Draft 2021

She needs me. I found Flojo at the Animal Lifeline in Carlisle, IA., last week, and since then I've come up with her new name (Flossie), a plan for introducing her to our dog, Wally, and our four cats, Fern, Elmer, Fannie and Lester. I haven't yet been able to convince my dh that we need another dog. Or rather, how desperately I know she needs me, umm, us. You see, I regularly check the photos at most of the nearby animal shelters as well as breed-specific animal rescue organizations throughout the Midwest. I'm not exactly looking for someone to adopt; I just can't help myself. There's something in my core, something almost instinctual, that drives me to need to care for other creatures. I have four children and if it had been up to me, we probably would have 6 or 7. Now that the kids are growing up, that yearning for another baby has wained somewhat. Or perhaps I've just changed focus. Now it's Flojo. I can't get her out of my mind....

Well, I don't have to move. I spent Monday afternoon in the allergist's office, only to find out I have a severe case of SOUO. Sneezing of Unknown Origin. I'm not allergic to anything. Not dust. Not molds. Not pollen. Not dust mites. Nor cats, nor dogs, nor any living thing. The jury is still out on the bat guano. The allergist didn't test me for that, alluding that it would be highly unlikely, despite the bat colony living in my rafters. So, apparently I suffer from periodic unexplained fits of sneezing, watering eyes, running nose with NO KNOWN CAUSE. It does, however, have a medically auspicious sounding diagnostic name : Vasomotor rhinitis . Sounds like a rhinoceros with coordination problems. According to the experts: The exact cause of vasomotor rhinitis is unknown. It may be a hypersensitive response to a dry atmosphere, air pollutants, spicy foods, alcohol, strong emotions, or some medications. Vasomotor rhinitis is not caused by an infection or aller

Bring on the Science Fair! Melissa decided to make paper for her project. We had been reading a book Marco Polo for Kids that includes lots of great activities, such as weaving a wall hanging, making yogurt and making paper. We had already done some of these activities, and the Science Fair gave me the impetus to try our hand at paper-making. Paper was first made by the Chinese in the 2nd Century BC. It may seem a little odd to "make" paper using paper, but it is a great way to recycle paper scraps, old lists, even your older sister's old homework! The steps were really quite easy. First, Melissa tore up old paper and put it in a large bowl. Our recipe suggested about 3 pieces of torn up paper to make one sheet of "new" paper. Then, cover the paper scraps with hot water and leave them to soak for 30 minutes. When the scraps are done soaking, place them in the blender with the water and blend until scraps are completely pulverized. Place a piece of window scr

So, what does an unschooled 11-year-old do with her time? After all, we have no formal lessons (except for the occasional panic-induced math her mother is prone to), no set schedule, no daily tasks that must be completed. She probably sits in front of the TV all day, zoned out, learning nothing, right? Or else she's staring blankly at a computer screen or having her mind-numbed by violent video games. Everyone knows a kid can't constructively occupy her own time. A kid can't know what's best for her; after all, she's only 11. Here is merely one totally kid-inspired activity my 11-year-old daughter created last week. Meet Simply Stix , a line of dolls by Melissa. Not too shabby, huh?

Yesterday was one of my "lost" days. No, I don't drink, at least not to excess (well, most of the time). For the past year or so, once every couple of weeks, I wake to the rhythmic pulsing of my sinus tissues. This is followed by acute episodes of sneezing, followed by sneezing, nose blowing, more sneezing and the occasional cough. I think I am allergic to my house. This all started about 6 months after we moved into our gorgeous, somewhat dilapidated, but worthy 1904 house. I've been taking a generic form of Allegra, prescribed by my doctor, instead of popping a nightly dose of Claritin D and Benadryl. I thought, perhaps, I had this beaten. But yesterday was the last straw. I was up early yesterday, as I had a full day of errands planned. I felt a little sneezy, but tried to put it out of my mind. I would give this a holistic approach, I decided, and proceeded to make muffins. I was in denial, plain and simple. By 9 a.m., after spilling my coffee with yet anoth

Look what for was dessert last night: The first homemade ice cream of 2008 with hot fudge sauce made with goat's milk from Norther n Prairie Chevre and a sprinkling of peanuts. Actually, we ate breakfast at 11:30 and lunch at 5:30, so technically, the ice cream was our supper. And boy, was it great!

My little girl is growing up fast! Here she is in her first high school production, Treasure Island . Sarah had a small role, but also helped build scenery, research props and tear down the set when finished. She's the sailor with the short hair. It was her decision to head back to school full-time after years of unschooling and taking the occasional class at public school. Once she realized the school work wasn't going to be an issue, she dived into thespians. Acting has been her passion for several years now and she is so happy with this group of kids and the drama teacher. Though it was hard to see Sarah go back to school, it has turned out to be the right decision for her. Her little sister and I miss her when she's at school or staying late working on a play, but supporting and respecting the decisions Sarah makes for herself is one of the best was to show her how much I love her.

Saturday we had an absolutely gorgeous spring day; sunny with highs in the mid-60s. We did lots of spring-time activities, too. Our day included a trip to Woodward, to visit Picket Fence Creamery to stock up on milk, hamburger and eggs; Prairieland Herbs , to buy handmade soap and furniture polish; and to Northern Prairie Chevre , where we bought tons of artisan goat cheese, including feta, parmesan and manchego. I like buying as many products as I can from local farmers and craftspeople and these stops certainly fit the bill. After a delicious lunch of eggs w/goat cheese and spinach, dumpster bread and dumpster tangerines, we headed outside to start work on our raised bed garden. We worked up the soil, added some compost from the bin we started last summer and planted cold-tolerant crops, including two different kinds of lettuces, swiss chard, radishes and carrot. A great surprise was Sarah's discovery that our vermicomposting worms are still alive! We thought we'd k

There are a lot of abandoned farmhouses in Iowa. Ever since I was a kid, seeing the ghostly remains of a house would sadden me. Not just your average - gee, isn't that too bad - kind of sad, but a visceral mourning for what once was and is no more. Sometimes I'd see just an empty lot rimmed with day lilies in the middle of a soybean field; the only monument left to mark where a family once lived and worked and played. Were they happy? When did they leave the farm? How many children played in that yard? Now I live in a city, albeit it a small one, in a run-down neighborhood where most houses are rental properties and almost all suffer from years of neglect. My house was built in 1914; a foursquare in what was then undoubtedly an upscale suburb. We have put more than $40,000 into this old house, with tens of thousands more needed to repair and replace, remodel and resurface. My house deserves every penny we have put into it. It has original stained glass windows, gorgeous