Babysitting blues............

I didn't think I would do it again. I pretty much gave up on babysitting full time. I loved it while I did it but Mr noise box was enough for me when it came down to it. Now that I have decided to not put him in school this year I thought about it again, but had nothing in mind. Well one of Alexandra's friends (Tristen's mum) came back to Michigan and is going back to college. She has two children now. Brittany and Jeff were looking for a sitter and the price was prohibitive. She wanted to finish her degree and so I offered to help them. So Tristen has a play mate twice a week. Ryland was one of the kids I watched before but was small then. Now she is 3 and her brother is about 9 months. Tristen and Ryland get along quite well so far.
Here they are taking a break on the Ipad

I went outside because it was quiet...........the garden was a mess. They had been digging in the garden, in the black dirt. I found them watching the garbage man. Tristen likes to watch him, and this day especially because I had put a load of stuff out and Tristen thought he needed directing.


They were both black as the ace of spades. Ryland was especially grubby because she had a white shirt on.

They ignored my comments and got in the sand box, it was by then too hot over in the garden. Just as well as most of it was on the path.

I went to clean up over by the garden and then watered the plants. You cant see the path for the dirt, it all looks like a part of the garden.

Then I tried to clean up the deck, not sure exactly what they were playing, but there was definite dirt transportation going on.

So once I started to water plants they came out of the sand box. Ryland was giggling and trying to get into the water spray. I looked at that grubby little face and hosed her down so much screaming and giggling, she loved it. I managed to get most of the dirt off her and then put her into some of Tristen,s clothes. He was quite indignant and didn't want her taking home his tee shirt. He was not so happy to get wet, very unusual for him, but he was a bit touchy that day. It was so hot by then I decided it was lunch time. So they dried off and got changed.
Here they are, looking so innocent and a little cleaner.


Bodi is saying "rescue me, I did nothing"


All this time Brodi was sleeping. He missed it all. Just as well because I would not have been able to get all that done if he were up. Brodi is not so happy with the arrangement just yet. He is going through anxiety leaving his mummy. The next time went better though. I bought a baby walker for him and he was better in that playing. Easier to feed him too. I am watching my gr grandson Cooper at least once a week too so it was a good decision to buy that. Cooper loves it too. So anyway........I am back to babysitting again. I am not sure how this happens but we do what we must, right? Don't get confused with Brodi and Bodi haha.

End of summer.............

Well all the kids are back to school. Got almost the first week under their belts. Mothers are full of joy and life is great. For now. I remember summer holidays in England seemed endless but in fact were only 6 weeks long. Here its like 3 months long. No wonder the kids dont learn much, and have so much homework. I really wish our American schools did a better job. The kids stay at school longer in years, less weeks in the year and do not learn a fraction of what was taught in English schools. There is little discipline and they have their phones in class, teachers included so whats it all about?

I hope we get through this year without violence. It seems every year there are more shootings. What is wrong with a society that tolerates violence in schools. We pay more attention to what is called bullying than much else. While I agree it should not be allowed when people notice it, I can not believe its as important as what makes kids go out and shoot others. Is it connected? There have always been bullies. Usually they are cowards, they strike with friends who laugh or egg them on. If confronted they usually run. Its different these days. Kids are different. When I was in school I remember one boy loved to lie in wait for me on my way home. He would throw stones at my legs and try to hurt me in that way. I was always afraid and one day my Dad knew I had been crying. He asked me why and I told him. Well he said next time don't run, confront him. I did, I do believe I slapped him silly, in any case he never bothered me again and was always nice to me. We were told it built character to weather those storms. It did, it made me stronger. So today, what's different? There is a big need for councilors at school, we never had those. We got through everything best we could, it made us strong. We never heard of kids who committed suicide. ever. So what's wrong with us today?. Why the violence, the lack of coping skills? The lack of empathy, kindness? Is it TV and video games, is it really the constant use of the phones always stuck in an ear? We didn't grow up with any of that. We played games to gether.

We played games like "Mother May I" tag, we played school, marbles, board games, shops,we played together and made life long friends. School was not fun for me, I was a very shy and withdrawn child. An only child. I was scared by a lot of school activity because I was terrified and afraid the teacher would single me out. I could not talk in front of the class or do anything like that. Still cant for that matter. I would not have contemplated suicide or killing someone else though. I just do not know where that comes from. Society is evil in many ways. We can not protect children from life. Like a butterfly coming out of the cocoon we need to struggle sometimes to be strong and true. Just my opinion. Still...........we can not allow the bully to prevail. We as parents need to be sure our child is NOT one by showing them the great capacity to love one another even if we may not like one another.

What about Home schooling. I wish in some ways I could do that for Tristen. He needs other kids though and I do not think I have the skills to home school him. I have thought about keeping him in public school until Jr high and then trying a private school if we could afford that. I want to keep him safe, but I want him to learn and grow and have friends of all kinds. I cant do that for him at home. What is the answer? If it were up to me there would be no guns in the hands of homeowners, they would be for sport via clubs but that will never happen in this country and so we live with the eternal fear of violence in our schools until someone has had enough and demands that guns be forbidden in the home.

All I can do is love him and pray for him every day, and hope against hope nothing bad ever happens.

Visiting Alexandra............

We usually go more often. This summer has been wicked hot and humid. So we have somewhat neglected things. The other day I know I saw her looking out of Tristen's eyes and so I went and got some new plants and went over to the graveyard. Tristen was excited. He jumped up and down "I am going to my 'udder mama's house" as he calls it. I am his "new mama nanny" He knows what is what even if he may not yet fully comprehend things.
Gerry and I went and got some Asters and Pansies and off we went.
This is little Alexandra

Here is Tristen

Its sort of sad seeing him sitting on his mothers grave but really, it's not a sad place for him. He enjoys going and I hope that stays that way.

These are the small Asters that I found and they go well on here


You can see the pansies in this one.

this is me and Tristen

I don't mean for this to be a morbid thing, or anything creepy. I was raised with the obligation or privilege to tend family graves with my Auntie Annie. I enjoyed the time we spent together and felt a connection with long gone relations that I never knew by doing this chore. I want Tristen to feel comfortable and not sad going to visit his mother. It serves another purpose too, so that he grows up understanding where his mother is and to encourage questions.
He plays, and ironically Alex is surrounded by children. Tristen goes to visit the ones under the apple trees that have large bunnies by them.

A very peaceful spot. It still doesn't seem possible that my lovely Alexandra lies there. She was so full of life, such a force of nature. Rest in Peace sweet girl and I hope you see your son playing here and know he is well cared for and well loved.

A peaceful place

I will keep doing posts on this so we can see Tristen grow and see things change.

Gwen Frostic..............

Gwen Frostic was born in Sandusky, Michigan. When she was 8 months old she suffered from an unknown illness which left her with lifelong symptoms similar to cerebral palsy. Despite physical difficulties Gwen showed an early interest and aptitude for art. She pursued her artistic talents in metal and plastic, while occasionally teaching, but with the war came a lack of metal to work with and she turned to linoleum block carving. She then turned her linoleum block carving into stationery goods and prints which led to her starting her own printing company, Presscraft Papers. In the early 1950s Frostic opened up a shop selling her prints, books, and other items in Frankfort and in 1960 she bought 40 acres of land in Benzonia with the intention of moving her and her shop. On April 26, 1964 her new shop was open for business and she lived there until her death in 2001.The shop is still open and we went there today. For me it was the first time since her death.

Those are facts about her, but anyone who has read her poems or been to this place know there was much more to her than that. She was a person I should have loved to know. Her love of nature and her poems speak to me. I know her spirit. This is the printing room. When its in action as it is most days, you can watch


Her lino cuts are simple. People love them though, people come from around the world to buy her things. There are letters pinned up from people who have enjoyed her work.

The house, building and now shop is made of local stone and timber and glass. The roof has grass growing on it. When Gwen was alive she had the back of the house as a bird sanctuary. Today its overgrown and sad. Its gone back to nature. She would like that.


The rooms are full of things from nature. The counter has this huge bowl from a tree, the footprint in the concrete of a Coyote or maybe Fox.

Here are Tristen and Reina sitting on the fireplace in the middle of the round room

I bought two books and some stickers this time. I have several of her books, I completely relate to her words. They have always wrapped everything in a pretty package and top it with a spruce leaf



Gwen will be appreciated for a long time to come. Those of us who remember her will always treasure her soul and her ability to share her inner most thoughts on life and nature. A perfect wisdom.

Let’s just wander here and there ~~
like leaves floating in the autumn air
and look at common little things ~~
stones on the beach ~~
flowers turning into berries…
From the winds we’ll catch a bit
of that wondrous feeling that comes ~
~~ not from seeing ~~
but from being part of nature…~Gwen Frostic


I am sharing this with I should be mopping the floor, Inspiration Monday

Confetti..............

Do you remember when you were little, how they would throw confetti at weddings?
I lived in a small village in England and I just loved it when there was a wedding on a Saturday afternoon. The High street would be full of coloured confetti (paper) and we would love to pick it up. It seemed magical somehow. There was an old man in the village back then, he swept the streets with a broom. Most of the people my age remember him. He had a limp (a wooden leg I think) and he would also dig graves. No matter............the confetti was swept up and no harm done. Times changed and the mechanical street sweepers came along and somehow or other the paper was no longer beautiful it was "a mess" and so it was done away with.
Wedding with confetti......so pretty, (picture from web)



After that rice became popular but they found it was not good for the wild life. So then they tried bird seed. Good luck with that when the seeds sprouted after the rain.
So here is an article from The Daily Express. What a wonderful idea. Freeze dried flower petals.

Farmer Charles Hudson started the company after chancing across soggy paper confetti littering the grass outside his local church a week after a wedding. Many churches ban the use of the stuff on their grounds just for that reason.
Arriving home, Mr Hudson came up with a novel solution. Some petals fell from the flower bouquet he was carrying for his wife, and he had a 'eureka' moment.

Their foliage alone is handsome enough for many gardeners, but ligularias’ spires of blazing flowers are what really enchant
'It just struck me that real flower petals might make a wonderfully natural and biodegradable alternative to the ghastly stuff over the road,' Mr Hudson told the Daily Telegraph Magazine.

He switched some fields from cereal production, knowing that, if it came off, he would be the first to tap a daisy fresh market.
Now his flowers have been hurled as far away as the beaches of Martinique and graced the weddings of celebrities like Maddona and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Mr Hudson's flower fields are open to the public. The flowers will be in bloom at the end of June early July depending on the amount of sunshine and should last until the beginning of August.
What great idea, now weddings can be pretty again and traditional. see the original article in the Daily Mail

moving house.............

Well I got the guys, Gerry and Dan to move the play house for me. Here's the thing. Tristen always wants to be where I am. His play area was back in the shade area of the garden. He has been sticking pretty much to the garden path within sight of the deck. I will sit there to watch the birds. So he is always right within sight of me. I noticed this past week in particular he has played really nice on his own, but on this side of the garden. So...............I decided there was room to move his play house from the back to the side. Gerry didn't want to as it was a bit of a job, but was coaxed into it.

The area gives him a concrete base for his house instead of dirt and it gave us a chance to clean it out. The gate that opened onto the neighbours was never used. As its not a permanent structure we can move it again if we want to. I like it here.

I do think I will pad the corners on the house though because I can see myself hitting something on the edges. Anyway he is happy with the change. Now I can redesign the area at the back. The sand box is still there but I am not sure I want that either...........he digs in the bloomin garden so what to do? The sand is always gone. Spread all over the wood chips. As it is now I have two chairs there for who ever is watching Tristen, he always wants compamy.


But now, on its own the sand box is a bit of an eye sore.

What can I do with this? Hmmmm.
Well I did make his parking area for his bikes bigger. SO maybe if I put the sand box there it would be next to the garden he digs up..............nah..........that wont work. Next to the play house? The thing is, next year I may be able to get a climbing frame or something else back there. Or simply make it back into a seating area. Then of course he will want to play back there wont he. I am starting a rock garden to the side.

Well all I can say is its a work in progress and for one small boy it seems like a lot of bother haha.

cooling off in the woods

We went for a walk in the woods the other day. It was supposed to be cooler. Well it was but not cool enough for me.Fall is in the air, the leaves are just showing signs of changing. The yellow daisies and later flowers are out now. Funny how in Spring the flowers are yellow, daffodils, primroses etc, now again in Fall the Black eyed Susies and many others are yellow, a deeper yellow like Sunflowers. Anyway, we went to the playground but there were a few people there and Reina asked to go for a walk so off we went.


This pond is on one side and there are a couple more in the same area. This one has Water lily on it. Lots of turtle but they were shy

I wanted dragon fly but they didn't cooperate. So I got a water lily instead

A lovely reflection on this pond of the barn across the way

I can do without the heat but will miss summer walks in the woods and days on the beach. With Fall coming and back to school we must make the most of the last days of summer


I love taking pictures of the wildflowers. Seldom see wildlife because of those two rowdy young ones. Was the same when mine were kids.
This is not Queens Annes Lace.........I think of it as Cow Parsley, not sure of the correct name

A pretty close up

This is the weed/daisy thats in my garden


I mean, its not that we do a lot but I have to think the kids will remember the time we spent with them.

See the beauty in simple things, it all around us.



Close up of the wasp

The sky was beautiful and strange. Looked like a rasher of bacon





We were pooped,amazing that it was only in the 70s and should have been cool after the high temps this summer but.........too much for us. We left the park and managed to get away without going back to the playground by me tempting them with ice cream. We went to Moomers................yum!!!!