A Page from my Journal...

Especially when we lived out in Cove, I loved writing an account of our day as a family.  We tended to have days that were very "country" and it always seems that those days were full of peace, family strength and were some of the the most "honest" days of our existence.
Journaling is my way of immortalizing for generations the day to day life that makes up the fabric of who we are.  My hope is that my family will love reading about the "mundane" events in our lives as well as the exciting ones.
"Monday, June 9, 2008
The day is ending in a glorious sunset.  What a strange weather day with clouds, sun, wind and rain...

the orchard

We woke early to start another day... another week.  I prepared Joseph's lunch as he prepared the coffee.  Mom and Dad were going home today.  I made sausage and an egg for Joe and french toast for the rest of us.  We shared the meal with Mom and Dad before they drove off around 730 headed home to the beach, the rest of us quickly slipping into our routine.
Max and I went for our walk while Janie and Mitch got ready for the day and worked on their chores.  We walked by the snow-fed stream that rushes under the road--my favorite part--and eyed the pink cherries that are developing in the orchard across the street.
While Max napped, I braved a load of laundry on the line in spite of the somewhat ominous looking clouds.
Janie and Mitch sat down with me for a snack and our first lesson on Native American culture.  We're doing a unit study this summer.  Every day is a new craft or activity aimed at teaching some aspect of the Native American day-to-day history.  Today we learned about teepees.  We constructed a miniature Indian village and the kids recited to their dad everything they had learned.  (Did you know that the Indian women build and tear down the teepees and that they can disassemble and/or assemble in as little as 3 minutes!?)

new chickens in '08

We all went outside, and while Max ate his snack in his highchair on the deck, Janie, Mitch and I moved the clean straw from the garage to the new chicken coop.  I spread a bale of straw that had gotten wet onto the ground in the scratching yard but Joe wanted the chickens to eat the grass down first.  I guess that means tomorrow I'll be moving it again!
After lunch the boys laid down for a nap and Janie read while I took care of some family business and continued with the laundry.  Eventually the weather caught up with me and I had to move quickly to get the sheets in off the line before they became soaked.
I took some pictures this morning of the garden and some trees that seemed to have died.  I was finally able to send them off to our landlords who are in Malaysia right now.  We'll see what they want us to do with that tree.
Janie cut out the apron pattern she had pinned last week and she and Mitch both practiced the piano.
Joseph and I went down to the garden just before dinner and were surprised again at how quickly it had grown!
We finished the day listening to Joseph read.  I baked bread, rolls and brownies before bed and... I got to rock Max."

I do hope these days paint a memory picture for them some day that brings them joy.