Sunflower Fields

or Always the Last Place You Look

Yesterday, Ward and I went in search of sunflower fields we had heard about in McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area, MD. Apparently they plant sunflower fields every year as part of their bird management program, and they are spectacular to see. This quest was inspired by a lone, beautiful sunflower that bloomed in our yard this year.  

The inspirational flower in our yard

Our first two stops yielded only a historical marker and several overgrown fields. No sunflowers. We then decided to rename our sunflower quest, our wildflower walk. 

Some sights from our wildflower walk.

After our wildflower walk, we were on the road again to find the elusive sunflowers. During this part of our search, we had another "wildflower walk" and found a tree across the road that made things look pretty grim. 

Another field with no sunflowers

This roadblock was almost the last straw.

Ward was ready to give up after the tree across the road, but I encouraged him to try one more area. And guess what? We found them! They were in the last placed we looked. Isn't that the way it always goes.  :)

Our beautiful, vine-covered sunflower field

However, they didn't quite look like what we had seen in the pictures. Vines had engulfed them, only sometimes leaving their bright heads exposed. But they were beautiful all the same. I think it was the thrill of the hunt and the success of the find that made them that way.

Thankful Sunday--August 12, 2012

I am thankful that seven years ago, we went to Petsmart on cat adoption day.

Lucky, Leo, Lucy, and Annie

Note: Actually, Annie and Leo were adopted from Petsmart. Lucky and Lucy were "Free to good home" cats.

Reasonings of Wally

or The Logic of the Young

A conversation with a young Wally.

"Wally, I see you were eating ice cream again without asking first. This has been happening too much lately. I am worried about your lack of will power."

"Mama, my will power is usually very good. Except when I get caught."

 

Food Waste Friday and True Food Confessions--August 10, 2012

It's time for Food Waste Friday, when the Frugalgirl encourages us to post pictures from the previous week of wasted food from our household. This accountability hopefully will help us to be more careful with our food and maybe save some money.

Also, I am using this public forum to encourage us to eat out less which includes better meal planning.

This Week's Food Waste

Theo recovering from his wisdom tooth extractions

This week Theo had a cooking misstep and created a dish that was okay, but just not that appealing. We ate a little of it and decided that we didn't want the rest. So, out it went. It was not all a loss because Theo learned a good cooking lesson from his mistake. Also, I don't want to pick on him too much because he just had his wisdom teeth out.

This Week's True Food Confessions 

We were lucky to have a lot of fresh vegetables to use this week for our cooking.

We've been working on this eating-at-home thing for four weeks now and my attitude is starting to improve. There are still a lot of other things we'd rather do than cook, but it's becoming more of a routine and less of a struggle.

We had another successful week. Among the whole family, we only had a couple lunches out and pizza take out one night--the night of Theodore's unfortunate cooking misstep. The favorite thing we made were ham roll ups. We were trying to imitate the roll ups that we buy at Costco. They were easy to make and included cream cheese, cranberry jelly, ham, lettuce, and tomato rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla. Next time we make them, we're adding Swiss cheese. 

Let me make a correction. What we really liked the most this week, was a pan of Virginia brownies we made and took to a crab feast. They had a caramel, chocolate chip, and nut filling and were VERY rich. Yum!

Until next time...

Crayons

or School Supply Envy

Long ago and far, far away when I was in first grade, I got my first set of school supplies. Among them was a new yellow and green box of 8 Crayolas, and I loved them. In second grade I got another new box of crayons. This time the box came with 16 colors and new possibilities. However, my excitement waned when I saw that some of my classmates had something more. They had boxes with 32 and 64 crayons in them and I was envious--especially of the box of sixty-four because it had a sharpener on the back. My classmates got to color with sharpened, exotic colors while I colored with dull, plain colors. It didn't seem fair, but I suffered in silence because I knew that my mother had gotten me what was on the list. Every year was the same. I got what was on the list and some kids got the big box with the sharpener. And every year, I was envious.

Time marched on, and I survived. However, the desire for that big box of 64 crayons never left me. I just forgot about it. Thirty years later, as I was starting to buy school supplies for my own kids, I playfully told my mother about my disappointment with my "little" box of crayons. She said she never knew and surprised me by sending a box in the mail.

Doodles from my crayons

I was very excited with my new big box of 64 crayons. I colored everyday in the beginning and sharpened the crayons when they needed it. I even bought a new coloring book to use. And you know what? They were everything I imagined they would be-wonderful. I had no reason to be envious anymore.


Note:
--You may be wondering if I bought big boxes of crayons for my kids. Nope, I bought them just what was on the list.

--You may also be wondering if I color much these days. It goes in cycles, but every time I get them out, I get the same thrill.