Garden Room - Update

Since I live in Mosquitoville, I decided to take the plunge and screen off my backporch! Boy am I glad I did! You wouldn't think a mere 6' by 12' backporch would be THAT big of a difference in living space, but it is. I was able to not only fit in some shelves, but also a huge buffet sized foldup table with folding chairs. Now my family can actually enjoy the outdoors without the mosquitos running us off.

Last year at this time, my daughter and I were recuperating from jetlag. We had returned from our backpacking trip from the Middle East. So this year, we are getting an earlier start on the gardening! For starter plants, we got blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes, bellpeppers, hotpeppers, squash, asparagus, herbs, and a variety of flowers.

From seed, I've started several varieties of lettuce, spinach, green onions, radishes, beans, and Swiss Chard indoors. Right now, I'm doing a lot of research on INDOOR gardening. As you can see, the plants are stretching for sunshine. But I think it will work out just fine as the porch stays nice and bright and there's full sunshine midday.

After painting my backporch a lovely olive green, we used the leftover paint (green/yellow) to decorate the cinder blocks, and the shelves made from picket fence. Surviving through winter, I also have several varieties of onions, and carrots that I had planted last year.

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~For those who have asked, and are curious, I do have an update on our upcoming RETURN TRIP to the Middle East:

My daughter and I had joined WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and had made contact with a host family we had selected in Israel. We were excited as this family had kids and lived by the ocean. We were looking forward to spending about 2 months with the family and in Jerusalem.

Due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East, we decided to delay purchasing our plane tickets till the last minute. Unfortunately, this wait has caused our tickets to jump an additional $800. Gas prices are soaring! We're hoping that the prices will drop and things will settle down...

I'm forever reminded of our experience in Jerusalem last year when I overheard a reporter ask our waiter, "Do you think Jews, Arabs, and Christians can live peacably among one another?"

I never heard his answer as we had already paid and were walking away, but a few hours later, I sat on the Mount of Olives with my daughter and listened to the gunshots and fighting.

Praying for peace in the Middle East, and lower gas prices!

DOLL VACUUM COVER

My most recent project is the pioneer doll vacuum cover. This is 100% handsewn. No sewing machine, no serger. Just wanted to create something with a simple needle and thread - which I find very relaxing.



Online at www.ozcrafts.com/country04.html you'll find several varieties of doll vacuum covers to choose from. The pattern I had used is Sweet Suzanne. Not wanting to paint her face, I decided to go with the primitive look and leave it at that.

For bonnet, I used a child's size pattern.

Now, no more ugly vacuum cleaner to take up space!

Volunteer Tourism

Cambodia

Integrating our world travels as part of homeschooling, you can only imagine my delight to have discovered, GoEco! Thank you, Darlene!

GoEco is an Israeli based company that allows people the opportunity to travel the world as volunteers.

For myself, I'm always looking for opportunities to travel as a family. After all, this is why I'm traveling to begin with. Education.

Through the GoEco website - www.goeco.org/ You can click a link for volunteer opportunities that allow FAMILIES.

Two of them that caught my attention was the family Kibbutz in Israel, and the medical aid in Cambodia. We're hoping to volunteer with GoEco in October 2011, after our return from Jerusalem.

Basically, all you're responsible for are your plane tickets, and in some cases, transportation to the site from the airport. Although some programs will have a rep meet you upon arrival. The fees for each projects are different, but usually include room and board, living with other international volunteers, meeting the locals, learning their customs, languages, and working side by side.

Kibbutz in Israel

This morning, a rep from GoEco called me from Tel Aviv. She was able to answer a lot of my questions. She explained that they periodically update their website, so if you're interested in volunteering abroad, keep checking back! I know I plan to!