WOOOHOOO for the Clearance Rack!

As a self declared cheapskate, there are things in life that I just say no to, simply because it's like shoving a bug up my butt to spend money on things that are not necessary, that have prices inflated just cause of the season, or the tag attached. I was pleased this summer to see I have passed my ways onto the brats, Fric and Frac during a visit from one of our most favorite peeps ever! "D" ~ while visiting and sitting my brats for a couple hours opted to take them to the grocery store for a little shopping. When "D" mentioned to Fric and Frac that maybe a visit to the bakery section for a treat would be in order, my wee brats lit right up and directed "D" to the clearance rack, explaining that not only would they save money buying from the rack, BUT because the food would expire soon, it was a great excuse to EAT THE WHOLE PACKAGE! No rations as the kids like to refer to eating treats!

As a result of my cheapskate ways, there have been a few things in life that I have 'just not got'. I am also a bit of a scrooge when it comes to the xmas holidays, and while not a religious family, the fact that we are all expected to spend loads of money of stuff, guilted into spending more money on stuff for other people, and generally do not always have the funds for such things, scrambling to scrounge up and roll more pennies for the oh holy holiday. Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE the holidays, the time we get to play, spend with the family and just generally lounge around doing whatever we want, but still its the expected pressures society puts on people especially our kids to have all the gadgets and trinkets, IPODS for 7 year olds that drives me loony.

One of the things I have avoided over the years, was the traditional gingerbread house, usually at a cost of $20 during the holiday season I have always just said no, knowing there would be plenty of money spent on chocolates, and treats, and even more arriving in the giftbags...do we need more candy?!!! Just after the New Year I had to run to town, yet again to refill another pet's food dish, and put some food in Loony Mama's cupboards. As usual I cruised by that clearance rack, only to find one of the best deals ever! A full gingerbread house kit on clearance for TWO DOLLARS! with the sign saying ..."freeze for next year"

Of course I skipped the freeze suggestion and arrived home to present the kit to the kiddies. Big smiles and excitement came next as they cleaned up the kitchen table ready to build their dream home made of cookies and candy! Now I will say, besides me being cheap, the nightmares have ran thru my head before, dreading the idea of dealing with the mess, the icing and potential for a full house collaspe, and the tears and cursing that go with it. But, now with fric and frac being 8&9...it was a project they could handle all by themselves!

Now lucky for me, a house has four sides, leaving all things even for Fric and Frac, able to create their little house with a front AND back door despite the directions that only came with a front door.

Ryki taking the back door, creating his own wreath with the fondent..

And Aspen making the front door all fancy... till she added the EAT ME to the mix?!

Our TWO DOLLAR gingerbread house... cheaper than a box of cookies, entertaining for the kids, and something to snack on for a few days... I started here....

Have you checked a clearance rack lately? !

2011 ~ another year and FIVE years Shoeless!!!

It occurred to me over the holidays that there should be something done about the fact I blog in my head multiple times a day yet getting the stuff in my head to the keyboard has been simply not happenning. I considered a challenge for myself in 365givertake52 sorta variety, but then was reminded thru the wise words of Linda Woods (my fav blog ever!)... they really only last 23days. I succeeded once with a photo project x2 , but the second time around ... well it didn't go far. I love blogging loony stuff, a way to share , a way to get shit out, and hopefully a way to share some Shoeless laughs.

This xmas season was #5 on our Shoeless Acres, and as usual it was full of laughs, and chocolate, more chocolate and the bratz running free thru their days from one thing to the next. (or in Ryki's case...planted on the couch with wii~mote in hand... addicted to some smashbrothers and their wicked video ways) Lucky enough that while the wild weather made things mild, the snow cover was just enough to make for a few great days with the trails. All three bratz are driving the sleds now, getting along well enough to take turns , who's behind the wheel, who is riding the skiboose... who is daring enough to take that jump in the garden ... ZOOOM! Needless to say, it was the KamakazeeGIRL in the family who was deemed best driver, taking the circle and slamming on the gas, giggling all the way. There was dancing in the kitchen as the dumpling factory took hold of the kitchen table, cuddling on the couch surfing the netflix, and chocolate...so much freak'n chocolate!

And now its 2011 ~ another new year ahead and holiday season over! back to the 'rules' (quoted cause I can't say it with a straight face) shut down the electronics, get out your books, what will we study next?! The school bell will be ringing at 9am this year... time to get things down in the morning ...cause Jan1st didn't just bring on a new year... it opened the season... our favorite time... ICE FISHING season is here! We patiently wait and pray to the snowgods to bring on a little winter cheer, to lay a base on the road so we can make the trek, our pimped out shack is ready for the lake. The little village on the ice has already begun, with over 25 shacks on the bay... the race in on to get to the hole~!

resolutions???? hmmmm... to dig out the old wagon again and kick the nic (working on that now...procrastination is winning til next week)

blog more!

add some new stuff to my Loony Shop ~ Photographic!

all in all... just hoping for another great year!

The road may be rough sometimes but its always an adventure!!!

KETCHUP~!

WOW! April???!!! since I blogged? WTH?! Well... I do feel a little guilty for neglecting the blog, I can also say... SPRINGing into Summer on the Shoeless Acres has been busy! Many daze in the sunshine, getting dirty in the garden, and hook'n by the pool watching my growing Fric, Freak, and Frac swim their way thru the day.

So much that I could KETCHUP on ... so much that I have missed 'reporting' I am not sure where to begin??!

I even missed announcing here my exciting adventure! A work in progress... a learning experience for this Loon , mastering and exploring the world of online sales. My first ever dive into a webstore, a place to put my hook'n adventures for now, and with any luck (and time, and more figuring) a place to share my love of photography and the things I capture thru my lense.

Of course... being the cheapskate Loon I am .. starting off with the FREE site, the one I can test out the waters, and see how it goes... also another spot I need to pay some attention to, while I have many thoughts in my heads and changes to make... finding the time at the keyboard proves tricky these days... BUT none the less... now open for business... stay tuned cause I have some new hats to post!

Loose Strings By Loony .. Original Happy Hat Creations by ME!

So to keep things short and sweet... insert giggle here (things R generally sweet ...not always short!) some KETCHUP

da' Farminals

my birds...my sweet birds are laying their eggs again following a chilly winter. I am finding the extreme HEAT affects them just like the COLD, but still happy to be collecting eggs once again. The kids have taken to naming a few, something new for us, as with our previous meat birds, we avoided names ... just something about knowing the name of your dinner on the plate. While it was sad to find Ryki's friend "Little Beak" behind the barn missing a good chunk from her neck, I am happy to report his friend "Abigaile" seems to have overcome her 'droopy butt syndrome" and is walking the line just fine. And our little friend "Peggy" well she may only have one leg, but hop hop hop... she is still dropping eggs! We are down to 10hens now following the winter season, with Clucker the Rooster still clucking strong... ALL DAY AND EVERYDAY! And while I was collecting 9eggs a day, with Little Beak gone, and the weather so hot... these days its about only five... BUT I am not complaining! They are DELISH! I have recently discovered and decided.. with the added cost and taxes (thanks HARPER >>>NOT) the price of feed for the girls has become just silly. After doing some research...the next feed bag will be just plain old SCRATCH (just corn and bits) rather than the MASH (special for laying hens) I have noticed while they eat the MASH part is what they leave behind, and while the little chipmunks enjoy it... why should this cheapskate pay?? After consulting my chicken guru's (uncle Bob'nFred) my suspisions were found true... I have a rooster...thats what those little MASH pellets do...so I don't need them?! wish I had of figured that out a couple months ago?! I have one big hen however who I suspect is in the mood to brood, and while my girls all share the same spot for laying...this is proving to be tricky....?? do I mark a special egg with an X and see if she will stay? Will the other girls in the pen accomodate this mama and switch up their spot to give her that one? its still a debate, and still a "too bad I am eating the egg" situation.. I will just wait and see...stay tuned!

WILDLIFE...

Happy to report ...no bears this spring! while we have found many a track of moose and deer , the bears have not come up the hill for our exploding berry patches, bird seed and feed.

The damn dogs I love are doing their jobs...barking at night reminding the wildlife... WE R HERE WE R HERE WE R HERE!!! Nishka, forever my nanny is showing her age more and more these days, reaching the ripe old age of THIRTEEN this September, her lumps and bumps continue to be there, her hips a little more wobbly, and recently we discovered.. she is as deaf as a doormat. Fun times for the kids and dads teasing the dog, fun times for me reminding My Love... yell all you want, she won't get off the couch cause she can't hear you. A bonus that we have always used our hands, snapping and pointing cause while its taking the humans a while to adjust... the dog has this deaf stuff down pat ! Who would have thought we would be practising sign language for our dog! And Smokey... the tailess wonder, and cat that keeps coming back... our wee furball had and lost her first litter ever..in my sockdrawer?! Comes and goes around the Acres when she wants, here and there for a visit, running when there is company, still a little bugger I love. And of course what would the Shoeless Acres and this animal loving family be without adding something else to the mix... spending his birthday money, my wee Ryki finally got what he wanted... his own fish! Fighter Fire now spends his days swimming in my kitchen so to speak with morning greetings from a very proud boy "good morning little fishy and how is my little fishy today R U hungry?" Now I could end this part of today's KETCHUP with a mention of THE QUILLING... but I don't wanna jinx it... we have been QUILL free for a couple months so I would really like to leave it that way... damn dogs!

Family, Green Stuff, Healthy Eating, The Shoeless Acres Academy

With this Loon's homeskewl'n theories, also comes a Loony Schedule, once again this year bringing the paperwork to an end in May, we moved onto the summer learning... the work outdoors and the exploring in the gardens. One of those fantastic years here in the north when the weather, the sun, and mother nature all work hand in hand to produce some fantastic bumper crops. The wild berry patches exploding, providing us with daily treats of blue and raspberries to gobble up in the sun. The veggies... mmm so good, with my garden thriving! It took some work keeping the gobbling munchkins from eating everything before it had a chance to grow... redlisting Fric and Frac from eating all the tender baby leaves in the lettuce patch, reminding them .. that waiting for a few more days they would score more than just one pea pod a day.. YES its a great year in our garden... ! While we still wait for the tomatoes to turn red, we managed to score our first crop of taters this week, and our salads are a staple at the dinner table. There is still the work, the weeding and the killing of the little rat bastards daily, but always with little helpers willing to work, anxious to harvest and ready to gobble!

So onto another beautiful day on the Acres... time to feed the chickens, release them from their coup, round up the brats and lock them in 'the dungeon' cause the mess known as their bedroom is just insane, and get my Friday chores done today... cause tomorrow is my birthday! and I am NOT doing chores! and the best present I could even get... Our Beach Boy arrives home for the weekend.

more KETCHUP to come soon.

and since I linked to the pics ... lets go for it and post one here... see the top cause I am not in the mood to drag... ;O) A local hiking spot here in the north, a new family fav for a little picnic lunch, and exploring the trails... Duchsenay Falls, North Bay Ontario... nature at its best!

CHEF OF THE DAY...my little STAR!

Sometimes in life things happens that make you think... hmmm? that's ass backwards... life is gonna get interesting. Around here you never know when that might happen... but some how it always does. There are the normal hmmmm? Like when its still April and the kids are in the creek hunting crawdads, minnows and frogs, strange and early this year considering we were JUST on the frozen lake! There are the things you expect... like the saucy looks, the attitude, and the bold in your face Kamakazee Jane... and Mama's sweet kid ... the Fishslayer Aryk ... who for the most part has had no problem letting his sister take the stage, stepping back while she took charge, using his long locks for his hidden power, his Mama for his safety net (yes...I am a terrible Mom that has babied her baby!) and his kiss ass cute maneuvers to charm those around him.

Both little spitfires once they are in their zone...the comfort spot...the places that make them feel cool.

Last week the kids came a running.... shouts and smiles declaring a show at the mall the place to be. For Fric and Frac around here the TV gets but a few channels, only realizing at 2/3years old ... the cartoons actually came in color...cause Mom being the Loon that she is... really has no problem watching black and white of it means good reception. By choice we are anti~cable/satellite/million channel surfers.... mostly cause I am so cheap, and have trained My Love well... but also cause I think its crap... for the most part... advertising for little brains to train them how to dress... look... and what to buy to be cool.

Cartoons, nature shows, "educational stuff"..and mainly no commercials were always accessible on TVO or CBC, the kids always knowing when to switch the channel, dancing, learning and playing.

Saturday the TVOkids presented a show at the local mall, promoting healthy eating and their themed name... DSS... DON't SiT StILL!!! I googled it to check the schedules, agreeing that yes we could make that date. We also clicked on the contest icon and entered our FRESH SCRAMBLED EGGS as our healthy meal of the day option. Go figure... Ryki won!

The 48 hrs between the win and the show have been funny to say the least, as I watched my wee shy guy tremble, be proud, excited and in total despair.

"Mama....what if its on TV? and what if I SCREW UP AND ITS ON TV"

"Mama... whats this?" asked Ryki

"well honey its just a spot ...from the pineapple we ate this week! nothing to worry about...I can't even notice it.... !"

(hmm... pretty sure when the stress came out...so did the cold sore!)

"Mama... I know its great that Ryki won... but I am jealous... soooo jealous"

It was wonderful to find out that the show was in fact just a stage show... no TV camera's recording... a couple digital pics at most... on stage and off in no time. There was a sigh of relief come over Ryki's face... and a sigh of relief breath thru Mama's heart.

The reminders, the cheers, the fact that Dad was gonna be there! The nervous moments heading back stage to meet THE DSS Crew FROM TVO!?

The shy little voice that squeaked out "hello my name is Aryk" and the final reminder from his sister... "I would ..NOT BE SHY"

The introduction, the drum roll, the music from the speakers?! .....

hmmm? ya know what was ass backwards? my worry, was my fear, my thoughts of "he CAN do it right?????'

Ryki Racine... Chef of the Day and Guest of TVOkids DSS Crew

on stage live at the Northgate Mall

Proudly standing using his big guy voice... smiling for the crowds and handling the show like the wee man that he is...

My BIG STAR!

Besides my giddy emotions, and my proud babbles... it was a fun ... exciting and a COOL TIME at the show. So much fun to watch all the kiddies jumping, dancing and singing to the beat. I am an avid fan of all the TVO programming here ... TVOntario, its great to see the energy and enthusiasm behind the DSScrew there to help the kids... learn to grow... happy healthy and NOT SITTING STILL!

the whole net thing... and privacy.. and what not

You know literally a few months before this Loon came online she was anti~online.... phobic about the whole exposure, the privacy invaded... the potential to look into the screen and contract some terrible plague...generated by some nerd in the basement... I had a dream once and it stuck with me... OK!



But then I went online... I got connected and quickly learned from various sites, peeps, stranger friends and things how to get along.. meet and make new family and friends. I am still terrible at the phobia stuff... still a newbie when it comes into signing in ... logging on or managing to get a picture to go where I want... but at the same time great at spamming my own life thru pics into the computer... the things I do thru the day... saving my pics safely online after learning the depression that follows when a hard drive fries and there are a 'lifetime' of photos on there.



With anything ... its always been privacy first... never do anything that may leave a trail... my name should never be googled and found... little did I know...its tricky... hell My Love can be googled and turn up a porn star! I have always been careful knowing the life a blended family can spin to pay attention to the privacy details, and whats available out there.



Facebook was one of those things, the public forum that opens the world up like a grand park in the centre of town. Where you can say anything... be anyone(you can't be in person...learned this one fast from experience!), and share .. the details... the smiles ... the rants and raves...and sometimes... REAL life.



Now speaking as a Mama ... facebook has entered the playground. Where I bitched about the age appropriate~ness... the reality of life on the net and the implications of things that can haunt you forever... I have relented and turned yet another corner... thinking I should consider 'the domains of their names' and let them at it. Reality says...they do not hotmail anymore...there is not much MSN on the screen... the kids, the teens...they are there... crack'n'da'book.



BUT... and here is the Loony Mama thought of the day...



there is still life...our own space... our lifespace that tiny bit of megabyte that the KIDS don't need to be, can't hear from the next room... that extra click in our day where we say.... those thoughts are private.



Now for me ... its a personal thing as well as a Mama thing... where I know the access granted is not just viewed by my wee Boy in the Beach...where there is another set of eyes... watching. But a thing to think about for all... cause as a personal pet peeve....



I really think too many little people get to be seeing the big people things... making their young and exciting living shorter than it really has to be.



I love the connections... the smiles shared, and the chance to say hello... but really... do our kids need to see the REAL WORLD YET?



I have a policy... something to think about ... something to share...



If ya gonna be the favorite Aunt... the cousin from a far, the mom, the dad, or the Gramma... do our kids and the rest of their school really need to Read All About It? (insert sarcasm here for any cannucks who may remember! LOL)



When you write your next status... just remember... 10 friends or 154... maybe 1002...



if you add a kid is it PG approved?



Resolution... when updating your latest status... click on that little padlock... click customize...and add kids under 18... it stays just that way... defaulted to block the little minds from big people thoughts... if you have something special...quarky or true... by all means change it for a moment and default back ...

AND... just in case... what if you don't know you can...

do you want friends of friends...of their friends knowing today is the day you have cramps? today is the day you got kicked outta the laundry mat? the day you fell down in the beer store ? dropping a case of beer and taking out your comfy walking for the next six months?

you can set that too....

privacy is a right we all have...we just have to have the know how to set it...to respect it and to show it... says A. Loon April 2010



just saying... its a thought... to remember...once you post it... once you hit enter... it goes past your screen and onto the big wide web.



I was once asked about my friends adding my kids... and I replied...anyone who is my friend is not just there to share...but to have their eyes open... to watch and protect.... I believe in my friends and fam to do this... have done it to my own wee family members... sharing the realities...the warnings, and the plain old thoughts on privacy and safety on the net...



as a note... TODAY compared to YESTERDAY... things change... like life and like tomorrow...

I have recently added a skype feature to my laptop... I am working on a new project online... and having a freaking KAnipTion fit doing it... the skype is fantastic...the project... a pain in the ass (so I enlisted HELP! ) and still I type here looking at the webcam thinking....



HAS IT BEEN HACKED?

So about this Homeschooling Stuff

Its that time of year again when the sun shines that much brighter... when the birds are singing and there are so many other things to do besides sit at a table filling in the blanks. When our motivation leans towards calling it quits to another year of SCHOOL... at least the paperwork part of it anyways.

I have given up trying to count what year we are in... while I am sure the kids will say "I am in Grade Three/Two" I have never been one to name the Grades. We have accomplished our main goal this year... and that is to have both brats reading.. and they are!

I was asked on the weekend how things work with homeschooling by a local store clerk... as gradually in the small town people eventually clue in on why my kids are with me 24-7 and not in school. My answer was... however we want it to work!

I always try to resist the urge to spill the smart ass comments, and smile as I explain the basics.

1. No we do not have to spend from 9am-3pm sitting at the table filling in the blanks. When you are teaching two kids and not twenty the learning happens faster.

2. No we choose not to follow a curriculum... if I wanted that I would send them to school. The kids decide (this is where that unschooling thing comes in) If they want to do subtraction with borrowing ALL week long...so be it.. they can ... and they do. And reality says... these days ... you can pull anything off the Internet! Be it worksheets, lesson plans, or online learning games...its all there... available and free!

3. We DO have various rules ... like the Monday to Friday rule that says... you cannot Facebook until you have done your reading, and your expected 'learning on paper' So should they choose to not do their work... they do not get their facebook... and while I declare ... it must be done by 2pm... there are those days when they do not... when my patience to sit has wained, when Aspen will spend her time creating her art, painting, coloring, designing, and going through my paper like there is no tomorrow and when Ryki spends his day molding his clay, reading his comics, or just running around outside, stick in hand and adventures ahead. Around here ... THAT IS OK!

But most of all... we learn from everything around us. The fractions and measurements are learned when we are cooking, animals and classifications are learned when we are in the yard, or the window with our books identifying the little wildlife running around, and following their tracks, making our shopping lists for the week, searching for the best deals, while learning how much things really cost. And while we will bring the school year to an end earlier again this year.. I like to think the learning will continue, as we plan and plant the gardens, begin another fishing season, maintain and ride the wheeled toys, and master the watercrafts .... whatever we choose to build and create along the way, and of course... manage the farminals... Ryki current mission right now, to check on our chickens, checking for eggs, sneaking treats from my fridge and ensuring his birds R happy birds.

And of course... the number one question that people seem to ask, a true test of their own intelligence I have found... "DO YOU SOCIALIZE YOUR CHILDREN?"

I have to admit... this is my WTF moment in the question period on homeschooling. While I understand the question, the reasoning.. its the moment when asked that just makes me go hmmm. Like when I am sitting on the beach or in the park watching as my children play... not just with themselves, but with others, always quick to make new friends... this is when those mom's ask the stupid question... DO I SOCIALIZE MY CHILDREN? hmm... do you see them playing happily over there with stranger~friends? Are they walking around whacking kids cause they do not know how to play? Socialization can come in many forms, around here having two kids to bounce off each other ... it happens every day. Ryki gets bullied into doing what his big sister wants, Aspen learns the consequences when he flips her the bird and says NO WAY, we have made and maintained friends from all over, thru our travels and play, and YES I am proud to say... my children are more social than some teens (even adults?!) I know!

My Love will always complain when we get the 'report card' home from the Beach Boy.. the terms and classifications, the explanations of what he is learning... confusing to say the least giving you the moments of WTF? does THIS have to do with education? WTF? does that mean? While I am sure there should be names and classifications for the learning we do... I am also sure the learning is understood... retained in their little minds for future use and reference. Ryki .. my little book smart guy, quick to even overtake his sister's abilities to read, and multiply, and Aspen my little brainIac ...a creativity star... and I am sure the girl you wanna call if you need something built as she spends her time working side by side with her Dad in the shop, building this and helping out with that, often even giving him an idea that will work (BETTER) than his own.

LEARNING is part of our EVERY DAY!

During an early morning match of cribbage... learning the art of combos to 15, how to count your points to take the lead, and pegging your way thru math....

or learning to cut a circle of mirror from Dad, and the how to's of reflecting the sunlight to 'shoot' your sister in the eye, or finding the right angle to shoot Dad playing poker from across the room....

or mastering the art of mixing just the right amounts of Vaseline with that tube of fake blood ... just to play an April Fool's Day joke on Mom

or just plain old... enjoying the spring sunshine and a fresh crop of wild leaks, helping Mom and Dad clean'em up and get them ready for DINNER! Learning the art of cooking your own french toast for breaky... or mastering the techniques of dumpling making...YUM!

Education is all around us... it doesn't JUST have to come from a book!

Spring Is In the Air

It's hard to believe that just over a week ago we were out on the frozen lake fishing! That our yard was still filled with snow... Spring has Sprung in the north, despite the still chilly temps, our snow has gone, the lake is melting and the winter toys have been stored for the year.

Around here the signs of spring are popping up everywhere. Peeking through the winter muck, and the mess in the gardens there are signs of green, signs of new life popping thru ready to grow and bloom into summer. Exciting for me as I find them... knowing where they will soon become!

Replacing the snow and dirt, and mulch with blooms a plenty, colors a many and flowers for my table!

The kids have been busy in the yard, cleaning up their wrecking yard, Aspen cleaning her kitchen and preparing daily treats. I was served my first serving of MUDFUDGE last week, with an added bonus of hot MUDCHOCOLATE sauce to top it off.

"how does it taste Mama?" she asked with a smile.

I replied with the look, the look of "RU serious" to which she replied...

"you don't have to really eat it MOM, just fake taste it and tell me what you think!"

Yes there are signs of spring everywhere, from the bikes that park outside my door, to the baskets tied in the tree's. Little spots around the acres that make way for play, for the imagination to run wild, and for the free range kids to explore.

March Break came to an end, a fantastic week full of giggles and smiles, with the Beach Boy finding his groove, his comfort zone ... and his need for speed! Trying out and mastering the summer toys, the quad, the dirtbug, the things on wheels that make you go zoom!

Now I know we are spoiled, spoiled to live in such a space, full of life, nature and beauty, but I am also grateful, that my kids not only can...but DO run, play, imagine and explore. I think kids these days miss out on that fun, miss out on the learning that comes from ..just playing. With so many sports, and dance and clubs to be treked to, so many activities organized and planned, there is little time left for just that... just the time to play and pretend. Don't get me wrong.. I am not ANTI~CLUB sorta thing, but do wonder... if life is planned and always scheduled for kids these days, always with something to do... where does that leave our kids? Are they learning to occupy their time alone? Are they able to plan for themselves? or do they grow with the expectations that it will be done, planned and taught for them? I admit I do hold small grudges, grudges against the man who only gives credit to those with a receipt. To those who trek their kids to activities, to be taught by others, to spend time learning from the teachers, coaches and experts. There is no credit given to fams like us, to our receipts for minnows, worms, seeds and dirt. For the time we actually spend teaching our own kids, spending time together as a family, instead of standing on the sidelines holding our Timmy Ho's cup ... pointing to the head on the team that is ours. YES~ another favorite memory as a Loony child growing up was exploring the backyard at my Aunt Joan's, myself, my sister, my cousin Debbie, building small bridges and forts in the 'swamp' carefully staying dry so we could return, pretending and playing....I believe every kid needs moments like this! It is fantastic to see our own kids now, playing, getting dirty and doing just the same... having FUN!

So its onto the spring clean up, patiently waiting to clean up the gardens, leaving the muck and the mess to protect my tiny plants. Time to clean up the coup, cause while I was planning a Head Chopping sorta party... my farminals have decided with spring and warm weather... the eggs shall return. And while its still not at a rate (more than one a day!) I would prefer...I will be patient, tuck those invites away, and wait and see.

And of course its not all sugar and spice...there are those facts of life that come with the snow

melting , with the things that lay hidden, frozen beneath the snow, the leftovers of winter, and the damn dogs and those things that they find... bring home, and deposit for Mama at the door. I thought the dead rodents around the yard were bad...nothing prepared me for Daisy's gift... her special find... dragged from down the road, over the pipeline...the gift that keeps on giving, and like the cats... always comes back?! The pets are enjoying spring with the cats enjoying the sunshine on the sidewalk, the dogs excited to know that though the skidoo runs are over...the quad runs have returned, tracking us thru the bush at breakneck speeds, keeping those watchful eyes open for a rabbit, or a scent of something good. Smokey... our wee kitty remains a wee kitty? What she seems to lack in kitty size, she makes up for with kitty FAT! Guessing of course her tail situation is the cause of her size, she is a happy feline, learning the art of stalking chipmunks and squirrels, following and harrassing our other 'Mamakat' and hanging with her BFF Ryki.

And now the wait begins, waiting for the Northern air to stay warm, for the fear of a snowstorm to leave, and for the green to be greener, the flowers to pop, and the gardens to give us those tasty snacks.

Cheers! to the sun shining on us all! and a big WOOT WOOT for Spring!