May Beach Trip

Gas is high. We won'r be going to the beach as much this summer. But I'm still grateful for all of the lovely days that we get at the beach. We have lived in Eastern North Carolina for 6 years now. That's the longest that we have lived in any other place. I am glad, that even though, we're poor, we can enjoy this beauty as if we were rich. God has settled us into a lovely place.  

Garden 2022

 

I have two gardens, one big one on the north side of the house and one small right outside the back door. The small one in the backyard needs very little care. It lies above the leach field and the chickens, ducks, and geese have access to it at times in the year. It grows really well. The other one I need to water and weed and fertilize. It's the third year in that spot and we keep increasing it. It has been hit and miss, but this year it seems to have overcome many tragedies such as late frost and drought. So far, we have a lot herbs and plenty of sugar snap peas. There's a lot of green tomato, some baby zucchinis and yellow summer squash, green corn stalks, young green beans, and baby butternut squash. I also have 3 honey dew melon plants growing, and I hope that they produce. As it stands, I think that we're producing enough food for 2 maybe 3 people. We have a lot to learn 

Kid Tales

  

At the playground Ruth called to Sam saying, "Gideon!" 

Sam called back and said, "Ruth, I am Sam. I am Sam-u-el. You know, the one who can talk."

I was telling Sam that Eliza did not use a pacifier anymore and that he was the only one left in the family with a pacifier. I asked him if he thought he should get rid of it since he is older. I suggested that he get rid of it when he turns six on his birthday. He replied, "How about never. I really like my pacifier."

Sam has been bribing or threatening people and it's kind of funny. At one point, he came up to Kate with his hand over his eyes and he said, "If you won't make me Swiss Miss, I will never let you see my blue eyes again." He also threatened John with no more foot rubs.

Gideon came up to John and touched his eyes and asked if they were his eyes. Then he touched his nose, and asked are these your eyes and John said yes. Then he put both his hands over his mouth and said is this your mouth and John said yes. Then he touched his forehead and asked the same question, and then his hair and asked the same. At last, Gideon touched John's Batman symbol on his shirt and asked, "Is this your Batman?" Gideon then patted his chest with his Batman shirt on and proudly said, "This is my Batman!"

Eliza has been fake coughing a lot. Sometimes she will fake cough if you ask her if she is sick or feeling alright, but mostly she will fake cough and laugh if you fake cough with her. 

Susan told John that she thought his full name was Thomas Wesley Robertson after his teddy bear that he named Thomas Thom.

Mother's Day Questions

       

1 Did you remember Mother's day?
Ruth: Not until mom mentioned it. I had planned to get her something, but I couldn't get the car without her in it for the last two or three weeks.

Kate: babababum "Adam look at this art!" No, not at all. I had a vague idea that it was sometime this month but I didn't care to look it up
Johnny: Actually yeah but food
Adam: No. I remember father's day. Game sales on steam. No, I don't remember father's day. I celebrate it.
Rachel: Of course. Why would I? Well kind of.. Well I do now
Anya: You mean that one where I said mom was 50 something... Are you talking about that mother's day when you asked us questions before...
Joseph: from when
Joshua: Is this the questions? I'm going!! (Ruth: Get back here!!!) ... I hate these questions! I'd rather watch pokemon than answer these questions!
Arwen: *silent stare*
Susan: Yes.
Samuel: Yes. No I actually didn't
Gideon: nyes
Eliza: eee dah




2 What's the worst punishment mom's given you?
Ruth: I can't think of anything in particular.
Kate: "Um.. let's see. So there's this. dun dun the ones that come to mind are the ones that mom made us clean and clean and clean after just losing our icecream. Do you remember that? It was like a double whammy. The other one I came home from babysitting and that person's house was like hell. I snarked mom and she made me clean the garage. Bleach the floor, clean up the cat-poop, organize, and everything. Half-way through mom felt guilty and came to help. But that is some punishment. I don't remember what I said but I'm really curious as to what I said? Well I thought it was fair at the time so I must have really said something.
Johnny: uh... I don't remember
Adam: uh.. I don't know, I can probably think of something... I remember my nose stuck in a corner. that happened several times
Rachel: well she gives me school everyday
Anya: what kind of question is that? I like my question "does mom abuse you" better
Joseph: that one.. let's see...I actually don't know
Joshua: I don't know
Arwen: I don't know fufu
Susan: sent to bed during batman
Samuel: I don't know
Gideon: fwooo I am bionicle boom bang
Eliza: he hehehe




3 Do you love mom?
Ruth: Yes
Kate: That;s a dumb question are you just hoping some little kid will give a goofy answer
Johnny: yes or should I give you a dishonest answer
Adam: Yes
Rachel: Yes
Anya: yeah
Joseph: Okay. No! I don't! Oh don't write that please don't write that I was just joking please don't write that. I was just joking please don't write that arh...
Joshua: yeah!! What is with that question?
Arwen: yes!
Susan: Yes!
Samuel: Yea
Gideon: (Ruth: Gideon do you love mom?) "bang" (Ruth: Gideon do you love mom?") "Boom" (Ruth: "I'll do this later") Gideon: I love mom. (Ruth: "Do you love mom Adam") Gideon yells: "No, I love mom!" (Ruth: "Rachel do you love mom?") Gideon again: "No I love mom" (Ruth: "Kate do you love mom") Gideon still yelling: "No I love mom"
Eliza: daaaa *looking at pigeon* back to laughing


4 Does mom love you?
Ruth: Well I hope so
Kate: Does mom love me? Dadudun. She has a moral obligation to love me. (Rach: Kate that's horrible) She would be a bad woman if she didn't
Johnny: yes
Adam: *long pause* yes
Rachel: yes
Anya: it'd be horrible if she didn't
Joseph:No
Joshua: yeah! Ah these questions are the worst? They are terrible questions that should never have been asked.
Arwen: yes
Susan: yes
Samuel: yes
Gideon: yes
Eliza: laughing


5 How much do you love mom?
Ruth: A lot
Kate: Don't you think that's another dumb question. As in a quantitative value.
Johnny: mmm... how much? an amount
Adam: I don't answer that
Rachel: um.. I like mom!
Anya: Why do I have to say that? How can I describe how much I love mom?
Joseph: No. That's a dumb question. Fine I'll give a flowerly answer. Like to the stars above! No! don't write that!
Joshua: *laughs*
Arwen:a lot
Susan: a lot
Samuel: a lot
Gideon: aughh bahm
Eliza: "Squeal yeah


6 Which parent do you love more?
Ruth: I'm a neutral party
Kate: eeeh. I don't know. I just put that question in to be contrary. (Kate turns to the side: "She gets a negative for not looking pretty" *in reference to an art book*)
Johnny: why?
Adam: dad
Rachel: well I like dad 99 and mom 100
Anya: what kind of interrogation is this? Ugh! (Kate: We just need to know if we read these on mother's day or father's day. Although I don't think Dad cares about this kind of stuff)
Joseph: these questions stink
Joshua: I hate you. What what did you just say? Wait did you write I hate you? I hate these questions not you. I hate you asking these questions
Arwen: I don't know
Susan: I love anna banana. what? you asked which parakeet I love more?
Samuel: I love dad most
Gideon: I love mom
Eliza: ehehehehe *bouncing* ye e ya


7 What's your favourite thing mom's done for you?
Ruth: She does a lot. I guess I liked when she used to talk to me after school every day. I'm sure there is something with food. A lot with food. But I only have a vague memory
Kate: Birthed me! Or is that a disservice? ..... (Later due to moving questions to the laptop) hm... Didn't I already say birth me. But if you want me to answer tagain. There was that one time I came home from ninth grade. All anyone wanted to do was makeout or talk about kissing. It was hell. I came home and mom looked at me and said "Oh Kate it looks like you've had a hard day" She laid me on the couch, wrapped me in a blanket, handed me my phone and told me to watch superhero cartoons while she baked me cookies. (Rach in the background: Wow A+)
Johnny: um.. uh birth me? put up with me
Adam: uh I duhn no I can possibly think of something
Rachel: well there was one time where I was (it's not my favourite time) but we were going to be late for school so she took me to get donuts and coco
Anya: Um.. there are lots of things mom's done for me, but I don't know the best.
Joseph:
Joshua: give me three hours of stay up computer time. no don't answer that one I don't know what to say... I want to leave
Arwen: ah... got me a parakeet for my birthday
Susan: uh play skippo
Samuel: um.. let me see.*unintelligible babble* play switch with me no.. aha! get me legos for christmas
Gideon: um.. ah... arh..
Eliza: eheh ee


8 Favourite thing mum cooks?
Ruth: cookies. no wait that raspberry cake
Kate: doesn't that have to do more with the food? ..... well I obviously prefer when she cooks steak than to when she cooks spaghetti but she's better at cooking spaghetti than anyone else. but any guy at your local yokal resturaunt is as good at cooking steak as long as they understand "as rare as you can legally give me"
Johnny: chicken parmesan spaghetti you know the same thing I ask for on my birthday each year
Adam: i don't know
Rachel: wings!
Anya: uh.. I don't know. Um... My favourite food is things Ruth cooks. I like orange chicken okay! And mom doesn't cook that!
Joseph: chicken pot pie
Joshua:
Arwen: steak!
Susan: uh let me think hamburgers
Samuel: everything but no super duper spicy stuff
Gideon: ooh she got me food
Eliza:


9 Mom's favourite show?
Ruth: Fat people or murder... wait that stuck on an island show where people are voted off
Kate:Murder or fat people That's going to be everyon'e answer
Johnny: ooh... um.. master chef maybe that's an option it really was for a while it really changes.
Adam: you forgot hoarders
Rachel: murder!
Anya: yea I was thinking murder scary things.. no no no murder fat people kitchen competion. murder fat people competition and fat people. That's my answer
Joseph: murder ones?
Joshua: I don't know. Susan you do not know
Arwen: I actually really don't know that one
Susan: I know! It was... what was it called again? i don't remember what it's called you know the hey. I forgot what it's called
Samuel: I do not know!
Gideon: what' that? that's gree *pointing at computer cord*
Eliza: ida


10 Mom's favourite food?
Ruth: she has consistently liked mint oreos
Kate: mmmm........ does she have one particularly. She kind of goes through fazes. don't you say? unless you want to say that steak and salmon are the best because you know no one is going to argue with that
Johnny: I honestly don't know what food mom likes. I know mom likes hamburgers but I wouldn't say they're her favourite. I know she likes cookies but I wouldn't say they are her favourite. I know she likes whoopie pies but I wouldn't say they are her favourite. I don't think mom has a favourite. I don't think mom knows what her favourite food is
Adam: I don't know
Rachel: chocolate?
Anya: uhm. probably something like uh.... hehehe huh junk food hehehe My favourite's ice cream
Joseph: *shurgs shoulders* mmmmm I don't know
Joshua: I don't know
Arwen: I don't know at all
Susan: those dark dark chocolate that dad gave her
Samuel: hamburgers
Gideon: what?
Eliza:


11 Mom's favourite child?
Ruth: the current baby. or susan
Kate: whichever one loves her the most at the time. right now it's the two babies. It's pretty hard to deny something that cute that has decided you are their world
Johnny:uh... sometimes like kate but aslo sometimes like gideon and eliza sometimes ruth and kate
Adam: Eliza
Rachel: Eliza
Anya: Ruth these questions are stupid they should be more like "Does your mom abuse you?" or "does your dad abuse you and your mom save you?" Questions like that!
Joseph: *counting fingers* Susan
Joshua: It might.. okay. Ruth Kate?
Arwen: I don't know either. I really don't know that one
Susan: Eliza
Samuel: Me and gideon
Gideon: chh
Eliza:


12 Anything to say to mom
Ruth: I love you!
Kate: um.. she lives in my house with me. If I have anything to say to mom I'll just go up and talk to her everyday
Johnny: uh no... I mean I'll probably just tell her later in a less formal setting
Adam: I'll text her... Nope
Rachel: Oh.. Happy mother's day! Ding!
Anya: anything to say to mom? Why do I have to say something to mom? She's in the house! Do I have to say something heartwarming when she's not around? Stupid. (Kate: Are we going to make mom cry on mother's day? Anya: Whoops Kate: Then again most people try to make their mother's cry on mother's day just in a different way. Rach: My children are trash Anya: Why aren't my kids that way Kate: She can't have kids that way because she's not that way Anya: Neither is dad)
Joseph: Ruth's questions stink.
Joshua: What?
Arwen: Anything to say to mom about what?
Susan: Noo
Samuel: I'm going now
Gideon: closes door and says boom. fails to close door each time saying bang {Rach: Gideon vs the door) Gideon leaves with the door open (Anya: The door wins)
Eliza:


Comments:
Joseph: Yeah ruth your questions do stink "Which one's better" You know how I did the favourite child "eeny meeny miney moe"
Kate: Why? It's just something you do because the little kids give cute answers.
Rachel: nope.. wait is this a test to figure out who is the best child?
Adam: Nope.
Anya: Any comments on what?
Sam: Ruth I am going now now! And unpause the show
Josh: I hate these questions
Susan: uh. play skippo?
Comments: Yeah yeah I know the questions are dumb but I couldn't think of much. Well I hope mom enjoys it.
Arwen: Whaaat? (Rach: Interrogation. We are going to kill the loser. Kate: Rachel you don't leek information you don't possess)
Johnny: who cares?






Adam at some point: "Gideon was a monster do you remember ever seeing a little boy pee angrily"

John's Poem for me on Mother's Day

John's Poem for me on Mother's Day


How long I wandered and how lonely
amidst the stark and soulless statues
so lifelike - walking, breathing, laughing
I thought they were real, and could love

Blaring words stream always from their stone cold lips
a field of dead flowers, a symphony of cacophony
Fine wine goblets with ashes to sip

A daisy flower spoke as the sun
her song of words flowed forth with meaning
And bathing in her conversation, I found I loved her

This daisy girl sang me songs in speech
songs with meaning of thought with consequence
and prized each truth that I could teach

This is then my wife Diane
Not like the statue girls of stone
wanting to make each man her own
then carving him into their televised man
but a soul with my soul bound once again

Mother's Day Poems from the kids

   

 

Mother's Day Poems from the kids

Anya's Poem

It's been a stormy day

this mother's day.

It is always May

on mother's day?

well anyway

it's still mother's day

so I will say

Happy mother's day.

But it is okay

that today of all days

is a stormy day

even though 

it's mother's day?

well anyway

it's still mother's day

so I will say

Happy mother's day.

Joshua's Poem

Mack went smack

his axe went wack

Jack went back

his sack went crack.

Arwen's Poem

Bake the lake in a cake.

Bake the cake 

back into a lake.

Rachel's Poem

I love you mother

oh so dear

I like you mother 

oh so near

Happy Mother's Day

that's all I want to say.

Johnny's Poem

Yes, I love you mom.
This I know is true
but with words

I'm no good

my handwriting's no better

So I'm afraid

I cannot give you

a good mother's day letter

no, I cannot scrawl

I cannot write

loving words 

like many children's kisses

though perhaps

I might

content myself to show my love

through washing many dishes.

Ruth's Poems

her hands are lathered under soap

As she gives the babe a bath
....
pretty pretty pictures
all inside my head
why can't I lay you down
and make the page your bed
for if I could I'm sure
I could write for mother dear
a poem so satisfying
I'd never have to hear
each year each day that mum would say
"I expect a poem from each"


a child on one foot
a child on the other
a child on one arm
that makes you a mother


mother's day poems are all the same
proses on flowers the stars and rain
yet each verse appears quite lame
all incomplete nonsense and written in vain

one day i'll write a mother's day poem
of herbs and apples that you have grown
and baked in pies or apple tarts
and it will come from my heart


that was sap
mush gush
i am not used to this mush and gush
how can you love such squishy things
made to be sold for diamonds and rings
maybe one day i'll write a poem
a poem you can cash in on
all mother's who read it will burst into tears
and children who read it will cry out in fear
because their mothers will force them to write
a poem much more elegant than it is trite




I'm giving up on poetry
so I'll now type in verse
sooooo:
happy mother's day to you
happy mother's day to you
happy mother's day dear mooom
happy mother's day to you

Adam's Poem

a pleasant happy world

where flowers bloom and butterflies float

where the grass is green and trees are tall

but that green green world is covered

from pole to pole in blood

and the pleasant walks taken in the meadow

are only made cruel

by the human bones we crush

while we walk while we talk

but the crunching grinding bones

do not ring in our ears

while we walk while we talk

and their crying dying souls

screaming screaming with no sound

for us not to mar the further

their damaged visage

while we walk while we talk

And the world sheds her tears

but her tears cannot be found

for in the blood she is thickly covered

the mountains shook and fell

and yet we notice them not

while we walk while we talk