tell of them. So, naturally, when I heard Asa saying that there was a leech on his boot, I thought he was just experiencing residual leech-fear from Woman Lake. I went out to the porch to look at his boot so I could show him how the snail is different from the leech, and was surprised when I looked at his boot, it was a leech (as you may have guessed by this point)! It kind of struck fear in my heart, that not only do I have to beware of bloodsuckers while swimming in the lake on vacations, but also here, where I live. I was always able to deal with the concept of leeches because my exposure to them was so short-lived and seemingly remote from the reality of my daily life; but this somewhat concerns me! I will always have to be looking over my shoulder - always be on the lookout for one of those nasty, slimy, blood-thirsty abominations clinging between my toes!

This is a picture of the leech where she was found on Asa's boot.


Honeysuckle on her new mossy rock.

The boys have decided to keep "her", and have named her Honeysuckle. Get it? Honey - suck - uhl? They gave her her own habitat of creek water and moss-covered rocks and some detritus thrown in.