Ooo-di-la-ly golly what a day.

We were up early and out the door for Centerville's garage sales.  Every year I think I'm going to find some spectacular things, just cus there's four pages of sales listed.  And each year I'm disappointed.  Note to self: don't get up early for these sales!  With three kids!  What you want won't be there anymore, because all those retirees get to them first.  Yeah, just wait till I'm 60.

I guess I'm just deceived because despite the huge list, Centerville is a pretty big area! Lots of driving and mapping, and turning around, and well, you get the picture.  I'll stick to my obscure Kettering/Oakwood sales for those rare items and killer deals.  And just wait till Sat. when Dan can go with me!

I did find some nice things, though, and hung out with a friend in Centerville (having a sale) which gave the kids a great break from the car.

But the highlight of my day was scurrying out to the garden after the kids went to bed.  They were in bed promptly at eight, with no statements like "But it's not even dark yet."  I left Sam in the house with Dan, and proceeded to plant melons, pumpkin, onions and just look.  I love how our garden is turning out.  I want to post another picture already.  I added marigolds, and it really makes it look alive.

I'm just so content in the back yard in the cool evening.  I love looking at all the goodies we're growing and the beauty of the flowers.  I never knew I'd love it all this much.  I feel so blessed!  I remember back to the potted flowers I grew on our front porch when I was probably a senior in high school.  I loved it back then.  I loved especially my hanging basket of lobelia.  Those dark blue-purple flowers that just cascade in abundence over the basket's edge...I just love that.  But I was limited to pots then.  That's why I say I'm blessed.  I never thought I'd have so much space to work with, and it would bring so much contentment and joy.

I love that Dan is working on our outdoor projects, too.  Our latest: a rain water catcher (I'm sure there's an official name for that).  Basically, a 55 gal. barrel on the side of our house.  Dan removed the top and covered it with screen material, and put a hose spigot at the bottom.  He diverted the gutter drain to go into the top of the barrel, and put another drain at the top side of the barrel to drain the overflow back into the drain tile.  My favorite part: he attached a piece of hose from the spigot at the bottom to black tubing he ran along the fence, all the way down to the garden.  He put a spigot in the post of the fence down there, connecting it all.  Voila!  I can water my garden!!!  My gosh, is there anything that man can't do!!!  I'll have to post pics of it.  It's so cool.  

My only concern is my severely dehydrated children who seek and find any drop of water in the yard when they go out there.  I've miserably failed at trying to instill a no-water rule.  They find it, and make mud.  Or just get wet.  I'll have to be more firm and consistent about this, though.  The thing is, right now, I don't think they even know what it is!  Can we just keep it that way?   (I just know I'm going to wake up some day to Rose telling me how she got her bathing suit on and hooked up the hose and turned the water on all by herself and now she's spraying Sam and Dominic with the water, cus they like it!  Ugh!)

For tonight, cool breezes being felt and heard through the back door. Smells of fresh rain and spring.  Garden plans on one side of me, hot tea and homemade apple pie on the other. Kids all sleeping. Quiet, peace, sigh of contentment.  Life is good.