Overdue Update

It's been way too long since I've taken the time to update this blog.  Shame on me.
A lot has happened in our neck of the woods in the past couple months, I shall try to be brief...so hang on...

Rick and I celebrated 20 wonderful years of marriage with a "no-kids" camping trip this summer to Bon Echo.  The kids were sincerely concerned that we would not be able to manage setting up camp without their help and muscles, but we managed just fine by ourselves.  It's amazing what you can do when you stand on a picnic table! That being said, I certainly missed their dish-washing skills...

Everyone is back into the swing of things in the school department.  Amber (gr.12), Taylor (gr.10) and Levi (gr.9) are diligently working at their particular subject areas for their first term at King's, and the girls are also back on the basketball court.  I've had the opportunity to watch a few games, and they are off to a nice start!

 I think this was Amber's 14pt game...she was tearing up the court...even impressed Coach Stewart with her left-handed lay-up...Gotta admit that it was so smooth I didn't even notice it was her left hand...

Rick and Amber celebrated birthdays in September...Sorry, no candles for Rick...

David (gr.5) and Rick (Mr. Princi"pal") are the only Schenkies left at Trinity, so David has a lot of responsibility being the only child who can keep an eye on daddy at school.  It's a lot of pressure, but he seems to be up for the challenge.  Our young man David is once again busy training for cross-country...he has his first X-country meet this week.

I am busy teaching/directing/herding 20 beautiful JK students three days a week.  It has been a steep learning curve for both the kids and myself.  Every day I seem to throw some plans out the window, or save things for another day, because you just never know what might go down in a day in JK!  I am having lots of fun, and God has blessed me with great health and a voice that has kept up with the all-day chatter.  I have two wonderful ladies who help out in the class as well, and they are a wonderful blessing!

Now I need to give my house a little attention...for some reason the house still doesn't clean itself...

Location, Location, Location

It is common knowledge to those who have even a shadow of a shade of a green thumb, that the proper location of flowers is vital to their thriving...

This is the first year I have had anything in the begonia family at my home, and I have been learning the hard way that they really prefer not to have too much sunshine.  Well, it has taken some trial and error, but I think I have found the perfect place for my hanging basket.  It looks amazing right now and the giant pink blooms are gorgeous.  Here are a few pics so you can see what I mean...

I designed my own planter boxes and wicker hanging basket this year.  All the plants are from Zomer's Geenhouses where I am working.  Lovely to have so much variety at your fingertips...

One final gardening note:

I think I told Rick that my idea to solve my "weeding around the rose bush" woes was going to be to buy some baltic ivy to grow all around under the front window and around the rose bush so I wouldn't have to pull weeds by it any more.  However, I never really got to fulfill that plan...

I weeded the garden after work yesterday, and I was attempting for the second time to weed around our last standing rose bush. (Rick dug the other one out last summer.) There were some giant dandelions growing around it and last time I tried to weed around it I quit after getting a wonderful big scratch down my arm. So, let's just say this last attack by the bush was the final straw.  It got me in the leg! I'm sorry to say that I lost it after that. Rick was busy cutting grass in the backyard, so I didn't even wait for his help.  I went at it with the shovel and it is no longer in my garden. What a satisfying moment to grab it by the roots and throw it into the grass.  It lived a beautiful long life, but this gardener is not going to miss it.

Another crucial aspect of my gardening philosophy is...if you don't like it...either pull it up or DIG IT OUT!

Guess I don't need to buy that baltic ivy.  Then again, I might just put some under there anyways...