The Organic Life of an Alabama Gypsy: "Winter, Spring...and Somewhere in Between..."

WOW! I am really making progress with editing photographs!
Feels Grrreat!

*BIG, BIG, BIG SMILE*

Okay, so my latest folder of "randoms" contained photos of winter, spring...and somewhere in between...year 2012-13? They were taken about 4.5 years ago...around the same time I met my man, Keen! This time frame is before Zipp was born...oh yeah, I have a 2 y/o! Yep, you read that right...I am 49 and I gave birth 2 years ago at 47 to a beautiful angel (sometimes lil' devil) Zipp Zoom Zero! Again...you read that right...Zipp is what we call him! Talk about an original name, huh?!!! *wink* I haven't posted pictures of him yet, but I will at some point! Depends on what my computer gives to me as I randomly open each folder on my desktop! He is a sweetie and I cant wait to brag about him! I am a Mother of a 26, 23, 12 and 2 y/o(s)...!

Whoosh! I have been busy!

So...Winter: The following pictures were taken one winter here in Sweet Home Alabama at my house...in my front yard...my old truck...myself and Cooper, my (then) 9 year old son...8? I cant do math in my head? Anyway, it NEVER snows here...so when it DID, Cooper was ECSTATIC! It didn't snow for long, but long enough for he and I to get out in it and play! I didn't take very many pictures so that tells me that my batteries probably died...?...or I was too busy playing in the snow! Either, or...here is what I have...proof that it in fact CAN snow in Alabama! It hasn't snowed since then...*sad face*...or at least not in ((my)) yard!

Oh...hey...BTW...I want to warn you ahead of time...you are about to witness a very happy 9 y/o little boy's face (giving you a smile alert)...and a freeeeeezing old truck (poor old gal, I know how she feels...Ha!)...and snoooow in Alabama...all miracles...thought I would give you a heads up...yep-yepper...

Here we go...

Amazing right!!!? The snow was Kewl tooo...HeeHee! Sorry, I am cheezy...I know! If Cooper were here he would roll his eyes...Nah...he loves the cheezy attention Mom gives him...even if he says he doesn't, I know deep down inside he does...HA!! Oh...just so you know...Cooper is now 12...*smile*

Next...lets jump into Spring: This was the Spring that Cooper and I moved to the school...aka...compound! The year was 2013 and Keen's first real garden...that LIVED! Ha! Lets see...yeah...I had decided to Homeschool Cooper at this point and our family garden was a homework assignment! The pots were there from the previous Spring when Keen and I started gardening at midnight! We called it "midnight gardening"...so actually, the midnight-garden would have been Keens first garden, but Cooper and I werent living with him at the time...and he forgot to water it so it died! Anyway...it doesnt really matter, but Cooper and I needed to pull out the weeds in our pots to make way for our new garden! I asked Cooper to photograph our progress for his homeschooling report! The subject was "Potted Gardening"...one of my favorite things to do/have! He did a great job with the photos...after he figured out how to hold the camera still...heehee! Have a look for yourself...

BEFORE WEEDING:

AFTER WEEDING:

Looks much nicer...next, we lined the bed and got ready for the straw...

NOTE: Okay...I use black plastic, not landscaping cloth! I have never had any luck with weed control using that stuff (landscaping cloth) but I have had tremendous weed control action with the black plastic...use black, not clear or white...sun doesn't shine through the black...does shine through the clear/white...weeds don't grow where there is no light...do grow where there is light! A little tip!

Anyway...after laying down the plastic it was time for pine-straw...

BEAUTIMUS!!!

Cooper taking a break! See through the eyes of a 9 y/o...wonder what he was thinking?

(Notice that Cooper was sitting in a wheel barrel ~~> above <~~ while he took pictures...nice!)

The day is done...nice...

I snagged pictures (from another file-I cheated) of our 2014 garden!!! Amazing how much food you can grow in a small space! Same pots...same space...same amount of food every year!!! Compared to how much you receive (food, seeds and therapy) to how little time it takes to start a garden and grow food...gardening is a gift that gives back so much more than you would expect!!! *smile*

FLASH FORWARD: Our 2014 potted garden (below)...! I did not find pictures of our 2013 garden (pictured above)...

2016 Fall Garden: Made with love...*smile*

Yummy, yum-yum...!!!

The pictures below were taken after we finished planting our potted garden! This van was completely filled with junk! It had been sitting there (and still is) for years! We had decided that we were/are going to convert this broken down van into a mini apartment for Cooper for when he is older! We have plans of dragging it closer to the house...building a deck around it and on the top...painting it...furnishing it with all the essentials and plug 'er in! That sound FANTASTIC to me...I'm a little jealous to be honest! He LOVES the idea and is looking forward to when it in-fact takes place! I had just found out I was pregnant with Zipp at the time of the van cleanup...so the pregnancy put a delay on progress with the project! Bummer about the delay, but not about the pregnancy! But we still plan on completing it sooner than later! We have a few years to make it happen...since Copper is only 12! *wink*

I'm not really sure what this sticker means??? I'm scared, actually!!! Ha!

Um...Cooper...you missed!!!

There ya go!!! Hello...Mom here!

Mr. Kitty wanting to help!!!

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN: I am not sure when the following pictures were taken? But, they were in the same file as the others...so here we go!!! These pix were taken by Cooper! He, myself and our dog, Maya (no longer with us), were playing on the bed watching a movie! A little "son, Mother and dog time" never hurt anyone...the three of us...in the bed...wrestling while watching a movie and taking pictures!!! What a sight!!! HeeHee! I am guessing these pictures were taken between the time Cooper started back to school for the Fall right and before I withdrew him from public school...started Homeschooling...and eventually moving in with my fiance' Keen...sooooooo, 2012-13...sometime around then...