7 Quick Takes Friday

As part of my effort to participate in more link ups, I’m connecting with Jennifer at Conversion Diary, for her very popular weekly link up known as 7 Quick Takes.  Welcome to those who have hopped over for a visit.  I hope you will explore a little, and I hope you like what you find here.

Jennifer encourages her readers not to worry about having a theme for their takes, so here goes my effort.

--- 1 ---

We are very happy with our new sprinkler hose watering system for the garden.  We have tried soaker hoses before, but the last one did not distribute the water everywhere it needed to go.  This new one does the job, and it is so easy to turn on and then forget to turn off that our plants may be in danger of drowning!  Also, the newspaper weed control worked well enough that I am trying it again on the open areas of the garden, using rocks and sticks to keep it from blowing away this time.  Here is a picture of the sprinkler hose and newspapers surrounding one of our blueberry bushes.

 

--- 2 ---

We are harvesting!  So far, we have picked a few blueberries, some cherry tomatoes, green onions, and peaches.  

I will be busy for a week or more “putting up” our peach harvest, so look for a future post with the new recipes I’m planning to try.  You can read about the nutritional benefits of peaches and the recipes I made last year here.  Also, we are cutting herbs regularly: oregano, rosemary, parsley, and cilantro.

--- 3 ---

My almost-eight-year-old learned how to ride her bike this week!  She has been trying to do it off and on for a while now and two days ago she wanted to try again immediately after school, since there was no homework this week.  After a few minutes, she was gliding along.  She is still rather wobbly and stops often, but she is so excited that she can pedal and balance at the same time.  I think our summer is going to be full of bike rides.

--- 4 ---

In between watering, harvesting, and bike riding, we are making a large 550 piece puzzle together, bit by bit.  My daughters have always liked puzzles, and when my in-laws gave us a puzzle they no longer wanted, my girls decided to tackle it.  Even my three year old contributes; we give her all the pieces of a fish, animal, or flower and she puts them together.  The image is of the prehistoric Amazon, so there are plenty of colors and lines to try to match up.  Now I’m wondering if the easy kid puzzles we have will continue to entertain them.  However, I now know how to keep us all busy when it becomes too hot to go outside or it rains.

--- 5 ---

Summer has not yet officially started at our house.  Our school district may be the only one in the country to finish next week instead of last week or this week.  We are looking forward to a busy summer schedule of swimming lessons, nature camp, gymnastics, library programs, and activities with our Catholic Moms group.  While we are very busy Monday – Wednesday, especially in June while dance classes are still in session, I have kept most Thursdays and Fridays unscheduled so we can relax, clean house, and use our imaginations.  Check back to see the art projects and other activities we come up with.

--- 6 ---

Our back porch is getting a facelift with a new coat of paint.  My father-in-law and nephew (he finished school yesterday) cleaned and primed the ceiling, trim, and poles today.  Tomorrow, my husband will join them to repair a few boards, seal some cracks, and paint everything Antique Cream.  Then we will sort and purge the toys, gardening implements, and empty pots that have accumulated back there so we can reorganize.  Our porch can feel comfortably cool even on hot days, so we are looking forward to enjoying some family time together in that space.

--- 7 ---

I’m hosting my first linkup, for The Most Holy Trinity!  

There are fifteen links so far; please visit them.  Also, can you add your posts about the Trinity to help me get to twenty or twenty five links?  The link up will be open through Wednesday.  I look forward to your contributions.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

This post is also linked to the Catholic Bloggers Network Round up.  Remember to go visit the other links there and vote with your mouse for this month’s Big Clicks Award.