Student of the Day

Six tae kwon do classes (2x/week), and both boys have been student of the day. And they didn't even have one the first day. Woo-hoo! T-bone got his sticker on May 12, E-man today. E-man had his second great class--there was not a bit of rolling on the carpet.  Here's the proud boy:

And T-bone, who was very hesitant about tae kwon do, loves it. E-man, who was so excited to do it, is not so sure. Today, though, he is very sure.

"The Best Peaches EVER!"

Says E-man. And I have to agree. We are getting peaches from our peach tree, and they are so good. Sweet and tart at the same time.

I spent a bunch of time 2 years ago researching peach trees in the Armstrong catalog. Trying to find one that would make good eaters (as opposed to bakers), not be too sweet, and that would actually make peaches most years here! It looks like we have a winner. I wish I could remember what variety I had settled on. White Queen? Santa Barbara? Snow Peach? It ruled my life for so long I thought I'd never forget. Haha. But wait, there's more:
Unfortunately, some critter has found them too, and is hiding them, behind the rosemary, half eaten. Squirrel? Raccoon? Boy? I know not. And for some comic relief, here is the actual tree.
Yeah, it's maybe 4 feet tall. Little tree with yummy peaches. But a year and a half ago it was a bare root stick about 3 feet tall.

And for something completely different, after all the database stuff and computer work for the silent auction, and all the crocheting on the doll I donated and making baby stuff for Kari, I rewarded myself with a little quilting. I started a Halloween quilt that I bought fabric for probably 2 years ago. Some new techniques for me, but it's been fun in spite of the frustrations of corners not matching and sewing the wrong edges together and so forth. I should finish the quilt top this week. It's small :)

Yes, another Lowe's Build n Grow for us. I took the boys yesterday for the "See it Grow Planter". And, other than needing some help fudging one side on because the predrilled holes did not line up (which he noticed himself), T-bone did the whole thing without a bit of help. E-man did just about all of his hammering (the last bit it always hard). Two proud and happy boys who didn't even want to go!

T-bone and I spent the morning at Los Angeles National Cemetery with a bunch of other boy and girl scouts so the kids could put a flag at each grave for their Memorial Day events tomorrow. A fabulous lesson in how people working together can accomplish a huge task in very little time (30 minutes!). The rain did help everyone move faster, but I had actually taken an umbrella. For once!

E-man took a snooze in the afternoon, and T-bone and I went to the Playa Vista library and then on a walk around the parks and along Bluff Creek, and managed to do some of the discussion requirements he has left for his Wolf badge. Getting T-bone to discuss is like pulling teeth, but it worked! Birds for me: lots and lots of red-winged blackbirds, common grackle, raven, lesser goldfinch, singing common yellowthroats, a flyby egret, mourning doves, house finches, coots, mallards, Anna's hummingbird. Exciting for T-bone: the utility boxes, the construction, the dog park, the missing and replaced fence rails, the dumpster. The usual!

It's That Time of Year Again...

Silent Auction time!

I have been lax updating. Just wanted anyone who might be reading this to know why. Now I must go work on the auction computer.

The big day is this Saturday, May 17. Want to see the catalog? Go here. And yes, I typed all that in. That's a database export, made nice by Liz. I'm still entering STUFF, hopefully Lisa has a computer and has started entering bidders. We will combine our files later....hopefully before the event!