I've Got a Daisy On My Toe

Ever since I can remember we have camped. We camp at Fallen Leaf in Lake Tahoe. Some of my best childhood memories are of camping with my mom and her family. Hiking, fishing, swimming, getting dirty, cooking smores and singing around the campfire. Those are some of the things my childhood was made of. I am so blessed to be passing the tradition to my own kids and they love it as much as I did.

Over the years my Grandparents hauled 11 children camping. Their friends the Castanso's camped with them as well. Campfire songs were a Castanso specialty and they wrote the one that we have passed down the family tree.

I've got a daisy on my toe
It's not real, it does not grow
It's just a tattoo of a flower
So I look neat taking a shower

It's on the second toe of my left foot
A stem and flower but there's no root,
cause it wouldn't look good!
I got a daisy on my toe,
my right foot loves my left foot so

This song represents a lifetime with people who mean the world to me. It reminds me of singing and laughing with my mom. It reminds me of the undying, unchanging love of my Grandma and Papa. It reminds me of my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. It is funny how a simple campfire song can bring so much emotion. So in honor of all those memories and my Grandparents and Mom, I got a daisy on toe.

Summer Fun

Winter seems endless here. I think it is because everything goes dormant and turns brown. The lack of color is hard to deal with after 4 months. Trudging out to break up frozen water troughs and hauling buckets when the water lines freeze does nothing to help either. I look so forward to Spring. I plan gardens, buy seeds, tend to my frozen boxes and wait. I look for every sign Spring might be around the corner. I start seeds in my kitchen window in eager anticipation of warmer days and tilling the soil.

Sadly, this year spring was frigid. Snow does not count as spring in my opinion. My starters, started and wilted on my sink. Buds formed on trees and promptly froze. There was no garden for me. We also ended up a few hard births, a parasite problem from all the wetness and bottle babies due to the freezing weather and mom's who were not being vigilant enough. So spring went from a celebration of new life and a time of recovery from the long hard days of winter, to dealing with sick and dying animals and a lot of hard work.
Summer was just what we needed. Pastures coming alive means less hauling of hay. Dry heat kills the parasites and helps the babies grow strong. Hoses that work mean no buckets to haul...YES!

We kicked off the summer with the annual trip to Tahoe to the family reunion. It was a smaller showing this year but that gave us more time with those who made it. My number one priority is sucking up as much time as possible with my Grandparents. They have been a rock in my life. I do not have any idea where I would be without those two amazing people. My Papa wrote a book over the last few years. "World War II Recollections Of Clarence A. Burton," was ready and my copy was waiting in Tahoe. As always a trip with family makes a summer.

Plus spending time with people who have to love you no matter what is awesome!