It's that time of year again! Time to raise money for camp. This year there are three children going, so that is expensive! It's too early to sell raspberry plants, like last year, so right now Anna is digging up my tiger lilies to sell for $2 each. We'll see how that goes.

Sorry it's been a while since I've blogged. I feel like I've never recovered since my fever two weeks ago. I had to jump back into schedule so quickly that I didn't have time to get my strength back. I guess it's a mixture of middle age and low blood pressure.Anyhow, we've been busy. I've got a hodgepodge collection of pictures as well as updating, so here goes. When my American Cowboy magazine comes each month, I always enjoy the one-page recipe section. This issue had two recipes to try, so this afternoon I made the first one. This is called Triple Diamond Veggie Rolls. They were delicious. I used tofutti cream cheese and omitted the cheddar cheese (only become I just plumb forgot!). This is a keeper recipe...but for now on I will use my healthy sourdough bread recipe instead of the crescent rolls.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get to make the second recipe...a borderline pie!

Anna has been getting up early to go babysit darling Clara, daughter of our violin teacher. Anna loves babysitting Clara! I enjoy having Anna come home and telling us all of Clara's funny moments.

I think it is funny that Clara doesn't like Anna to play the piano...but enjoys her singing!

Last Thursday evening, my five youngest children and I piled into our van and headed to Virginia. We left around dusk and drove through amish buggy country to get to the Potomac River Bridge. It was dangerous! The road is curvy and hilly...and it's hard to see those buggies until you are right behind them!

Mike drove down later with Dad's truck and trailer. Yes, my parents have sold their VA home, and we had to bring home everything but the kitchen sink...or so it seemed. My nephew, Dustin, was a huge help. He brought his boss' trailer and we packed it full.

Here's Dustin...gotta get a picture for his Momma! It's hard to get a picture of someone who never stops working!

Dad gave up his spot on the pier in exchange for his spot on the front porch. It was a sad weekend for us...we have lots of great memories here.

A few weeks ago, my mother started sending emails to all our families listing every piece of furniture, as well as all the kitchen stuff, etc. We would give our requests to Mom...and then she'd send updated emails. It's been quite the event!

There was much furniture...6 bedrooms full and two living rooms and kitchens full. It seemed like we gave mattresses to all our friends and family. Mike and I got a complete bedroom set, a sofa set for our upstairs family room, a dresser for Allen, and single beds for Lizzie and Ruthie. Feels like Christmas!

You can see the cottage next door...it was like moving two complete households! Dustin went back down the next day and did another full day's work. I think they got everything but the oysters in the river. (I mean this literally...Dad had hundreds of oysters growing in cages. He brought them home and we put them in Mike's brother's river.)

We didn't caravan home. We left early...trying to beat the rainstorms that waited until the next day to come. Here's Dustin's truck all ready to go.

Here's a closeup...you can see he was packed full!

Fortunately the drive home is mostly rural...since we had to stop three times to tuck everything back in.

Dustin and my parents didn't take long to catch up to us.

I was looking for the bison farm that we usually pass...but according to the website, they no longer exist. This economy is starting to affect most everyone.

Unloading at Mom and Dad's home in Maryland. Their friend Harry was there to help us. A one-man relief crew. Our friend John Deere also helped. Mom said she'll wait awhile and then start trying to give away more stuff. Now their upstairs bedrooms are full of VA stuff and TX stuff!

Lizzie made a tough decision this week to give away her goats. She realized pollen season is right around the corner, and she enjoys breathing well. We got these goats from freecycle.org and we gave them away on freecycle.

The family who adopted Billy and Nanny are wonderful folks...and live next door to a friend of ours. The new owner has been wonderful about keeping us updated. I love freecycle and all the wonderful friends we've met!

Speaking of wonderful freecycle friends...today we met another woman, Dana, when she came to pick up a mattress set. Dana owns a duck farm...something Allen is very interested in starting. Check out Dana's website and blog here. We had a fun hour talking with Dana...and she's agreed to come back for dinner so we can ask her more questions! Thanks so much, Dana.

Maggie's 21st birthday came in the midst of all the moving, so tonight we are having my parents over for dinner and birthday cake. I have an Indonesian Beggar's Chicken baking in the clay pot. It smells sooo good! Maggie made a steamed cake from a new recipe, so I gotta remember to save room for that:-)

I'm expecting my order of seed potatoes and fingerlings to show up anyday. Then the gardening season will begin in earnest. Our county was in a drought with a 3" deficit...but yesterday we got 3" of rain...so I think we're even. Today's high was barely 50 degrees, so I'm looking forward to the weather warming up.

Hope everyone is as excited about spring as I am. Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend. Many blessings ~ Kathie