Racing the Storm

What a slacker I’ve been!!  1 post in three days…


terrible.





I fear, though, that this is going to be summertime blogging for me. 
I won’t quite make the every day schedule.

Too many things going on.

Yesterday afternoon I packed up the kids and we headed up to Creekside for an overnight camping trip.

We couldn’t stay any longer than that, because I’m farmin’ now.  Got chores to do. 
Those chicks won’t feed themselves.






We had a relaxing, albeit early, morning, after a late, fun, campfire.




All of the sudden the wind picked up, and storm clouds were a brewin’.


Well, I had left my dogs outside, and Freddy is scared of thunderstorms,
so I rushed around and packed up, and left.








When I left the temperature was 29 degrees C.


About 5 minutes into the drive I hit wet pavement.  The temp had dropped to 25.
  I thought, “Uh, oh.  Going to have some unhappy puppies.”




I stepped on the gas.





Got halfway home, the pavement was soaked, the temp was 22.




I stepped on the gas.

Got 3/4 home, and dry pavement!!!

Temp at 25.




I stepped on the gas.





Got home, dry gravel, temp at 28.

High winds, and storm clouds coming.






Kids and I ran to unpack the van, and just as we got the last item in, it started to pour.

Good timing, that.






So, I beat the storm.





I like it when I win.









Which reminds me,


 
Sarah, I now have 9 camping points.


Yes, 9.











I win.

Here’s some pictures.

(Fuzzy, I know.  But I didn’t have time to change the settings on my camera before he hopped away.)

Disclaimer notice: The children had to actually be moved forward from where they were originally set up, as the BB’s would not penetrate the cardboard box.  So, not a very dangerous BB gun.

 

I Went Out Again!!

Which, yes, meant that I broke out the “good” bra.





And I actually wore a skirt.

Without knee high boots.




That hasn’t happened in a while.


Being pregnant four times while working on my feet for 10 hour shifts was not at all kind to my legs.

So skirts have not been a part of my wardrobe.




But last night was HOT!

And I don’t own any shorts that aren’t cut from pants that wore out….
not really going out attire.


So.  I wore a skirt.




Enough about that.









The occasion?







My lovely sisters 30th Birthday Party!!

It was a wine tasting Birthday party.

Awesome idea.

For us.

She had to do all the work.

Why is it, when you’re a Mom, if you have a Birthday Party it just means more work?

Here she is setting everything up.

Some of the offerings:

Not the best pictures to show off the food…
but outside there are bugs.




So until everyone was ready to dig in,
things were covered.



And there was no way to get a picture once the herd of people started filling their plates.




The food was good.

See the cow pan?


Best food there.


She made it.


Go to her blog to see how…

And check out the fruit tray Joanna brought!!

Gorgeous and delicious.

On Pickle Trays and Fruit Trays she has the market cornered.

And notice all the little details Rachel had?

Pretty flowers, pretty little bucket citronella candles (bugs)….
all very pretty.

Stewie got to come out and see everyone later in the evening.

Having a moment with his Grandma.

And the CAKE!!
Made and decorated by Sarah.

So CUTE, don’t you think?

It was a fun party.

Rachel, you can throw yourself a birthday party any time…. I’ll be there.

Welcome to the Dirty Thirties.

You Capture: SKY

Sky?
Sky I can do.
Landscapes, nature, that’s the pictures I can DO!!
So, here’s a few of my favourites.
.
Just a few.
I love the sky……
St. Columban soccer field

St. Columban soccer field

St. Columban soccer field

Maine

Winthrop

Base Line, Clinton

Base Line, Clinton

Mayan Riviera, Mexico

Mayan Riviera, Mexico

Walton.

More Chicken Stuff

Spent the day on The Shack.
Chicks are getting too big for the brooder.
They REALLY need to get outside.
So, the day was spent on that.
And here it is.

Trusses are up.
Except two.
One to use to frame the one we didn’t get enough lumber for.
Get that?
WE had a level for the first time today.
When we set the foundations and framed the walls,
we (and I use that term loosely)
he, eyeballed it.
And guess what?
Walls are level.
Pretty good eyeballin’.
You’d almost think he knew what he was doing.
Either that, or the trenches I dug were remarkably even.

It’s what you don’t see that’s important here.
I filled in the trenches partway,
dug out more of the floor,
and buried chicken wire around the perimeter,
about three feet into the building,
a foot to the outside.
Then buried it.
No critters are going to get MY chickens.

Oh, and I leveled the floor.
Which is why Cyrus is lying in each of the pictures.
He loves freshly worked earth.
It’s nice and cool.
His fur is sooo thick, the poor guy gets way too hot.
Hence the fence around each of my gardens.

I walked over to check on the chicks today, over in the enclosed garden plot (Cyrus), and they were SO hot.  I had provided them with shade, but it wasn’t enough.  They were panting.
So I gathered them up, and with fear and trepidation let them loose in the Fairy Circle.
I’m sorry if you don’t know what that means…. it’s an area of my property where the fairy’s come to dance.
Seriously.

They LOVED the new location.

It’s shady and cool all the time.

With some grass, weeds and bugs to peck at.

Instead of my baby spinach in the garden.

Happy chickies.