Finally Summer

It is finally real summer after months and months of rain up here. I have given up on the "big garden, in favor of hobbling my pregnant and broken-footed self only through the front "kitchen garden" which has survived not only the onslaught of rain but the attack of the chickens and the woodchuck. Peas and beans have gone the way of the chicken gullet, and all things cucurbit and cruciferous (aka cukes, squash, cauliflower, and broccoli) have become favorite food for the wild and woolly woodchuck living in the backyard. His extensive burrows and tunnel holes have done nothing for the "catching" of him, and the availability of the rifle from Aaron and Sue has also done nothing to protect our garden. SO as we revamp our plans, thinking in the permaculture mindset of what needs to be closest (particularly since hobbling across the yard is difficult with the "boot cast") we are creating a set of terraces and small kitchen gardens and paths around our bedroom end of the house, and out front by the "play yard" and relegating that back space for things like potatoes, grains, etc. in future. Next year, however, due to the infestation of comfrey, burdock, nettle, and other lovely medicinal herbs, we are turning it into the pig pen.

I have been babysitting a bit, and am looking forward to continuing in the fall. Colin and I are putting together a business plan for after the little one comes, and I intend to finally do it for real. All of my rushing to do what everyone else says I should do has left me feeling unsatisfied and Iam hoping to finally do what I do best: educate and hang out with children, young and old.

I am looking towards a nature-based "field preschool" with some full-time child care as well. I still intend to work on my teaching license, if for no other reason than I want to design and implement a schoolo age program someday as well. Hopefully the internet will up and running this week at the house, so I will write more about it at my UnCommon School blog later.

Colin is working on developing and gathering needed materials for his own stone company, and we are brainstorming names. I applaud this decision, for a whole host of reasons, mostly because I know how much happier he is when he is working for himself. This would, for the time being, be in addition to work at Irving. And it would also have a continuing relationship with Anners and Annerscaping, but allow for more independant work on Colin's terms and in his style.

The house work begins this week, starting with the attic, then the small bedroom upstairs. Nadia's little bed has moved into our room, and Aidan spends all his nights sleeping upstairs in Sage's room, where Nadia's "stuff" has moved. There will be some serious shuffling around during construction/deconstruction time, and as we make room for the baby, and to care for other people's kids in the house.

In the meantime, despite losing much of the garden, the berries are robust... both black and red raspberries, with green blackberries announcing their presence as well. OUr little blueberry bush is doing well, and we are looking forward to planting more next year. We have discovered little cherry trees, and there are grapevines galore, although none of them seem to have fruited this year. We are grateful for our little pre-existing orchard, and looki forward to cultivating it and clearing out around it in the future.

Well, Nadia and I are off to enjoy the only real warm day ALL summer, and then to pick up Aidan and Sage at EarthWalk summer camp (www.earthwalkvermont.org) and off to Morrisville for a prenatal visit for the little man.

Enjoy summer's bounty and beauty and love.