AROUND THE BLOCK

FIRST CORNER....PLUM PLACE (My home exterior is purple and pink)

In March Ben moved the 4x6 garden box to the front, filled it with our homemade soil (Mel Bartholomew...Square Foot Gardening). With some PCV pipe 2 hoops have been placed and covered with plastic anchored by rolling on 1/2" pcv pipes and anchored with hooks allowing for eaasy access for planting and watering. I have planted green peas, beets, Asian peas, carrots.

This year I am trying presprouting. The electric dryer is covered with various shallow containers holding 1" or so squares of damp paper toweling, each with a seed. The container is inserted into a plastic bag to maintain moisture. I love seeing the seeds sprout. I take the paper towel piece with the sprouted seed out and plant it. Though that was not necessary with the peas as they are large enough. This week I noticed the presprouted peas are breaking through the surface. of the soil in the garden box.

In addition, tomato, marigold, spinach, parsley seeds have been sprouted in perlite and have been transplanted into small planting containers. The tomatoes and marigolds look especially good. the tomato varieties are Early Girl, Jelly Bean, Sweet 100, VFN Roma. Seven of the 8 bay window resident geraniums were temporarily put on a cardtable to make room in the bay window for the seedling endeavor. I have over 40 onion sets to put out.

When it is warm enough, beans will go in the 8' long trench along the back chain length fence. Delecata squash (a delectable small orange flesh winter variety) will be tried in 2 5-gal.
containers.

Composting is high on the list of experimenting endeavors. I salvaged a child's plastic pool Ben was going to dispose of. He put all the vegetation from the black earth machine into the swimming pool with straw and composted manure. Then he mixed it and dampened it. It requires frequent turning (a real challenge). Fortunately I had acquired a pitch fork and a potatoe fork during my yard sale meanderings. (Barrels that are on a frame and can be turned are available for composting). I was amazed that the material in the earth machine which was sadly neglected and difficult, very difficult to turn because of the earth machine design, was looking rich and even had a few earthworms.

SECOND CORNER.... PERSONAL GLIMPSES

I wanted to make quilt blocks for a memorial quilt at a local nursing facility. WalMart hadfabric for a patriotic attic windows design and a small print for a 9 patch shoofly. There was enough leftover fabric of the small print for 2 squares of a 4 square design titled flock of geese. I loved how the colors looked together for that design. Today I perused some other quilting books at the library (they must have nearly 100 books). Pieced qults are quite fascinating and can be a real "engineering" feat.

I was captivated by the dancing in the movie Pride and Prejudice. I learned there is English Country Dance in Moscow. Mitchell Frey is the teacher. Now, on Thursday evenings from 7-9 in a redone attic of a rental close to the library I am learning. The persons are so tolerant of my slow learning and slow moving (I am the oldest there). We had 8 persons last Thursday. We did a delightful 7 person dance, a circle dance, and longway proper and improper dances. Yes, a new 'language' to learn. Proper means men in one line and women opposite, improper means men and women alternate in each line. English country dance provides for partners to be both men or both women as needed. Riannon, an archeology master's student, has such polished movements. She is taking a job in the Seattle area at school's end. She mentioned she has done a lot of dancing including Scottishe. Anne Marie, in her 30's, is quick to learn and moves also with grace and the movements that give a finishing touch.

THIRD CORNER... .FAMILY TIES

Easter found northern Idaho family members gathering at the Yama Country Refuge for dinner.
Shelley had baked a delicious ham and cornbread. The rest of us brought assorted dished includings Miranda's Broccoli Salad, Grandma Olson's coconut cookies and angel food cake. my chicken nuggets (for kids...but mostly eaten while waiting for guests) and cheese potatoes. There were about 18 people there. It was especially fun this year to include Seth, Krystallynn and Jacob to the group. Jacob and Jorja, about the same age, seemed to enjoy each other. Then Ashley and Danielle are close in age too. Shelley had a basket for each child and lots of eggs for the children to find plus a chocolate bunny for each.

Miranda and I are attending "Carnival of the Animals" on Wednesday evening. The Mauchleys are playing the pianos, the UI cello choir will perform, the Jr Ballet Company will dance and a reader will speak the Ogden Nash parts. It will be at the UI auditorium. Mr. Mauchley looks like Albert Einstein with his abundance of bushy white hair...very distinguishing as you can visualize! They are local favorites for duets, etc.

I visited Famous Footwear last night to see Ben's place of work. It is a very 'feel good' store. Low display racks to see over, spaciousness, lots of selection.

I recently began 2 hours a week as a reading tutor in a 2nd grade class at McDonald Elementary School. Monday and Wednesday from 2:10 to 2:50 I spend about 20 minutes with each of 2 delightful young girls. We have read The Josefina Quilt Story, The Titanic...Lost and Found, and currently are reading The Magic Treehouse. I also help listen to students read 1 hour a week in Ashley's class at Lena Whitmore...1/2 hour on Tues. and Wed.

Being a cooklet (trainee) for Friday Forum at the UI LDS Institute has been a highlight of the year as well. There are about 5 ladies each week to help prepare and serve the soup and bread.
Three roasters are filled with soup. Last Friday the soup of the day was Beef Stew...10# potatoes, 4# carrots, 3 large onions, 2 bunches celery, round steak, etc. I brought home the vegetable scraps for composting. We have such a grand time listening to each other. Most of us are older, empty nesters. However, we have younger people helping. This semester Andrea, a landscape architect student is helping. We are keeping her in our prayers as she was honored with being selected the only jr. of 6 presenters from the UI to attend a conference in Missoula to present gi (my word to replace his/her) portfolio.

FOURTH CORNER....A LOOK AT THE WORLD

Perhaps, you like me, become a bit depressed at the news. In our minds we know there are a lot of good acts of kindness out there each day....more than the bad, but we still want to strive to shift the balance even further to the good side. The following is a simple effort with great promise. Imagine, if everyone in the world or even in our nation did this 15 minutes each day!

"The fate of these civilizations as recorded in scripture, is a testimony to all the world: if we don't have the word of God or don't cling to and heed the word of God, we will wander off in strange paths and be lost as individuals, as families, and as natins.... take hold of the scriptures! Cling to them, walk by them, live by them, rejoice in them, feast on them. don't nibble. They are "the power of God unto salvation" that lead us back to our Savior Jesus Christ.

If the Savior were among us in the flesh today, He would teach us from the scriptures as He taught when He walked upon the earth. ...then the Sadducees and Pharisees posed a difficult question, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."

When we speak to God we pray. When we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures.(Robert D. Hales, October, 2006) .

RS Service Auction

Tuesday, March 6, the RS had a service auction. I contributed a batch of frosted cinnamon rolls, a 9x13 pan of 10-12 chicken enchiladas and mending of ten items, and 3-6 hours of inventory (books, DVD's...When I told Grandma O about that one, she wanted that!!!). The food and mending services sold. I just finished delivering the enchiladas and cinnamon rolls. I love to do mending so am anxious for my friend to get the items to me! In turn I had about 850 points...,.I tried for the piano lessons for Miranda for this summer, but was outbid for both those! I did get a dog boarding service by my friend Elisabet for Ben or Dan to use. I also obtained 6 cans of wheat, 1 ground each month, and 2 handmade cards. Babysitting for temple trips and the piano lessons really had high bids....1500 for babysitting for a trip to the temple. We earned points for bidding by answering a questionnaire....such as "Did you floss today. 5 points or Did you drink 6 glasses of water today. 10 points...etc. There were over 1000 points possible.

Personal Glimpses

Busy, fun, busy, fun!

Sunday a young friend, Christina Coats and I, attended Ragamala. Asian dance from ancient temple to modern from southern India. The dancers were of Indian, Korean, Cuban, Caucasian descent. Their feet soles and toes were dyed red (not permanent) as was the end 1/3 of their fingers and thumbs to enable hand and feet movements to be more visible. Dance was an expression of joy. After the performance there was a question-answer period and a reception. If you google Ragamala, more information will come up on this Minneapolis based group.

Monday I attended our older single adults Family Home Evening group. We have a good time for 1 1/2 hours. It includes a hymn, the pledge of Allegiance to the flag, a spiritual thought, a lesson, an activity and refreshments. Our lesson was how merriment is healthy and aids healing. The activity was 20 questions (we love that game!). The couple who are the hosts and our group advisors are witty and former singles themselves. About 6 or more attend (not counting our host couple.) Each of us volunteers for a different part each week providing great variety.