After the thunderstorms rolled threw, we finally got back to some nice weather!!! Much cooler, no humidity --- just what I like. Funny how "everyone" seems happier with this weather, I guess we're just not "hot weather folks". The sunflowers this year are as pretty as always... and as you can see, the bees are very happy to have them around.
But, I must confess... I didn't plant them!!!! I did put seeds in on another patch of "garden" (which by the way - did not grow) and these beauties came up where I had planted last year. So, thanks to the birds and other critters, who, took seeds from last years plants and left them along the way.
The "patch" is as big, if not bigger than last years.. so I have pretty much decided just to leave things alone and maybe I'll have the same luck next year. I have long admitted that I am no gardener, and for me... if I just let nature and the Good Lord do their work... I am far better off!!!!!
We have a big "event' happening later this week (more to say about that later).. so today seemed to be a good day to catch up on all the things that I didn't do during the heat snap. Course the barn is always tops on the list, but barn work isn't "work" in my book. Sure there are some mornings (when it's snowing and cold) where it seems a little like a bother, but 98% of the time... I love puttering in my barn....
Ed was out on the mower, getting the lawn and such looking nice.....
And, after their big move to the coop, I have begun letting the babies out in the pen. They are having the grandest time looking around for bugs and the like. They are so funny, and like to practice "flying". The big birds have begun to take an interest in them... here's hoping I can get this flock to mell together... however, that usually isn't the case....
After Ed finished the lawn, we did tackle one very big project... Duke's stall!!!! Between the size of him, and the way the horses goof on in there.. the mats in his stall have been shifted all around. Which means, the sawdust and manure has been pushed underneath, and it's getting to be a real pain to try and clean it. So.. we pulled all the mats out.. washed them (and the stall) down, and after it dries.. we'll put them back. Let me just say, these mats are super heavy, definitely a two man job!!! But, it will be worth it, when I have to muck again.....
Now, the "event' that is coming up is in need of a tractor... and not "just any" tractor... the little "L" is being pressed into service. Sadly, it hasn't seen daylight for a long time, so after the farm chores, we pulled it out.
It's been happily sitting in a corner in the garage, and wouldn't start up for us. But, we can push it about, and Ed got her all cleaned up. There really isn't any reason why she shouldn't run, just lack of use... so Ed is hoping to putter on her this winter and get her chugging again...
But for now, it was easy to roll it out on the front lawn....
So... Abbie's papercup pumpkin is coming along nicely.... she planted this pumpkin seed at school last spring in a paper cup... as they were studying plants and planting. She came home with a beautiful plant in the little cup and asked where she could put it. I told her anywhere she wanted to... and she chose the "flower" garden along the walkway... oh well....
Now, if it had been one I tried to plant, it would have been "gone" long ago, but this silly plant has taken off, and look at the nice little pumpkin she has coming!!!! She has decided that she will pick it on her birthday in October and it will be her Halloween pumpkin.....
I have promised not to touch it, and only look at it to make sure it doesn't need water!!!!!
The horses were out and about, enjoying the last of the grass and the cooler temps.....(this is Duke)....
and Tonka..... I really need to make some time and do some driving this fall. I'm not so sure "what" I have been so busy doing... but it would seem I just haven't had any driving time!!!!
And the big guinea birds had some plan in their heads... thought who knows what guinea hens think about!!!!
So, just a happy "normal" day on the farm... nothing too exciting to really write about.. but certainly a day that was most enjoyable....
Every year at the local airport, they have a model planes weekend. We have gone before, but Ed so enjoys this, that we try not to miss it. There are "model planes" and then there are "MODEL planes".. these are those. This photo, for example, is a real plane (which they have there as well), but when the models fly.. especially high up.. it's hard to tell the difference...
One thing they do.. is have an air show where they fly a real plane and a model together. Now, mind you, the pilot of the model is on the ground, so flying from that perspective certainly requires some talent. Here are the two that will fly together ....
And here they are in the sky. I wished I had gotten some better photos, because they did all sort of "tricks" and such, but I was so busy watching (and my camera isn't fast enough) that you just have to know it was really, really neat.....
The other thing that can't be seen in these photos... HOT!!!!! The weather was extremely hot, and even though it was fun to watch, walking around an open air field, with hot tar under your feet... sort of made the day not at it's very best.....
Kass, Nate and Reagan caught up with us. Reagan loves this sort of thing and kept pointing up saying "sky--sky".... he was so good, and must have enjoyed watching, because he basically stayed in one place.....
though, if he could have run out on the run way, I'm sure he would have in a flash.....
Poor Danny, I dragged him along as well... I have taken almost all of my service puppies to this event. I kept a careful eye on him, and thought more than once, I shouldn't have brought him because of the heat. But he seemed up for the adventure..... that's one thing with black dogs, you really need to be careful about them not over heating....
Along with model planes, there are cars as well. They have all sorts of races, but this little area was so other kids could try "driving the cars"... Danny was pretty fascinated with these little things zipping around.....
Reagan really didn't like the sound of the models, and was much more interested in the real thing.....
Not too sure what Dan thought of it..... looks a little worried that it might "move" on him!!!!
They had a beautiful old planes on display. I found this one interesting.. it would have gone on a air craft carrier, thus wings that can fold in, to make more room.
I have to say, I wonder how comfortable I would be flying in this thing, knowing that it's wings can fold in. I know, it's made to it, but think about it.......
I love this picture... this cute little girl was standing with her family looking at the planes, and Reagan went right over to her and began to talk. I am thinking he was telling her everything she needed to know about planes!!!!
We stayed at the air field for a few hours, and then the sky began to get dark. "They" said, that a cold front would come threw and bring the temps downs (yeah) but some pretty heavy storms would be coming threw (boo).... you could just watch them roll in....
I wish the photo really showed this, it looks fairly "light", but I can tell you, the sky was as black as could be. Camille began to get nervous, (me too).. we were in for some good ones.....
cool picture of the "whats to come"......
and rain... it did. But actually not for very long, and once the rain hit, you could feel the temps dropping in a hurry. A nice cool breeze came it, and everyone seem to feel better.... and what a treat we had at the end.... this was a double rainbow, and it was in the sky for a long time.....
I also just need to mention.. that Livy went out to her first dog show with Karen!!! Actually there were four shows all together... her first two days, she did extremely well... taking first in her class both times and even picking up three points towards her championship. The next two days (over the weekend) the "big dogs" arrives, so we knew that she probably wouldn't beat any of them out (she still have lot of maturing to do)... but Karen said she showed well and actually took second!!!! So, this little gal is off to a grand start... Karen will continue to show her in the breed classes and I will take her to the obedience ring...... I am so in love with this little brown dog!!!!!
And so, we click over to yet another month on the calendar .. "hello September".... and from the looks of it, we're in for a fabulous fall. Today, I met up with Reagan and Kass at a little playground, it was just too pretty to be inside, and a great day to get out and play. Reagan loves the play ground, and had a grand time running about. But I just have to share one of his "newest things".... this is "crazy face" and if you ask him to do it, this is what you get!!!!! silly boy.....
He certainly is "all boy" too... so adventuress ... he thinks nothing of climbing up to the top of the slide and throwing himself down to the bottom.. you can be sure that his Mom and I were on the go the whole time, but it's a great way to burn off some boyish energy....
Getting him off the playground is a whole other thing... fortunately there was something else that was very close by, so when it was time to go... Kass asked if he wanted to go and "see"......
Heavy equipment!!! A little boy's dream...... we took him in for a nice close look, but he really was just as happy standing back and checking it all out. I'm thinking that "up close" was just a bit too big......
It's getting to be "close up camp" time as well.....though looking at this photo, it doesn't seem possible. We actually got to spend some time at camp over the weekend... the kids all wanted that one last swim before the docks are pulled. Andrew will be coming back again this winter and living in the little camp... which is so nice for us, because we don't have to worry about anything freezing and know that someone is around to keep an eye on things.
Oh dear summer.... you went by just way too fast!!!!
"Little fish"... she is in the lake as much as she possibly can be!!! From the moment we arrived, she is changed, and on the dock....
All summer long she has been "practicing" jumping off the dock. At the beginning she had said .. "Baby, before the winter, I am going to be able to jump off the dock.... all by myself"..... each time she is getting a little braver..... she starts out, going off the ladder....
And after a few "warm up tries"... she is jumping off the edge of it as well. Pleased with her progress, she now tells me that "next summer, I'm going to jump off the deep end".... and seeing how well she did this year, I have no doubt that she will......
Another generation of this family.. "growing up on the lake!!!"
Our neighbors were up too, so the girls were thrilled to have the boys to play with. More than likely this will be the last weekend they are all together... but summer friends are always special friends.....
and all winter long, they will have their adventures to talk about.....
We'll still have plenty of warm afternoons, but with the way our life seems to run, I doubt there will be many "just sitting at camp" days... so, I'm soaking this one in, and can dream of it when the snow arrives.....
