Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (March 17)...
Outside my window... I't bright and sunny -- finally! Warm today, upper 60's. There are gentle ripples on the water surface, proof there are boats on the water nearby. Warm weather brings them out!

I am thinking... that I should get off this computer and start supper.

I am thankful for... receiving our tax refund the same week we had to pay $400 for repairs to my car.

From the learning rooms... My Girl is hard at work refining her 2 speeches. Her first tournament is next week in Georgia. I think she's starting to wonder what she's gotten herself into!

From the kitchen... Tonight I'll be preparing chicken pot pie casserole. I really need to get started on it though!!

I am wearing... ok -- I'll be honest. I'm embarrassed to say that yes, it's 4:30 pm, and I'm still in my pjs. How horrible is that?? But I've got to get dressed soon -- I've got a homeschool meeting tonight.

I am creating... meal plans for next week, when My Boy will be home with My Man, as My Girl and I will be in Georgia at the tournament. I want to have things nice and microwavable!

I am going... to a homeschool support meeting tonight, where we'll be learning about right- and left-brained learners, and how to tell which your kids are.

I am reading... right now, not much. But I am researching curriculum choices for next year.

I am hearing... the tv is on in the background, but I'm not really paying attention to it. why is it on?......

Around the house... things are in need a pick up all around the house.

One of my favorite things... is getting a few minutes of time to go get a cup of coffee with friend, as I got to do yesterday with my friend Sherri.

A few plans for the rest of the week: meeting tonight, confirmation class for My Girl tomorrow night, and a speech open house on Thursday. Our TOG group meets on Skype on Friday morning.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

I saw this video on April Showers and chuckle to myself everytime I think of it:



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Camellias

I really like camellias.

They are almost a perfect shrub. They are evergreen, and they bloom when most other shrubs don't, so they provide color in usually drab seasons. And the blooms are big and showy. The only down side is the litter the big showy blooms make when they fall off the branch has to be raked up at some point.

Other than that, a pretty good addition to the yard, I'd say.

The other day, we walked the dogs down the lane, and I took my new camera. A couple of neighboring lots have camellias, so I thought I'd take some pictures. This is My Boy & My Girl with the dogs. No camellias in this shot, though.



The lot next door is vacant. It has a couple of camellias which have grown uncontrolled for years so they are huge.





Farther down the road is a yard with 2 camellias growing right up next to each other, so the shrub looks like it has two types of blossoms. Some are solid pink, and some are variegated like these.



I decided last year to plant 5 camellias up near the road to provide some privacy from our new neighbors. A few weeks ago I was excited to see them covered in new buds, ready to bloom out.


Apparently, deer like young camellias. This is what mine look like right now. *sigh*. I only hope they'll grow back in this spring! Any ideas on how to protect them?

Shrimp Pasta

Here's a meal my family enjoyed tonight.

1 lb. pasta (fettucine, linguine, etc.)
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag fresh spinach
2 14.5 oz cans diced or stewed tomatoes, italian seasoned
1 small can ripe olives, sliced
1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
additional italian seasoning to taste (optional)
parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, sautee garlic and spinach in olive oil until spinach is wilted. Add tomatoes and olives, bring to a boil and simmer 6-7 minutes covered. Add shrimp and cook another 3 minutes, or until shrimp is pink. Add cooked pasta to pan and mix well. Serve with parmasan cheese.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (March 9)...
Outside my window... It's dark outside, but I can see the reflection of the lights on the water from the house across the cove.

I am thinking... about next year's curriculum, book choices, and plans. I bought Tapestry of Grace Year 2 DE last week, and I'm deep in the weekly reading assignments making plans.

I am thankful for... the blessing of living in this house by the lake.

From the learning rooms... today was co-op day, so not much else in the school department. Tuesdays are a big day around here, because we don't have anywhere else to be.

From the kitchen... My cupboards are getting bare. I need to go to the grocery store tomorrow.

I am wearing... green knit crop pants and a Costa Rica t-shirt. My Man and I walked after dinner tonight, so I'm wearing what I put on for the walk. I'm barefooted.

I am creating... a new photo library. I got a new camera! Yippee! It's a Canon Powershot SX110 IS. It's a point-and-shoot, but it has manual settings too. I would love an SLR but it's just not in our budget right now. So far, I'm really liking this camera.

I am going... to take my car in to the shop tomorrow to have the oxygen sensor replaced. Grrrr. Good thing we got that tax refund coming!

I am reading... TOG Year 2. Can you believe there is a 42 page document on the Loom all about teaching literature in the Rhetoric level? I've got a lot of homework to do this summer.

I am hearing... the sounds of night outside. A fishing boat just came into our cove, so I hear its engines, the sound of the water splashing on the beach, and the creaks of our dock as it rocks in the disturbed water.

Around the house... signs of spring are popping up in the yard! Trees and plants are budding, forsythia and daffodils are blooming. Heaven!

One of my favorite things... is walking around our neighborhood and seeing the water from so many vantage points.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a normal schooling week. My Girl has Confimation class on Wednesday night too.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Some photos from the yard, taken with my new camera!

Here are some cardinals waiting for me to leave so they can return to the birdfeeder. We've counted as many as 14 cardinals at once around our feeder.






The forsythia along the edge of the yard.







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Fifteen Authors

Country Doctor's Wife posted a meme and invited everyone to participate -- list 25 authors who most influenced your writing. Well, obviously, I'm no writer. And obviously this meme was designed for folks who can write.

But I do consider myself a reader, and maybe I can think of 25 authors that I like. Well, I might not get 25. I might just get 15. and some of them might just be my favorite books, but not necessarily favorite authors. So how's that? CDW said I could make up my own rules, so I think I'll just list 15 books and/or authors that I like!

Here's my list:

1. Jane Austen (duh! How many times can I put her, anyway??)

2. Patrick O'Brian (His Jack Aubrey books are to me, like Jane Austen with male characters.)

3. C. S. Lewis (his book Mere Christianity is one of my favorites)

4. Charles Dickens (I used to try to read one of his books a year. I need to start that tradition back up again.)

5. Robert Louis Stevenson (A Child's Garden of Verses -- love those sweet poems!)

6. Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

7. Jan Karon (The Mitford series)

8. Janet Evanovich (the Stephanie Plum books -- hilarious, quick reads that are perfect summer reading)

9. Margaret Mitchell (have to give Gone With the Wind a spot on this list!)

10. Clyde Edgerton (His books Raney and Walking Across Egypt are wonderful Southern humor. In fact, I need to find my copy of Raney and read it again!)

11. J.R.R. Tolkien (the Lord of the Rings trilogy is all I've read of his, but they are, of course, terrific.)

12. James Herriot (All Creatures Great and Small, and his Treasury for Children)

13. Oswald Chambers (his daily devotions challenge me every day)

14. Louisa May Alcott (love Little Women)

15. Noel Streatfield (I loved Ballet Shoes, Theater Shoes, Skating Shoes, and Circus Shoes as a young girl)

How about you? do you have a list? You can list your favorites in the comments, or on your blog (but leave me a link if you do!)

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (March 2)...
Outside my window... It's dark outside -- Monday is almost over. I can see the snow on the ground in the circle of light from the barn.

I am thinking... that I'm so happy My Man convinced me to go ahead and do our taxes today since we were snowbound anyway. Now they're all done!

I am thankful for... a dear husband who is the perfect complement to my personality. He gets me up and going when I would be happy to sit idly by.

From the learning rooms... the kids were thrilled to finally have a snow day -- the first in a couple of years around here.

From the kitchen... I can see my newly cleared off counter tops. I put away some appliances that I rarely use, and rearranged others, to make a larger workspace. I like it!

I am wearing... jeans, a turtleneck, and a dark green polarfleece pullover, with my running shoes.

I am creating... nothing right now.

I am going... to get a new laptop with our tax refund. I have to decide if I want to make the big jump to a Mac! What do you think??

I am reading... Wives and Daughters, by Elizabeth Gaskell.

I am hearing... the sound of the Final Jeopardy tune.

Around the house... There are reminders of the snow day lying about. Gloves, hats, boots, all around.

One of my favorite things... is seeing my 14 year old son frolicking in snow like a little boy. Poor things, my kids really haven't seen much snow in their short lives.

A few plans for the rest of the week: just a normal week ahead... schooling, tutoring, driving my kids to places they need to be. I do meet a friend tomorrow evening at a coffee shop to tell her about Tapestry of Grace. That will be fun!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Here are some photos from today's snow. Most didn't turn out, because my shutter is messed up on my camera. I ordered a new one today!!!



It looks like he's going to slide right into the lake, doesn't it?





Bob came by to visit us today!



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