Coming out the bathroom door... so to speak

Its been three years since I came online... since I started exploring, being curious and reconnecting with old friends, and making new ones, some even becoming family. Circles developing in many places, for many reasons, spinning around the web adding a little more to my Loony day.

I have discovered a love of photography that while I think was always there has now inspired me to capture through the lense our Loony life.

It was two years ago I began the journey into blogging. For the most part it is more on the flickr end of things, as I take so many pictures...why not share?! But here is the place I can write again, use my brain a little and explore the land of blogging...and I will admit now...I spell things my own way, my punctuation is lacking if not terrible at times...and I generally like life ...do it my own way learning as I go.

I like to think that things have improved...I have found the spell check, if I think for a second I can remember how to link, nothing fancy but the little things... I can do. My photo's I like to think have come a long way too, I love to look back at shots then and now. Shots of my friends too, how we have all improved and inspired eachother along the way.

So like all things new, a change, a way of coming thru the door that I always kept closed, I am no longer hiding the blog in the shadows. No longer worried about the google factor and what someone may find. Confident that there is nothing but a Loony Life to find, one that is full of life's ups and downs, and smiles and adventures.

One of the inspirations to do this came a couple years ago, an email in July 2008, a request for a submission from a friend whom I 'met' online, a fantastic, hilarious and talented lady...ARTIST, Linda Woods. At first sharing a love of Rosie O'Donnell, and later to share some giggles, my dog, and life thru pics. I have spent many mornings (afternoons, evenings, maybe a dream or too) reading Linda's blog, along with her sister Karen Dinino, smiling, laughing, shaking my head, as they share their thoughts, and day to day.

The email was requesting a few things, to be submitted for a new book the girls were working on, with the premise of Meeting in the Ladies Room, a book of reflections of women in a room of their own. A photo, how we see ourselves in the mirror, when we are alone, our thoughts as woman as ART. I have to admit, I was stunned, honoured and just plain old giddy. Were these two new friends crazy? My Loony face in a book? NOW? This was July ... chances were I was feeding my chickens in a bright colored moo~moo, wearing rubber boots and eye glasses with one arm?! Was Linda remembering what my bathroom looked like? Buying a house from a lady who was 91years old involved a lot of pastels, and the bathroom being PINK including the tub was just not gonna cut it~! I was on a mad dash, with a deadline (and let me say for the record...mostly likely one of the only deadlines I have made in life!) to find a bathroom, something cool...something awesome...something with nature! Turns out finding an outhouse these days with a moon in the door isn't as easy as one may think? The bathroom at the mall, while cool with yellow taxi cab checkered tile was a possible... but I wanted a shot without the camera in it... and the kids (cause lets face it they are always around somewhere) In the End, it was back to the pink bathroom at home, back to positioning myself so the good side...the one with the arm on the glasses was in the shot, positioning my nose to not look wonky, yet still hold those glasses on straight! The whole time smiling and acting giddy still thrilled that Linda had asked me to be involved! I played with some props, arranged the rocks in the mirror to the right side for the shot, moved Yoda outta the way ... my lipstick, my dreads....all in place to TAKE THE SHOT.

Along with the photo, there were three simple questions. What do you see when you look in the mirror? What do you think about when you are alone? and Where is the best bathroom you have ever been in. Honestly the questions were as much fun as the photo! How should I write it? like a poem? no I have never had the patience to write them. Like a story? geeze that would be too long. Random thoughts were scribbled on a page, with pages multiplying thru the course of the month, eventually after reading through all the thoughts, the answers came to me, typed in an email... I hit SEND.

Through thick and thin and life as it is in general, a rocky road~! ...Linda and her sister Karen, with the help of another great woman Pamela Detlor managed to not only get their new book published, but being the strong willed, inspiring woman they are...they did it on their own!

Meeting in the Ladies Room available here is an amazing look into the lives of women around the globe. Reflections of themselves and their thoughts and their lives as it is ~ ART.

It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in this project, a thrill to see my loony face within its pages, and an honour to be amongst such an inspiring group of women!!!

Now if only I could have taken that shot now! I have a cannon rebel !!! (thanks my love!) my bathroom is not pink anymore!!!! the dreads are even longer! AND I have two arms on my glasses!!! go figure... life is still Loony... the mirror is dirty, the plants on the shelf are dead now, and I should be doing dishes or something..not blogging !

2010 and a whole new year ahead!!!

my new year's resolution... to blog more!! I miss it, I enjoy it...and damnit I am just gonna do it!

Speaking in general, I am not one to make yearly resolutions. Plans are always in the works around here...

1. I want to quit smoking but do not want to kill someone along the way

2. I want to go to Montreal to visit my bro Wayne and the family ... preferably in the winter so a ski trip can be included.... but do not have the $$$ (or the time now that we have been blessed with monthly appearances once again ....explaining once again...we are broke and the opposing party is full of shit)

3. I want to plan and plant my garden early this year... but reality says I am a pro at killing plants and last year all my hard work ended up 6inches under snow less than 24hrs after planting...so yup it goes in the ground from seed.... or purchased from the local nursery

But looking forward to the year ahead there are many dreams...dreams that will with any luck at all, (not to mention work) will become a reality. Those I will keep under my Loony hat for now... cause I just don't wanna jinx myself by saying it OUT LOUD.

For the blog...well lets just say there better be some regular posting around here...or I am not clicking this link anymore!!!

more recipes and cooking tips ! I have just completed a 365 project on flickr. 365 days of Dinner with Loony givertake a few... mostly givertake the take out, the dead batteries or the I just plain forgot (toobusy) If I can say anything to anyone reading this...cook real food~! cut that box crap, already pre-made, preheated, pre-frozen, pre-flipping chewed food outta your diet. You want to maintain a healthy lifestyle...start with what goes in your mouth. You wanna complain you don't have time to cook a real meal.... I say BULLSHIT~! I can cook a full meal in less than 30mins and nothing comes from a box, nothing says just add water and NUKE for 30secs. There are tricks and tips to fantastic cooking and this year I plan on sharing!!!

more funny stories from the Shoeless Acres and life with Loony and the fam ... cause lets face it...around here the giggles never stop. If Fric and Frac and Freak are not up to something funny, I am positive one of the damn dogs have done something to make you giggle (not necessarily me giggle...but I am willing to share my pain)

and more Loony thoughts and confessions about the world around me. ie/ my excitement and involvement in a fantastic new book and the road travelled to get there ...basically waiting for the news...its here...its published and YES there is a loony face in those pages.

I had considered starting totally new... scrapping this blog for something new. A way to avoid previous posts which I did not want to share. A blog that would go public...past just the friends and family online...and into reality...where everyone knows. But in the end, the delete button was a heck of a lot easier than saying goodbye to some of my favorite thoughts and posts already here.

SO for any newcomers... this is my blog. I am a Loony Cannuck living in Northern Ontario. A stay at home...homeschool'n mama living a loony life and having a great time doing it.
A few of my favorites.... just cause
http://loonyshoelessacres.blogspot.com/2009/01/tooth-damn-dog-twoonie-and-tink.html

http://loonyshoelessacres.blogspot.com/search/label/loony%20thoughts

http://loonyshoelessacres.blogspot.com/2008/12/many-moons-ago.html

http://loonyshoelessacres.blogspot.com/2009/04/homestuck-in-snow-whatever-can-we-do.html

Coming soon to THIS BLOG near you...

tips on cooking...using the crock pot and simple easy tips that make your dinner awesome!

Loony Rants and Raves... most likely involving the damn dogs in my life

Tips on being the Cheapest Cheapskate you can be...if I can reuse it, recycle it, and NOT buy it...I will and I do~!

Funnies...never forget about the funnies ...cause lets face it... smiling is fun, and laughter is the best !

Free Range

Well here we go again, into another year of school, another year of homeskewl'n me brats on the Shoeless Acres and another year of exploring life. I couldn't do it, I thought about it for one or two of those nanoseconds, but at the end of the day I just couldn't do it sending my kids to face life ini the public school system. Maybe.. maybe if we lived back home (and I could actually afford it) I would send them to the Waldorf School of Learning...but that again another dream.

You cannot tell by the fantastic weather here but summer is coming to an end, it isn't hard to look up, thru the trees to see the colors changing fast, vibrant reds and yellows filling the forest signaling the change of seasons. While its been an amazing summer, I have to admit I look forward to the change. Loony me excited for the snow, the ice, the lake again in winter... I miss our hut on the lake, the roar of the skidoos' and the warmth of the fire. (I KNOW I AM LOONY!)

We sent our beach boy home on Monday, his final day of holidays before starting Gr. 5... hard to believe a decade of life with that handsome face. It was so great to have him home sooo much this summer, even better that HE loved it too. Fric Freak and Frac managed some busy days exploring and swimming and laughing together. I am a proud Mama of my three wee ones, proud that we crossed many things off the list...

swimming... oh that damn almost free pool~! worth its weight in gold now that I have THREE kids swimming...under water~ JUMPING in da'water ~ Ryki may still require goggles to avoid that shrieking sound of "TOWEL TOWEL TOWEL" but actually swimming!! Diving!!! Twists and Turns... our pool is ranging 65 degrees this week, barely hitting 60 last, but being Loony's brats... a pool is a pool and they will swim~!

Trying out new stuff... we were gifted a kayak of the blow up kind (but seriously kickass) from our favorite the one and only Uncle Reggie and in no time at all Fric Freak and Frac were paddling their way across the water rounding the raft, and back again. Meeting new friends, and sharing the adventure. Who says one MAN kayak???? we can fit a couple right??? Needless to say... we'z be hoping Uncle Reggie can come across a couple more of these babies!!!

The Beach Boy who tends to be 'cautious' when it comes to anything involving adrenaline or speed past a pedal bike managed to muster the courage and try out the dirtbug~! and even enjoy it.. figure he will enjoy it more when there is a seat on it of course... 'hard on his ass' he claims... lucky for him wee Ryki has sprouted an inch or two and the seat will return!!!

and Kamakakee Jane once again showed up her bro's .. da' boyz when she tried, enjoyed, and LOVED tubing with new friends on the lake... IMO... she rides the waves a little TOO well~!

The Wildlife on the Acres has continued to learn and grow over the summer of 09 and I could not be happier...or prouder. No matter where our journey took us, there was smiles, laughter, and best of all .... many comments about the intelligence, the politeness, the overall goodness of my fric freak and frac... PROUD MAMA is an understatement! Proud of me wee brats, and proud that our loony ways of raising our kids has given us such bright and beautiful kids!!!

Our garden, I am proud to say produced many tasty veggies, our farminals... give us eight farm fresh eggs a day, and our newest addition Smokey the kitty has settled in becoming part of the crew, and has remained maggot free (thank goodness!) with any luck maybe Santa will bring her some new fur for the end of her tail for xmas!

Discovering Stormy Lake

Yesterday was an adventure day for the fam around here, up early I was cracking eggs, making sammy's and searching the cupboards for anything that would pass as a snack for our trip. A planned adventure with our friend... aka the friendly giant to discover a new park, to hit the canoe and to spend the day in the sun. Now of course as it would turn out, the best plans always require some tweaking right, like when the sun decides it does not want to shine, when the clouds win the battle filling the sky with grey. But none the less a little grey doesn't stop us, kids packed, life jackets packed, spare clothes packed we hit the road.

An hour down the road later we pulled into the park, Restoule Ontario Provincial park, following the signs to the Stormy Lake Launch we parked and looked to the skies, now not only was it grey but quickly turning wet. No worries right? no problems... like we always say it will just blow over right?

I grabbed my bag full of coins and headed off to the parking meter... two hours we figured should give us enough time to make the call, to judge our weather and explore a little after the drive. And being the cheapskate I am, and harboring a little grudge we were PAYING for parking ....I was prepared for a $5 fee... NOT the "meter is outta order sign, please go to the front gate" So off we go to fetch our parking tickets, one for us and one for the friendly giant, the rain only a gentle mist and the skies... sorta clearing, I dug out more change and agreed ... I would splurge for the $7 ~ 4hr ticket. Little did I know of course that when the meter is down all the girl at the gate is able to sell is the $13. day pass.... which if you ask me is a bit of a rip off.

"what do you mean only a day pass" I asked... "its raining... can't you improvise on this a little?" a half day pass, a special tag? a something??? "Does the day pass include free rainponcho's maybe?" Of course I got a "no" and a "NO" response from the teen behind the desk. My Love entering the kiosk eyeing up the rain poncho's on the shelf for sale... 'we might need these eh?" of course we were going to need them... but really .. did we NEED to spend the $8.95 per poncho... was staying dry really that important?? "I WILL BUY THEM" said My Love, I will get them and keep you dry" (insert kissass hubby here) so adding another $20 to the cost of our afternoon trip I turned to the teen behind the desk and started in on her again...

"so by my count now, we have been ripped for the parking tickets, (two cars) and the poncho's are a little pricey ...so what do you have to make it up to us? I would love a couple green garbage bags...cause you do not have children's poncho's" SURE the girl said ..no problem. "BUT" I asked..."have you got anything else for free? maybe a coloring book? anything?"

"well" she said "there is a summer promotion on right now, by buying the day pass I can give you a free pedometer"

"GREAT I will take FIVE!!!" it never hurts to ask...cause you never know what you might get!! And the smiles on the brats faces when hiking and they hit 5000steps...priceless (FOR FREE)

So back to the canoes and back to the rain we went, deciding that hiking thru the trails to the fire tower might be a good option to avoid the downpour. Hiking thru the tree's over the rocks and fallen tree's I managed to drag my ass to the top. And oh what a fucking view... a view I will return to ... definitely in the fall, when the tree's are changing colors and when the sun is shining bright. Ryki flying thru the trails stopping for every nut, stick or rock that caught his attention. Aspen quickly forgetting that she was wearing a garbage bag and collecting treasures (FOR MY POCKET) along the way. When we made it up and down and back to the canoes low and behold the skies had cleared and there was hints of blue popping thru. Canoes in the water and off we went... according to our friendly giant a 6km paddle stopping for lunch on the shoreline and a quick swim.

The only problem of my day... damn those possessed rechargeable batteries, damn my camera for going dead when we hit the water... damn it all those shots I missed, the scenes the moments... damn those batteries to hell!!!

And my favorite funny along the way...

heading up the trails sporting my splashy yellow rain poncho, Aspen comparing mine to hers she proclaimed ....

"Mama... I look like a dumbass don't I?"

"no honey..its like the famous saying goes... you look beautiful no matter what...even in a garbage bag!"

The Big 35

So yesterday was the day... the day I turned the Big 35, another year gone by and a day made fantastic by many birthday wishes from many peeps that I have loved... before now and forever. A fantastic fucking day. Hard to believe really ... that I could be so lucky...so spoiled to be here...with my kids... with my love... with my friends and family. I remember the Big 25, sitting in a restaurant having dinner with my folks, announcing it was time for ME, time for ME to do what I wanted, and to head off for yet another adventure to celebrate turning the Big 25. The plans were set, knapsacks packed, and I was heading west with my trusty dog Nishka and my good friend Jessica. Hitch hiking thru the nation to hit the west coast. Now as fate would have it, I would slip off a slippery curb only daze later, just enough of a fall to shred the ligaments in my foot once again...just in time to change my plans, just in time to NOT go west. Instead, limping my way down the highway, Nishka by my side, I made it to Wasaga Beach, to my sista's house, to the sunshine, the sand and the water... to find my love, to fall in love and then to be blessed and spoiled to have my kids happen along the way. Who would have thunk it... the girl at 25 declaring myself tooo selfish for kids, to selfish to stick around... a decade later, smiling and laughing with my family, enjoying the most perfect day in the sun, LOVING the life that is mine!

yes...I am a spoiled Loony... I am thankful for that every day, for my family, my children, my life...even if I have to be 35~!

We have been busier than stink around here lately, the usual for summertime on the Shoeless Acres where the driveway is like a revolving door...company in .. company out. We actually managed a road trip last weekend, trek'n off to Cambridge to help out the family with some windows, and to visit with the peeps who are and always be...part of my fam. A reunion of sorts with the folks who gave me soo much many moons ago, a teenage runaway who found a family full of love and support. I was happy all these years later to help out, to visit and reconnect. The best part of course was hanging with my brother Wayne. Chosen brother for life, my best friend and part of my family. He came from Montreal for the weekend with his own Love and his newest addition to the fam... his first born son...a handsome wee lad of just five weeks(now six weeks!)...William. Once a year I am lucky enough to see him, but now... after holding, snuggling and plain old falling in love...that will just have to change... a trip to Montreal will have to be booked in the calendar...cause damn it...seeing that little bundle of joy grow and change over the past week.... nothing is better... the smell of his baby freshness, the joy of watching him figure out how to get that little thumb to his mouth, the love I felt when he would look up and smile at his aunty Loony... Wayne and the fam left yesterday after a few daze here...I miss them already, but will be smiling for weeks ... I will not wash my sweater...I will snuggle and smell that baby freshness for as long as I can... I will remember how lucky I am...he is here and part of my family!

and on a general update on the Shoeless Acres... hmmm?? Our beach boy returns today for another week of fun. I have been holding his siblings back from the garden a little this week, so I we can share in the fun...the peas, the broccoli...its all coming in. With any luck...the raspberries will be ready soon too!!! woot woot for Fric Frac and Freak and another seven days of fun!!!

playing tourist this week with the family we found a most awesome spot just outside of town. A place to play, explore and hike up along side a waterfall...perfect for a picnic in the sun. We didn't even make it all the way to the top...but that just makes our return trip more exciting.

We have a new addition to the wildlife around here as well...one that was not planned, intended and even attempted to ditch...but one that seems determined to survive and stick around. Smokey Racine showed up on our door last week, and being the Loon that I am I just couldn't leave her to the wild to be gobbled up MORE so I gave her some food, some shelter, and daze later...requested my housesitter 'get rid' of the cat before our return from our trip. 'getting rid' of the cat resulted in a two block trip down the road on a quad... the cat jumping off and rolling into the ditch to 'not be seen again' ... on the road maybe...but the little furball managed to find her way back to our door, back to the Loony sucker that says... a survivor like that might as well stay...might as well join in on the fun around the Shoeless Acres. Little did I know then what I was in for or what I would end up doing...it resulted in ...eww yuck gross and gag.
(insert warning here... the following may be gross...but hell its loony reality and if you are here...you might as well know how crazy I really am!!)
It would seem as though our little kitty from the wild had experience some trauma on her journey here. her little kitty paw pads ripped and torn, and her tail...half missing ... chewed off, ripped off... it was not there, only half a tail for the little grey cat. So while bathing her up, and checking her out ... what should I discover? a large open wound on her remaining tail... and what should I find in that large wound... yes those unpleasant little things known as maggots!!! so hands washed and onto my laptop.... a google here, a phone call there, and twenty dollars at the pharmacy later.... I sat on the sidewalk equipped with some rubber(gloves) tweezers and some polysporin, some alcohol to kill the little fuckers and plucked away to make the little cat's day. Two days later it would seem I have fixed that problem... she may be a funny looker with half a tale, a short stubby pink nub at the end...but she is now our little funny feline. By my count...two lives (atleast) down and seven more to go. The newest feline friend to roam the acres... and I say roam cause she ain't coming inside. I lost one crock pot to a feline friend last year..and it ain't happening again

A World of Difference

So many differences in life...lifestyles and the generations of time. There is a world of difference between the loony I am now and the loony I was before...years before I was Mama. I would like to think I have the same ideals, perhaps less selfish, and have gained wisdom from my experiences along the way.

Lately I have seen a world of difference. Like the difference between teens now, and teens then...my loony then. And I confess just saying that makes me feel old! My young buck of a cuz and his friend stopped by for a few daze of holidaze around the shoeless acres and while things are the same they are also so different. I declared by whatever means necessary my kids will not grow to be clueless like these kids! And would even brag...I think my kids R already smarter! Never in my teen life would I leave home without the essentials(fishing pole sleeping bags rolled coins and mr.noodles), a plan($$$ for trip, map and a direction I was heading), a backup(couch surfing a few extra daze) and when all else failed two feet, a heartbeat and my thumb would get me where I needed to go. Now I realize the art of hitchhiking comes with new threats and worries in this day and age (OLD!) BUT I live in the north, its practically considered a form of transportation! When I was younger I was rarely only working one job at a time, and would basically do ANY job to make some money. (not to mention paying rent @ 17) Not lollygagging my way for a few extra daze 'on my way' to a job up the road, only to complain that 'some guy' got to the job first! Seems to me, many teens of today are more like DIVA's then young adults about to burst into the world. I razzed my sweet teen cousin all week about waking up to reality, his diva ways , laughed when he boasted searching the hometown for rentals cuz he is ready to be out on his own, but hopefully also pointed out a few things, a few thoughts to take home...it ain't that easy in the real world ! Aspen can make homemade bbq sauce, dumplings, her own lunch? These sweet teens wanted to know if you mixed 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter with their salmon for sandwiches!!! YUCK & WOW what a difference~!

Our first summer visit with the beach boy is coming to an end in a few more sleeps. I am sure we will all be sad to see him go, but the calendar is filled with marks, counts, and smiley faces on just how many more sleeps til he returns. My proud loony mama moment happened at dinner the other night as the beach boy proclaimed.... "ya know I don't think I will bother bringing the XBOX with me next time! I have barely played it at all here so why even bother" Nothing makes me smile more than hearing my boy say he doesn't need the video games!!! secretly my own success on winning the boy over to the world of imagination, play and exploring REAL life ..woot woot!

A watery world of difference has occurred in the yard with that notso free pool of ours too! In less than a week I have seen my wee Fric go from watching as Freak and Frac jumped off the side of the pool, canonballing simultaneously together to holding his big brothers hand, jumping with a smile as he disappears beneath the water. GOGGLES!!! With Ryki's birthday this week came a fresh set of goggles and snorkles for the kiddies. Fric is flying thru the water now, swimming like a fish, like a frog, summersaults...four in a row .... my boy swims!!! No more life jackets (knock on wood) no more whines just a boy in his pool having fun!!! yes its been a proud Mama week~!

Now if only.... he didn't start at 8am, the difference now? last week it was "i am hungry" this week is "can I go swimming" While my lifeguard duties provide me with the perfect excuse to avoid the housecleaning.... I need some new wool... happy hatting time sitting by the pool!

HOLY CRAP!!! ITS A BLOG'N CRIME

Man its been a while since I posted a blog. I am sure there are three or four drafts saved around here some where but that just shows how flip'n busy things have been! Road trips, broken bones, SNOW the last day of May. I am back in the gardens now so basically if the sun is shining...we'z outside.

so lets see ... a little ketchup around the Shoeless Acres

the end of April brought what we hoped would be the end of the family blender court saga...but of course things LIFE is not always that easy. We were lucky enough to have a fair judge on the bench for our day in court, settling all matters, providing the twat with a fair amount for us and her in child support and a bonus order of access made in our favor laying out in detail when and where to pick up our beach boy for visitation. I say Twat because she remains a thorn in our side . Less than a week after signing the papers in front of the judge, she reared her ugly head again denying us our May visit. The long weekend which we have had the beach boy in our care for TEN years running. The weekend where we celebrate with the family as the beach boy and my sweet Jane turn another year older.... ya... the twat said NO to our birthday visit. Needless to say dreams of affidavits began floating through my heads, and I had the pleasure of serving the bitch with contempt of court papers just a couple weeks ago. So once again the family blender spins into a courtroom near her ... so she can answer to the judge. If we are successful, her ass will be chewed out and come summer we will have the beach boy home with us for three solid weeks in July...21daze of Racine Crew FUN, and returning home to us again in August for a two week stay!

Road Trip'n Fun ... I honestly forgot how much I love life on the road~! The fun of getting lost, seeing sights unknown, and familiar places that bring back childhood memories of times gone by. While the most part involved a job far away, adventures were had and time was spent with family saying hello~! The hounds got to play, visit and hunt...bringing home a fresh Turkey one Sunday for a family feast. (well they didn't bring it home exactly, My Love had to do the fetch'n but the turkey trophy record in our fam goes to the dogs now!) I made it to the big smoke...the city of Toronto twice in one week, driving in the crazy traffic, cursing people, taking pics at the red lights, curling into the fetal position as a passenger in the back seat with my cousin, ... let me say I would be a transit queen in the big city cause otherwise I am pretty sure my heart would pop from the pressures of drving in that crazy fucking traffic! My Aunt Stix arrived for her first holiday of the summer season on the Acres, only to slip and fall breaking her wrist when she first arrived. That took me back to TO as she required a part time chauffeur. While I love the big smoke, I can't say that I will be returning tooo quickly, but it did involve a rare occasion of Loony on the loose without her kids (on the loose...six houses down the street from Jane sleeping with a babysitter on duty) it resulted in a very late night and me somewhat molesting a cement lion along the way...its been a while since I was that Loony!!!.

A highlight in our road trip'n adventures of course was meeting Jake... an online pal for the past couple years, a fellow fan of rosie, a hug I new would be great...it was fantastic. With any luck the next time I am hanging with Jake, Glamma and Pam....it will be in my neck of the woods around the fire with a brew (shot?jager?? in hand) watching the stars in the sky!

So May seemed to fly by, my babies hitting the age now where damn...they are just growing up a little fast. Alex turned TEN~! a whole decade of his smiles in my life ... NOTHING is better than that for this loony Mama, and Aspen ..well lets just say her attitude and smiles seem to age a decade with every year. A diva in the making as she explores the world of 'hair products' and hair straighteners, choosing carefully her first summer purse and hanging her summer dresses in her room, planning her summer events.

And now its June, the end of the school year, the season to prep and plant the garden, get the coup ready for another season of farminals. I am a lucky loon this year...first by finding a young local lad will to do 'chores' I have made a deal to up his $5/hr pay to ten bucks an hour if he is willing to spend a couple hours in the coup. There is lots of shovelling in there and a chore I would like to avoid. Hoping the chickens will arrive by the end of the month...laying hens this year!!! so lots of work ahead prep'n for that...happy hens lay lotsa eggs eh? and watering the garden just got easier as the neighbour works part time for a well drilling company, by the end of the week the creek will be sporting a new water pump system giving the Shoeless acres water for the gardens, farminals...and yes the kids too, straight up the hill from the creek~!

ahhhh summer!! if it would just stop snowing around here we could get on with the season. Daze of gardening in the moo~moo, lazing by the pool, swimming at the rock... visitors to come...and the HUGS!!! this will be the year of the HUGS on the acres too!!!