Gardening, gardening

Today was such a busy day.

Nathan has been doing volunteer bird banding.  We have to get up at about 4:55 a.m. to get him there on time.  But, hey, it sure beats early morning seminary!  So, I'm thankful.

I planted wild strawberries in an area in our garden.  We are hoping that these will multiply so that we can share some with Fenner.  Deer like strawberries and it just didn't make sense to plant a bunch over there just to have them all eaten up.

Then, I went to the Capital Area Audubon Society board meeting.  I'm on the board now.  I wonder why I did that, but it'll be good for me.

When I got back, I picked up Elijah and we headed back to Fenner with some strawberries, three Michigan Holly shrubs, and approximately 76 pots of Pen Sedge.

Everything we had previously planted was really, really dry.  Some of the shrubs look like they may not make it.  While we were camping in the U.P. (so that Elijah could attend Engineering Camp at Michigan Tech.), the temperatures got up really high and there was no rain.  I tried to pour at least two gallons of water on each shrub and also to water everything that we have planted really well.  While I did this, Elijah went around and planted all of our new plants.  We tidied up the pathway that keeps getting messed up by the turkeys, and got hissed at by a couple of deer.  Really!  They are so creepily bold over there.

Upon arrival back home, I went right to the back yard to dig.  Nathan grew a lot of plants from seed and many of these have been needing to be planted.  We have to get them in the ground now to give them a chance at making it.  Coming up soon, they will have to live through a week of not being watered.  We are really hoping that we can get them established well enough and mulched so that they can survive.  After some digging and planting, I had to ask Nathan to finish up.  I was feeling dead tired after a whole day of gardening action!

Tomorrow, we are heading to Point Mouillee which is a State Game Area.  We are planning on doing some amazing birding, photography and field notes.  I told the kids that I would buy them treats to bribe them to do the hike they are going to have to do.

On Saturday, Nathan, Elijah and I are heading to Highland Park (near Detroit) to do a one-day intensive permaculture class.  That's right!  We have finished four of our online classes and this offering came along at just the right time because I wanted to take them on a field trip.  We are learning so much and I'm so proud of the boys for sticking with me to do this class.  I do usually get a couple of nice eye rolls when I say it's time to watch a class.  But, then they are happy they did it.  OR at least they fake it for me.

I think May spent her whole day doing art.  She is really dedicated and determined.  She tries new things with each piece that she does.  Elijah also finished a piece of art today and Nathan started one.  Sariah got her modeling clay working materials in the mail and has experimented with them.

I feel like I lost touch with Brigham today.  He looked happy at bedtime, so I guess his siblings treated him well and fed him too.  Getting lots of treats to keep him motivated tomorrow.  Sariah and Brigham are the "can we go now?" team when it comes to hiking and nature experiences.  Though, I have to say that Sariah finds the coolest bugs and she's inspiring Brigham to look a little closer too!

Just a quick mention that Joseph had some tests done on a growth in his hand and we are very thankful that it is a benign tumor that will be removed hopefully after we have our vacation with Anne and Pam.

That's all folks! :)