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strawberries

When we got back from Florida I was so excited to find that our strawberries were ready to be picked. I LOVE fresh strawberries. They are sooooo yummy. Way better than the ones from the store.
My little helper came along. He was glad to hold the basket for me.
Maybe next year he can actually help me pick the strawberries. And eat the strawberries too.
He was pretty intrigued. He only touched the basket though…not the strawberries.
 I loved how he wrapped his little feet around the basket to hold it. Look at those cute baby toes.
Would you have guessed that my strawberry patch is hiding amongst all those weeds? Not as pretty as the strawberries, huh? I love gardening. But I hate pulling weeds. Can you tell? And somehow I still get strawberries…which makes it even harder for me to want to pull weeds. Every once in a while my father-in-law shows up and pulls weeds for me. He is super nice like that. But then I feel bad because I should be pulling the weeds myself. My father-in-law and I have big plans of making raised beds in this part of the garden and replanting the strawberries for next year. I can’t wait. But I might have to be a better weed puller if we go to all that work! 
Since I took these pictures I actually got ambitious one day. I pulled lots of weeds. Lots of very tall weeds. And the next morning I woke up covered in chigger bites. It was bad. I have been itching like crazy ever since. All of those little chigger bites are reminders of why I do not like to pull weeds…I may never pull one again. Or at least next time I will be smart and wear bug spray.
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  • KK - I always get chigger bites every time our family goes camping. That explains why we haven’t been in a while. The only relief I ever got was from witch hazel & painting them over with clear nail polish. Supposedly it “smothers” them. Enjoy that precious baby boy & those strawberries. I don’t know which looks more delicious!ReplyCancel

  • Abbie - My inlaws have an awesome strawberry patch! Yum!!!ReplyCancel

  • Chad and Jody - My daughter, Jada, and I can sit and eat a whole container of them. I bet your’s are yummier.ReplyCancel

  • rentz - The chiggers do seem to be extra bad this year. I got tons of bites the other day and I usually don’t get hardly any! The little boys are covered with them too!

    We’ve been enjoying my mom’s strawberries this year. Yummy!ReplyCancel

  • Ange - We have raised bed gardens, and if you follow Mel’s Mix (the guy who created square foot gardens) to make your soil, you won’t have hardly any weeds.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Get Chigarid (sp?) at Walmart in the pharmacy section. It does provide some temporary relief but if you have access to a chlorinated pool, for some reason this really helps those nasty chigger bites!ReplyCancel

  • Micah - How fun! I’m hoping to do some raised beds myself next year! I am a chigger magnet too, so I can relate 🙁ReplyCancel

  • Lauren Kelly - Oh my word, how precious are these pics!!!! So cute!! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Megan - I love strawberries! Raised garden beds are definitely the way to go – my dad made me 3’x5′ beds. It’s easier for me to weed them, because I just tell myself I only have to work on one at a time… Good luck!ReplyCancel

  • emily - i got chiggers a few years ago picking blueberries. nothing helped, not even nail polish. someone told my mom for me to use campha phenique (cold sore medicine) and they were literally gone the next day!

    http://www.campho.comReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - The chubby foot and toes curled around the bushel basket…..it doesn’t get any cuter! Thanks so much for sharing. And my, those berries look so sweet! Do you enjoy them as is or use them in desserts?ReplyCancel

  • The Carroll's - I love how Levi wrapped his chubby little feet around the basket- My Finn whose only a month older than Levi does the same thing! So sweet. I’m so glad you get to have a summer full of baby goodness again this year!ReplyCancel

  • Kristen {a little ditty} - These pictures of Levi are too cute! I love how he is such a little chunk. What are chiggers?? Mosquitos? Never heard of those kind of bites before.ReplyCancel

  • ~Joanna - Chiggers burry into your skin (I know its gross!) and that is what causes the itch. If you shower as soon as you get in it will help knock them off before they can get in. Nail polish helps to suffocate them and kill them faster but does nothing for the itch, I used to paint hearts and flowers all around my ankles :). Chigger-Ex is something they sell here in Texas. It is the best thing I’ve found to help with the itch, campho phenique works too. Love you blog! God Bless.ReplyCancel

  • The Buchanan Family - put clear nail polish on the spots, it really helps.ReplyCancel

  • Brittany - My grandma and I use to pick strawberries together, it is such a fond memory. Levi will enjoy it too! 😉

    What kind of camera do you use? You take beautiful pictures!!!

    My little Luke (5 months too) does that with his feet, he actually does that on my arm while nursing…he’s holding on for dear life!! ha!ReplyCancel

  • Beki - TheRustedChain - Ha! You garden like I do.
    I’m jealous when I drive around out here and see all the perfectly taken care of Mennonite farms.

    I think we got our strawberries in the ground way too late this year. We just barely have red berries starting!

    You need to come see our place. You can help me pull weeds. 😉ReplyCancel

  • Heidi - I had never heard of chiggers before and I looked it up. This is what it said:
    Chiggers are the juvenile form (larvae) of a certain type of mite of the family Trombiculidae. They migrate on the skin in search of an optimal feeding area. A common myth about chiggers is that they burrow into and remain inside the skin. This is not true. Chiggers insert their feeding structures into the skin and inject enzymes that cause destruction of host tissue.

    Nail polish, alcohol, and bleach have been applied to the bites to attempt to “suffocate” or kill the chiggers. But because the chiggers are not present in the skin, these methods are not effective.

    Treatment for chigger bites is directed toward relieving the itching and inflammation. Calamine lotion and corticosteroid creams may be used to control itching. Oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), may also be used for symptom relief.

    Sounds disgusting to me! Feel better.ReplyCancel

  • Mum2twopreciousgifts - Jess

    As soon as I saw the first photo of Levi, all I could see was Cora’s face. I don’t think I’ve really noticed before how alike they are.

    God Bless you and your family. We love your blog and pray for all of you, often.

    Kind regards from Australia.

    Michelle xReplyCancel

  • flynnfamily - I learn something new all of time. I had never heard of Chigger Bites and had to google it. Fresh strawberries are the best!ReplyCancel

  • The Perfect Trio - he is such a cutie!!!

    the one time i planted strawberries i got two, yep, two, off the plant. i’ll have to try again another day…ReplyCancel

  • flynnfamily - I learn something new all of time. I had never heard of Chigger Bites and had to google it. Fresh strawberries are the best!ReplyCancel

  • sassy - I love berries too but what is a chigger, it sounds too cute to be bad!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Yummy yummy stawberries..wish I had a strawberry patch even with the weeds 🙂 Love that cute little chubby foot….hope not to have ANY chigger bites this year…yuk yuk…
    Thanks for sharing!

    KimReplyCancel

  • meg duerksen - this makes me feel like i want to be a gardener….of produce! not just flowers. talking about raised beds and all that.
    i wish i had fresh strawberries!

    my biggest plan of the summer is to not get bug bites.
    i am semi-succeeding.
    i put bug spray on everytime i walk outside.
    i have already used an entire can of off.
    on me!ReplyCancel

  • Lexie Loo & Dylan Too - Those pictures are so cute! I hope you enjoyed your yummy strawberries!ReplyCancel

  • Blessing Counter - Oh, I love the little toes and the strawberry pictures…so sweet! Enjoy every sweet bite — of the strawberries and the sweet little toes!! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Melissa - I absolutely love seeing your updates and seeing your little man grow up! I’ve been following your story for quite some time. I have a 6 month old baby girl who is very big like Levi 🙂
    Thank you for sharing your stories with us! He is SO cute!!ReplyCancel

  • Stef - you live in a gorgeous area! And I can’t believe I’m saying that, since I live in Washington State and love huge trees, big mountains and the ocean… but still… you do live on gorgeous property 🙂

    I also loved how his feet were wrapped around the basket like a little monkey – super cute!
    What a great way to welcome in the summer time!ReplyCancel