Brent asked me this past week why grownups have to do boring things all the time, annoyed at all my leaf raking and weeding. It was getting late into the afternoon, and he was more interested in hiding from the sun and playing video games than finding something to do in the yard. Both of the boys wear down quickly outside when it's warm. They hit the door running and don't stop for 20 minutes, tearing across the yards and skipping from the front to the back in search of mischief. Then, red-faced and sweaty, proclaim that they are ready to go in.

We have been forcing them to watch the Life series that the Discovery Channel produced this year as part of 'studies', and they tend to fluctuate at fascination with learning about all the animals, to not wanting to go outside with all the danger lurking at every corner. For awhile it was Alex and a fear of bumblebees, so we worked on that issue. Brent is more concerned about larger animals like wolves or lions stalking him as he kicks a soccer ball. But though some parts of Life are hard to watch, it is such a wonderful depiction of the natural wonders all around us, plant and animal alike, and the boys are learning a lot from it.

This past weekend, mimicking a large bird that carried bones high and then dropped them on rocks to splinter them, both the boys spent hours carrying walnuts up the stairs and then shouting "bombs away!" as they launched them to the ground below. I don't think any of the outer casings broke as hoped, but they repeated until they couldn't make another trip.

And I've been forced to share some of my pots and dirt, as they've been busy planting trees everywhere. They both have a pot with about 50 maple helicopters scattered throughout, and many more little mounds scattered around the yard, begging us not to run any of their trees over when we mow the grass. Anything they can find, they plant somewhere. Except when I ask them to help me plant seeds in the gardens, and then they cry of torture. It's no fun if you HAVE to do it, I guess.

So they may be bored of having to find things to do outside so much lately, but I'm so happy with everything that's being accomplished so far this year in the gardens and the yard. And hopefully one day they will appreciate the things they've learned, especially the ones they can't make an App for :)

And now for the random updates:

Lettuce is thriving!

The potatoes have come up strong already.

Brent's cherry tomato

Alex's strawberry patch.

One of the few seeds in the greenhouse that has sprouted. This and two other sage sprouts are doing well.

Spinach

My indispensable friends

And a few other sprigs of spring happiness!