little helpers

digging for worms, originally uploaded by neverfeltbetter.

these kids are always grimy; digging in the dirt is generally a regular occurrence around here. give them kid-sized spades, shovels and hoes and an empty garden bed and we got a real dirt farming operation going on! this activity was two-fold. for one they love to make a mess, and i love to let them. but also i had them sort out the soil, digging for gold as it were, to unearth all kinds of treasures like sticks, leaves, worms, beetles, cat poop (!) and seedlings-of-we-don't-know-what. out with the debris of last year and in with some new good soil for gardening. so, when we came inside from this gardening session you could see the fun they had all over their faces...hands...shirts, and pants.

now, of course when the garden is planted there will be no more digging in the dirt but i think i can compromise by picking up a sand and water table for some sensory fun.

my backyard is missing something very important: my hammock. i am having a mean jonze for my MANDATORY hammock time. it can't happen at the moment, since the tree it was anchored on last year had to come down and is now the giving tree stump. so, i am on the hunt for a decent hammock stand that can hold up to the use it will receive. my hammock means a lot to me, it's my 'time-out', my quiet time. and that time is mandatory at the fosnight ranch.