Tied up with String

I have been a bad, bad blogger the last few weeks. Those of you who didn't give up on me and went off in search of cooler people (or at the very least, more active) in blogdom, thank you. Fore those who did, I completely understand. I wouldn't visit me either.

I figured a photo-intensive post may make amends to those few readers left. Thankfully, I have been quite behind for SOME TIME so even though my camera has been on a restful hiatus, I still have plenty to blog. So here is to lots of pictures, few words, getting back on track, and starting fresh.

“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder

~ communion bread rising on the patio~

~ a note Corynn wrote for me. She found the poem in a book and thought I would like it.

I do. ~

~ we have had our fair share of amphibians this summer. They are caught DAILY, or so it seems.~


The children are so enthusiastic about it. The frogs? Not so much.



It even got so bad as we began RAISING them. We found newly hatched eggs. (*ahem* Sorry Mrs. Toad)

And watched them hatch. And then shortly thereafter, die.


So we caught a bunch of tadpoles. And watched them turn from tadpole to pollywog to eventual

frog.
26 of them, I believe.

Some were wee peepers. Some were larger. And yes, a few of them died as well. If there is a frog shortage this summer, it is likely due to us Newmans.

Andrew found stuff in the barns and decided to make a ducky river. Clever boy.

~ finding more STUFF in barns. Bet you wish you had your very own construction worker for hire. ~





~ painted rocks and milksnakes ~

~ a stroller hammock for a tired boy~

~ my nieces. Two of them, anyway.~


~ oops. ANOTHER. (now you understand!) ~

~ nearly bedtime~

~ a bunch of homemade pizzas from Friday Night pizza nights~

I have fully intended to document my "how many different pizzas can I make?" challenge each Friday over at my recipe blog, but haven't actually done so. And I won't even tell you how many other foods are photographed but without a typed recipe. Seems I can't manage more than one blog very well. Truth is, I can't even manage ONE blog very well these days. (Can I get an AMEN?)

For the record:

Back when we were discussing pizzas, I don't even remember when, many of you asked for my dough recipe. I haven't forgotten you. I was going to make a video for it, which is why it has taken so long. Maybe I will just put a ca-bash on the video thing and post the recipe already! Just know, I haven't forgotten you. I have just been lame. I am sorry. You will forgive me upon first bite of it, of that I am certain.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing

anything that is beautiful

for beauty is God's handwriting

- a wayside sacrament.

Welcome it in every fair face,

in every fair sky,

in every fair flower,

and thank God for it as

a cup of blessing."

*

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson~