Why · would · anyone · want · to · read · this?

So in the last few weeks, I've been very busy and very bad about updating my journal! I've made several status updates on Facebook, but I realize now that if I look at those in 6 months, I won't have a fricken clue what they mean today.

So, I need to get some details down before I forget! This might be a bit random, based on my stream of consiousness.

First, my vegetable/fruit gardens: About 2 weeks ago, the strawberries started to be ready to pick. We went out every day to pick whatever was ripe at the time, and I ended up with enough to make 12 jars of jam, and get another huge bowl of fresh berries to eat. Unfortunately, we also had about a third of the berries grow rotten, which according to my research means we have a fungal infection in the mulch under them. This is something we have to treat now and probably forever. Plans are: keep cutting off infected stems as we find them, pull up a few plants to allow more air-flow between them, provide support for the plants so the berries don't sit on the ground, and get an anti-fungal spray from Gardens Alive! next spring.

The veggies are growing well, too, even in spite of the huge hail storm that swept through 2 days ago and ripped the leaves up on every plant we have. One broccoli was toppled, so we'll be eating that one tonight. All the other plants look like they will recover. We've been harvesting radishes for about a week now, and they're yummy! The tomatos and sugar snap peas have flowers on them. The bush beans are falling over...notes for next year: almost everything we planted this year need some kind of support. Also, don't plant oregano behind broccoli. :) It is in the shadow and not growing as well as it could.

NJ's ballet classes are done for the year, but her recital is still coming up this weekend. Friday night is dress rehersal, and Saturday afternoon is the presentation. Also going on this weekend - Landsknecht, our SCA camping event at the Homestead. So, I've got to drive up to Lehighton, set up camp, drive down to the dress rehersal, and back up to Lehighton Friday night. Then Saturday at lunch time, head BACK to the recital (in Souderton), not returning back to the event until dinner time. Then pack up and come home Sunday morning! And poor DH is going to miss all this, keeping SA and Cleo with him at the event so they don't disrupt the recital. Oh yeah, I also need to organize the raffle going on at the recital. HA HA HA! Will I EVER learn to say NO?

My first book club meeting was REALLY fun. I love our club! We have such a diverse membership of great people! I can't wait for the next meeting. :)
The best part of the night was when my wonderful sis-in-law gave me her Princess House Vintage Garden tea set...pot, cups, saucers, cream/sugar containers and serving caddy. She is TEH AWESOME! :D Now I can't wait to have my next tea party :D

Speaking of which...I will be serving tea to our guests over the July long weekend. We're having a weekend-long party with close friends and their children...so it should be a fun-filled chaotic weekend, and I'm really excited about it! But it means that coming home from the event this weekend cannot result in our usual "dump all the camping crap in the house until the next event". Nope, we'll actually have to CLEAN IT UP this time. Can't have our guests think we're complete slobs!

I can't remember what else I wanted to discuss, so I guess I'll wrap this up now and come back later for more updates.

This past weekend was Spring War Camp in Owlsherst, and it was a fabulous trip! We shared a cabin with baronadhemar, catelinelb, and of course our bestest friend, fritzi. I've never done an SCA event in a cabin before, so it was very disorganized trying to figure out what to pack and what to leave home. As it turned out, we forgot lots of stuff we could've used, but luckily sharing with "established" camping buddies, everyone had something to fill in the gaps.

Friday, we dropped off all the girls (human and canine) at ootwoods's parents farm, where they got plenty of fresh air and exercise playing with the residents there all weekend. We arrived on-site around 6:30pm, got our bed set up, parked the car, and enjoyed a delicious dinner of scallops with bacon and some kind of sauce. I'll just say, I thoroughly enjoy Baron Adhemar's cooking, and I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't get to share. :) Cateline also arrived sometime right before dinner, but I lost track of time sometime that evening.

Saturday morning, Fritzi and I climbed out of bed early and introduced Cateline to the extra-fun hobby of Geocaching! Found 5 local caches, found a Dunkin Donuts (more importantly), and brought back coffee for the sleepy-heads. Later that morning, Fritzi's wife and boys arrived, and we had a relaxed day of sewing, talking, exploring the event merchants (where I acquired a new chain for my Landsknecht lady outfits, some white silk thread - thanks Cateline!! - and some pink and black bargain trim for the girl's garb).

The highlight of my weekend, though, had to be getting to fire one of the cannons! :D Man oh man is that ever a rush! I'm trying to get pictures of it, but right now don't have them. I think I'm going to try to be on the cannon line at Pennsic this year. :) I've always loved the "big boom sticks", but getting to actually be less than a foot from the "pfffffft - BOOM!" was even better. :D

Saturday night was staying up WAY too late, catching up with my best friend in one of those rambling conversations that touches nearly every topic possible. Its been a while since we did that, and it was definitely spirit and soul-refreshing. I've been in a great mood ever since. :D

Sunday was a quick pack-up and we were offsite by 10:30. We picked up the girls and got home by 1pm, where I still had time to do laundry, clean up the house a bit, and get a good dinner...these are all very odd things for us to do on a day we return from an event. :D All in all, it was a very very good weekend! Thanks to all the awesome people who made it so.

Yikes, I can't even bring myself to open that post and read the comments yet!! LOL

However, before I do, I want to say that I really really love all my friends. I love how many different and diverse points of view we all have, and I love that we can totally disagree on so many things, and yet still all have a great time together. :)

Thanks!

I know you might think this is sad, but now that one of my best friends is here on LJ, I actually feel more inspired to keep this thing up to date. Even if she might hardly ever read it. :)

Actually, if I knew who was reading this regularly, I might be more inspired to give updates. Problem is, I think too many family and friends read anonymously and don't reply to posts, so I feel like I'm writing to nobody. I can just talk to myself in my head, I don't need to write it out here. ;)

Anyway, from this rambling, rest assured that you'll probably now hear more about me than before, and whether you think that's good or bad is entirely up to you. :)

Welcome to LJ, Anne_Liese_W! :)

So in one of those spur of the moment thingies, we ended up with last minute plans to see the Philadelphia Zoo with the Fritzs.  Recapped here:

 http://fritzi.livejournal.com/39194.html

pretty much "yeah, what he said".  What a great day it was! I love when last minute stuff turns out to be fabu. :)