Messin around

What a character.

Mary dons cap and gown

Earlier this month, we celebrated the graduation of our former nanny, Mary. She leaves academia with a master's in social work. The world's children will be better for it.

She blessed Claire with attention and caring as if she were kin. We know, too, that her compassion for cchildren extends to those less fortunate--foster children whom she oversaw as an intern for the state child welfare office, orphans in the Kenyan bush whom she spent Christmas with as tutor and stand-in physician, Hispanic families she drove 120 miles one way twice a week to interview on the coast.

Mary's got one of the biggest hearts we've ever met. Our afternoon and dinner with her family on graduation day only confirmed that. We'll miss her. Fortunately, she hopes to stick around here, helping Oregon's less fortunate kids find good homes.

Videos

Several of you have mentioned that you can't view videos on this site. Don't know what the problem is yet. While I try to figure it out, I've temporarily allowed public access to several videos on our YouTube site, which you can access by clicking here. They won't be up forever.

Talk talk talk

Claire's language has exploded.



Don't take it from me. Read Dana's summary of Claire's day, June 15:

Claire talking so much! Said many new words -- leash, bagel, markers, cookies and several two-word utterances -- Charlotte's water, lick Claire (to Mo, and he gave her a big dog kiss) big truck, Charlotte yes and up baby, down baby while playing night-night with her doll -- so cute!

We did markers and the mural for a long time and identified colors. She loves this activity. We also listened to the Beatles and danced, Claire trying so hard to jump -- does make it to her toes/balls of her feet -- this was really fun!

Went for a long walk in the rain and sang "Singing in the Rain." We saw worms and a big black beetle--Claire really got a kick out of the beetle and we followed it on its way with Claire giggling the whole time!

Lots of imaginative play with the baby dolls--takes very good care feeding them and putting them in the cradles all the while chatting about what she's doing.

A.M. BM. Claire announced this to me by saying "poo-poo!" Wow! I think it was right at the start by the look on her face.

We do cherish Dana's one-page reports of Claire's day while we're at work.

If You See A Whale

Claire reads (and acts) the soon-to-be classic children's book.



Night-night around here will never be the same.

One for the worms

Before dad left from his recent visit, he bought a pound of worms. He wanted to take some home himself to use as compost. The worm seller advised against it. Figured they'd all perish once dad got back to Arizona.

So, dad did the next best thing. He chose to live vicariously through his oldest son. He acquired a pint container's worth of red wigglers and gave them to me.

I'd wanted to do this for years, but never found a good worm source. Now, I had them.


Sarah was not thrilled.

On Sunday, after I dropped dad and mom off at the airport, I went to work making a bin.


I read instructions on worm composting here, here and here (yes, I trust Aggies).

I bought a black, plastic storage bin from Ace Hardware and drilled holes in the bottom and along the sides to let moisture out and oxygen in. Worms need dark, soggy surroundings.


Next, I gathered bedding. I hand-shredded newspaper. I dug out leaves from a pile in our yard that already had begun decomposing. I added some of our newly imported soil, some compost and a bit of bark dust. I moistened all of it as I tossed it in.




When the bin was more than half full, I mixed it all up and added the worms. When I opened the top of the container, they squiggled around as if someone had set them on fire. They ran thick beneath a thin layer of soil.



I've located the worm bin in the basement, propped up on two bricks with the lid underneath to catch any moisture that might drain from it. I've covered it with a piece of black plastic, though a burlap sack would be better. They seem to be surviving. Will they secrete castings? Will they reproduce? Stay tuned.