Color in Unexpected Places

My dd red yarn and purple needles. The green trees.
y sister in laws hair shinning in the sun.

You Capture. Colors.

Sweet

This weeks challenge was sweet. I went for a walk with the children. The peonies smelled wonderfully sweet.
 As well as the other flowers.

 My middle daughter ran and enjoyed the sweet fresh air.

But the sweetest of all was my oldest helping me with my youngest so I could take pictures.

 And her loving on her sister , lulling her to sleep.

Capture Sweet

Home Planner or Organizer

First start of with a notebook and make it pretty! This one I did with  pictures that represent my life. You can do it any way! You will use it more if it is beautiful.
You need a zipper pouch to keep those little things you use all the time. Like pens, pencils, note pads, etc...

Next I made the dividers pretty also. I used slip in sleeve dividers. (Where its' plastic sleeve with a tab attached) I also include pictures to help prompt me to prayer. I think I found them at walmart or target.
My Home Organizer is divided in these categories...
Studies and Notes (I currently have an article about what people eat in different countries for 1 week, very humbling how much we are glutons!)
Calendar and Address
Household- Which includes a lending record and Menu section.
Cleaning- Has an emergency cleaning plan I got from this site, (I don't agree with all her views but she is a lovely Christian sister) diligence assignment worksheets from www.titustwo.com which is assigned chores for dc and myself , A dear online friends cleaning schedule that is inspirational. (thanks Katie!)
Bible and Prayer section- I keep photos of people to pray for. Prayer prompting cards by Stormie Omartian. I have husband and children cards.Prayer requests and a weekly chart to pray for certain things on certain days. i.e. missionaries monday, friends tuesday, distant family wednesday, etc...Plus a place to keep notes from bible studies I do or attend.
My Homeschool Organizer
Schedule- need to make a new one!!!
Weekly lesson plans
Grades and Attendance-
Notes and Ideas
Goals and Evaluations
Blank Forms
I get my pages from different locations. Some of my favorite free ones are from these sites!
Small Meadow Press
These are victorian and beautiful. A lot of pages specifically for homeschoolers.
Donna Young Printables
These are abundant. Everything from homeschool papers, calendars, etc...Her colonial ones are very elegant
Free Notebooking Pages
A lot for different specific homeschool subjects.
Free Homemaker Pages
These are specific to you the mom.
organized home
I also purchased this The home school Organizer by Gregg Harris. It is reproducible and will bring you years and years of service. It appears to be out of print but it is a good source. Although not pretty I do have pages I use  for homeschooling for record keeping. You can probably find anything you would need for free at the above sites.
This is my Homeschool Organizer. I keep a seperate notebook because the other just got to big!!!

Chickens (May 16, 2009)

Flowers and Springs

I've always loved Iris they are such a regal flower.

A Secret in the Trees

Look in the center of the last photos.
We have two owls who live on our property. I hope to get a closer picture someday!

Herb Garden Stage 1

I have killed off all the grass. Now it's time to get it back into shape. Here are photos of the first stage.

The fenced in area in the background is the vegetable garden.

Watercress (may 11, 2009)

We have this growing wild in our stream in our woods. It can be used with salad greens in salad. It can also be added (moderately) to smoothies. And steamed like spinach.

Horseradish (may 11. 2009)

Yarrow (May 11, 2009)

Tansy (May 11,2009)

WARNING: This herb is Highly toxic and should not be used medicinally.



Why you might ask am I showing it here then? Well pests don't like it. Deer, bunnies and bugs don't like it so it's a good companion plant. I have it all around the fence of our veggie garden.

Spearmint/Mint

Warning consuming lots of peppermint/spearmint can dry up your milk supply if you are nursing.

Shephard's Purse (May 11, 2009)

Oregano

Mullein (Post from May 11, 2009)

These plants get huge. They bloom biannually. You make the herbal medicine from the flowers.

Homemade Cough Syrup

(coming soon)

Echinachea/Purple Coneflowers

This is one of my favorite herbs. I love watching it change colors from very pale pink to deep pink. Also the cones in the center change. But other than being pretty what is it good for?



Herbal Health-

Why it's used- Echinacea helps prevent and treat colds, bronchitis, gingivitus, cold sores, yeast and ear infections.

What parts can be used-The root generally used in tinctures or powders for almost any type of infection or inflammation; it can be especially useful for recurring kidney infections, as well as more common mucus and colds. Harvest after flowering; wash, chop and dry.

How it works- It contains a number of complex immune-stimulating substances.

Comments and Cautions- A numbing of the tongue is normal when using liquid forms. Do not use it if you have an autoimmune disease or if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family. Echinacea may trigger autoimmune disorders in pregnant women. High doses can occasionally cause nausea and dizziness.

Some History: The Native Americans used purple coneflowers to treat snakebites, fevers, and old, stubborn wounds. The early settlers soon adopted the plant as a home remedy for colds and influenza, and it became popular with the 19th-century Eclectic. In the past 50 years, it has achieved worldwide fame for it's antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties, and it has also been used in AIDS therapy. Cultivated purple coneflower is usually E. purpurea, although E. angustifolia is considered more potent by some practitioners.



More to come...

Why all the Photos and no Text

I am hoping to have time to get the text/herbal helps, written up this week. So hopefully soon each entry will tell you about the herbs that I have growing in my gardens.
Patience Please! :)

Wild Violets

More Booties and Sweaters for Gifts

A dear friend just had a precious boy.  Here 8th. So I made and mailed her booties and a blue sweater.




And a local friend also had a boy. So she got the opposite.

Now The Bathroom Matches

For the first time ever I have matching curtains in my bath :)



And here is how it looks when the sun is streaming in.