slip-n-slide

yesterday afternoon i partially unfurled the big tarp i got for the root cellar moisture barrier. it is huge 48' by 20'. the kids were outside playing in the sprinkler and decided that we needed an ozark slip-n-slide. the kids were naked, sorry no pictures. they had a blast kassi was scared at first but i eventually grabbed a piece of soft rope and slowly pulled her down hill at a slow speed. she warmed up to the idea very quickly and soon both kids were careening at break-neck-speed down our sloping back yard. i'll use remaining HUGE piece of the tarp as a temporary roof for the milking barn, fountain pond liner, hay-bale tarp and possibly a liner for a homemade solar storage tank.
tristan came down with some flue last night, fever, aches and pains, and headache. the poor boy. it has been so hot here that the afternoons are better left to sitting in the shade with a huge iced tea and sweating--or careening down a slip-n-slide.
the battle of the organic garden continues. we have had several visitors--you can see our garden from the road. everyone had said "you can't grow tomatoes without seven dust" and "how much top soil did you get hauled in?" our response has been "NONE and we are gonna give organic gardening a try."
we have spent a fortune on soaker hoses. they are so great. i can't imagine watering without them. we have a huge surplus of tomato plants in case organic yields are low. if they are not low we'll be canning like crazy. salsa, tomato sauce, whole tomatoes and tomato paste. we are also going to attempt ketchup and maybe sell some of them at a little stand. our road has plenty of traffic to support a little stand but we have had a few creepy visitors so we might take them to the weekly farmers market the next town over.
cousin bruce has offered us some canning jars but we have to empty them of their ancient contents first. our compost bin will love having the nutrients. i'll have to add extra hay to the process to balance the new influx of green matter. my second batch of compost is almost ready and my bin system is already over loaded. maybe i'll start another pile just for the new addition. this will keep my compost system from bursting at the seams.
the bean arch is coming on--there are several runners that have reached the top (8 feet high). the squash and pumpkins are huge. we have been eating new potatoes. i'll take photos of the garden this afternoon.
tabitha has several friends that i read their blogs. i feel self conscious about posting--so i hardly ever do. and yesterday was a prime example but i would like to make one statement and put it out there. children are a combination of the two parents not only genetically but socially--especially strong character traits. if something about your spouse troubles you to the core you should be able to discuss it and address it, otherwise your children will adopt compensating roles or similar traits. i relish the idea that my kids turn out like tabitha and i--or not. kids are their own person and can rise above adversity but should they needlessly have too?