Seeds, sickness and Avatar

I've been sick since Thursday night. I'm throughly convinced it's one of those uber-mega-super bugs that ravages bodies for a ridiculous long time. Max has been sick since last Monday. I caught it from him, which is what happens when a virus incubator sleeps ontop of you for three nights. And vomits on you frequently. Which is okay. It's what mommies are for. But I'm a little disappointed that nothing much got done this three day weekend. Now, Olivia isn't feeling well. And so the cycle begins.

Before all this illness began I did order a Hydrofarm JSV2 2-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System to start some indoor seeds. I did an experiment with snap peas a few months back. One set of peas grew indoors, another outside. The indoor ones sprouted fast but their shoots were thin and stringy. The outside peas, while taking a good extra week and a half to sprout, were thick and stalky things that actually lived to produce quite a lot of snap peas. So, I've determined I have inadequate lighting for inside sprouting/growing. I read a lot of reviews on the light and think, for the price, it was a pretty good deal.

Today, I'm going to go rummage through the recycling and pull out the myriad of yogurt containers we have sitting about. Drill a hole in the bottom of each and set up my new grow light on the top shelf of the homeschool room. I don't know if I'll get to planting today, but its a start.

There are huge holes in the garden where things have run their course or didn't sprout. I've neglected tending things since Thursday save for just a few minutes outside to water and check things out. The tomatoes can probably be harvested but the stink bugs have been at them so I'm not sure what's salvageable there. Tomatoes are going to be a greenhouse plant in the future. I know there are some banana peppers growing and a new watermellon on the trellis that needs extra support. I'll know more when I get out there.

I'm not 100% today, probably more like 45% with it, but life with kids, and on a homestead (however meager) go on. Rabbits need nails trimmed, the dog needs a bath, garden needs tending and the house needs to be cleaned. I have today "off" from schooling the kids which is just an extra day for me to get it together. I've watched more TV over the past three days then I have in the past six months. It's boring. But I did finally figure out what Avatar was all about.

Script Frenzy

I just signed up to participate in April's Script Frenzy. 30 days, 100 pages. I've never written a script before. I've never even read one. Though providence stepped in for this one. Damned if I'm not gonna listen to her.

Two days ago, while driving back from the store, something I've grown to despise, I got an idea for a movie. Well, first off it was a book idea, since that's my first resource, but I didn't think I could adequately portray what I was envisioning with words. It's hard to capture small nuances of feeling on pages. So, the idea started developing but I had no real way to get it down. A friend of mine's husband just made a movie though. Maybe I could too? Not saying it'd be any good, or even get shot (shooted?) but I could write one, yes?

Pieces of it, a scene or a piece of music that might fit, started to form in my brain during the five minute drive home.

It sat there, fermenting on the dark edges of thought. Today I got an email from Chris Baty reminding me of Script Frenzy. Huh, how funny things work in the world.

Family Movie Night

I try very hard to limit the amount of TV my kids watch and censor what they view. Though, it seems that they end up watching TV at some point each day. Usually, in the mornings while I'm trying to wake up my brain. Once a week, I get the kids, grab some grub and put on a family movie that we can all enjoy. It's become a tradition on either Friday or Saturday nights. I think it helps pass the time through the week as they try and maintain their behaivor to earn this priviledge.

Amelia sampling the offerings.

For food, it varies, though I like to make something easy and that won't make too big a mess in the livingroom. Eating in front of the TV is also part of the treat. Sometimes I'll pop up a huge bowl of air popcorn and make a fruit salad, maybe homemade pizza, other times a raw fruit, veggie and nut tray like this night. I also made a fresh loaf of herb and cheese bread which they ate with gusto.

Emmy and the food.

Olivia enraptured with Veggie Tales.

It's nice to be appreciated for the food I make and it's very nice to have this hour or two each week to settle down with my brood and cuddle and laugh and eat. I like to make this night cheap too. Staying in has just as much appeal to kids as going to the movies, even watching a movie they've seen lots of times. We do have cable, so I am able to get a movie off the free on-demand. My neighbors sometimes loan us movies we haven't seen which is always a special treat, as it comes from them. All in all, it's a really great night. They go to bed easily after the movies over and they know we'll do it again. Soon. I can't wait for Rob to come home from Iraq to share this special night with us.

Engrossed Alex.

Cordi likes dancing vegetables. With no arms. That weild swords anyway. And hover.