Green Pentecost...

It is an anniversary of sorts for us. One year ago dh and I sat in front of the computer looking at the schedule for our local Orthodox church- Debating whether or not we should go "just to see" :) The kids woke up with a fever so dh went alone. He was gone for a LONG LONG time- turns out it was Pentecost something we were not aware of, having celebrated it the week before. He finally came back almost 5 hours later , after Liturgy, and Kneeling Vespers, and a big potluck lunch to tell me we were having dinner at Father's house with the whole parish! We still get teased occasionally about his "reconnaissance" mission to one of the longest services of the year.
What a joyful and challenging year it has been. I am so grateful we listened to the tug of the Holy Spirit that day.

The kids are excited about our first Pentecost in the Orthodox church, though they are having trouble envisoning it being Green.

I decorated as we usually do with our old well worn Tomie dePaola Holy Spirit poster, cut from a calendar before the dc were even born.
Hung up ribbons (green!) and Tounges of Fire (tufts of wool). Three candles are waiting for our meal time prayers, and a big sack of fruit is waiting to make a 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit salad for after Liturgy.

It is going to be a LONG LONG day with 9 baptisms and I am glad to be part of it this year.

Ferdinand's weapons rack...

Ferdinand requested a weapons rack...a request that threw me until I remembered the extra coat hooks in the back of a drawer...




now he says he needs a bow :)

Biddy builds a lean-to...

We dismantled a bunk bed and tossed the wood on the back porch. I was later surprised to find Briddy had built a lean-to. She built a dance floor and bench as well although they have to be taken down each night. We will have to get rid of most of the wood but hope to leave her "cabin" up on the porch. It is probably a violation of our lease but we will see. She is very proud of it, however one downside- lately when i can't find a household item I check outside.

Home-made toothpaste...

As part of our learning this week Biddy made toothpaste.
She did a great job measuring ingredients out and following the recipe. She enjoyed being the taste tester as well.




Well enjoy may not be the right word, but she had a lot of fun...note to self add xylitol to ingredient list!

Front Porch Gardening...

I have been so enjoying the garden posts over at evlogia . Oh the dreams of a big yard and garden. But no worries if your yard is a bit more modest. Though we are fortunate enough to have a shared courtyard we are not allowed to plant around our apartment. We can keep pots on our porch however. It is about 4 by 5 feet (shh... we have spilled over the sides a bit!)

On our porch this year is a lilac which got actual blooms this year -yay! We also have an apple tree a blueberry bush, a hemlock tree, lots of bulbs, 2 kinds of lavender, 2 kinds of oregano, strawberries, violets, chives , dill, cilantro, a bonsai, trailing rosemary, 3 varieties of mini tomatoes, 2 varieties of lettuce, string beans and sunflowers, lots of pansies and johnny jump-ups, primroses and chicks and hens.

Thanks to our mellow climate most of it is from last year. I won't plant up anything else since we are unsure as to what the summer will bring as far as work goes for the Librarian aka DH. But my fingers are itching to plant and I keep dragging pots back and forth to keep me busy.

We also finally got Biddy's homemade birdhouse turned shrine set up with an icon of the Theotokos as the Life-giving Spring. She is quite pleased.

It helped curb her disappointment over the no new planting rule, she was really hoping to make this the year of vertical baby pumpkin.

Collages

I was talking with Biddy about art and mentioned collages-she looked at me blankly. It was a "bad mom" moment :)
I pulled out a try and set up some random supplies (whatever exploded out of the cupboard first) and let them at it.
They both were a little anxious at first- "but what are we supposed to make?" "what should it look like?". I just smiled and left them to it.
Ferdinand made a robot , Biddy's is called Owl Chick. She was especially taken with the page reinforcing circles- "Mom why have you never given me these fabulous stickers before!" :)

Garden Gnome