Tuesday, 19 April 2011

Embracing the dandelions

Yesterday I posted about the Dandelions in our garden. I was really getting stressed by them and yesterday I spent almost two hours weeding. Two comments on my post made me stop and think, I have a really great space to use, yet I mostly go in just to weed!
It's not surprising we have so many weeds, when we've added almost 4 tons of manure to the garden.
So today we learnt how to love the dandelions. Again we spent two hours in the garden, but first we made dandelion crowns...
Very bridge to Terabithia!
And then the kids had some fun game involving the dandelion queen.
Rosie flower arranging with dandelions!
We had to feed a few dandelions to the chickens!

Geoff put down some wood, so he could bring up some more manure in the wheelbarrow, and Rosie-anna had a great time balancing and climbing. Would I have let my first child do this, NO WAY!
All kids happy, I got to PLANT some bulbs, no weeding, actual planting. I also planted some Strawberry seeds too.
Jemima has learnt how to do wild spinning on the rope swing.
Not playtime for everyone, Geoff sorted out the compost heaps.
and more compost heaps
Time for bath and bed for Reuben and Rosanna. A last look at the sky and Reuben spots a spud gun! I don't know why I worry that he doesn't see enough boys. Geoff took R&R back to the house and I got to stay in the garden alone. A few months ago I was tandem breast feeding R&R and would have had to get them both to sleep. But two bouts of mastitis, the second really nasty, put an end to it. I'm still breast feeding Rosanna, but I no longer get her to sleep by feeding.

It was so nice to potter around by myself, to hear the chickens and other birds and the horses in the next field.
Yesterday I'd not noticed these blue flowers(Irises?)
Time to watch and enjoy the garden.
Quality time with my girls too!

So thankyou to the two comments on my previous post, today we've learnt to love dandelions!

But maybe when I'm older and the kids have grown up, I'll have a weed free garden. That is, unless I'm home educated the grand children!


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11 comments:

  1. Kelly19 April 2011 at 16:04

    Such a lot of activity and fun and games in your garden today ...and lots of weeding too!! Have you tried making dandelion biscuits and also tearing the stems and popping them in a bowl of water then watch them spiral. If you look on my blog on the right column there is a dandelion link which gives the cookie recipe and the spiral science experiment. Both are great fun! It looks like we'll have this beautiful weather for the next couple of days, enjoy all your garden activity!
    Best wishes and enjoy the sun!

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  2. Elise20 April 2011 at 00:32

    Hi Bec, it all looks so lovely in your garden I can't wait to see it. The girls and you and Reuben look beautiful in your dandelion headresses!
    Zoe x
    ps. Think I will have to take a look at Kelly's spiral science experiment, sounds fun!

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  3. devonmama20 April 2011 at 03:25

    The crowns are great! You can make a dandilion syrup too, tastes like honey apparently (I'm yet to try this)!

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  4. 4kids, 2 guinea pigs, 1 happy family20 April 2011 at 11:41

    Hi, thanks for the comments. We made crowns again today!

    Jemima was aking if we could make dandelion tea, so thanks for the suggestions.

    Thanks Kelly, i'll take a look at your blog. But first I have to prepare for my son's 4th birthday!
    Bec x

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  5. Claire20 April 2011 at 12:48

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog. Your family looks lovely, seems to be quite a few families with four children out here in blogland!

    I'm planning on sending the children out foraging for dandelions tomorrow to make dandelion cordial.

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  6. 4kids, 2 guinea pigs, 1 happy family20 April 2011 at 12:55

    Oh sounds like there are so many great things to make with dandelions, I almost wish I'd not fed them to the chickens and guinea pigs.

    Dandelion cordial sounds so refreshing on a hot day. Have fun.
    x

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  7. Anonymous29 April 2011 at 20:07

    What a great day when you take time to enjoy the dandelions!

    Teresa

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  8. Unknown30 April 2011 at 07:14

    Well, I love your post on Dandelions'... It appears from your wonderful photos that you've made fast friends of them... Thank you for this today!
    Deb

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  9. 4kids, 2 guinea pigs, 1 happy family6 May 2011 at 01:02

    Thanks for your lovely comments and embracing the dandelions with me!

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  10. Anonymous6 May 2011 at 01:20

    i never knew you could do so many things with
    dandelions !!the dandelion crowns are beatiful

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  11. An Almost Unschooling Mom15 May 2011 at 19:25

    We made dandelion cookies this year - and the kids loved them. There are so many things you can do with them, if they didn't sap the soil of all its nutrients, I think I'd be tempted to plant them :)

    ReplyDelete

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