The breezes tasteOf apple peel.The air is fullOf smells to feel-Ripe fruit, old footballs,Burning brush,New books, erasers,Chalk, and such.The bee, his hive,Well-honeyed hum,And Mother cutsChrysanthemums.Like plates washed cleanWith suds, the daysAre polished withA morning haze.– “September” by John Updike September 1st brought cooler air—a welcome refreshment for deep breaths as the school year begins! I’m in full homeschool planning and prepping mode right now. Hello, two in Kindergarten and a 4th grader! Cindy Rollins’ book, Mere Motherhood, has had me…

When August days are hot an’ dry,When burning copper is the sky,I’d rather fish than feast or flyIn airy realms serene and high.– Paul Laurence Dunbar I’d rather be fishin’ or out in the garden! 🙂 What a month out here! We’ve picked at least 1,000 tomatoes and marveled at the monarchs we released this month. It was so fun to watch them transform from a caterpillar into what God created them to be. We spent a lot of afternoons…

That beautiful season, the Summer!Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;And the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Well, Josh ate his first tomatoes from the garden in June, so you know it was a good month! (Tomatoes are kind of his thing.) Between the garden exploding with bounty to popsicles and a trip to the mountains with friends, it was a fun month for this crew! A…

If not for June,My memories of Winter in December…With a wish to witness,The freshness of Spring March would bring…Would not still remain so vivid.As if only yesterday visited.If not for June.– Lawrence S. Pertillar June, I am grateful for you. This season brings many treasures: a first dip in the pool, vegetables ripening in the garden, pockets full of honeysuckle, and summer adventures. And it also brings reflection as we near the mid-point of the year and consider what matters…

The month of May, the merry month of May,So long awaited, and so quickly past.The winter’s over, and it’s time to play.– Thomas Dekker, 1632 This is the month! We get to watch the garden come alive, and it’s such a thrill. My peonies have put on a show and the kids have loved watching the tomatoes, corn, peaches, and lots of other garden treasures grow. What a season! A quick review of April: April Monthly Goals:— Plant the gardens…