acreage renovation: a garden for brother + sister bear

This spring we decided to make a garden for our children. We were wholly inspired by “The Berenstain Bears Patience, Please” after reading it to them. They begged us to have their own garden just like Brother and Sister Bear. One that they could till, plant, weed, and water and grow whatever they wanted. Of course we had to agree to such eagerness.

We used my small corn garden for their new garden. It was south facing and the best location in our yard for one. Geoff ripped out the old and temporary fence we had around it to keep the animals out. Then the kids and I each took a shovel and spread our composted food into it. We also moved all of the rocks and heavy stones from behind the garage. This was all hard work but they did very well. Next, Geoff rototilled and worked the compost into the garden, expanding it by a lot. Finally, he built a new fence to go around it.

I spent an entire spring morning planting seeds with them. I planned it out and made all of the little holes in the dirt. They wanted corn, carrots, cucumber, sunflowers, tomatoes, snap peas, watermelon, and flowers.

The kids meticulously filled each hole with seeds. Then we watered it all. They continued to water on the days where it didn’t rain. Within a few weeks we had sprouts. From there, and with occasional weeding, we had a full (albeit somewhat messy) garden!


They are so proud of their work. I am, too! Mostly everything came up, and we snack on their snap peas daily. I hope to do this with them every year until they are no longer interested. It’s such a special and rewarding thing.

Emory

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a day in the life (two)

BeFunky_001.jpgOn October 18 2013, I published my first Day in the Life. That’s almost one year ago exactly. I love these types of posts, and I especially love when other bloggers take part in them. They’re so interesting. Even if that individual doesn’t do anything particularly interesting that day, their own take on, and how they relate to the world, is what makes it so intriguing.

I randomly chose one day last month to highlight here today. Below is a list of each event as it unfolded:

7:00 am. Get up. Take the dogs for a walk.

8:00 am. Get back, throw on clothes, pack the dogs up, and leave.

8:15 am. Drive into town.

BeFunky_002.jpg9:00 am. Arrive at the Vet College and drop of Holly for her all-day appointment. When I get back into the vehicle, I call my mum and bawl my eyes out. I return a missed call from my contractor. I’m needed at our new home, which is out of town. I start making my way out there with Truman.

BeFunky_003.jpg9:45 am. Arrive at our building site and start making decisions on lighting, electrical, appliances, fencing, decks, and anything else that my contractor needs an answer for.

10:15 am. Building inspector arrives. I introduce myself and then leave. 

PicMonkey Collage10:20 am. Drive down the street, and take Tru for a walk. I hang out on the dock for a bit while Tru plays in the water. It’s going to get up to 31°C that day, and it’s already a gorgeous morning.

BeFunky_004.jpg11:00 a.m. Head back home.

11:45 am. Get back and start making breakfast for myself and Tru. We’re starving! 

12:15 pm. Tru and I finish eating. I haven’t heard from the vet in regards to Holly, so to distract myself I clean the entire house and then get ready for work later that night. 

BeFunky_007.jpg1:45 pm. I get overly impatient, so I call the Vet College. Holly is ready to be picked up. I make the 30 minute drive into town and to the college for the second time that day. 

2:15 pm. Grab Holly, load her up, and leave to go back home. We’re both so relieved to be with one another again. 

2:45 pm. Get home, feed Holly, and take her outside for a stroll around the acreage. Once back inside, I begin to cook Geoff’s supper in addition to getting the dog’s meals together. 

3:15 pm. I finally have about an hour to myself. I use that time to start a blog post and work on my store. I’m trying to keep busy, but am having a hard time concentrating.

BeFunky_008.jpg4:15 pm. Make my final trip into town for my shift at the library. I forget to take supper.

5:00-9:00 pm. Work at the library. Later in the evening, I continue writing my blog post on my break. Working my other jobs while at work, it’s something that I’ve come to master over the past year.

9:00 pm. Finish my shift. I’m exhausted, but it’s time for the gym. First though, I have to make a quick stop at my store.

BeFunky_0010.jpg9:15 pm. Arrive at my store. Grab what I need, then head to the gym.

9:30 pm. Get to the gym and try to have a good workout.

10:15 pm. I’m too tired to do anymore. I get changed, and make the drive back home.

10:45 pm. Get home. Eat supper. Blog some more.

12:00 am. Bedtime. I’m dead. 

Not everyday of my life looks like this. For the last few months however, they have followed a similar suit. I mostly wanted to write this because up until I stopped caring, I was getting tired of my in-laws and friends complaining that they don’t see my husband or I anymore. When we tried explaining that we were busy, their response was that “everyone is busy.” Yes, to an extent. 

On this particular day my mom told me that she didn’t know how I kept it together. When she initially said that, I didn’t have a response. Now I do. I am able to keep it together because I have the support of my mom, my step-dad, my husband, my sister, my brother (via phone), and my competent contractors. If I didn’t, I know that I would have already fallen apart.

BeFunky_006.jpgWhether it’s a photographic or written hourly journal of one’s day, the A Day in the Life posts offer such an intimate portrait of that particular blogger. I challenge my readers to do the same, and then to link their publication here, to HSB! Let’s start a movement! Or at least, another take on an already established series. ;-)))

<3

Emory

potomac office musings.

1.jpg(Image via Potomac Trading Post, Ltd.)

Hello, Friday readers and fellow Pinterest enthusiasts! I wanted to share with you my inspiration behind my office space. I’ve never had an office outside of my home before, so this was a new venture for me. The space that I’m renting is full of character. It has original hardwood floors, thick baseboards, high ceilings, and crystal doorknobs. In addition, given that PTP is primarily an antique store, I had no other choice but to keep with a more vintage theme. However, I’m trying to appeal to a more masculine market, so I didn’t want doilys and other kitschy vintage items laying around. In the end I aimed for what Potomac has always instilled in my mind, images of the outdoors, the rugged, the folksy, and the imperfect, all combined in earth tones.

These are my office musings photographs:

BeFunky_06.jpg(Image via Pinterest)

01(Image via Pinterest)

BeFunky_05.jpg(Image via Pinterest)

BeFunky_02.jpg(Image via Pinterest)

BeFunky_04.jpg(Image via Pinterest)

Do you like them? Does this make you want to travel to my store and come and buy my inventory? Now’s your chance!

<3

Emory

work.

the long weekend is over, and it’s back to another full week of work. here in canada, we have to wait another full month before we have another statutory holiday! :-(

because it is monday and most of us have to get back to it, here is a song by 1,2,3 entitled “work”.

i think that the song pretty much sums up my mood.

let us hope that july goes by quickly!

happy monday, everyone. :-)

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work style.

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not every cute outfit needs to break the bank.

i am a big fan of buying several, inexpensive pieces in order to remix them with different looks.

IMG_2with the exception of my shoes, these particular items were not extremely expensive and were not high street brands. in fact, i did not pay more than $20 for each separate item. paired together though, i think that this outfit looks like it cost a pretty penny. :-) 

IMG_0888i wore a dress from london drugs, a cardigan from ebay, tights from target, and bass shoes.

IMG_0903_zpsa7cbfba4what says late spring or early summer more than polka dot tops, floral oxfords, and purple tights?

p.s. remember to check out my online store to receive a 10% discount on your first purchase with the “helloscarlettblog” code.

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  • Hello! My name is Emory. I am a wife, mother of four (three on earth in heaven). This is our life on the Canadian prairies.
    email: helloscarlettblog@outlook.com

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