Parker

I make lentils now and then, and this time I guess I used a little too much heat in the spice.  Mimi was asking for milk, Yoda was avoiding it all together and Parker was taking dinner kinda slow. 
Me, "what's going on?"
Parker, "this is like, not mild"

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Greg introduced Monty Python's Holy Grail to Parker and for a few weeks he was galloping everywhere.  As I stood in the neighbor's yard, Parker started galloping in.  A friend of the neighbor, who did not know Parker, took one look at him and said, "um, there's a teenager galloping in towards you"
Neighbor, who knows how harmless Parker is, "yup, that's Parker, he's great!"

Eagle

Parker took on an Eagle project this past year.  He didn't know what he wanted to do, but he knew he wanted to do something outdoors and at a place he loved.  He asked at a few places and then finally decided to ask at our elementary school.  He offered a few ideas, but his 4th grade science teacher asked if he'd like to do a pollinator garden in the school's flower beds.  He was interested and felt like he finally found his project.

Here is the before.  

In the past it had been a "sensory garden".  A teacher long ago had planted plants that smelled, looked, and felt interesting.  Lots of them were herbs so the students could even eat them.  But that teacher left, and since the garden is slightly hidden by this brick wall, it was a little forgotten.  A self-propagating, pollinator garden seemed like a good fit. 

One day last fall we went in and tore out some of the weeds and leaves. 

We even got some helpers from the troop.

Over the winter Parker spent hours and hours researching plants that would work in the garden.  They had to be perennials, attractive to pollinators, deer resistant, drought tolerant, etc.

He also worked hard to find a greenhouse to donate flowers.  This was not easy.  He knew he had some donations from family and friends, but we needed a few hundred.  One store was willing to give him 50% off anything he bought and the PTA was willing to donate some funds, but he kept looking and found a greenhouse willing to donate a bunch of plants.  He also ended up working there and learning more about plants as a bonus. 

Fast forward to Spring and it was time to plant!

Getting the flowers from the Greenhouse.  Thumbs up!

Loading the van with all the goodies. 

Preparing the soil with a tiller donated by a tool rental company.

Here's Parker directing the work to be completed. 

How did Parker feel about all this?  SO TIRED!

End of the day!  So tired and sweaty and happy with the results! 

Stats:

2 flower beds 

400 sq ft

200+ plants

dozens of bulbs

lots of seeds

40 bags of dirt

water bottles

granola bars

pizza

20 volunteers

and one little snake

Now all that's left is the paperwork! 

Mimi is smart

Mimi recently had her worst allergy attack, but it still didn't seem as bad some people suffer.
Mimi, "why is my eye watering?"
Me, "you have mild, seasonal allergies"
Mimi, "Mild?"

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While watching Little House on the Prairie, Mimi saw a female character plowing a field, "She should just wear some of the men's clothes."

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And here's Yoda reading in the backyard...

On the walk home from school