Greetings everyone! Our email sender/builder/whatever service was having issues this morning so I hope this goes out without issue and finds you well. Some fun updates and words from everyone below so grab an afternoon iced tea and settle in. Or not. Either way, have a great weekend.
I've been waging war against this vine that grows around here. The locals have many names for it, but "kudzu of the west" is probably the most apt one I've heard. It grows fast. Spreads by roots, sucker, and seed. Will climb up and collapse trees. And seems to thrive on my suffering. I'm not a fan of herbicides, but this plant makes a case for it's use.
I realized while pulling out the 100th mile of vines that my gloves had started wearing through so the next day I went out to the ag store with my younger son to decide whether or not glove prices were high enough to justify turning my own skin into leather.
And of course we had to stop to see the baby chicks while we were there.
I feel like we were there only a week ago watching the newly hatched multicolored cotton balls run around, but I stood there with my toddler looking at what were now small chickens. The soft puffy down replaced in patches with what would be their adult plumage, and their general demeanor showing off their velociraptor heritage.
As we walked around, I saw the equine section and remembered I've always wanted to try making really big bubbles. The connection between those two things may not be immediately obvious, but years ago I learned there's a product called J-Lube which does some polymer chain magic and makes great big bubbles. I couldn't begin to tell you why this $20 bottle of powder has been standing in the way of my trying this for so long or why I never thought to look there before, but something about those chickens made me take a look and lo there it was.
And it does not disappoint. With nothing other than some water, dawn dish soap, and our newly found horse lube, we were making grapefruit sized bubbles with the little cheap wand that comes in the 50 cent bubble mix. We tried making the big rope style ones, but I think I need to be a bit more precise with the recipe for those. Or maybe the weather needs to be better.
My kids laughing, a gentle breeze blowing through the newly sprouted leaves, and those ephemeral iridescent orbs floating away in the evening light.
Then pop.
