My Bucket List





I'm still adding to my  bucket list. So far I have:

To learn Portuguese
Train Bochica to be less afraid
To have a Paso Fino professional evaluate Bochica and me
Pass on my love of the land to my grandchildren
Become proficient in using  Photoshop Elements
Write a book
Learn more about web design
Go to Chile one more time and ride a Criollo horse through a vineyard
Vacation in  Charleston, S.C.
Visit the redwood forest
Make a good friend that I can talk to about anything
Sew a hand pieced quilt for my granddaughter
Teach my youngest grandchildren how to fish
Learn to do pen and ink drawings
Learn all about cows (any ideas how I can do this???)
Finally learn to meditate (know of any classes, anyone?)
Organize my house!
Visit Lost Maples State Park in the autumn
Eat home grown vegetables from my garden

 . . . And that  one more thing--but it is too far fetched to even write down--unless . . .  synchronicity works its magic again!

Stay tuned! I'll let you know as I cross things off and add more things. Check the list from time to time!!

The Library Learning Patch-Session 2

What a fun group of children! And smart!! I read a magazine article to them about a real woman who, similar to Miss Rumphius, made her city more beautiful with flowers. We then read a neat book about seeds. It showed photos of stages leading to the plant. We also read  about sunflowers. The children had all kept their calendars up to date and helped me update mine! Our project for the day was to make  seedling pots with  recycled newspaper. I had torn the newspaper in strips and soaked them in water overnight. The group formed their pots by using plastic cups. We couldn't go outside due to a thunderstorm, but we looked out the window at our new soil for the garden and became excited. The next stop was the table by the window where we are keeping our seedlings. They took turns watering them. I sent them home with sunflower seeds, basil seeds and marigold seeds for them to plant once their pots were dry.  They all had the instructions down pat by the time they left. I'll be eager to hear all about it this week.

Stay tuned!

My Bucket List

I made a bucket list in 1997, years before the term became popular in the movie. My husband had died that May and I was determined to make the most of the years I had left.  You can only cry so long. So I pulled myself together and began my "bucket list". It has served me well. Some of the things I have crossed off as completed are:

Ride an Arabian horse, have a lush flower garden, grow cacti, kayak down the Guadalupe river, tube down the river, go to Spain and other countries (Poland, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Colombia, Chile), drive in a foreign country (Italy--there is nothing like driving through those winding country roads in a Alpha Romeo), make beautiful note cards from photos (I sent a box  of note cards printed from my photos to 100 people who had influenced me in my life, decorate my house in the Southwest style, collect wonderful things, join a garden club (helped start one), identify wildflowers, ride a Paso Fino, buy a Paso Fino, live in the country, have my horses at home, find my Salsipuedes (I finally have),  help my grandsons learn to ride a horse, teach children about nature, teach my grandchildren to fish, have a tea party with my granddaughter, go shopping with my granddaughter, go to South America (4 times), practice my Spanish, learn HTML code, write a blog, become a Texas Master Naturalist,  see a painted bunting, have bluebirds in my bluebird house (had three batches), have my own business,  and write articles for a newspaper.

 Synchronicity has played a major role in accomplishing these things--my latest thing ready to be crossed off is growing vegetables. I had always wanted to grow more than tomatoes, but never could seem to get motivated.  When the library director asked me if I would be interested in leading the  children's  garden group, I was sure synchronicity had occurred again in my life. I had found my motivation!

Some other items I have added to the bucket list are to learn Portuguese, train Bochica to be less afraid, pass on my love of the land to my grandchildren,  become proficient in using  Photoshop Elements, write a book, learn more about web design, go to Chile one more time and ride a Criollo horse through a vineyard, go to Charleston, S.C., visit the redwood forest, make a good friend, make a hand pieced quilt for my granddaughter, teach my youngest grandchildren how to fish,  learn to do pen and ink drawings, . . . There is one more thing--but it is too far fetched to even write down--unless . . .  synchronicity works its magic again!

Stay tuned!!

The Library Learning Patch

What a fun new adventure!! Yesterday we began our meetings at The Library Learning Patch--our gardening group at the local library.  I was delighted to meet the great group of children - 6 in all. The first order of the day was to make name tags. We then passed out their garden notebooks and gave them their first homework assignment, asking them to place stickers each day on their calendars showing whether the weather was sunny, cloudy or rainy. Then we began to learn about soils. Our library has many good children's  books about gardening. The  first book I chose was was Miss Rumphius, a story about a woman who travels all over the world and then comes home to plant  lupine seeds in order to make the world a prettier place. Then we discussed the various types of soils where she might have planted the seeds  We learned about sand, silt and clay and looked at and felt samples of clay and silt. The children especially liked looking at the soil through a magnifying glass.

                                                  Learning about soils through books


Then it was time to venture outside. We had a nice warm day for February. Lisa, our library director, had set up a table on the front walk. We had  coffee cans filled with various types of soil-sand, clay, both red and black, silt,  topsoil, and soil from my pasture. First the children crumbled each and felt the textures. Then we added water and made  mud pies. That was the favorite activity of the day!  We compared how the different soils felt. As a homework assignment each child was given  a jar to fill halfway with soil of their choice. They are to fill the jar with water, shake it well, and let it settle. Then they will draw in their journals the layers of sand, silt and clay and report back to me next week.

                                                   Children intently watching the wetting
                                                                              of the soil

                                                       Playing in the mud!!


After thoroughly examining the soil, we had some pretty yukky hands! The children we very good about taking turns being hosed off! Then it was time to examine our proposed location for the garden.

 

                                                 Yes, this seems to be a good site

After reviewing the requirements for a good location (sun, convenience to water, close to tool storage, etc.),  the children decided that this was a good place for their garden. I explained that we would bring good soil in.

Our next stop was to check on the progress of the plants I had started from seed. They took turns watering the little peat pots. I showed them  our next week's project--making seed starting pots out of newspapers.They will plant seeds  in the pots,  as well as outside when weather permits.

                                       Carefully watering the little seedlings

What a fun first day! I was very impressed by this group of well behaved, smart children! Stay tuned for our further gardening adventures! 

                       

The Library Garden

My latest adventure--leading a gardening group at the library for  home schooled children in our area. I am excited and just a little nervous! I have always grown flowers, not vegetables. But how difficult can it be, right?  Even though I work part-time at the library, I'm donating these hours  as a Texas Master Naturalist in order to fulfill my service hours for the year.  What a fun way to acquire these hours!

My first thought was that I'd better do some reading. Luckily our library has many great books on gardening. Check out our web site--you can see what is in our library--www.rrlibrary.blogspot.com.

After getting some great ideas, I then visited the local feed store, Rick's Farm and Home. Rick was kind enough to donate seed and peat pots, and one of his staff gave me pointers. So the next snow day I planted peat pots with carrot, lettuce and radish seed. Easier said than done. I was all fumble fingers--those pots are so small and the seeds kept sticking to my fingers! But luck was with me.

                                                                          My Little Radishes

                                                                         Baby Lettuce

The children will transplant these and also plant seeds when the garden soil is ready. Our plan is to also grow carrots, beans, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and some flowers.

The group will also learn about soil through hands on activities, make paper pots, make plant necklaces, play games, etc. Stay tuned for further updates!! Our first class begins on Thursday. Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Please feel free to comment!!

Snow, Snow, Go Away! Come Again Another Day (Next Year)!

I can't believe it-snow again-three times in one year-unheard of for this part of Texas - at least since I can remember. The poor horses-they are standing under the overhang looking very bored!

The high is in the 20s today, so it's way too cold for me to be outside. I fed the birds, the horses, the cats, gave the horses fresh water and then I spent the morning first cooking (smothered steak), then planting seeds in peat pots for a future project - more on that in another post. Let's just say I'm getting very enthused about a garden (if Spring ever arrives). :)

These are my peat pots, planted and covered with plastic so they will germinate. Let's hope for success. So far it's carrots, radishes and lettuce. Anyone have any ideas for an making an inexpensive raised garden? I really meant to do a lasagna garden this year, but didn't get started quickly enough layering my manure and hay. Oh, well there is always next year.

The Year of the Snows

This is crazy--it's snowing again--very unusual for Texas!! I was awakened by Rufus this morning around 6:30. At first I thought it was daylight, then realized it was just so bright because snow was everywhere!

As soon as it was daylight I put out more seed for the birds. They were waiting in the tree by the feeding station.

They immediately flocked to the station.  I'll need to go out in a few minutes and clear off the area and put out more seed-it is getting covered rapidly.

 

I could see footprints (rather holes) in the snow where the cats had been out. George was on the front porch waiting to tell Rufus "good morning." The snow didn't bother the horses. Moe went out and rolled, Bochica paced the fence (wanting me to open the gate to the big pasture) and then he rolled also. Now they are under the overhang eating hay.

We had 5 inches around 8:00 a.m. and it is still coming down pretty heavily.

It is definitely a winter wonderland here at Salispuedes. So much for my theory of a mild winter. :)

A friend of mine from my Texas Master Naturalist chapter gave me a neat recipe of food to put out for the bluebirds, so that is my next project. Wish I could get to the store for more ingredients, but guess I'll make do with what I have. I'm definitely "snowed in."

Good Thing I Was A Girl Scout!

"Be Prepared" is definitely worth following in February! Taking care of the animals is  no fun in the winter. Yesterday the wind chill was 9 degrees. Brr!! Thanks goodness for my barn. The cold came a day earlier than I expected, but I had everything close by. I had shavings by the stall doors and a good supply of hay. The insulated water buckets were clean and ready to be filled. Electric tape was on the water pipes and and I dripped the water just in case the electricity went out during the night. I drove the golf cart right up to the door and once I was inside out of the 40 mph wind, it wasn't as bad. I filled the insulated water buckets in the stalls, mucked, put down fresh shavings, fed the cats, gave the horses their grain and extra hay, and headed back to the house. I tried to dry Moe off (he had been out in the sleet), but he was too spooky (unusual for him) I think the wind was making both he and Bochica nervous. Bochica, however, had stayed under the overhang or in the stall and was perfectly dry. Smart horse! He learned his lesson a few years back when he got wet and it turned into ice! The cats were up in the hay, all cuddled up. Rufus went out, did his business, and came right back in. I didn't even take him to the barn. The electricity had gone out while I was feeding, so I was a little concerned that it would be out for a while. I had bought a rick of wood after the last snowstorm, so I knew I could build a fire in the fireplace and warm my main room. I had also bought extra propane, so I could cook on the grill. But thank goodness, I didn't need to do either. Playing pioneer doesn't sound like as much fun as it did when I was younger. The electricity came back on after about an hour. Good for you, Lamar Electric. I spent the day playing "catch up" in the house. I cooked, did laundry and worked on my taxes. It is cold again today (high to be in the 20s). I plan to do less work and more fun things (read, watch a program on horse training  and watch the birds). I have birds all over my yard-even where I am not putting out seed. I believe they must be eating seed from the Virginia Pine cones. I counted 15 Cardinals in one spot--also several different sparrows, goldfinches, nuthatches, woodpeckers, etc. Fun watching them! I sure wish I had gotten meal worms for the bluebirds. Anyone have any ideas about something else I could put out for them??Hopefully there are cedar berries. At least I live in Texas, where the cold doesn't last long. By the weekend it should be back in the 60s. I'm more than ready for Spring!!