Sunday, June 10, 2012

Things We Know

New mulch!
It's so exciting to get that load 
of mulch for the flower beds.
It always freshens things up and makes 
everything look more alive.
Not to mention that it cuts down 
on weeding and watering!
We let last summer go by without putting 
new mulch in the beds, so there was quite a bit of weeding to do before this load came.



While taking a break from unloading the mulch, 
I shared with Paul a disappointment
that I have about my flowers.

The lilies have crowded out the irises.


Paul looked at me and said, "So...there are different kinds of flowers planted there?"
I looked at him and laughed and said, 
"Yes.  So when I talk about the flowers, it's like when you talk about guns and knives. 
 Like a different language?"

With that, Paul pulls out a knife.

"See this?  This is a Winchester 3-Blade Whittler.
It is a model 3971 made in 1988 with high carbon steel blades and genuine utica dark brown bone scales." 


Seconds later, Carrie comes out the front door of the house with her guitar.

"See this?  This is a Floyd Rose tremolo.
It is suspended by springs."


William, who is known for wearing his short
all year round, joins in.

"See these?  These are athletic shorts
with a 3/4 inch hem.
They are 100% Polyester."


"See these? They are peach-colored irises and lilies.
Iris plants generally have long stems and flowers with three petals that droop down and three petals that stand upright, while lilies have long, narrow leaves growing along the length of the stem and large flowers that are either single or in clusters."

And yes, the lilies are crowding out the irises.


Enjoying knowing things,

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Ready...Aim...

What a beautiful late spring evening!

The perfect evening for...


getting dressed in camo and going shooting!


Shooting has become one of my family's 
favorite pastimes.
One that Matthew and I have not even tried.
Yet.


So off we go to our county's conservation club!


Now here are some people who seem to know what they're doing...



Can you see Matthew checking everything out?
Believe me...I was too.
I knew that this evening was coming for me, and I had tried to prepare myself, but I was still pretty nervous.


Prep work...




All set.


Paul knew that he needed to fill me in on everything.
I think the most important question I had answered was, 
"Where's the safety?"


Me!
Holding a gun!
I was sweating bullets!
:)




O.K., now.
This is pretty cool!
I can see what you guys love about this.





Carrie has already been shooting with the boys a couple times before.
She just needed a little brushing up,
 and she was ready to go.





There's just something about seeing my little girl holding a weapon that gives me great satisfaction.
Call me crazy.


William has been to the range almost every time that Paul has been, so all he needed were some reminders on safety and he was off.






I do believe that this young man is ready 
to try out some hunting.
I have a feeling that there will be a day in the near future when I will just have to try a bite of his deer sausage.
Ugh.
Love makes you do crazy things.


Matthew didn't touch a gun, but he enjoyed collecting shells that he found in the gravel.


And being silly.
As usual.






Ready Josh?


Paul took Josh shooting once before.
I think that since then, Josh asks Paul every evening, "Wanna go shooting?"
That's how we got here this evening....
that simple question from the mouth of our six-year old.



If you're wondering right about now if this made me completely nervous...
Yes.
Totally and completely.





You can't see the fire in this picture, 
but where there's smoke there's fire...


Time for the ladies and the small children to have a seat.






Have I told you how much I love this man?
And how much I love his love for his family?
And how much I love that he has a hobby that he enjoys and wants to share with us?


I found out on this pretty spring evening that 
I enjoy shooting.
I found out that guns don't have to be scary...as long as everyone is paying attention at all times.
I found out that this is going to be something that my family will enjoy doing together for a long time.


I also found out that the 20 minute drive home, listening to my family talk, is pretty cool too.

Enjoying my husband's hobby...which is becoming mine,