We're BACK!!!

Hi Everyone,

As you might have noticed, the funny farmers have been long gone from the virtual farm. We had a sad year last year as both my parents passed away within a few months of each other. We needed time to be nonfunny for awhile, but now the year has turned, the sun has finally reached Seattle, and the garden is in full bloom.

So what's up with the funny farmers?

The big news is Ari graduated from college with her Associates degree in arts and science, with a concentration in anthropology, last night. She was so excited at the commencement ceremony! And today, she received her acceptance letter into the University of Washington Anthropology Program. She was ecstatic! It seems like just yesterday she was the smiling Buddha baby in my arms.

Alex is about to become a Senior his high school. He is enjoying the challenge of the International Baccalaureate program and is busy checking out colleges to see where he would like to go after graduation. In April, we took a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, so he could check out Stanford. What does he want to be? At the moment, it's a toss up between an eco-green architect and a medical illustrator. And speaking of this baby, my cuddly teddy bear boy is now taller than me by a few inches.

Anni has caught up to Ari in height. She has had a busy year working on all her goals and many, many activities. Her latest passions are art, baseball, and cooking. She's been learning and growing  with a great crew of folks all year and continues to make many gains. This summer, she's doing yoga, swimming, and going to cooking camp. Anni is also the funny farm energy monitor and recycling goddess.

David continues to go to college. He only needs a few more classes and he'll be the next college graduate the family. He's very interested in sustainable business practices.  I'm busy from dawn to midnight, keeping the place from falling down. I also joined a local yoga studio and gym to keep fit,and as always, I continue to write lots of stories and dance. In my spare time, I'm learning all about herbal medicine (as I sit sipping elderberry tea).

Once again we've expanded the organic garden and are currently growing 92 different varieties of fruits, veggies, and flowers. This year, we're interspersing the flowers all around the veg to encourage lots of bee activity. After a winter break, our chickens  became inspired and started laying eggs again. Henrietta and Claudette are getting on; so we hope to add a couple of younger birds to the coop over the summer. Barkley, the wonder dog, continues to keep the garden free of squirrels and most crows. Alchemy, the cat, sits and gives him disapproving looks from the deck. Bubbles, the fish, could care less.

Speaking of summer, we've also begun the season of home improvements. Or geriatric refrigerator has been slowly dying for the past few months. On Monday, the new one finally arrives, yahooooooooey! Then, it's painting season! And eventually, we really, really, really have to clean out the garage. Do we really have to! I don't want to! No, no, you can't make me! We'll I guess I'll have to force myself. Someone out there probably can use some those things we're not, and it'll save resources. It's not easy being green.

Pictures to come!