Tag: Mother's Day

Making Mud, Making Memories

On By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

We took the boys to the Myerstown Park earlier this week for a picnic lunch. Afterward—did they want to go play on the swings? No. That’s always something they enjoy doing, but two other things piqued their interest more than the mulched and manicured playground set.

First, they had to explore the massive mud puddles by the pavilion. (It’s nearly an obsession with these two.) And second, they had to go play by the pond. There were fish, ducks, rocks, and sticks that needed their attention. And mud.

When Samuel and Levi got here last night for Pizza-Movie Night, they “helped” me with a project in the backyard. You guessed it—more mud. This time they created the puddle with my hose. I’m putting decorative rocks on either side of the path that connects our two patios—one off the side of the house and one off the primary bedroom. I finished one side so far, and I’m happy with how it turned out. Micah and Bethany got me ground solar lights for my birthday, and it inspired me to create a special strip to put them in.

During much of the time I was working, I was thinking about the recent death of a gal I graduated with from high school. Lung cancer is what took her in the end, though she never smoked. Tiff was pleasant and kind—a majorette in the marching band. She was sharp in math, too. We were seated next to each other in AP Calculus, and she aced nearly all her tests. She went on to become a civil engineer and then worked in Virginia for a defense contractor. It’s sobering to think the clock is ticking for all of us.

That’s why I’m drinking in every delicious moment with the boys, and I’m looking forward to Andrew’s wedding in two weeks. He and his fiancé asked me to do the wedding message and the pronouncement. That second request wasn’t very wise on their part. It means they’re not married until I say they’re married. 🙂

The boys are coming back tomorrow night for a little Mother’s Day celebration here at the house. I’m guessing somehow there will be more mud involved.

Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

C. T. Studd

Time to Plant the Annuals

On By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

Mother’s Day is the calendar marker for planting annuals in the flower beds around our house, so I’ll be getting my hands dirty this week. We’re trying some new things this year, and we’ll see how it goes. Pictures of the real flowers will come later. The ones below are stock photos showing the ideal.

For the front and side flower beds, I got red and yellow Zinnias to plant, with a few lavenders poking through. They stand about 12” tall right now and supposedly do well in the sun. I chose them to match the color and vibrancy of the tulips, which I adored while they were here. Hopefully they’ll do just as well.

In front of the Zinnias will go the shorter red and white petunias. Last year’s impatiens didn’t do very well, so we’re giving these a try. The flowers are a bit larger than the imaptiens, so if they thrive, the beds will look nice when they emerge.

For the hanging baskets (4 on the front porch, 4 on the back patio, and 2 on my mother-in-law’s patio), we’re trying red, white, and purple wave petunias this year. It will take a while for them to start “waving,” but they’re much cheaper when you assemble the baskets yourself. I suppose it will be my lesson in patience this year. Alas, like Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka, “I want it now!”

My mother-in-law will also get a bed of yellow French marigolds. They are her favorites, and we think she may still have enough capacity to putter around and enjoy them this year.

Below are some unrelated pictures that recently caught my eye. The first is my summer home. 🙂 The second is my summer transportation. 🙂 And the third is a brain teaser. Can you tell what it is? (If you get stumped, turn your phone, tablet, or laptop upside down.)

Have a great week!